Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Name: Carolyn Key.
Died: April 1, 2024.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Shooting.
Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
Disability: Kidney failure, chronic pain.
Details:
Carolyn’s husband allegedly shot her because he “wanted to end her pain.”
Case Status:
James Key (Husband), charged with homicide.
Sources:
‘I killed Carolyn’: Tallahassee man faces charges for allegedly shooting, killing wife
Carolyn Key Obituary
Name: Paula Lombardo.
Died: March 15, 2024.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Clearfield, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Parkinson’s disease.
Details:
Paula’s son reported her dead; emergency responders found her dead on her bed, and her son reportedly asked police when he could claim life insurance money. An autopsy concluded that she had died from asphyxia, likely strangulation.
Case Status:
David Michael Lombardo (Son), charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, strangulation, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and recklessly endangering another person.
Sources:
Clearfield Man Headed to County Court for Mother’s Alleged Murder
Paula Lombardo Obituary (2024) – Clearfield, PA – Gant Daily
Clearfield man accused of smothering his disabled mother
Man kills mom and asks police when he can collect life insurance, Pennsylvania cops say
Clearfield Man Jailed for Mother’s Alleged Murder
Name: Lawanda Mitchell.
Died: March 13, 2024.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Assault.
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.
Details:
In response to a welfare check, police responded to Lawanda’s home and found her in critical condition. She had been assaulted two days before, allegedly by her son, who was arrested. Lawanda died from her injuries some weeks after the assault.
Case Status:
Barron Wallace (Son), charged with injury to an Elderly and/or Disabled Person; charges upgraded to murder after Lawanda’s death.
Sources:
Man faces murder charge in mom’s death weeks after he assaulted her, Dallas police say
Man faces murder charge in Dallas woman’s death, weeks after alleged assault, police say
Dallas Man Barron Wallace Charged with Murder Following Victim’s Death Weeks After Assault
Dallas woman dies weeks after violent assault, suspect arrested
Name: Noah Ryan Landon.
Died: March 12, 2024.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sebring, Florida, USA.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.
Details:
Noah’s father brought him to the hospital, saying that he was having trouble with his son. Staff put Noah in a “mental health room”, where he lay on a bed. Noah’s father than pulled a handgun, ordered everyone out of the room, and fatally shot Noah and himself.
Case Status:
Joe Landon (Father), deceased.
Sources:
Friend of man involved in murder-suicide at hospital says he’d been struggling for weeks
Sebring hospital shooting: Father, son killed at AdventHealth Sebring, deputies say
Name: William Thomas Anderson Jr.
Died: February 22, 2024.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
William was found dead in his front yard, having been fatally beaten. His son was arrested and charged with his murder.
Case Status:
Marshall Anderson (Son), charged with first-degree murder.
Sources:
Obituary for William Thomas Anderson, Jr. at Valley Chapel
Wilmington man charged with murder in connection with father’s death
Man accused of murder in his father’s death in New Hanover County
Name: Christiana Blake.
Died: February 21, 2024.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Sepsis, pneumonia; pressure sores.
Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Stroke; mobility impaired, nonspeaking.
Details:
Christiana’s daughter allegedly left her home alone repeatedly for long periods of time and neglected her care. Untended pressure sores in Christiana’s legs progressed to the point of requiring amputation, but she went without medical help for several more months until the state finally took over guardianship of Christiana. But it was too late; she was too sick to survive. Christiana died in the hospital from widespread infection.
Case Status:
Yeawah Sanu (Daughter), charged with criminal homicide and neglect of a care-dependent person.
Minkailu Sanu (Son-in-law), wanted on suspicion of homicide and neglect.
Sources:
Harrisburg woman charged with homicide, neglect of care-dependent person after death of her mother
Disabled woman’s legs went black from neglect, disease before she died in homicide: police
Name: David Jacques Hernandez.
Died: February 20, 2024.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Cut to the neck.
Location: Lancaster, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
David was allegedly killed by his mother’s boyfriend.
Case Status:
Rena Naulls (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder and assault on a child causing death.
Sources:
Autism Memorial: David Hernandez
Father of 3-year-old boy killed in Lancaster speaks out: ‘I need answers for every question’
District Attorney Gascón Announces Charges Against a Man Who Allegedly Killed a Three-Year-Old Boy in Lancaster
Name: James Gaylor.
Died: February 10, 2024.
Age at death: 70.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Washington DC, USA.
Disability: Back injury; used cane.
Details:
According to police, James’s daughter stopped them on the street and said she’d stabbed her father. When they investigated, they found James fatally wounded; before he died, police say he told them that his daughter had attacked him. He had been stabbed 17 times.
James was a building engineer and drywall painter. Though he had no children of his own, he was a doting grandfather to his stepsons’ children.
Case Status:
Brittany Gaylor (Daughter), charged with second-degree murder.
Sources:
DC woman accused of killing disabled father
DC woman charged with murder of father, who reported her to police last week
Daughter Charged with Second-Degree Murder for Fatal Stabbing of Disabled Father
Name: Janette Becraft.
Died: February 8, 2024.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Police responded to Janette’s home and, after a standoff with her husband, found her shot dead inside. They arrested her husband.
Janette took pleasure in owning and driving her 1968 Mustang. Spending time with the ladies from the Red Hat Society was a joy for her. She also loved to travel and play games; Scrabble was one of her favorites.
Case Status:
William Albert “Billy Jack” Haynes Jr. (Husband), charged with murder.
Sources:
Former WWE Wrestler Billy Jack Haynes Charged With Wife’s Murder
Former WWE Wrestler in Custody Over Wife’s Murder
Former WWF wrestler arrested in wife’s murder
Mercy Killings and CTE | WWF Star Billy Jack Haynes’ Alleged Murder Of His 85-Year-Old Wife With Dementia Leads To Deeper Questions
Former W.W.F. Wrestler Arrested in Wife’s Murder
Name: Jeremiah Moore.
Died: February 6, 2024.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Springfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Autism.
Details:
Jeremiah was found dead in his home. He had been chained to a cot in a basement closet and had no food in his system when he died from malnutrition and dehydration.
Case Status:
Tamara Moore (Adoptive mother), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.
William Turnage (Adoptive mother’s boyfriend), charged with murder, endangering a child, involuntary manslaughter and failure to report a crime.
Sources:
Man wanted for murder of autistic teen arrested, police say
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot in Ohio
Autistic teen was treated ‘worse than an animal,’ prosecutor says
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Police: Springfield Twp. mother arrested in connection to death of teenager with autism
Neighborhood shocked over murder of autistic teenager
Springfield Township woman charged in murder of adopted son, who was autistic
Police: Springfield Township man wanted in murder of autistic child in custody
Mom arrested, murder warrant issued for man in autistic teen’s death: Police
Autistic teen found starved, chained to cot, Ohio officials say. Adoptive mom arrested
Mistreatment of special needs teen leads to murder charges
‘Justice for J.J.’: Adoptive mother and man indicted in 16-year-old’s death