Status: Sentenced – Page 11 – Disability Day of Mourning

Sherrell Martin

Name: Sherrell “Bud” Martin.
Died: June 13, 2020.
Age at death: 71.
Cause of death: Trauma.
Location: Wilmington, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; used walker.

Details:
According to police, Bud and his ex-sister-law had been arguing for a few days–an argument she ended by beating him around the head with his own walker. Before he died a few hours later, Bud told police who had beaten him.

He was a retired machinist who liked fishing and playing cards.

Case status:
Donna Reynolds (Ex-sister-in-law), convicted of aggravated battery; sentenced to 3 years; released on parole after 1 year 3 months in custody.

Source:
Wilmington Woman Charged With Attacking Disabled Ex-Brother-In-Law Who Later Died
Disabled Man Dies After Attack, Wilmington Woman Arrested: WPD

Joshua Vallow

Name: Joshua Jackson “JJ” Vallow.
Died: June 10, 2020 (Body found; last seen September 23, 2019).
Age at death: 7.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Rexburg, Idaho, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
For some time after their disappearances, JJ and his half-sister Tylee’s parents claimed they were home-schooling or that the children were staying with relatives; but their grandparents became worried and asked for a welfare check and the children were declared missing. A storage locker was found, full of the siblings’ possessions. Finally their bodies were found buried on their stepfather’s property. JJ’s grandparents believe that his mother and stepfather killed him and his 17-year-old half-sister, Tylee Ryan.

Case status:
Lori Vallow Daybell (Mother), convicted of first degree murder, desertion and nonsupport of dependent children, resisting or obstructing officers, criminal solicitation to commit a crime, contempt of court and willful disobedience of court process or order; sentenced to life without parole.
Chad Guy Daybell (Stepfather), convicted of first degree murder, concealing evidence, and fraud; sentenced to death.

Source:
Chad Daybell is sentenced to death in triple-murder case
‘Doomsday prophet’ sentenced to death for murder of wife and two children
Lori Vallow appeals conviction after being found guilty of murdering her 2 children
Lori Vallow Daybell appeals murder conviction over questions of mental competency
Lori Vallow Daybell gets multiple life sentences in murders of her 2 kids and romantic rival, speaks of ‘spirit world’ in court
Idaho mom Lori Vallow Daybell faces sentencing in deaths of 2 children and her romantic rival
Doomsday plot: Idaho jury convicts woman in murders of 2 children, romantic rival
Lori Vallow’s son JJ’s grisly cause of death revealed
Lori Vallow trial: pathologist found 7-year-old JJ had alcohol and a date rape drug in his body when he was killed
Lori Vallow looked up kids’ life insurance before children vanished
A look at who’s who in the murder trial of slain kids’ mom
Lori Vallow Daybell trial: ‘Doomsday cult mom’ loses bid to ban JJ and Tylee’s loved ones from court
Lori Vallow won’t face the death penalty, Idaho judge rules
‘Cult mom’ Lori Vallow blasted as unrecognizable by ‘murdered’ son’s grandma
Lori Vallow To Face Death Penalty If She’s Convicted Of Her Children’s Murders
Lori Vallow, Idaho mother charged with killing her children, pleads not guilty
Lori Valley back in jail after spending 10 months in mental hospital
Medical Examiner: Charles Vallow’s death ruled a homicide; Lori Vallow accused of conspiracy to commit murder
Autism Memorial: Joshua Vallow
Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell indicted on murder charges in deaths of kids
Grandparents seeking justice for J.J. and Tylee hope Daybells will face murder charges
A string of family deaths surround tragedy of Lori Vallow’s children
Medical examiner completes autopsy on Chad Daybell ex-wife
Why did Lori Vallow murder her kids? A look into the terrible case
Deaths of Tylee Ryan and J. J. Vallow
Funeral for ‘Cult Mom’ Lori Vallow’s kids ‘can’t be held because charred and butchered remains not released’
Documents detail horrific manner JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were found in Chad Daybell’s yard
Brother of J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan Says He’s ‘Broken’ After Remains of Idaho Children Found
Doomsday Author, Wife Set for Trial for Murder of 2 Idaho ‘Zombie’ Children

Kylie Mickens

Name: Kylie L. Mickens.
Died: June 8, 2020.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Buford, Georgia, USA.
Disability: 1p36 deletion syndrome.

Details:
Kylie died from malnutrition and dehydration due to medical neglect. Her disability made it difficult for her to swallow, but her parents removed the feeding tube she needed to eat in favor of trying to feed her by mouth; she gradually starved, weighing only 7 pounds at death.

Case status:
Jerrail Maurice Mickens (Father), charged with felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children; died before trial.
Porscha Danielle Mickens (Mother), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years probation.

Source:
Mother of 5 year-old who died at 8lbs sentenced to 20 years probation
Mother of 5-year-old took girl to countless doctors before death, attorney says
Mother of 5-year-old who died weighing 7 pounds gets probation
Girl, 5, who weighed seven pounds when died had a rare disorder
Georgia couple accused of starving daughter to death held without bond
Attorney denies murder allegations for clients, claims 5-year-old had short life expectancy from rare condition
Girl, 5, who weighed seven pounds when died had a rare disorder

Billy Hopson

No Photo Name: Billy R. Hopson.
Died: June 7, 2020.
Age at death: 94.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Lewiston, Idaho, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Police say Billy’s son suffocated him because he “had no dignity left and he couldn’t watch him any longer.” Billy fought hard to survive, biting his son on the hand and making it impossible for the killer to pretend he had died in his sleep. The killer, hand bleeding and unnerved by Billy’s determination to survive, immediately confessed to his sister and was arrested.

Case status:
Mark L. Hopson (Son), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and failure to report a death, sentenced to 7 1/2 to 25 years.

Source:
Lewiston man gets 7½ years in prison
Lewiston man pleads guilty in death of his father
Hopson told sister he smothered father
Lewiston man accused of killing his father will stand trial Feb. 1

Waylon Mittens

Name: Waylon Lee Mittens.
Died: June 2, 2020.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Stab wound to the heart.
Location: Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user; leg amputee.

Details:
Waylon was stabbed to death by his girlfriend.

Waylon “enjoyed WWF, WW5, 4 wheeling, fishing, ranching, bbqing, golfing, mud anything, and had an eclectic romantic life.”

Case status:
Daniell Marie ComesAtNight, aka Danielle Marie Marceau (Girlfriend), pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, sentenced to 8 years 1 month.

Source:
Browning Woman Sentenced to Prison for Stabbing Death
Browning woman pleads guilty to manslaughter for stabbing a disabled man
Browning woman charged with murder of disabled man on Blackfeet Reservation
Waylon Lee Mittens Obituary

India Martin

Name: India Heavenly Lacey Martin.
Died: May 26, 2020.
Age at death: 4.
Cause of death: Abuse.
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired, speech impaired, used feeding tube.

Details:
Born prematurely at 26 weeks and addicted to cocaine, India survived a difficult start in life only to be found dead at age four, stuffed in a dresser drawer. Police say her body showed signs of trauma and strangulation.

Case status:
Jackleen Mullen (Mother), convicted of homicide by child abuse and aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse; sentenced to 22 to 30 years.
Audrevious Williams (Mother’s boyfriend, charged with homicide by child abuse or neglect.

Source:
SC mom gets 30 years in prison in death of disabled daughter found in a dresser drawer
Rock Hill mother gets 30 years for killing daughter who was disabled
SC mom told police child found dead in dresser was in Union County, NC, detective says
Trial begins for York County mother charged in death of 4-year-old girl found stuffed in a drawer
Mom, boyfriend charged after disabled 4-year-old found dead in dresser drawer
Bond Denied For Mother, Boyfriend Charged After Child Found Dead, Police Say

Louise Smith

Name: Louise Smith.
Died: May 8, 2020.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Havant, Hampshire, England, UK.
Disability: Mental illness.

Details:
Louise’s uncle killed her by punching her in the face repeatedly until she died. Police described the murder as “sexually motivated.”

Case status:
Shane Mays (Uncle), convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years to life.

Source:
‘A monster’: Uncle jailed for life over 16-year-old’s ‘sexually motivated’ murder
Louise Smith murder: Social workers probed after uncle found guilty
Uncle jailed for life for ‘sexual murder’ of Louise Smith, 16, in woods

Uthra

Name: Uthra (alternate spelling Uttara).
Died: May 7, 2020.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Snakebite.
Location: Anchal, Kollam, Kerala, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Uthra’s husband, having married her for the dowry, decided to kill her. He bought a viper from a snake catcher and induced it to bite his wife. She survived the bite, though she had to spend 52 days in bed and get plastic surgery. Not long after she returned from the hospital, Uthra’s husband bought a second snake, this time a cobra. He gave her sedatives to make her sleepy, and while she was asleep, he made the snake bite Uthra, who died the next day. Police say Uthra’s in-laws were involved in planning the attacks and covering up for Uthra’s husband.

Uthra was the mother of a one-year-old son.

Case Status:
Sooraj S. Kumar (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to life plus 17 years.
Renuka and Surya (Sooraj’s mother and sister), charged with conspiracy, domestic violence, and destruction of evidence.
Surendran Panicker (Father-in-law), charged with destroying evidence.
Chavarukavu Suresh Kumar (Snake catcher), unspecified charges, serving as witness.

Sources:
Uthra Case : 27 Circumstances Which Proved Murder Using Live Cobra
Man who used a cobra to murder his wife is jailed for life
Uttara Snakebite Murder: Suraj Gets 17 Years Plus Two Life Terms
Snake-bite Murder : Court Finds Suraj Guilty Of Killing Wife Uttara; Quantum Sentencing on Wednesday
Kerala snakebite murder
‘He killed his wife because I gave the cobra’: Snake-catcher breaks down in Kerala court
Uthra’s relatives depose in snakebite murder case

Kathy Erbelding

No Photo Name: Kathy Erbelding.
Died: April 30, 2020.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Legally blind.

Details:
Kathy’s daughter and an unrelated man allegedly stole $700 from her bank account, which they used to buy the gun with which they murdered her.

Kathy liked books on tape, her dog Opie, and crochet. She was a camper and then a counselor at her beloved Camp Onseyawa, a summer camp for children with disabilities.

Case status:
Jacob Lugmayer (Housemate), pleaded guilty to complicity to commit murder, complicity to commit first-degree robbery and abuse of a corpse, sentenced to life.
Krystal A. Erbelding (Daughter), charged with murder, robbery, and abuse of a corpse.

Source:
Plea deal offered to woman for role in mother’s murder
One of two charged in 2020 homicide pleads guilty
Obituary of Kathy J. (Blackburn) Erbelding | Cheney Funeral Home
Amazon’s Alexa may be key witness in clearing Kentucky woman of her mother’s murder, attorneys say
Kentucky police: Man, woman charged with killing blind mother
Hardin County man, woman charged with killing blind mother
Police: Man, woman charged with killing blind mother
Pair charged with murder could face death penalty
Couple charged after ‘shooting woman’s blind mom in the head and taking $700′

James and Janet Samuels and Lachesta Childs

Photo of an older African American man wearing a gray tuxedo and glasses. He is smiling for the camera. His hair is a short fringe on the sides of his head. — James Samuels

Name: James Samuels.
Age at death: 69.
Disability: Leg amputee.

Name: Janet Samuels.
Age at death: 67.
Disability: Unspecified disability.

Name: Lachesta “Shasta” Childs.
Age at death: 47.
Disability: Autism.

Janet Samuels

Died: March 31, 2020.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Macon, Georgia, USA.

Details:
After Janet’s sister’s boyfriend assaulted her sister and Janet tried to intervene, James, Janet, and Shasta were shot by the boyfriend of Janet’s sister, who then proceeded to kidnap his two-year-old son. Janet’s sister escaped to safety; the toddler was rescued unhurt after a police standoff ended in the killer’s arrest.

Janet leaves behind a twin sister; her sister remembers that the two were inseparable until Janet’s death.

Case Status:
Caesar Crockett (Sister’s boyfriend), convicted of three counts of murder and kidnapping, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
‘You need to die in the penitentiary’: Macon man convicted of triple murder and kidnapping
Autism Memorial: Lachesta Childs