Location: USA – Page 120 – Disability Day of Mourning

Basma Rafay

Name: Basma Rafay
Died: July 13, 1994.
Age at death: 20.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned.
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Basma was bludgeoned to death by her brother and his friend. They also killed her parents, Tariq and Sultana Rafay.

Case status:
Atif Rafay (Brother), convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Sebastian Burns (Brother’s friend), convicted of three counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Basma Rafay
The Rafay Family Murders

Timothy Ellis Jr.

No Photo Name: Timothy Ellis Jr.
Died: June 8, 1994.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Skull fracture.
Location: Jacksonville, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Timothy was in the care of his father when he suffered abuse-related injuries, including a skull fracture that resulted in his death.

Case status:
Timothy Ellis, Sr. (Father); charges dropped because a judge ruled his confession had been coerced.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Timothy Ellis Jr.
State asks Navy to hear murder case

Michael Messenger

No Photo Name: Michael Messenger.
Died: February 8, 1994.
Age at death: Newborn.
Cause of death: Withdrawal of life support.
Location: Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Prematurity with a risk of disability.

Details:
When Michael was born at 25 weeks gestation, he had a roughly 50% chance of survival. However, when their doctor told Michael’s parents that if he survived, he would probably be disabled, Michael’s father asked the doctor to leave and shut off the newborn’s ventilator, killing him.

Case status:
Gregory Messenger (Father); tried for manslaughter and admitted to disconnecting Michael’s life support; acquitted.

Source:
The Messenger Case: Summary and Analysis

Randy Busby and Elwin Caler

Family portrait photo of Twila, Elwin, and Randy, two young men flanking their mother. Name: Elwin F. “Scooter” Caler.
Age at death: 22.

Name: Melvin Randolf “Randy” Busby.
Age at death: 20.

Died: December 31, 1993.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Gray County, Texas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Randy and Elwin were stabbed to death by their mother’s live-in boyfriend. He also killed Twila Busby, their mother.

Case status:
Henry Skinner (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to death.

Source:
Henry Watkins SKINNER

Josiah Carroll

Josiah Carroll's gravestone; it reads, Isaiah 55:12, 1981 to 1993. Name: Josiah Carroll.
Died: June 14, 1993.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Cedarville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Josiah was allegedly smothered by his older brother. The death was witnessed by Josiah’s brother Isaiah, but his testimony was not considered because he is non-verbal and communicates by pointing.

Case status:
Kathleen Carroll (Mother), not charged.
Timothy Carroll (Father), not charged.
James Carroll (Brother), charged with delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter, acquitted.

Source:
Hannah, Noah, Molly and Joshua Carroll
Boy Saw Slaying, He Tells

Diana Robles

Name: Diana Maureen Weiland Robles.
Died: April 18, 1993.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Bartlett, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired due to polio; used crutches.

Details:
Diana’s son offered his classmate $100 to kill her and her husband Peter. Her son held her down while the other man stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Eric Robles (Son), sentenced to 1oo years.
Sean Helgesen (hired killer), sentenced to 90 years.

Source:
ROBLES SENTENCED TO LIFE
Appellate court upholds 90-year sentence for Bartlett double murder by teen
Diana M. Robles (1948-1993) – Find A Grave
People v. Helgeson, 2020 IL

Trevor Horn

Name: Trevor Horn.
Died: March 3, 1993.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Hypoxia; ventilator disconnected.
Location: Montgomery County, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic, intellectually disabled.

Details:
In an attempt to collect the money that was going toward Trevor’s care, Trevor’s father hired a hit man to kill him. The hit man disconnected Trevor’s respirator, and then shot his mother, Mildred Horn, and his overnight nurse, Janice Saunders. Trevor’s two sisters, who had been out of the house that night, survived.

Case status:
Lawrence Horn (Father), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole, died in prison.
James Edward Perry (Hit man); convicted of murder, sentenced to death, died in prison.

Source:
Lawrence T. HORN
Father arrested in 3 murders
The chilling story of how a book by a cash-strapped mum from Florida is behind a triple murder

Mollie Carroll

Gravestone reading, "Bringer of Joy, Noah Carroll, 1989-1992; Princess, Mollie Carroll, 1989-1992." Name: Mollie Carroll.
Died: December 9, 1992.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Inconclusive; hypoxia.
Location: Cedarville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Cri-du-chat syndrome.

Details:
Mollie’s cause of death has been ruled inconclusive, but it is likely that she was smothered. Her death went unreported for at least twelve hours.

Mollie’s death is suspicious because the couple who adopted him has had five of their children die, and four of those deaths, including Noah’s, were investigated as possible homicides with both parents and 16-year-old older brother implicated.

Case status:
Kathleen Carroll (Mother), not charged.
Timothy Carroll (Father), not charged.
James Carroll (Brother), charged with delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter, acquitted.

Source:
Hannah, Noah, Molly and Joshua Carroll
Boy Saw Slaying, He Tells

Noah Carroll

Name: Noah Carroll.
Died: November 15, 1992.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Inconclusive; hypoxia.
Location: Cedarville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Prenatal cocaine exposure; epilepsy.

Details:
Noah’s cause of death has been ruled inconclusive, but it is likely that he was smothered.

Noah’s death is suspicious because the couple who adopted him has had five of their children die, and four of those deaths, including Noah’s, were investigated as possible homicides with both parents and 16-year-old older brother implicated.

Case status:
Kathleen Carroll (Mother), not charged.
Timothy Carroll (Father), not charged.
James Carroll (Brother), charged with delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter, acquitted.

Source:
Hannah, Noah, Molly and Joshua Carroll
Boy Saw Slaying, He Tells

Hannah Carroll

Name: Hannah Mercy Carroll.
Died: September 21, 1992.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Location: Cedarville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Hannah was burned with bleach over a third of her body–allegedly by her brother, who was babysitting, though he maintains it was an accident. Her parents did not seek medical attention until three days later when she was unconscious and dying from pneumonia.

Case status:
Kathleen Carroll (Mother), not charged.
Timothy Carroll (Father), not charged.
James Carroll (Brother), charged with delinquency by reason of involuntary manslaughter, acquitted.

Source:
Hannah, Noah, Molly and Joshua Carroll
Hannah, Noah, Mollie, and Josiah Carroll
Girl tried to protect self