Man Beats Woman To Death Before Hanging Himself

"CHICAGO, IL — A man beat a woman to death before hanging himself Wednesday evening in a murder/suicide in a Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood home on the South Side.

"The 28-year-old man and 47-year-old woman were found dead about 7:45 p.m. in the home in the 7100 block of South Ingleside, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

"Yvonne Augustus, who lived at the home, was pronounced dead at 7:59 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Thursday found she died of multiple blunt force injuries from an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.

"Ezra Walton, who lived on the same block as the incident, was also pronounced dead at 7:59 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said. An autopsy found he died of asphyxiation from hanging himself, and his death was ruled a suicide.

"A police source said the incident is thought to be a domestic-related, though the relationship between the pair was not immediately clear."

From CBS Chicago...

Mother & Son Found Dead In Home

"OMAHA, NE — Early autopsy results show that a 54 year old Omaha woman died from blunt force trauma to the head and her 18 year old son from carbon monoxide poisoning. The bodies of Maureen Flanagan and her son Cooper were found last Wednesday inside their west Omaha home. A friend checking on their well being found mail stacked up outside the home and called law enforcement.

"Douglas County investigators say Maureen Flanagan’s body was found in the basement of the home and Cooper was inside a vehicle in the attached garage.

"Authorities have still not confirmed this is a murder/suicide however did state that the public is not in danger and they are not looking for suspects. The investigation continues."

Source: Nebraska Radio Network...

Man Drowns In Lake After Beating Two To Death

"TAVARES, FL — Police said Tuesday they were still trying to determine what led a 32-year-old Tavares man to beat to death his live-in girlfriend and her mother—as well as how the suspect ended up dead in a nearby lake.

"Shannon Ratliff, 42, the suspect's live-in girlfriend, was found bludgeoned to death in the living room of their 905 Hibiscus Court home. Her mother, Mavis Ratliff, 66, died later at a hospital, according to Tavares police.

"Eddie Ratliff, 51, Shannon's brother and a Eustis sanitation worker, remained in critical condition at a hospital Tuesday, where he underwent surgery for injuries suffered in the attack.

"According to an investigative report, police responded to the home about 4:15 p.m. Monday to a call of Shannon being beaten by her boyfriend, 32-year-old James Earl Jones—a man who was forced into LifeStream Behavioral Center in December and who showed up at the facility twice within the last week.

"Officers arriving at the home discovered Jones near a van parked in front, holding a silver aluminum baseball bat and with blood on his shirt. Police confronted him with a stun gun. Jones allegedly dropped the bat, turned around, yelled `come on and Tase me, come on and Tase me,` then took off running through a grassy field in front of the duplex and toward Mansfield Road.

"Police then walked around the van and discovered Mavis lying there in the yard. Eddie, who had driven to the home to help his sister during the beating of Shannon, was found lying face down about 40 feet away from Mavis.

"What amounted to a gruesome scene inside the home, according to the investigative report, officers then found Shannon. The report adds all three sustained severe head injuries.

"Jones allegedly beat the three people with a bat. He was later was found dead, floating in nearby Lake Dora."

Read more at the Daily Commercial...

"A Tragic Act Of Domestic Violence"

"STOWE, VT — Authorities have identified the two people killed in an apparent murder-suicide that police are calling `a tragic act of domestic violence.`

"According to a press release issued by the Stowe Police Department, police believe 64-year-old Wayne Washburn murdered his 59-year-old wife, Katherine Washburn, and then committed suicide.

"Police found the bodies of Wayne and Katherine Washburn at their home at 262 Cady Hill Road in Stowe at 4:38 p.m. Wednesday. On Thursday morning, police said their investigation indicated the incident was a murder/suicide. They identified the victims and provided more details late Thursday afternoon.

"Police said Katherine Washburn had suffered `severe injuries to her head,` although her exact cause of death had not yet been determined.

"Police said evidence suggests Wayne Washburn may have `overdosed on prescription medication in conjunction with deliberate carbon monoxide poisoning.`

"The department is awaiting further information from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner."

From stowetoday.com...