Domestic Violence Headlines for the Week of Dec. 15

Legendary Director Rob Reiner and Wife Michele Found Dead, Son Arrested 

In a shocking case of familicide, beloved actor/director Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele were allegedly murdered by their 32-year-old son Nick on Sunday afternoon. The Los Angeles police department discovered the bodies of Rob and Michele around 3:40 p.m. and identified Nick, one of the couple’s four shared children, as the suspect. He was taken into custody around 9:15 that evening and is currently being held without bond. 

The night before the murder, the three attended a party hosted by Conan O’Brien where Nick and Rob reportedly got into an argument. A source said Nick was “freaking everyone out, acting crazy.”

Rob and Michele had been married since 1989. Rob is best known for his role on All in the Family before going on to direct legendary films such as When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, This Is Spinal Tap and A Few Good Men, as well as being a prominent voice for marriage equality and gun control. 

Familicide is when a person kills multiple close family members in close succession. Usually, this is a spouse and children, but it can also be parents or siblings. Many times, the perpetrator has practiced violence before on their family. The Indy Star newspaper did a thorough investigation of family annihilations in 2023, with data from the Gun Violence Archive, and found that one occurred every five days in the U.S. since 2020. 

Sources report that Nick, who lived with drug addiction, had previously been violent while staying at his parents’ guest house, breaking walls, destroying property and bragging that he could get away with anything. Rob and Michele considered reporting him to law enforcement but ultimately decided not to. 

It can be difficult for parents to seek help for abusive children, often feeling guilt for doing so, blaming themselves for the behavior or believing that they can love their child enough to end the violent behavior. But seeking help early is vital as abuse often escalates in adulthood.  

In cases where an adult child is abusing a parent, the child often relies on the parent for the same things young children and adolescents do—such as shelter, finances or monetary support. “If the parent pulls back or the resources run out, that propensity for violence increases,” says Karen Roberto, Ph.D., the executive director of the Institute for Society, Culture and Environment at Virginia Tech and a member of the American Psychological Association. To learn more, read “What to Do If Your Teen or Adult Child Is Abusive.”

Source: People.com

Brian Walshe Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering, Dismembering Wife, Says He ‘Panicked’

On Thursday, a Dedham, Mass., judge sentenced Brian Walshe, 50, to life in prison without parole for what she called the “barbaric” murder of his 39-year-old wife, Anna. 

On Jan. 1, 2023, Walshe claimed his wife had gone missing after leaving home for a work emergency. It was later discovered, through Walshe’s online search history, that he had researched how to dispose of his wife’s remains and clean up blood. He was found guilty of not only murdering her, but dismembering her body and discarding her remains in dumpsters. Her body has never been found. 

Anna was a mom to three sons, ages 2, 4 and 6 at the time of her death. 

Judge Diane Freniere reiterated how Walshe’s selfish act had a “devastating impact on [Anna’s] children.”

“You had no regard for the lifelong mental harm that your criminal acts inflicted on your … sons,” she stated. 

Before Anna’s murder, Walshe was facing prison time for a federal fraud conviction for selling forged artwork. He allegedly discovered his wife was having an affair days before he killed her, though he maintains he woke up to find her already dead in their bed and then panicked. 

“Your criminal history shows a long and well-documented history of deceitful and manipulative behavior,” stated the judge. 

Homicide is one of the leading causes of death for women under age 44, with nearly half of all women murdered are killed by a current or former intimate partner. When a victim is already trapped in a cycle of abuse, there are red flags that can point to an escalation of violence that may indicate homicide is more likely imminent. These include a perceived loss of control, such as when the abuser believes the survivor is trying to leave or is having an affair; abuse that starts occurring in public; access to weapons; substance abuse; and violating an order of protection. To learn more, read “Will An Abuser Kill You?”

Source: CNN.com

Admired Local Sports Reporter Killed Tuesday in Murder-Suicide

In Hoover, Ala., a much-respected sports reporter, Christina Chambers, was found dead at her home on Tuesday, the victim of a murder-suicide. Her husband, Johnny Rimes, is suspected as the perpetrator. Both died of gunshot wounds. Their 3-year-old son was home at the time, but unharmed. 

It was Rimes’ father who discovered the bodies after checking on the couple. The little boy opened the door for him, according to the report. 

A neighbor, Charles Maple, reported something always felt off with the couple after the birth of their child. "I was so shocked but for some reason, I don't know why, I wasn't totally surprised," he told reporters when he heard of Tuesday’s tragedy.

In a survey on DomesticShelters.org, 55 percent of respondents who said they witnessed domestic violence decided to intervene in some way. It can be dangerous to try and intervene when domestic violence is suspected, but there are safe ways to do so. And reporting your suspicions or being a support for that survivor could mean the difference between life and death for victims. To learn safe ways to intervene, read “5 Ways to Intervene When You Suspect Domestic Violence.”

Chambers reported for WBRC starting in 2015 as a member of the sports team. She left in 2021 to take a position at Thompson High School but returned as a freelancer during this year’s football season. 

“She was one of the sweetest, most loving people that I know. She was relentless with running, loving her son, and loving life,” longtime WBRC reporter and sports anchor Jeh Jeh Pruitt told local media. “I am glad I got a chance to hug and tell her I love her a week ago at the Super 7. I am so sorry for her family, the Chambers and Thompson Families, and her WBRC Family.”

Sources: EW.com, People.com

Colorado Abuser Found Guilty of Murder Seven Years After Trying to Hide It

An abuser who thought he got away with a hidden homicide was proven wrong last Friday when a jury found him guilty of strangling his girlfriend to death. It took seven years, but Angelo Valentino Mantych, 43, was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2016. He tried to attest he found his girlfriend, 28-year-old Marina Placensia, unresponsive as they traveled on a train from Wisconsin to Denver. The truth was Mantych had strangled Placensia to death in her seat as her children slept nearby. He allegedly found out his girlfriend was planning to leave him as soon as they got to Denver where the couple was moving. Bruises from suspected previous assaults were found to cover Placensia’s body during her autopsy. 

Court documents detailed that a neighbor attested Mantych "beat" Placensia the day before the couple left Wisconsin. There were also details that alleged the couple’s four children were victims of physical abuse at the hands of Mantych.

Multiple police reports and at least one social services report detail previous incidents of physical abuse where Placensia suffered injuries and the children came to school neglected. Yet, no obvious cause of death was able to be found for Placensia until a recent forensic investigation showed evidence of suffocation as the result of an assault. Dr. Bill Smock, Medical Director of the Alliance FOR HOPE’s Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention testified as an expert at trial.  

“The easiest way to get away with murder is to strangle someone, stage it and call 911. If police don’t do their due diligence, they may facilitate in helping someone get away with murder,” Dr. Smock says in “What Law Enforcement Should Know About Strangulation.”

Abusers often use strangulation as an abuse tactic or homicide method because they know it doesn’t always leave visible marks. Even if a victim regains consciousness temporarily, they can suffer a delayed death from lack of blood and oxygen to the brain. While there may be bruising on the neck, it’s not always the case, and abusers can try and pass off a homicide as an unknown manner of death or even a suicide. To learn more, read, “Hidden Homicides Bill Addresses Abusers Who Cover Up Murder.”

Source: LawandCrime.com