It was hard for me to lose my parents and parent-in-laws. The 59-year-old man in this true crime lived with his 95-year-old mother until her death—never living on his own. I’m sure losing her was debilitating for him. Add to that, he’d suffered a few bouts of mental illness over the years.
After his mother passed away, his siblings and other relatives gathered for her funeral and to discuss what to do with the only home the man had ever lived in. As a realtor was on her way to the home to meet with the family, the man spiraled out of control—freaking out about losing his home, paranoia about being cut out of the will, and fear of becoming homeless.
His mental state does not excuse what he did next. He shot and killed his three siblings and his adult niece. Then he turned the gun on himself. It’s more than a murder-suicide. Family annihilation is the term for this type of heinous act. As shocking as this type of crime is, it is more common in the United States than you might think.
A local law enforcement officer associated with this case said,
“What makes this situation even more tragic, the man’s family had written him into his mother’s will, and he was going to be taken care of.”
Indy Star did some research on the topic and found between 2020 and 2023, in the US, there were 227 cases of family annihilations. Of those, 94% were carried out by men. The person used a gun in 86% of the cases. The Indy Star research also found that a typical trigger is a man losing control of his wife, his family, his job, or in his mind - his life. They are angry. They feel they are a failure. They are insecure about not having control of everyone around them. Their final act of control is to ‘take’ the loved ones with them.
Charles Ewing, forensic psychologist, and author of “Fatal Families: The Dynamics of Intrafamilial Homicide,” wrote in his book about the ‘typical’ family killer,
“He is a man, who in his own eyes, is, or is about to become, a failure.”
If someone you care about is in a controlling, abusive relationship, rather than believe this would never happen in their situation, encourage them to seek help. Losing someone or an entire family in this manner leaves loved ones with no closure or justice.
National Suicide Hotline: (800) 784-2433
National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233
Mental Health Hotline: (866) 903-3787
Local Law Enforcement: 9-1-1
Source: Nassau County Police Dept., Indy Star, Law & Crime, Newsweek, The Guardian
All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Criminal cases may have been appealed or verdicts overturned since I researched the case. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
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