Category: Main List

Names on the main memorial list.

Robin Appleby

Black and white newspaper photo of Robin Appleby, a young woman with dark hair and fair skin, smiling for the camera.Name: Robin Appleby.
Died: November 5, 1996.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Robin’s parents kept her in a locked room without a toilet or sufficient food. There, she starved to death.

Case status:
Billy Appleby (Father), convicted of reckless homicide, sentenced to 5-20 years.
Alice Appleby (Mother), convicted of reckless homicide, sentenced to 5-20 years.
Billy Ray Appleby II (Brother), convicted of tampering with evidence, sentenced to 0-5 years.

Source:
Retarded Woman Dies Locked in Bedroom; Abused, Malnourished, Police Say
Robin Appleby’s Parents Deny Guilt; Lawyer says they were “overwhelmed” but cared for her

Katie Baker

No PhotoName: Katie Lynn Baker.
Died: May 28, 1996.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
Katie’s mother deliberately starved her to death because she believed that Katie did not want to live.

Case status:
Cheryl Baker (Mother). Never charged.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Katie Lynn Baker
Crown Will Not Lay Charges in Death of Katie Lynn Baker
People with Disabilities Outraged by Murders
Remembering…
History of euthanasia in CanadaTracy Latimer is dead because her father is a murderer

Brenda Thomas

A gravestone reading, Brenda Kay Thomas. July 3, 1972 to April 9, 1996. Here lies an angel.Name: Brenda Kay Thomas.
Died: April 9, 1996.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Head injury, pneumonia.
Location: Sand Springs, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Brenda’s mother abused and starved her; she died of a combination of head injury and pneumonia when her 36-pound body finally succumbed to her mother’s mistreatment.

Case status:
Eva Nell Thomas (Mother), convicted of second-degree manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Source:
Woman Held in Daughter’s Death

Justin and Sandra Blair

Photo of a gravestone. It reads: Blair, Sandi Kay, 1960-1996. Justin Michael, 1987-1996. Mother and son.Name: Sandra Blair.
Age at death: 36.
Disability: Injury from a car accident.

Name: Justin Blair.
Age at death: 8.
Disability: Cerebral palsy; blindness.

Died: March 11, 1996.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with hammer.
Location: Concord, New Hampshire, USA.

Details:
Sandra and Justin, mother and son, were killed by Sandra’s husband, Justin’s father, who bludgeoned them with a hammer.

Case status:
Robert Blair (Father); convicted of murder; sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

Source:
Man Convicted in Hammer Slayings of Wife, Son

Danielle Tucker

Gravestone decorated with an angel, reading, "Our daughter Danielle R. Tucker, 1991 - 1995."Name: Danielle Tucker, born Danielle R. Dornan.
Died: December 10, 1995.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Coldwater, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, spina bifida.

Details:
Danielle died of head injuries after she was pushed down a flight of stairs by her adoptive mother, who claimed she had fallen. Danielle died on December 10, eight days short of her fourth birthday.

To avoid facing scrutiny for her death, the family moved, taking Danielle’s two siblings with them, but two years later Danielle’s sister was found locked in the basement, starving and neglected, and rescued. Danielle’s case was re-opened and her mother was charged.

Case status:
Becky Tucker (Adoptive mother), pleaded no contest to child abuse, sentenced to 8-15 years.
Christopher Tucker (Adoptive father), not charged but served 6 years, 2 months for abusing Danielle’s sister.

Source:
Tucker sentenced for Michagan death
Danielle and Brittany Tucker (Dornan)

Basma Rafay

Black and white photo of a young woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and light skin.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 PhotoName: 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 PhotoName: 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

Tracy Latimer

Black and white photo of Tracy Latimer, a teenager leaning against a headrest. She has short dark hair.Name: Tracy Latimer.
Died: October 24, 1993.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Wilkie, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Tracy’s father put her in his truck, connected the exhaust to the cab, and poisoned her with carbon monoxide.

Media coverage of Tracy’s death, which tended to support her killer, may have sparked several copycat crimes.

Case status:
Robert Latimer (Father), convicted of second degree murder, sentenced to life; paroled after 9 years, 11 months.

Source:
25 years after conviction, Robert Latimer still believes he was right to kill his daughter
Wikipedia: Robert Latimer
Right or wrong, Latimer’s actions touched off national debate on euthanasia
The Latimer Case: The Reflections of People with Disabilities
Robert Latimer seeking pardon for killing of severely disabled daughter
Community Living urges no pardon for murderer Robert Latimer
Trudeau asked to consider pardon or retrial for Saskatchewan man convicted of killing his daughter who suffered from cerebral palsy
Robert Latimer seeking pardon for killing of severely disabled daughter
Tracy Latimer’s killer does not deserve a pardon
Pardoning Robert Latimer is not justified
Lakritz: Pardoning Latimer would reduce Tracy’s value to the level of a dog
Robert Latimer’s request for clemency is a slam-dunk ‘no.’ Does Ottawa get that?