Location: UK – Page 5 – Disability Day of Mourning

Janette Dunbavand

Name: Janette Dunbavand.
Died: March 22, 2019.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Janette was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide.

Janette lived in the same house for her whole life. She served as town mayor from 1994-1995 and had two children.

Case status:
John Dunbavand (Husband), deceased.

Source:
The tragic letter dad wrote to children before he killed himself and his wife
Man who shot wife ‘could not bear her suffering’
Husband left heartbreaking note before shooting his wife
Former councillor, 81, may have shot his wife and then himself
Burglars break into home of dead couple just days after ‘murder suicide’

No Photo Name: Julie Burdett.
Died: January 15, 2019.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Pressure ulcers, malnutrition.
Location: Leicester, England, UK.
Disability: “A disease similar to multiple sclerosis”; wheelchair user.

Details:
Julie died from extreme pressure sores. Allegedly, she was not moved or fed properly, and before she died, was left alone in her bedroom for two weeks.

Case Status:
Philip Burdett (Brother), convicted of gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years.
Ralph Burdett (Father), convicted of allowing death, sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 2 years.

Sources:
‘Extreme hoarder’ Philip Burdett jailed for gross negligence manslaughter after death of vulnerable sister
Brother of vulnerable woman jailed for gross negligence manslaughter
Julie Burdett: Woman left to die ‘surrounded by filth’ after her father and brother failed to care for her, court told
Immobile woman ‘left to die alone in agony by extreme hoarder father’

Sheila Small

No Photo
Name: Sheila Small.
Died: December 18, 2018.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: West Bowling, Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Sheila was bludgeoned to death by her husband, who hit her with a rolling pin, a bottle, and a walking stick before she died from her injuries. At autopsy, she was found to have partly-healed fractures, indicating chronic physical abuse.

Case status:
Edward Small (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 14 years to life in prison.

Source:
Man jailed for killing wife with rolling pin
Edward Small, of Raymond Drive, on trial accused of murdering his wife
Great-grandad beat dementia-suffering wife to death with rolling pin
Great-grandfather, 76, jailed for life for beating wife of 50 years to death with rolling pin

June Knight

No Photo Name: June Knight.
Died: December 10, 2018.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Head injury from fall.
Location: Westcliff, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
June’s son went to the care home where she lived, picked her up, and threw her off her third-story balcony. She died from massive brain injuries.

Case status:
Robert Knight (Son), charged with murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 2 years.

Source:
Son who threw his terminally ill 79-year-old mother to her death spared jail
Suspended term for son who threw mum off balcony
Son ‘threw mum, 79, over balcony to her death after carrying her from care home
Son carried mum to balcony, put her on railing and pushed her to her death
No verdict in balcony fall murder trial
Care home woman died from head injury
Photos show forensics outside care home after woman ‘murdered’
Man, 52, appears in court accused of killing his mum, 79, at care home
Son appears in court on mum murder charge after 79-year-old ‘falls from care home balcony’
Man in court over relative’s death
Son denies mother’s balcony fall murder

Ann Pomphret

Name: Ann Marie Pomphret.
Died: November 2, 2018.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK.
Disability: Autism, cancer.

Details:
Ann loved horses and owned several. One of her favorite TV shows was CSI.

One day when she was out in the horse barn, her husband bludgeoned her to death with a crowbar. He said that he had done it because she had been verbally abusive to him and their daughter.

Case status:
David Pomphret (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Ann Pomphret
Chilling video shows man who beat wife to death lying about her murder
Husband shops with wife at Asda minutes before brutally murdering her
Husband found guilty of murdering wife with a crowbar
Husband tearfully reveals he battered his wife to death when she mocked him as ‘limp and useless’ over his erectile dysfunction
David Pomphret tells murder trial how he burned his clothes after killing wife
Murder-accused husband ‘deserved a medal’
Barclays bank exec beat wife to death with crowbar after she called him ‘useless’
Barclays exec battered wife to death with crowbar after ‘years of abuse’

Mustafa Mehmetaliogullari

Name: Mustafa “Musti” Mehmetaliogullari.
Died: September 30, 2018.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Medication overdose.
Location: Sedlescombe, East Sussex, England, UK.
Disability: “Severe physical and mental disabilities”.

Details:
Mustafa died three days after being brought to the hospital; autopsy showed that he had died from an overdose of non-prescription medication, and his mother was convicted of poisoning him.

Case Status:
Pembe Mehmetaliogullari (Mother), convicted of administering a noxious substance; sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 18 months.

Sources:
Devoted mother from Hove spared prison after poisoning late son
Sussex mum cleared of attempting to murder disabled son
Mother accused of giving her son pills is cleared of attempted murder
Husband said ‘baby or me’ after tot rescued from dustbin found to be disabled, court hears
Hove mum accused of murdering disabled son pleads not guilty
Mum charged with murder of severely disabled 10-year-old son
Mother charged with murdering 10-year-old disabled son
East Sussex mum charged with murder of severely disabled son
East Sussex: Mother charged with murdering severely disabled 10-year-old son
Mum charged with murdering disabled son, 10, after he dies in hospital

Joe Pooley

Name: Joe Pooley.
Died: August 7, 2018.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Ipswitch, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Joe’s girlfriend encouraged three of her friends while they beat Joe up, threw him into the river, and held his head under until he drowned.

Case status:
Becki West-Davidson (Girlfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to 17 years to life.
Lisa-Marie Smith, charged with murder, acquitted.
Sean Palmer, convicted of murder, sentenced to 18 years to life.
Sebastian Smith, convicted of murder, sentenced to 21 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Joe Pooley
Joe Pooley: Lack of prison recall ‘contributed to’ murder
Murder accused told mother ‘I held his head under water’, court hears
Murder accused ‘bullied and ganged up’ on autistic man found dead in river
Joe Pooley death: Vulnerable man ‘attacked and thrown into river’
Joe Pooley death: Mother ‘frustrated’ by Ipswich murder trial delay
Murder accused ‘bragged about killing’, court hears
Court told pair panicked after alleged attack on Joe Pooley
Murder accused allegedly tried to cover his tracks – court told
Joe Pooley death: Gang ‘attacked vulnerable man and threw him into river’

Stephanie Packman

No Photo Name: Stephanie Packman.
Died: August 1, 2018.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Kemsley, Kent, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Stephanie had dementia and was living in a care home. When her husband came to get her from the care home, staff became alarmed and called police. But they were too late; Stephanie’s husband had already cut her throat. He attempted suicide himself, but survived.

Stephanie’s husband claims that it had been a suicide pact, but no evidence for this has emerged.

Case status:
Michael Packman (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility, given a 2-year suspended sentence.

Source:
Pensioner charged with murdering his wife over ‘failed suicide pact’
Wife killed in ‘failed suicide pact’ named
Sittingbourne man accused of murdering his wife needed hospital treatment too
Murder suspect remanded in custody after death of woman in Sittingbourne
Pensioner who killed wife with dementia in failed suicide pact spared jail
‘Devoted’ husband who fatally cut dementia-stricken wife’s throat is spared jail

Patricia Franks

No Photo
Name: Patricia Franks.
Died: July 8, 2018.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned.
Location: Gatley, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Patricia’s husband beat her to death with a metal bar so that he wouldn’t have to put her in a care home. He had previously turned down offers of support from social services.

Case status:
Lawrence Franks (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility, given a two-year suspended sentence.

Source:
84-year-old man pleads guilty to manslaughter of his 86-year-old wife
Stockport man, 84, killed wife with dementia as ‘act of mercy’
Elderly man beat dementia-stricken wife to death in ‘mercy killing’
Devoted husband, 84, who battered wife, 86, to death with an iron bar rather than see her go into care home weeps as judge frees him
Devoted husband’s determination to keep his promise to his wife ended in tragedy
‘I’VE KILLED MY WIFE’ Pensioner’s tragic 999 call after killing dementia-stricken wife

Mary Gregory

Photo: An older woman in a teal blazer and pearl necklace, smiling for the camera. Her wispy white hair is culed and cut short; she is wearing glasses. Her fair skin is deeply wrinkled. Name: Mary Gregory.
Died: June 1, 2018.
Age at death: 94.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Heysham, Lancashire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Mary died of injuries sustained in a house fire. As she was a heavy smoker, it was initially thought to be an accidental death. However, a year later, her grandson’s counselor contacted police and reported that her grandson had told them that he had disabled the fire alarm and started the fire. Police searched his computer and found that he had made several suspicious Internet searches, including one for “feeling guilty for putting a loved one out of their misery”. It turned out that he had set the fire by holding a lighter to Mary’s curtains.

Case Status:
Tiernan Darnton (Step-grandson), convicted of murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Sources:
Heysham fire: Truth or dare student guilty of grandmother murder
Student Who ‘Confessed To Killing 94-Year-Old Woman’ In Game Of Truth Or Dare Jailed For Life
Student ‘admitted killing woman, 94, in fire during game of Truth or Dare’
Teen accused of murder ‘confessed to killing nan’ in game of Truth or Dare
Man charged with Heysham grandmother’s house fire murder