Killer Dads: Fathers who ended their children's lives in situations involving child custody, visitation, and/or child support
CALIFORNIA
Butte County
Father: MICHAEL LESLIE DOLLAR
Victim(s): Deagon Jackson (15 months)
Date of Death: November 2010
In June 2013, father charged in blunt-force trauma death of toddler son. Boy had been visiting with father, girlfriend at time of death. Father ordered to stay away from surviving children, boy's mother. Father bound over for trial in August 2013. In January 2014, father pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Contra Costa County
Father: ERHAN KAYIK
Victim(s): Volkan Kayik (16 years)
Date of Death: July 2007
Custodial father found guilty in 2009 of strangulation death of son.
El Dorado County
Father: DAVID ELIOTT
Victim(s): Chandler Nash-Eliott (11 years)
Date of Death: December 2009
Father not charged in the "suicide" of son. Father had physical custody, parents had shared legal custody. Father had extensive history with CPS regarding neglect, abuse, lack of supervision, etc.
Fresno County
Father: DONALD NELSON
Victim(s): Zion (3 years)
Date of Death: January 2014
Custodial dad, girlfriend charged with murder in death of son. Dad had extensive history of domestic violence, and father gained custody despite efforts of protective mother. Mother trying to regain custody of surviving child. No media update since 2014.
Joaquin County
Father: DWIGHT SLAY
Victim(s): Tafarie (2 years)
Date of Death: April 2014
Father, girlfriend arrested on felony abuse charges in death of daughter. Girl reportedly abused, emaciated. Neighbors calls to CPS allegedly ignored. Couple ordered to stand trial in September 2014.
Los Angeles County
Father: CAMERON BROWN
Victim(s): Lauren Sarene Key (4 years)
Date of Death: November 2000
After hung jury in 2009, father scheduled to go to trial for 3rd time in death of daughter. Daughter was allegedly pushed off cliff during visitation in order to avoid child support. Third trial held in May 2015, and dad finally found guilty of 1st-degree murder. Sentenced to life in prison in September 2015.
Father: ALAN DEAN EDWARDS
Victim(s): Erick Edwards (9 years), Alona Edwards (5 years)
Date of Death: December 2014
Father in "bitter custody battle" plows car into back of parked big rig, killing all three persons in the car. Authorities report there were no skid marks, that the driver's airbag had been disabled, and that the children were not restrained by seat belts. Father had history of controlling abusive behavior, including death threats. Had previously lost access to a daughter from a previous relationship due to abuse. Had been denied joint custody of the kids, but was apparently allowed access to the kids.
Father: DAVID HELMS
Victim(s): Lance Helms (2 1/2 years)
Date of Death: 1995
Custodial dad convicted in beating death of son. Father had obtained custody despite extensive history of violence, drug abuse.
Father: ALEJANDRO SANCHEZ
Victim(s): Nathan (6 years)
Date of Death: September 2014
Boy lived with father despite father's history of drug/alcohol abuse, and signs that boy was abused. Son reportedly told people he was afraid of father and didn't want to go home. Father told people that the mother was dead, though this has not been independently verified. Father arrested in son's stabbing death, charged with murder.
Father: EDUARDO VILLAREAL
Victim(s): Trudy Bonilla (ex-girlfriend, mother of child), Naomi (ten days)
Date of Death: October 2010
Father in “custody dispute” with mother of newborn child rammed his truck into bedroom where his ex, the baby are sleeping. Both were killed. Later charged with two counts of murder. In August 2013, DA refused to file assault charges against deputies for allegedly assaulting Villareal.
Father: DAE KWON YUN
Victim(s): Ashley (11 years), Alexander (10 years)
Date of Death: 2006
Father with extensive history of domestic violence still granted access to children after separating from their mother. Father pleaded guilty to burning kids to death in November 2012.
Orange County
Father: JESUS VEGA ESTRADA
Victim(s): Eric Avian Cervantes (19 months)
Date of Death: November 2013
Father convicted in beating death of son during visitation in November 2014. Sentenced to 25 years to life in February 2014. Parents allegedly had conflict over child support.
Father: GIDEON WALTER OMONDI
Victim(s): Richie Omondi (4 years)
Date of Death: 2006
Father shared custody with the child's mother. Drowned son to avoid child support. Father convicted of 1st-degree murder in January 2010.
Father: UNNAMED FATHER
Victim(s): Soon to be ex-wife, daughter (8 years)
Date of Death: November 2010
Father in “custody dispute” shot and killed ex-wife, daughter in murder-suicide.
Riverside County
*Father: ALEXANDRO BAEZA
Victim(s): Isaac Gallegos (2 years)
Date of Death: April 2010
Father charged with murder in the death of son, who was killed during weekend visitation with the father. Parents had never been married and had been in a “custody dispute” for the past year. The “family” had a history with CPS. Father had shown zero interest in the baby for the first year. And yet the judge--in this case Judge John M. Pacheco--awarded the father twice-a-week visitation anyway. He then proceeded to ignore the mother's concerns regarding the child's injuries and signs of psychological trauma. In fact, he threatened to strip the mother of custody for bringing up her concerns. In December 2010, father ordered to trial. Father found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in September 2011.
Father: ANGEL BABY GARCIA III
Victim(s): 5-year-old daughter
Date of Death: November 2010
Father, step arrested for murder, accessory to murder. Custodial status unclear. As of May 2015, unable to locate any update to this case.
Father: JOHNNY LOPEZ
Victim(s): Mia Lopez (5 years), Joanna Lopez (stepmother)
Date of Death: November 2013
Father kills daughter, her stepmother in murder-suicide. Custodial situation unclear, but appears that girl's mother was still living.
Father: SELVIN CHAJON RODRIQUEZ
Victim(s): Selvin Chajon (4 years), Emily Chajon (1 year), Laura Reveiano (mother)
Date of Death: September 2012
Father threatened to kill children and mother if they weren't "with him." Mother granted temporary restraining order, but not served. Judge had set child custody hearing for later in month. Father shot by police, was initially in critical condition. Father survived, but left partially paralyzed. In January 2014, judge ruled that father must stand trial for murder and other charges. In April 1014, convicted of 3 counts of 1st-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison.
Sacramento County
* Father: PHILLIP HERNANDEZ
Victim(s): Matthew Hernandez (9 years)
Date of Death: February 2013
Custodial father charged with murder. Judge Sharon Lueras granted father custody despite father's history of domestic violence, drug abuse. Protective mother's concerns ignored. As of November 2014, unable to locate any update to this case.
Father: ADRIAN RAMON MCGRATH
Victim(s): Jeremiah McGrath (3 years)
Date of Death: March 2010
Son beaten to death in home of father, stepmother. As of November 2014, unable to locate any update to this case.
*Father: MOURAD “MONI” SAMAAN
Victim(s): Madeline Layla Samaan-Fay (2 years)
Date of Death: August 2011
Though mother was a deputy to the state attorney general and had been recently granted custody, her request for father’s access to be limited to supervised visitation was denied by family court judge James Mize. Daughter killed in murder-suicide that was declared an act of “justice” by father’s surviving brother.
San Bernadino County
Father: JESUS ROMAN FUENTES
Victim(s): Jesus Gabriel Fuentes (4 years)
Date of Death: February 2010
Father crashed car, shot to death son during visitation. Parents divorced. Father initially in critical condition from self-inflicted gunshot wound, later died at hospital.
*Father: STEPHEN CHARLES GARCIA
Victim(s): Wyatt Garcia (9 months)
Date of Death: January 2010
Father killed son in murder-suicide during court-ordered visitation. Parents never married. Mother had pleaded with 3 judges regarding father's violence, threats.
Father: RONALD GREER
Victim(s): Samiah Downing (4 years)
Date of Death: Undermined
In December 2012, father and girlfriend arrested for murder of 4-year-old daughter after her body was found in shallow grave. A "concerned citizen" contacted the sheriff's office after the girl had not been seen. So far, the media reports have not addressed how or why this father had access, but it appears at minimum that he must have had visitation rights if not full custody. No mention of the girl's mother at all. As of November 2014, no update to this case has been found.
San Diego County
Father: KEVIN COLLIER
Victim(s): Rhilee Collier (14 months), Beverli Rakov (baby’s maternal grandmother), Jared Slocum (police officer)
Date of Death: August 2011
Mother had just filed for divorce days before and was seeking sole custody. Daughter found shot to death in father’s truck. Father’s own father, brother had previously filed for orders of protection. Father later killed himself and his mother in arson murder-suicide.
Father: THOMAS FUCHS
Victim(s): Sean Fuchs (15 years), Kyle Fuchs (13 years)
Date of Death: June 2011
Father with “full custody” killed teen sons in murder-suicide. Mother was apparently trying to regain custodial rights.
Father: STANFORD MOROCHO
Victim(s): 7-month-old son
Date of Death: December 2014
Parents had "shared custody" but father assumed "physical custody" ten days before baby's beating death. Father charged with murder and assault and held on $5M bond. Father convicted of second degree murder in May 2016.
Father: DENNIS POTTS
Victim(s): Tori Vienneau (22 years), Dean Springtube (10 months)
Date of Death: July 2006
Father is convicted in September 2009 in the murders of his former girlfriend and son. Father didn't want to take paternity test, pay child support.
San Joaquin County
Father: TUSHAMBI EVANS
Victim(s): 2-year-old son
Date of Death: March 2012
Custodial father charged with homicide. Case was one of very manipulative domestic violence by proxy against the mother. Father was acquitted of all charges in November 2013.
Father: DWIGHT SLAY JR.
Victim(s): Tafari Barris (2 years)
Date of Death: April 2014
Custodial dad, girlfriend charged child abuse resulting in death, torture and corporal injury to a child. Numerous abuse complaints by neighbors and family members, but authorities apparently did nothing. Father's sister had been hoping to gain custody of the child. No word on what happened to the mother.
Stanislaus County
*Father: MARK MESITI
Victim(s): Alycia Mesiti (14 years)
Date of Death: 2006. Body not found till March 2009.
Custodial father pleaded not guilty to daughter’s rape and murder in June 2011. Murder allegedly took place just months after father awarded custody. Father awarded custody despite long criminal history and history of child neglect complaints. Pretrial hearing set for September 2012. As of July 2014, there were still ongoing trial delays.
Father: ANTHONY LEE WILLIAMS
Victim(s): Hussan Williams (10 years)
Date of Death: June 2010
Father killed son in murder-suicide. Parents going through divorce, with “custody rights” still to be settled.
Ventura County
Father: JAMES MULVANEY
Victim(s): Jason Mulvaney (12 years), Jennifer Mulvaney (7 years)
Date of Death: September 2009
Father stabbed to death son and daughter in murder-suicide during overnight visitation. Parents had shared custody and were still involved in divorce, custody case.
Father: ADRIAN NAVARRETE-GONZALEZ
Victim(s): 1-year-old son
Date of Death: January 2015
Father arrested for stabbing death of 1-year-old son. Mother did not live in the home and was reportedly not present during the assault. News accounts state that the parents had joint custody, and that the boy's death took place during the father's visitation.