이번주 시사영어 강의 기사 : 모든 만남의 끝은 이별. 어떻게 헤어질까

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They Cared for Each Other Into Their 80s. Then He Shot Her and Killed Himself.

The strain of caregiving likely plays a role in murder-suicides among older adults, say researchers

By Clare Ansberry

Richard and Ellen Hoyle, both in their 80s, took care of each other in their single-story home until the morning of April 26.

Shortly before 11 a.m. that day, Richard, 89 years old, shot Ellen, 85, court records say. He called 911 to report a murder-suicide and then shot himself. Police found the couple side by side, in bed. Their wills rested on the kitchen table, with a list of names and phone numbers under the words “PEOPLE TO NOTIFY OF MY DEATH.” Richard, who also went as Dick, left a note, which hasn’t been released. 

Ellen was growing frail and Richard was in pain, say those who had seen them in recent months. They believe the couple could no longer care for each other, didn’t wish to burden others and didn’t want to leave their home. It isn’t clear whether Ellen expressed a desire to die.

A growing portion of murder-suicides, while exceedingly rare, are affecting older adults. The strain of caregiving likely plays a role, say researchers in the aging field who have studied the issue. Nearly 10% of murder-suicides in 2021 involved a perpetrator 65 and older, up from 8.9% in 2019. Among those 80 and older the percentage has nearly tripled, to 4.26% in 2021 from 1.43% in 2019, according to the Violence Policy Center, which tracks murder-suicides using news reports.

Experts who study murder-suicide, also referred to as homicide-suicide, generally define it as when someone kills another person and then kills himself or herself, usually within minutes or hours.

A widely cited study found that the preval‎ence rate for murder-suicides among those 55 and older was 0.62 per 100,000 people—nearly twice the 0.34 rate of those younger than 55.

Donna Cohen, a retired psychiatry professor behind the research, found that a husband was acting as his wife’s caregiver in about half of spousal murder-suicides among those over 55. The burden of physical illness, increasing cost of care, isolation and sense of hopelessness play roles, says Cohen. About 20% of murder-suicide cases involving older couples are what she calls “symbiotic,” where both were known to have expressed a desire to die, but there is no clear evidence of a pact. 

“These are not acts of love or altruism. They are acts of depression and desperation,” says Cohen. Primary-care physicians, family and friends often don’t recognize signs that someone is depressed, she says.

Sheryl Chatfield, an associate professor at Kent State University who has researched murder-suicides among older people, says people are living longer with health problems and that male partners typically feel responsible for themselves and their spouses. Often, there is a precipitating event before the murder-suicide—the person providing care suffers an injury or illness, and can no longer care for a partner. 

About a week before the shootings, Chad Setzer, a neighbor, said Richard was in pain. “He got to where he couldn’t walk,” says Setzer, who began making daily trips to help Richard dress and use the bathroom. Richard told Setzer that the pain was in his tailbone and they figured he hurt himself using his stationary bike.

 “I thought he broke something but he refused to go to the doctor,” he says. 

Days before the shootings, Setzer recalls Richard saying, “I didn’t think it would end like this.”

“I didn’t understand,” says Setzer. He said he thought Richard was talking about getting old and unable to easily move around.

The day before the shooting, Richard’s school friend Hooper says they talked on the phone for about 20 minutes, something they regularly did. They lamented not being able to golf anymore and how old age had taken its toll.

“I got the feeling and I don’t know why, that he wanted to tell me something,” recalls Hooper. “After a while, he said, ‘Someone is going to be well-off when we die.’” 

Just before 11 a.m. on April 26, Richard called 911. “There’s been a murder-suicide,” he told the dispatcher, according to a voice recording.

Police called his cousin, Mike Sutton, who was on the top of Richard’s list of people to contact.

The Hoyles’ daughter declined to comment. The Hoyles’ small circle of local friends said the couple didn’t talk about a daughter. 

Setzer said he doesn’t understand. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone that much in love except my grandparents,” he says. “I never thought he would do anything like that.”

Hooper wonders why Richard didn’t say anything in their last phone call. “I guess he would have thought I would have gone immediately to his house.” He pulled out his senior yearbook from 1953, showing the note that Richard had written to Hooper at the time. “It sure has been wonderful going to school with you… I sure am going to miss you and all the others when it is all over with but you know what they say. That all good things have to come to an end and I guess it might as well be now.”