Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Spouse or romantic partner.
Name: Louis Spires.
Died: May 15, 2015.
Age at death: 68.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Louth, England, UK.
Disability: Alcoholic, visually impaired, mobility impaired.
Details:
Louis’s partner smothered him by putting a pillow over his face and sitting on it.
Case status:
Lynn Stallard (Partner, caretaker), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 12 years to life.
Name: Martin Duram.
Died: May 13, 2015.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sand Lake, Michigan, USA.
Disability: TBI.
Details:
Martin was found in his bed, shot five times, with his wife, who was barely alive and had a single gunshot wound, nearby. On a table was a suicide letter written by his wife.
After taking in Martin’s African gray parrot, Bud, Martin’s family heard the parrot mimicking the sounds of an intense argument, and then of Martin asking somebody not to shoot. With the parrot raising suspicion, an investigation was conducted and Martin’s wife was convicted of murder.
Case status:
Glenna Duram (Wife), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Source:
Woman Gets Life Sentence For Murder Witnessed By Pet Parrot
Wife sentenced to life in husband’s murder
Winged murder witness: ‘Don’t f—ing shoot’
Parrot Witnessed Michigan Man’s Murder, Parents Believe
8 months after husband was fatally shot and wife injured, police still trying to solve puzzle
Death of Sand Lake area man investigated as homicide, wife remains hospitalized
Jury Convicts Woman of Husband’s Murder After Pet Parrot Recalls Voice Screaming ‘Don’t Shoot’
Parrot Witnesses Murder, Michigan Woman Convicted
Name: Jody Hernandez.
Died: May 11, 2015.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness, including Crohn’s disease; depression.
Details:
Jody was shot and killed by her husband, who said that it had been an assisted suicide and that Jody had wanted to die. His lawyer arranged a plea bargain when it was found that Jody had, on a crowdfunding web page, detailed her illness. Though she didn’t express any desire to commit suicide on the web page, it corroborated her husband’s story that she had been ill. The judge accepted the plea bargain and Jody’s husband walked free on probation.
Jody’s goal for her crowdfunding page was to get enough money to go back to school and get her master’s degree to become a nurse-practitioner.
Case status:
Daniel Hernandez (Husband), pleaded guilty to assisted suicide, sentenced to 5 years probation and a $1500 fine.
Source:
DA reveals reason to drop murder charge in assisted suicide case
Man gets five years probation for killing his wife
Jody Hernandez | Help Jody with her illnesses, return home, sort out family problems and return to school
Woman allegedly shot by husband may have detailed illnesses…
Woman fatally shot by husband identified
Name: Patricia Spencer.
Died: March 17, 2015.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Dementia.
Details:
Patricia’s husband shot her before taking his own life.
Case status:
Bryce Spencer (Husband), deceased.
Name: Lori Decker.
Died: March 7, 2015.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Quincy, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Brain injury from diabetic crisis.
Details:
Lori’s husband neglected her and did not feed her enough; she starved to death.
Lori worked as a housekeeper.
Case status:
Derek Decker (Husband), pleaded guilty to neglect of disabled person, sentenced to 2 1/2 years.
Source:
Quincy man sent to prison in spousal neglect case
Lori Lynn Long Decker
Name: Gertrudes “Diana” Hollis.
Died: February 22, 2015.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Oceanside, California, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired due to car accident.
Details:
Diana burned to death in an arson fire set by her husband.
Case status:
Andrew Hollis (Husband), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Source:
Man who set house on fire, killing disabled wife sentenced
Life in Prison for Oceanside Man Who Killed Disabled Wife by Torching Home
Oceanside man sentenced to life for setting fire to home, killing wife
Name: Liam Milne.
Age at death: 11.
Disability: Fragile X.
Died: February 1, 2015.
Cause of death: Car crash.
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Details:
Liam and his brother Ben both had Fragile X, and their mother Susana was six months pregnant with another boy. Their father, who feared that the boys would not be able to cope with their disabilities, bundled his whole family into the car and crashed it into a tree at 90 miles an hour.
Only seven-year-old Ben survived the crash, though he was severely injured. Ben is now living with his aunt, who says he is doing well.
Case status:
Darren John Milne (Father), deceased.
Source:
Darren John Milne who killed his pregnant wife and son in a car crash had set up bombs
Double murder-suicide driver planted bombs in engine bay
Horror crash mum Susana Milne was pregnant with third child
NSW coroner criticises dead father after horror car crash
Name: Brenda Davidson.
Died: January 6, 2015 (Body found).
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Homicidal violence.
Location: Alvor, Portimão, Algarve, Portugal.
Disability: Cancer.
Details:
Brenda’s boyfriend killed her and then buried her body; she was found two months later.
Brenda had two dogs, a mutt and a Labrador mix, whom she called “her babies”.
Case status:
Nigel Jackson (Boyfriend), convicted of murder, desecration of a body, larceny, IT and telecommunications fraud, and misuse of a credit card; sentenced to 25 years.
Source:
Son of British woman buried in villa garden speaks after mother’s partner is found guilty of her murder
Former Gravesend minicab driver ‘admits burying partner under patio but denies murder’
Funeral of British expat buried in villa garden to be held in Algarve
Name: Susan Winters.
Died: January 3, 2015.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Poisoning.
Location: Boulder City, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Depression.
Details:
Susan’s death from poisoning with painkillers and antifreeze was initially thought to be a suicide. But her husband–a psychiatrist–admitted to poisoning her and trying to stage a suicide.
Susan was a lawyer, and later became a judge. She loved animals, Elvis, reading, and running marathons.
Case status:
Gregory Dennis (Husband), convicted of involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to 3-10 years.
Source:
Pandemic delays murder trial for Henderson psychologist
Murder or suicide? Unsealed documents reveal new evidence in doctor’s wife death
Did a Boulder City psychologist murder his wife, or was it a suicide?
Susan Winters case: coroner changes cause from suicide to undetermined
Name: Katherine Lavoie.
Died: December 30, 2014.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: New Hampshire, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.
Details:
Katherine had attempted suicide, but survived and was hospitalized in critical condition. Her husband then walked into the hospital, shot her in the head, and killed himself.
Case status:
Mark Lavoie (Husband), deceased.
Source:
New Hampshire ‘double suicide’ wife’s death ruled homicide