Killer Dads: Fathers who ended their children's lives in situations involving child custody, visitation, and/or child support
MASSACHUSETTS
Bristol County
Father: KRISTOPHER GRIFFIN
Victim(s): Kaitlyn (6 years)
Date of Death: July 2009
Father allegedly broke into the mother's house and killed daughter because he was concerned about a possible moveaway. In July 2012, convicted of 1st-degree murder, which carried with it a life sentence with no chance of parole.
Essex County
Father: ERNESTO GONZALEZ
Victim(s): Giovanni Gonzalez (5 years)
Date of Death: August 2008
Boy “disappeared” during “scheduled visit” with father. Formal visitation agreement had yet to be worked out. Father had previous criminal convictions, including assault. He apparently confessed to killing the boy, but there has been no criminal conviction. Body has not been found. In December 2011, psychologist ruled that father incompetent to stand trial.
Suffolk County
Father: PATRICK MARCELIN
Victim(s): Destin (6 years)
Date of Death: September 2014
Father with "long time" custody smothered son to death then committed suicide. Media reports indicate mother had been "debriefed" as to the results of the investigation, but no indication as to why a mentally unstable/suicidal father had custody of a young child.
Father: DAVE WHYTE JR.
Victim(s): Kenai Whyte (3 years)
Date of Death: February 2016
Despite extensive allegations of domestic violence, father lad legal custody of children. Boy died in hospital after being severely beaten in father's home.
Worcester County
Father: DARYL BENWAY
Victim(s): Owen Benway (9 years) in critical condition, Abigail Benway (7 years)
Date of Death: July 2012
Despite previous abuse and neglect allegations, father apparently had some form of temporary custody after the parents separated and the mother moved out. Daughter killed and son left in critical condition in murder-suicide.
Father: LESLIE G. SHULER
Victim(s): Nathaniel Turner (7 years)
Date of Death: June 2009
Father charged with beating death of son. Took place during father's court-ordered summer visitation, which he had just recently obtained. As of January 2012, father’s lawyers were seeking change of venue for trial. Trial still delayed as of June 2013. In May 2014, father pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder, and shortly thereafter was found dead in his prison cell, an alleged suicide. Fiancee (not mother) pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, etc. in October 2015.