Category: Status: Arrested/Charged

Suspect arrested and/or charged; trial pending or no trial information.

Ralph Taylor III

Photo of a small boy with light-brown skin and frizzy, short brown hair, smiling. He is wearing a gray T-shirt printed with a glasses-wearing dinosaur.Name: Ralph “RJ” Taylor III.
Died: July 10, 2025.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
RJ was allegedly shot by his father with a gun purchased by his mother. The couple claimed the bullet had come from outside through a window, but police found the gun and empty cartridge inside the house.

RJ’s neighbors remember him as a sweet, happy child. He communicated mostly by singing.

Case Status:
Ralph Taylor (Father), charged with first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Casandra Taylor (Mother), charged with neglecting a child (consequence is death) and straw purchasing of a firearm.

Sources:
‘If allegations are true, you are a baby killer,’ commissioner tells father
Neighbors say they tried to save 4-year-old who died in shooting
Parents charged in shooting death of Milwaukee 4-year-old

Patricia Kachinko

Photo of a middle-aged woman with pale skin and dark brown hair, smiling for the camera. She is wearing brown-rimmed glasses, earrings, and a gray sweater.Name: Patricia Kachinko.
Died: June 24, 2025.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Assault; blow to chest.
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: COPD.

Details:
Patricia’s daughter allegedly punched her in the chest during an argument. Patricia, frail and requiring oxygen to breathe, began to have even more difficulty breathing and was taken to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a fractured sternum. She died 22 days later.

Two days before the injury, Patricia had called police to her house, reporting that her daughter had punched her boyfriend in the face. At that time, the police left without pressing charges.

Patricia is remembered as a loving mother and grandmother who enjoyed spending time with family.

Case Status:
Krystal Slepski (Daughter) is charged with simple assault, robbery, and homicide.

Sources:
Death of Troy Hill woman who died weeks after fight with daughter ruled a homicide
North Side woman jailed for assaulting mother now faces homicide charge in her death
Obituary for Patricia Ann Kachinko

Karen Pautler

No PhotoName: Karen Pautler.
Died: April 25, 2025.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fenton, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Frail elder, mental illness.

Details:
Karen’s husband allegedly shot her because he “was exhausted from taking care of her, but did not want her to die in a nursing home.”

Case Status:
Kenneth Pautler (Husband), charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Sources:
Man accused of killing wife says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home
Jefferson County man charged with wife’s murder; says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home
Fenton-area man allegedly shoots, kills wife
Jefferson County man kills wife, says he didn’t want her to die in a nursing home

14-year-old girl

No PhotoName Unknown
Died: April 19, 2025.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Salepoua’e, American Samoa, USA.
Disability: Physical disability.

Details:
This teenage girl’s family returned from their Sunday shopping trip to find her body behind the family’s bathroom, covered in leaves. Her uncle had been the only adult at home at the time, and neighbors said they often heard him verbally abusing the young woman.

Case Status:
Lafi Solomona Pita (Uncle) has been charged with murder.

Sources:
Uncle charged for killing disabled teen
Uncle charged in death of disabled girl in Samoa
Uncle Charged with Murder of Disabled 14 Year Old Girl
Uncle Charged with Murder of 14 Year Old Girl with Disability, Appears in Court
Uncle taken in for questioning as primary suspect for death of 14 year old disabled girl
Tula’i i luma o le Faamasinoga se alii o loo molia i le Fasioti Tagata Faamoemoeina o se Teineitiiti 14 Tausaga

Cristian Padilla

No PhotoName: Cristian Rodriguez Padilla.
Died: April 19, 2025.
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Complications of cerebral palsy.
Location: Metairie, Louisiana, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Details:
Cristian, who needed 24-hour monitoring due to his medical problems, died alone at home, according to police. His parents returned to find him unresponsive, but allegedly delayed calling emergency services. When paramedics finally arrived, far too late, Cristian was declared dead from natural causes. Police who arrested his mother and her boyfriend, said they had left him alone for “at least three hours.”

Case Status:
Karla Padilla Pavon (Mother), charged with negligent homicide.
Hovet Vela Espinoza (Mother’s boyfriend), charged with negligent homicide.

Sources:
Metairie mom booked with negligent homicide in quadriplegic 7-year-old son’s death
Two arrested for negligent homicide after child found dead in Metairie home, JPSO says
Metairie mom booked with negligent homicide in quadriplegic 7-year-old son’s death

8-year-old girl

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: April 18, 2025 (Earliest news article).
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
This 8-year-old girl was strangled by her grandmother, who police say confessed to the crime, saying that she wished to spare the family the “burden” of caring for the young girl.

Case Status:
N. K. S. (Grandmother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Autism Memorial: 8-year-old girl
Dubai: Grandmother held for strangling 8-year-old autistic girl, says she wanted to help her son, daughter-in-law
Dubai: Grandmother strangles 8-year-old autistic girl; confesses to crime
UAE: Grandmother allegedly kills eight-year-old autistic granddaughter in Dubai to alleviate burden of care
Family Tragedy: Dubai Grandmother to Face Trial for Killing 8-Year-Old Autistic Granddaughter

43-year-old man

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: April 18, 2025.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Assault w/ weapons.
Location: Rajkot, Gujarat, India.
Disability: Deaf.

Details:
When this man was found murdered, police interviewed witnesses and analyzed CCTV footage and concluded that his partner had tried to enter the house, found the door locked with the deaf man asleep, and tried to force it open. When the victim woke, angry, his partner allegedly murdered him with an axe and a steel rod.

He was the supervisor of custodial services at a local cemetery.

Case Status:
His partner is charged with murder.

Sources:
Man held for murder of gay partner who was deaf

Secrett Curtis

No PhotoName: Secrett T. Curtis.
Died: March 31, 2025.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Unspecified neglect.
Location: Chesterfield, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism, cerebral palsy.

Details:
Secrett, who had CP and autism, lived with her aunt. She was declared dead shortly after she arrived at the hospital. Doctors called the authorities because she was severely malnourished. Police who searched her house say she had been kept in a mold-infested room, on filthy bedding.

Case Status:
Tina T. Curtis (Aunt), charged with abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult leading to their death.

Sources:
Chesterfield woman charged with neglect leading to niece’s death
Suspect Arrested in Death of Vulnerable Adult

Jean Hoesing

Photo of an older woman with chin-length brown hair and fair skin, wearing glasses and a multicolored shirt. Name: Jean Ann Hoesing.
Died: March 16, 2025.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: Perry, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Jean’s husband called emergency services and reported that he had killed her to “put her out of her misery.” Responders arrived to find Jean dead in her bedroom with her throat cut.

Case Status:
Richard Hoesing (Husband), charged with first-degree murder.

Sources:
Perry man killed his wife ‘to put her out of her misery,’ suspect tells police
Jean Anne Hoesing – View Obituary & Service Information
Husband, 75, tells cops he killed his sick wife ‘to put her out of her misery’

Johny Thomas

Photo of a middle-aged Indian man with short curly black hair, trimmed mustache and beard, and brown skin; he is wearing a white dress shirt.Name: Johny Thomas.
Died: March 12, 2025.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, broken ribs.
Location: Perumbavoor, Kerala, India.
Disability: Tuberculosis.

Details:
Johny’s son allegedly came home drunk and started beating Johny’s wife. Police say that Johny’s son, when questioned, confessed to turning on Johny and beating him to death. Bedridden with tuberculosis, Johny was vulnerable to injury and unable to defend himself effectively.

Case Status:
Meljo Johny (Son), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Sources:
Perumbavoor man arrested for stomping bedridden father to death