Category: Relationship: Partner

Spouse or romantic partner.

Megan Tilman

Photo of a woman with pale skin and dark-blond chin length hair cut into bangs. She is wearing glasses, a black shirt, and a steel bead necklace; she is smiling slightly.Name: Megan Leah Tilman.
Died: October 3, 2017.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Asphyxiation.
Location: Annapolis, Maryland, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Megan lived with her boyfriend and girlfriend, who took advantage of her intellectual disability to spend her money and that of her mother, who was also disabled. Shortly after Megan’s mother went into assisted living, Megan disappeared and was found dead and dismembered in a river. During trial, it came out that after an argument, her boyfriend had strangled her while her girlfriend smothered her.

Case Status:
Christina Harnish (Girlfriend), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 40 years.
William Rice (Boyfriend), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 40 years.

Sources:
Man and woman who killed, dismembered roommate sentenced to 40 years in prison
Man and woman who killed, dismembered Annapolis woman in 2017 sentenced to 40 years in prison
Who killed Megan Tilman?

Vanessa Danielson

Photo of Vanessa Danielson, a woman with fair skin and blonde hair, wearing a white knit cap. The photo is somewhat blurry and backlit.Name: Vanessa Danielson.
Died: September 28, 2017.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Vanessa’s boyfriend poured gasoline all over her and set her on fire. She managed to escape the house and run into the yard, where a neighbor rushed to her side, put out the fire, and held her hand while they waited for the ambulance. Vanessa died later that day at the hospital.

Case status:
Wyndale Fayson (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder and first-degree arson, sentenced to 34-52 years in prison.

Source:
Minnesota offender search
Charges: Man doused ex in gas as she slept, then set her on fire
Woman with multiple sclerosis dies after monster boyfriend allegedly pours gasoline on bed and sets her on fire — hours after she called for help
Victim’s boyfriend charged in Northeast Minneapolis burning death

Ryanna Grywacheski

Photo of Ryanna Grywacheski, a young woman wearing dark-rimmed glasses, a choker, and a dark blouse. Her hair is dark brown and cut short; her skin is fair. She is wearing light makeup.Name: Ryanna Grywacheski.
Died: September 16, 2017.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Marystown, Newfoundland, Canada.
Disability: Injuries from car accident; depression.

Details:
Ryanna was killed by her 37-year-old boyfriend, who then committed suicide.

She loved animals and cooking, and wanted a career as a welder.

Case status:
Jeff Kilfoy (Boyfriend), deceased.

Source:
Family mourns Regina woman killed in murder-suicide in N.L.
Marystown deaths are murder-suicide, RCMP confirm
‘I always called her unbreakable’: Regina woman remembers friend murdered in N.L.

Valerie Wallach

Photo of Valerie Wallach as a young, blond, fair-skinned woman with a pixie cut and striped sweater.Name: Valerie Wallach.
Died: September 12, 2017.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Toxteth, Liverpool, England, UK.
Disability: Breast cancer.

Details:
Valerie’s husband left her in her chair in filthy conditions and ignored her worsening health, only calling a doctor when it was too late. She died in the hospital 19 days later from sepsis due to infected pressure sores.

Case status:
Richard Wallach (Husband), convicted of gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 8 years.

Source:
UPDATED: Man who left his wife to die in pain and filth sentenced to eight years for gross negligence manslaughter
Mum whose husband left her to die in ‘worst conditions ever seen’ is pictured
First photo of mum-of-two left to die in her own filth by husband

Shirley Williamson

Portrait photo of Shirley Williamson, a middle-aged woman with pale skin and curly, shoulder-length auburn hair.Name: Shirley Williamson.
Died: August 26, 2017.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Powell, Wyoming, USA.
Disability: Blind; mental illness.

Details:
Shirley Williamson was shot by her husband because her mental illness had been getting worse.

Her son reported that she had recently told him, “If I die, it will be someone else who did it.”

Case status:
David Williamson (Husband), charged with second-degree murder; pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 18-20 years.

Source:
Powell man serving time for killings asks for shorter sentence
Details Emerge in Powell Homicide
Williamson’s bond set at $700,000
Powell man charged in wife’s murder
Powell man arrested on suspicion of murdering wife
Bond set at $700,000 for Powell man charged with wife’s murder
Powell man charged with murder after allegedly telling 911 operator ‘wife is dead, send the cops’
Authorities: Husband says he killed wife over mental issues
For killing wife, Powell man receives 18- to 20-year sentence
Powell man gets 18-20 for killing wife

Donita Elliott

Photo of Donita Elliott, a middle-aged woman with fair skin and very long dark-brown hair, wearing glasses, a white sweater, and a gold necklace. She is smiling broadly at the camera.Name: Donita Elliott.
Died: August 8, 2017.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Donita was shot by her husband, who claimed he had done it in self-defense because she had bipolar disorder and was coming at him with a knife. Later on, a recording on his cell phone recording proved that he had shot her, refused to help as he watched her die, and planted the knife himself.

She was a devout Presbyterian and avid cook who loved cats and kittens.

Case status:
Patrick Elliott (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 54-75 years.

Source:
Elliott sentenced to 75 years for killing his wife
Husband guilty of murder for killing his mentally ill wife
Patrick Elliott in letter to church: ‘My choice included her death’
Donita Marie Elliott: Obituary
Ind. Man Allegedly Recorded Himself Shooting Wife and Watching Her Die as She Begged for Help
Police called to victim’s house hours before fatal fight
Husband shot wife and watched her die, police said
Husband Claims Self-Defense In Murder Of His Wife
Suspect recorded killing of his wife on his cellphone, sheriff says

Ursula Cabalzar

Photo of Ursula Cabalzar, a heavyset woman wearing a red sweater. Her graying blonde hair is cut short; she has sunglasses propped up on her head. Her skin is pink.Name: Ursula Cabalzar.
Died: August 8, 2017.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Santa Clara, California, USA.
Disability: Killer believed she had dementia.

Details:
Ursula’s husband believed she was in the early stages of dementia, so instead of going to a doctor, he shot her dead and then killed himself.

Case status:
Michael Reyer (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Ursula Cabalzar, age 68
Police Investigate 2 Deaths in Santa Clara as Murder-Suicide
PRESS RELEASE – Murder / Suicidea
Santa Clara murder-suicide: Mental decline cited as motive for killing

Mathew Dunbar

Photo of Mathew Dunbar, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, gray eyes, and a friendly smile.Name: Mathew Dunbar.
Died: August 2, 2017.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Suffocated due to helium inhalation.
Location: Walcha, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Depression, leg injury.

Details:
Mathew was a farmer who used his land to raise sheep.

After he made her the sole heir of his large property, Mathew’s partner made up a cocktail of sedatives and fed it to Mathew; when he was unconscious she gassed him with helium. She claimed that Mathew had committed suicide due to his depression, but when police checked her computer, they found evidence that they say shows she had been researching how to commit murder. Mathew’s partner had also been arrested and charged with attempted murder years ago for setting the house on fire with her previous husband inside, but that charge was withdrawn.

Case status:
Natasha Beth Darcy (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Source:
Natasha Beth Darcy found guilty of murdering partner after saying he had taken his own life | Daily Mail Online
NSW woman ‘not upset’ at partner’s death
Nutribullet used to blend cocktail of drugs in grazier murder: court
Woman charged over death of NSW farmer allegedly searched ‘murder’ before his death

Shannon Cooper

Photo of Shannon Cooper, a heavyset woman with pale skin and long light brown hair.Name: Shannon Michelle Barrett-Cooper.
Died: July 25, 2017.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Childhood leukemia, paraplegic.

Details:
Shannon’s fiance moved her into his house and isolated her from her family. He neglected her, starving her, keeping her in filthy conditions, and not getting her medical help when she needed it. Shannon died when her extensive bedsores caused blood poisoning.

Case statys:
Gary Marple (Fiance), charged with criminal negligence; convicted and sentenced to 4 years.

Source:
Murfreesboro man charged with negligence in fiancee’s death
Shannon Michelle Cooper’s Obituary

Naoko Kaup

Photo of Naoko Kaup's gravestone.Name: Naoko Kaup.
Died: July 16, 2017.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Jacksonville, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Dementia, chronic illness.

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

She was a Hiroshima survivor and the mother of two sons.

Case status:
Milton Kaup (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Sheriff: Death of two elderly Onslow residents likely murder-suicide
Sheriff: Deaths of 2 Onslow County residents suspected to be murder-suicide
UPDATED: Murder-suicide suspected in elderly couple’s death
Naoko Kaup’s Obituary on Jacksonville Daily News