ToTal FaTaliTies: 158 - PCADV

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


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


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


“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.


• 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


VictiM & pErpEtratOr DEatHS 2004-2013

Published by PCadV3605vartanWay,suite101harrisburg,pa17110

staffstevehalvonik,Communications Directorellenlyon,Publications Manager


PerpetratorsVictims

Followusontwitter@pcadvorgandonFacebookathttps://www.facebook.com/pages/pennsylvania-Coalition-against-domestic-violence/479697025386367

“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.

Documents

ToTal FaTaliTies: 158 - PCADV