total fatalities: 158 - pcadv
TRANSCRIPT
ToTal FaTaliTies:158
2013Domestic Violence
Fatalities
in PennsylVania
PennsylvaniaCoalitionagainstDomestiCviolenCe
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
SOME ExaMplES Of DOMEStic ViOlEncE HOMiciDES in 2013
inalleghenyCounty,a19-year-oldcollegestudentwasfatallyshotbyher52-year-oldfather,whoalsoshotandcriticallywoundedhiswifeand21-year-oldsonbeforekillinghimself.Healsokilledthefamilydog,abeagle.
inChesterCounty,a37-year-oldwomanwaskilledinherhomewithashotgun.Herboyfriend,withwhomshesharedachild,called911andsaid,“ineedthepolice.ijustshotmygirlfriend.”Whenofficersarrivedhewassmokingacigaretteontheporch.Hewaschargedwithmurder.thedaybeforehehadchangedhisFacebookprofilepicturetoaphotographofashotgunshellandthebackgroundphototothatofashotgunsimilartotheoneusedinthemurder.
inlancasterCounty,a21-year-oldmotheroftwowasfatallyshotinherapartment.Her6-month-oldbabywaswithherbutunharmed.Herex-boyfriendwaschargedwithhomicide,aggravatedassault,simpleassault,terroristicthreats,childendangermentandweaponsviolations.Policesayhepointedagunatthevictimandtwootherwomenintheapartmentandthreatenedtokilleveryonethere,whichincludedfourchildrenundertheageof5.
inCentreCounty,a49-year-oldwomanwasfatallyshotbyherestrangedhusband,aformerstatetrooper,insidethesupermarketwheresheworked.Hethenturnedtheshotgunonhimself.twomonthsearlierhehadbeenarrestedforwrestlingthevictimtotheground,pinningherarmsbehindherandattemptingtobindherwithducttape.Healsopointedagunatherandthreatenedtokillher.Hespentaweekinjailbeforepostingbail.The victim told prosecutors then, “The next time i see him is going to be at the end of a gun.” after her death the district attorney said, “We were very concerned when he got out (on bail), and we’re just devastated now.”
“Wordscan’tdescribethescene…heartbreaking.”theHuntingdonCountydistrictattorneyutteredthose
wordsin2013afteraPetersburgmanfatallyshothis2-year-oldsonatpoint-blankrangeandwoundedtheboy’smotherbeforefleeingandkillinghimselflater.
thesamecouldhavebeensaidaboutanyofthe115
incidentsthatresultedin158 domestic violence-related deathsduringtheyear.that’sa10 percent increaseover2012’s143deaths.
in2013,asineveryyear,domesticviolencesparedno
age,socioeconomicclassoreducationallevel.the107 victimsincludedacollegemathprofessor,a
paramedic,anurse,ahighschoolseniorsettograduateintwoweeks,acollegestudent,aflorist,fivewomenoverage80,singlemothersandabrideonthewaytothefinalfittingofherweddingdress.
Fifty-oneperpetrators also died,mostlyby
suicide.thisnumberisasignificantincreaseover2012’s31perpetratordeaths.eachofthesedeathsalsorepresentsalossandatragedytothefamiliestheyleavebehind.
theaccusedperpetratorsincludedaprofessorof
neurologicalsurgery,anurse,afirefighter,anarmyRanger,ahighschoolstudentandaformerstatetrooper.
gunstoppedthelistofpreferredinstrumentsofdeath,
astheydoeveryyear.morethanhalfofvictimsand90percentofperpetratorsdiedbygunfire.
grossoverkillmarkedmanyofthehomicides.oneman
shothisestrangedwifemorethan30timesbeforekillinghimself.onevictimwasshotthroughtheheartwithanarrow,dismembered,decapitatedandstuffedinsideametaldrum.anothervictimwasstabbedninetimesashesleptbesidehisgirlfriend.Herex-boyfriend,whowaslaterconvictedofmurderandsentencedtolifeinprison,toldpolice,“ishould’vejustpunchedhimintheface.”
107 VictiMS + 51 pErpEtratOrS = 158 DEatHS
cOunting DEatHS, SaVing liVES
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
Pennsylvaniahasnocentraldatabaseorseparatereportingrequirementsfordomesticviolencehomicides.Werelyonnewsreportsandpolicedatatocompilethisreport.
Wecountedkillingsamongcurrent,formerandnewintimatepartners(includingperpetratorskillingtheirex-partner’snewpartner)andfamilymembers.Wealsoincludedperpetratorsuicidesandkillings(bypoliceorotherinterveners)andbystanderandintervenerdeathsduringdomesticviolenceincidents.
Weknowthateveryyearthisreportmissesvictimswhosedeathsdidn’tattractmediaattentionbecausetheyoccurredinpoor,crime-riddenneighborhoods.inothercases,therelationshipbetweenperpetratorandvictim,ortheperpetrator’smotive,wasunavailable.
allnumbersinthereportarebasedoninformationavailableatthetimeofprinting.itcantakeyears–and
occasionallydecades–forarreststooccurinsomedomesticviolencecases.Weexcludeunsolvedcases,caseswherenoarrestshavebeenmade(evenifintimatepartnersorfamilymembersaresuspects),andchildabuseandchildneglectcasesbecausethePennsylvaniaDepartmentofPublicWelfarereportsthose.
Wealsoknow,fromadvocates’anecdotalaccounts,thatsomevictimstaketheirownlivesbecauseofunrelentingabuse.
asummaryofeachknown2013domesticviolencefatality,bycounty,canbefoundatwww.pcadv.org.
We dedicate this 2013 report to the memory of all Pennsylvania’s victims of fatal domestic violence – counted and uncounted, known and unknown – and to the efforts to one day make this kind of report unnecessary.
HOw tHiS rEpOrt iS cOMpilED
PCaDvisdoingmorethanjustcountingdomesticviolencefatalities.Wearetryingtopreventthem.inpartnershipwiththePennsylvaniaCommissiononCrimeandDelinquency,community-baseddomesticviolenceprogramsandlocalpolicedepartments,PCaDvimplementedthelethalityassessmentProgramin18countiesin2013.itincludesabriefscreeningtoolforpoliceofficersonthesceneofdomesticviolenceincidentstousetoidentifyvictimsathighestriskofbeingkilledbytheirabusers.officerscanthenconnectthosevictimstoimmediateassistanceattheirlocaldomesticviolenceprogram.
Weanticipatethatthisinnovative,evidence-based
approachwillreducefuturefatalitynumbers.italreadyhas,by34percent,inthelastfiveyearsinmaryland,whichpioneeredtheprogram.
inPennsylvania,72policedepartmentsparticipateinthelethalityassessmentProgram,includingthePittsburghBureauofPolice–whichservesthestate’ssecondlargestcity–wheremorethan800policeofficersconductscreensandmakereferralstothedomesticviolencehotlineoperatedbytheWomen’sCenterandshelterofgreaterPittsburgh.
PittsburghCityCouncilpassedlegislationthatservedastheimpetusforthiseffortinresponsetotheJanuary2013deathofKa’sandraWade.shewasfounddeadinherhomeadayaftertwopoliceofficersrespondedtoa911callcomingfromthere.theofficersleftafterspeakingtoherboyfriendthroughawindow.adaylaterhekilledhimselfinastandoffwithpoliceaftertossingthemanotethatindicatedtheycouldhavesavedherlife.
a nEw prOgraM tO prEVEnt DEatHS
“She was trying to get out of that abusive relationship,” a victim’s friend said. “She was afraid. She just didn’t get away far enough.”
107 viCtimsKilleD
Females 65 males 42 Youngestage 2 oldestage 91 ages0-12 5 ages13-17 1 ages18-64 90 ages65andolder 11
viCtimsoFintimatePaRtneR-RelateDviolenCe
total68
73.5%Females
26.5%males
49 FemalesKilledByaCurrent orFormerintimatePartner
1 FemaleKilledByaRival
10 malesKilledByaCurrent orFormerintimatePartner
8 malesKilledByaCurrent intimatePartner’sFormer Partner
HoWtHeyDieD
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
VictiM prOfilES
63 sHot
24 staBBeD
6 Beaten
4 stRangleD
2 BuRneD
2 negleCt
1 eachstaBBeD&Beaten
sHotWitHaRRoW
PoisoneD
HitonHeaDWitHJaCK
RunoveRWitHvan
stRuCKWitHPiCKaX
“He is begging me to come home, and I feel unsafe seeing him or being in the house with him. … I just want to safely get my belongings, my dogs and be safe at work and in my (home).”
ToTal gun deaThs: 109
63 viCtims
46 PeRPetRatoRs
lEtH
al
gun
ViO
lEn
cE
pErpEtratOr prOfilES
119 totalPeRPetRatoRs
Females 17males 102Youngestage 16oldestage 89
51 PeRPetRatoRsDieD
CommittedsuiCide 42suiCidesbYgun: 37suiCidesbYothermeans: 5
Killed: 9shotbYpoliCe: 5shotbYotherintervener: 4
One perpetrator escaped as far as the Rio Grande River, which he jumped into in an attempt to flee to Mexico, before being captured by U.S. Border Patrol agents.
31%diedbY
othermeans
69%died
bYguns
total2013DeatHs
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
“When she filed for divorce and he was served with the papers, we knew he was going to kill her,” a neighbor said. “You won’t find one person on this street that wouldn’t believe that.”
SuffEr tHE cHilDrEn …domestic violence takes a particularly tragic toll on children. Five children were domestic violence-related homicide victims in 2013. • a 2-year-old boywasshotinthebackbyhisfatherduringacustodyexchangeinHuntingdonCounty.Hismotherwasshotinthelegsandfacewhilestrugglingtosavehimbutsurvived.Hisfatherthenfledthesceneandlaterkilledhimself.
• a2-year-oldlancasterCountygirl,foundunconsciousbypoliceinherhome,diedinahospital.Hermother’sboyfriendwaschargedwithhomicide,aggravatedassaultandchildendangerment.Policesaidhepunchedthegirlinthehead,splitherretina,blindedherinoneeyeandkickedherinthestomachseveraltimes,damagingherinternalorgans.
• a 2-year-oldluzerneCountygirlwasshotintheheadbyher34-year-oldfather,whothenturnedthegunonhimself.earlierhehadcalledthegirl’smotherandtoldher,“saygoodbyetoyourdaughter.”
• a10-year-old Philadelphiaboysleepinginhisbedwasfatallyshotbyhisfather.Hismotheralsowasshotbutsurvived.His14-year-oldsisterlockedherselfinherroomandcalledpolice.Bythetimepolicearrivedtheperpetratorhadkilledhimself.
• a12-year-oldPhiladelphiaboywasstabbedandplacedwithhismother,whohadbeenstrangled,underaburningmattressintheirapartment.Policespeculatedthathismother’sboyfriendwasattackingherwhentheboytriedtocometoheraid.theboyfriendwaschargedwithbothmurders.
some surviving children had to not only endure the loss of a parent but also to witness their murder. They will serve another kind of life sentence imposed by memory.• a 16-year-oldBucksCountygirlwassittinginthepassengerseatofacarwhenhermother’sex-husbandrammedthecar,trappedhermotherinthedriver’sseat,pointeda12-gaugeshotgunacrossthe
passengerseatandshothermotherthreetimes.thegirlwasinjuredbyflyingwindshieldglassasshetriedtoprotecthermother.Helatershotapolicemanwhowassavedbyabulletproofvest.thepolicemanthenshotandkilledtheperpetrator.
• threelehighCountychildren–ages 3, 10and16–sawtheirfathershoottheirmotherintheheadoutsidetheirhome.Hethenfledwiththe3-year-oldandwasarrestedabout15minuteslateratanearbystore.Whenthe3-year-oldwasreturnedtothefamilyhome,shecried,“iwantmymom.”
• a 15-year-old luzerneCountyboyrantoaneighbor’shousescreamingthathisfatherhadshothismother.shediedlateratahospital.Herhusbandhadshothimselfbutsurvived.theboytoldpoliceheheardhisparentsarguing.thenheheardagunshotandhismotheryelled,“Call911!”Hefoundhisfatherholdingapistolandstandingoverhismother.Hisfatherthenputtheguntohischin,firedandfelltothefloor.
• twin5-year-oldgirlsweresleepingupstairsintheirmontgomeryCountyhomewhiletheirmotherwasstabbedatleast15timeswitha14-inchcarvingknife.Hertracheawasseveredandbothlungswerepunctured.Policechargedtheirfatherwithmurder.
• an11-year-oldgirlsawhermotherfatallyshotinthechestandher22-year-oldsisterwoundedwhenhermotherintervenedasamanthreatenedhiswifeinaparkinglot.theperpetratorthenkilledhimself.
• a15-year-oldgirlwaslyinginbedbesidehermother,watchingtelevision,whenhermother’sex-boyfriendenteredthehomeandshothermotherninetimeswitha.380-caliberhandgun.thegirlwasuninjuredasweretwootherchildren,ages 9and13,anda21-year-oldwomaninanotherbedroom.Hermotherdiedinahospital18dayslater.theperpetratorwaschargedwithmurder. “it was a very brutal … quick attack. i can’t imagine the emotions and trauma those children in the home experienced, witnessing that,” a state trooper said.
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
• a2-year-oldboyshotinthebackbyhisfather
fatalitiES BY cOuntYCounty ViCtim(s) PerPetrator(s) total allegheny 18 10 28Beaver 1 0 1Bradford 2 1 3Bucks 3 2 5Cambria 4 2 6Centre 1 2 3Chester 1 1 2Clarion 1 1 2Crawford 1 1 2Cumberland 1 0 1Dauphin 5 1 6Delaware 7 5 12elk 2 0 2erie 1 0 1Forest 2 0 2Franklin 2 2 4Huntingdon 1 1 2lackawanna 1 0 1lancaster 4 1 5
inciDEnt infO
inCiDents 115muRDeR/suiCiDes 34CountiesWitHFatalities 37
County ViCtim(s) PerPetrator(s) total lawrence 3 3 6lebanon 1 1 2lehigh 2 0 2luzerne 3 2 5lycoming 2 1 3monroe 2 2 4montgomery 3 0 3northampton 1 1 2Philadelphia 17 3 20schuylkill 1 0 1snyder 1 0 1somerset 1 2 3susquehanna 1 0 1tioga 1 1 2Washington 2 1 3Wayne 1 0 1Westmoreland 2 1 3york 5 3 8Totals 107 51 158
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
VictiM & pErpEtratOr DEatHS 2004-2013
Published by PCadV3605vartanWay,suite101harrisburg,pa17110
staffstevehalvonik,Communications Directorellenlyon,Publications Manager
PCADV | Domestic Violence Fatalities in Pennsylvania | 2013
PerpetratorsVictims
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“This was a premeditated and cruel murder. This was not an argument. This was an execution,” a district attorney said. “This is another example of domestic violence accelerating into a murder. A mother is dead and a child has been left an orphan.”
“You might want to check on her. She might have a little life in her,” a perpetrator told police.