I honestly wonder if reporters have learned ANYTHING over the past 20 years or so about coverage of domestic violence events. Here are a few pointers:
1) In reality, domestic violence homicides are SELDOM out of the blue. However, you need to talk to the right people in order to find this out.
2) Except in very rare cases, you aren't going to find out anything from interviewing people who were close to the killer, like his stepdaddy and his hunting buddy. So why do reporters persist in doing this? It just feeds into the misconception that these murders are random and without cause, and that nobody could have done anything to prevent them. In otherwise, a nice trick for letting people off the hook who COULD have acted.
3) So why do you "privilege" the stepdaddy and the hunting buddy over possible other subjects? Why not interview the director of your local domestic violence program or shelter? Why not interview the daughter's friends or the mother's family? If you win their trust, nine times out of ten they can tell you that they knew something wasn't right in the home. That they had been told about various "family troubles," even though the mother had (apparently) never called the police. Which, by the way, is not unusual at all in families experiencing domestic violence--especially middle class families where a "reputation" is at stake.
http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/news/2011/feb/07/14/three-shot-dead-apparent-murder-suicide-ar-762171/
Three shot dead in apparent murder-suicide
Mother, daughter killed; husband turns gun on himself.
By Sarah Newell williamson
Published: February 07, 2011
Updated: February 07, 2011 - 5:59 PM
DENVER --
Mill Creek Middle School is mourning the loss of one of its own this week after 14-year-old Samantha Wheeler was shot and killed on Sunday, along with her mother, in what police believe was a double murder-suicide by her father.
Students and staff wore ribbons in neon pink with florescent green on them, which were Samantha’s favorite colors.
“It was clear that she was a very special young lady, extremely bright, capable and personable,” said Rob Rucker, principal of Mill Creek Middle. “Samantha was a wonderful student and a great friend to many students at our school. Those of us who knew her well are going to miss her dearly.”
Eighth-grader Lindsey Carter was a classmate of Samantha’s. She said Samantha — called Sam or Sammy by her friends — will be missed.
“She was a really sweet person,” Carter, 13, said. “She was kindhearted and loved everybody.”
Samantha was an officer in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, on the yearbook staff and had been on the cheerleading team for the past two years.
“Sam was always very respectful and was responsible with her school career,” said Katie Spears, Samantha’s cheerleading coach. “She was always a model of maturity, commitment and kindness. She was a great friend to many and will be missed. Our community has lost a beautiful young spirit that could have accomplished so many things in life in an act of senseless violence.”
Samantha’s teachers describe her as someone who was self-motivated, mature, bright, full of energy and had a beautiful smile. They said she was honest and possessed a strong sense of integrity and moral balance.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office is still trying to determine why Rick Wheeler shot his wife, Angela, and daughter before turning the gun on himself on Sunday.
Catawba County communications received a 911 hang-up call at 4:52 p.m. When they called back, the number was busy, said Catawba County Sheriff Coy Reid. Deputies arrived at the house on Grassy Creek Road within five minutes. No one answered the door when they knocked. They looked in the windows and saw a woman laying on the floor, so they forced their way into the house, Reid said.
Deputies found Rick and Samantha dead of gunshot wounds. Angela had also been shot. She was taken to Carolinas Medical Center where she died, Reid said. There were signs an argument had taken place prior to the shooting, but Reid declined to elaborate.
Rick’s stepfather, Mark Hovis, said Rick’s actions took him completely by surprise.
“They were just the perfect family,” Hovis said. “We did not expect anything like this. It’s hard to think right now.”
He said the family liked to do many activities together, like going bowling. Hovis said they had no financial problems.
Samantha had been out with friends until about 4 p.m. on Sunday, Hovis said.
“There was no indication at all that this would happen,” he said. “I’m just distraught.”
Billy Ray Smith was shooting skeet with Rick earlier in the day on Sunday. When Smith saw him then, he said Rick seemed fine.
“He was a fun-loving guy,” he said.
Smith was supposed to come over to the Wheeler house later Sunday afternoon. However, Smith said Rick called him and told him not to, but didn’t say why.
Smith’s father, Billy Smith Sr., also knew Rick. He called what happened a shock.
“He was a good dad,” Smith Sr. said. “He wanted to be home when his daughter got home from school. He’d give you the shirt off your back. I can’t believe it.”
This is the first time police had been called to the house, and the Wheelers had no history of domestic violence, Reid said.
Friends of Samantha’s gathered at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Monday evening, where Samantha attended. They talked about their memories of the teen, and prayed about what happened.
