Anne J. Stolarz

Murder-suicide suspected in deaths elderly Lowell couple

August 8, 2011

LOWELL — A murder-suicide this weekend of two senior citizens in this quiet rural community left neighbors filled with shock and disbelief.

Police Chief John Shelhart said an 84-year-old man and his 84-year-old wife were found shot dead in their home in the 300 block of Eastland Circle Sunday afternoon after their adult children came to check on the couple’s well-being.

Shelhart said it appeared the man first shot his wife, who had Alzheimer’s disease, in the head then proceeded to shoot himself. Shelhart said the couple was last seen alive Friday at a family gathering.

“It happened either sometime Saturday or early Sunday before the newspaper came,” Shelhart said.

Shelhart said family members were shocked by the discovery. They said the couple did not appear depressed during the Friday gathering, though they had experienced some recent financial setbacks.

The couple’s 401K ran out in July and they were heavily invested in the stock market and suffered serious losses during the economic downturn.

Robert Potter, who lives across the street from the couple, said he would often see the husband working outside in the flower bed.

“They seemed like nice people. We always talked,” Potter said. He said he was shocked when he heard the news.

“It just don’t happen here, something like that,” he said.

Neighbors Paul Mayer, Carl Skinner and Edna Miller were gathered at the mailbox in the subdivision of nicely manicured single family homes and townhomes talking about the events of the weekend.

They said Sunday police vehicles lined the street and blocked both entrances to the neighborhood largely populated by senior citizens, leaving them a bit frightened and wondering what might have occurred.

“I always found him to be a very polite guy,” Mayer said.

“He was a good neighbor,” Miller said.

“A very good neighbor,” Skinner added.

They said they were shocked and saddened to find out what had occurred in their quiet neighborhood.

“It’s an experience you don’t want to see or hear about again,” Miller said.

Obituary:

JOHN AND ANNE STOLARZ LOWELL, IN John and Anne Stolarz of Lowell, passed away Sunday, August 7, 2011. They are survived by their children: Janice (Jerry) Keilman of Lowell and Mark Stolarz of Fair Oaks; grandchildren: Sarah Ammons, Karalyn (Clint) Skinner, Mike (Danielle) Keilman, Marc (Julie) Keilman, Joshua Stolarz, Amy Dixon, and Sabrina and Dustin Stolarz; 10 great-granchildren; John's siblings: Anne Matusik and Walter Stolarz; and Anne's sister, Mary Hubbard. They were preceded in death by their son, Wayne; John's siblings: Stanley, Frank, Joe and Victoria Wojtan; Anne's siblings: Alex, Edward, Eugene and John Lukas. John and Anne were members of St. Edward Catholic Church in Lowell. He was a member of VFW Post 802 in Hammond and she was a member of their auxiliary. John owned John's Electric and Anne enjoyed cooking and being a loving mother and grandmother. They both enjoyed traveling and their cottage on Koontz Lake. A memorial visitation will be held Saturday, August 13, 2011 from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Sheets Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 604 E. Commercial Ave. in Lowell with a Memorial Mass at 12:00 p.m. at St. Edward Catholic Church. Father Ted Norquist officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Alzheimer's Research.

Beatrice Holdeman

Elderly couple found dead in home

Police: Appears to be a murder-suicide

Updated: Thursday, 07 Jul 2011, 11:26 PM EDT

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - A Muncie couple, identified as John and Bea Holdeman, both in their 90s, took their own lives Thursday afternoon.

They were discovered in bed by their daughter, who was visiting her parents from out of town.

“She'd been here earlier in the morning, and her father had sent her out to run an errand,” Captain Mark Vollmar with the Muncie Police Department said. “And when she came back, she found out they were both deceased."

John, he said, left a note behind.

“I think he was frustrated with the quality of life for both of them,” Vollmar said.

Bea was terminally ill and relied on hospice.

Vollmar said it was recently recommended that she move to a nursing home.

John had just received his own poor diagnosis.

One neighbor, Gene Calvert, who lived next to the couple for nine years had fond memories.

"They were very nice people, good neighbors,” Calvert said. “They were quiet, no disturbance, friendly, just as nice of neighbors as you could have.”

From another source (WRTV-6):

An elderly Muncie man likely killed his ill wife and then committed suicide in their home Thursday, police said.

Officers went to the couple's condominium in the 5100 block of West Churchill Court after their daughter called police to say she believed her father may have killed her mother.

Police found the victims, John Holdeman and his wife Beatrice, both in their mid-90s, dead from gunshot wounds in their home.

Investigators said Holdeman shot his wife, then lay down next to her and shot himself. Holdeman left a suicide note with a motive, detectives said.

Neighbors said the couple used to garden together outside their west Muncie condominium, but hadn't been out of the house much lately, 6News' Tanya Spencer reported.

"They both had issues that had happened recently and their health was deteriorating," neighbor Gene Calvert said.

The couple received hospice care and Beatrice was expected to be transferred to a nursing home soon, officials said.

The couple's daughter, who was visiting from California, found her parents dead.

"(The daughter) was standing over there shaking tremendously. Obviously something had happened. So my wife went over to help her," Calvert said.

Police said the Holdeman's daughter has some health problems of her own and had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out.

Neighbors who knew John and Beatrice said that even though they were in their 90s, they acted like lovebirds.

"It is sad. They were really nice, good people," Calvert said.

Police said the Holdeman's children all live on the West Coast and they had no other family in Muncie.


(Although I don't consider this a "violent" act, it is what it is so was included. My sincere condolences to their family.)

Obituaries:

MUNCIE - Beatrice M. Holdeman, 95, Muncie, passed away Thursday July 7, 2011 at her residence.

She was born March 3, 1916 in Flint, Michigan, the daughter of Ralph and Vivian (Neyle) McBurney and graduated from Michigan State University in 1939.

Beatrice worked as a teacher for many years in Michigan. She was a member of College Avenue United Methodist Church where she was involved with A.A.U.W., and the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Beatrice also was a member of the Auburn Memorial Hospital Guild.

Mrs. Holdeman is survived by her three children, John W. Holdeman (wife, Cassandra), Dr. Mary Ann Clark (husband, Dr. Richard E. Clark), and Robert E. Holdeman (wife, Kass); six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Cremation will take place and a memorial service will be held 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at College Avenue United Methodist Church, 1968 West Main Street, Muncie, Indiana 47303 with Pastor Chip Gast officiating.

Family and Friends may call from 4:00 until 4:30 on Wednesday at the church.

The Meeks Mortuary and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Contributions may be sent to Indiana Masonic Home Foundation, P.O. Box 44210, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at http://www.meeksmortuary.com.

Also:

MUNCIE - John W. Holdeman, 95, Muncie, passed away Thursday July 7, 2011 at his residence.

He was born August 20, 1915 in Leipseic, Ohio, the son of Lloyd and Vivian (Cottingham) Holdeman and graduated from The University of Michigan with a degree in Mechanical engineering. Mr. Holdeman retired from Borg Warner Automotive after thirty-nine years of service. During his career at Borg Warner he served as the Associate Director of Research, Vice President of Engineering, and the Product Engineering Manager where he developed thirty-five automotive patents. He had also worked for Packard Motorcar Company and Detroit Gear division of Borg Warner. After his retirement, John served as a volunteer for the International Executive Service Corporation in Korea.

His memberships included, The Muncie Elks Country Club, Wilbur A. Full Masonic Lodge # 1744, and College Avenue Methodist Church.

Mr. Holdeman is survived by his three children, John W. Holdeman (wife, Cassandra), Dr. Mary Ann Clark (husband, Dr. Richard E. Clark), and Robert E. Holdeman (wife, Kass); two sisters, Laura M. Hartman, and Elizabeth L. Dobbins; two brothers, Stephen Holdeman, and David L. Holdeman; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Mary I. Gorham.

Cremation will take place and a memorial service will be held 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at College Avenue United Methodist Church, 1968 West Main Street, Muncie, Indiana with Pastor Chip Gast officiating.

Friends and Family may call from 4:00 until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Church.

Contributions may be made to Indiana Masonic Home Foundation, P.O. Box 44210, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at http://www.meeksmortuary.com.

Michele Daughtery

Michele Daughtery

Noblesville Man Charged In Wife's, Cat's Death

Officers Find Lonnie Daughtery's Wife, Cat Dead In Ky. Hotel Room

June 26, 2011

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WRTV-6) -- An Noblesville man was charged with murder and animal cruelty after his wife and cat were found dead in a Kentucky hotel room, police said.

Kentucky police said Lonnie Daughtery, 37, of Noblesville, Ind., was arrested at around 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Holiday Inn Express in Elizabethtown, Ky., which is about an hour southwest of Louisville.

Officers said they found the body of Michele Daughtery, 45, and a dead cat when the entered the hotel room.

Police said Lonnie Daughtery told them he was helping his wife commit suicide.

Elizabethtown Police Sgt. Tim Cleary said Lonnie Daughtery didn’t say why his wife wanted to commit suicide, but added he strangled her to aid in the attempt.

Police said Lonnie Daughtery was taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital with “superficial injuries.”

UPDATE:

A Noblesville man is in jail accused of murdering his wife while the couple was in Kentucky.

Detectives charged Lonnie Daughtery with murder and cruelty to animals. Police said they found 47-year-old Michele Daughtery's body Saturday inside a room at the Holiday Inn Express in Elizabethtown, KY. Lonnie Daughtery was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Detectives claim that is when Lonnie Daughtery told them he strangled his wife, helping her commit suicide. Detectives accuse him of killing their cat, which was also in the hotel room.

"I know Lonnie well enough to know he would do anything that Michele would've asked him," Dorothy Castle said. Dorothy Castle lives near the Daughtery's Noblesville home. Castle said she met the couple four years ago when they moved into the Lions Creek, a Morse Lake community.

Castle described the couple as the nicest people, impossible not to like. She said the couple lost their apartment around the time they found out Michele had cancer. She said the Daughtery's wanted to travel before Michele became too ill.

"I understood I guess that he did what he thought he had to do, but I was really upset because I just….I don't know how to explain to people the way this man loved this woman. He did it out of love. There was no in any way shape or form this man had any malicious {intent}. He loved her with everything he had and he gave up his life for her," Castle said.

Castle said she spoke to the couple on Friday. "Something must have happened to make this decision. I always knew she would make some decision, but i never thought it would happen like that," she said.

Lonnie Daughtery is at the Hardin County Detention Center in Kentucky where he faces a murder charge and cruelty to animals, 1st degree.

Renee G. Johnson

Man Killed Wife, Daughter, Then Himself

Husband Called 911 Before Committing Suicide, Authorities Say

POSTED: 4:59 pm EDT April 1, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Investigators believe a man killed his wife and their 14-year-old daughter before killing himself in their southwest-side Indianapolis house Tuesday, police told 6News' Rick Hightower.Authorities said they found the bodies of Renee G. Johnson, 49; Rebecca J. Johnson, 14; and Stephen J. Johnson in the house in the 5400 block of Gambel Road after the man called 911 at about 4 p.m. and told a dispatcher that a homicide-suicide had happened there.

Police said Stephen Johnson shot both his wife and daughter in the head before turning the gun on himself.According to investigators, the gun used in the shootings was found in the second-floor bedroom, where all of the bodies were found. Police said they also found a cell phone that was used to call 911 to tell operators where the bodies could be found. Investigators said Stephen Johnson made the call before killing himself.

The house was locked when officers arrived at the scene, but keys to the door were found hanging on a mailbox next to the door, police said."A couple of people that either knew them or were from the neighborhood … did not indicate any type of a problem there," Indianapolis police Sgt. Paul Thompson said.Sources that 6News did not name said electrical power to the home had recently been shut off. Information on why the home was without electricity wasn't available.

Also see post for dear daughter Rebecca J. Johnson.

Rebecca J. Johnson

Three dead in apparent double murder-suicide

Posted: Apr 01, 2008 5:20 PM EDT

Mary Milz

Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - Police are investigating the deaths of three family members on the city's southwest side.

It happened Tuesday afternoon in the 5400 block of Gambel Road near I-465 and Kentucky Avenue. Police found three people dead inside the home there including a man, woman and their 14-year-old daughter. Police are calling it a double murder-suicide.

Police believe Stephen J. Johnson shot and killed his wife Renee G. Johnson, 49, and the couple's 14-year-old daughter Rebecca J. Johnson. Authorities found a suicide note at the scene.

"At this point, we believe it's an isolated incident," said IMPD Sgt. Paul Thompson. "It's domestic and did not involve anyone outside the household."

Sgt. Thompson said a 911 call came in at around 4:00 pm reporting a murder-suicide. Police say the caller identified himself as Stephen Johnson and that he told police where the bodies could be found in the house. Police have not yet confirmed that the caller was in fact Johnson, however.

"There's a possibility the man inside may have been the caller, we're still confirming that," Thompson said. "We're going to have to process the 911 tape."

The house was locked when the officers arrived at the scene. Keys to the door were found hanging on the mailbox next to the door.

Police found Stephen and Renee Johnson on a bed in a second-floor bedroom. Renee Johnson was under the covers of the bed, and Rebecca Johnson was on the floor of the same bedroom under some clothing. Detectives also found a cell phone belonging to Stephen Johnson, and they believe it was the same phone he used to call 911. Thompson said a gun was found near the bodies.

When nearby residents saw police arrive and set up a crime scene, they weren't sure what had happened.

"I told the kids to get in the house in case they're still looking for someone," Amanda Baker said.

As news later spread of a murder-suicide, another neighbor said, "It's just a shame."

Dwayne Brewer, who lives down the street, knew little of the family.

"They just stayed to themselves," Brewer said. "I can't tell you I ever saw anyone visiting."

Ritchie Kendall and his wife knew the family from church. When he saw several police cars and detectives in front of the house, he "thought it might be a mistake."

"You just don't think anything like this would happen. I can't see how anyone would kill a teenager," Kendall said.

Kendall's daughter was friends with the young victim, who was home-schooled. They said they knew of no problems or issues troubling the couple.

"I have no idea. No idea," said Marva Kendall. "I wouldn't expect it. He was nice, caring, he'd do anything for anybody."

Sgt. Thompson said there were no recent police calls to the home. He said detectives were talking to family members and friends in the hopes of better understanding what led to the violence.

In a press release issued Wednesday, Chief Michael Spears has asked that people be made aware of the need to seek help and guidance when in difficult situations instead of resorting to violence. "There are numerous social agencies available to assist wherein solutions can be found. The use of violence only causes pain and despair and never solves the underlying problem," the statement said.

Also see post for dear mother Renee G. Johnson.

Angela Metheny

Angela Metheny

Police Say Man Killed Former Wife, Self in LaPorte County

Body in Michigan City parking lot leads to woman's body at home

April 11, 2007|By STAN MADDUX Tribune Correspondent

MICHIGAN CITY - Police say a man broke into the home he used to live in and fatally shot his ex-wife. He then drove to a church parking lot and killed himself.

That's the picture being drawn Wednesday by LaPorte County Police investigating a second double shooting in less than 24 hours.

Keith Metheny, 47, and Angela Metheny, 37, were divorced and he no longer lived in the couple's marital home at Hunter's Run, a subdivision along U.S. 20 north of LaPorte.

About 9 a.m. Tuesday, Michigan City officers were called to St. John's United Church of Christ near the U.S. 421 and U.S. 20 intersection.  Metheny was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head in a Jeep in the church parking lot, police said.

About five hours later, officers from Michigan City went to the couple's former marital home, where Angela Metheny still resided, to notify her about his death, said LaPorte County Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer.  They discovered a rear door on the walk-out basement had been forced open. Inside the residence police found Angela Metheny's body, also the victim of a fatal gunshot wound.

"All indications at this time are it appears connected," said Mollenhauer, who emphasized the investigation is continuing.

According to neighbors, Angela Metheny was employed in nursing care.  Keith Metheny was a welder at Jet Fabricators Inc. in Michigan City since 1994.

"He never missed work. He was very dependable. He was the last guy I would expect to do this," said Darrell Cleek, vice president in charge of production at the steel fabricating plant.

Also:

ROLLING PRAIRIE - Investigators continue to piece together the details of what happened sometime before 9:25 a.m. Tuesday when Keith Metheny, 47, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his Jeep parked at St. John's United Church of Christ, 101 St. John Road.

Later on Tuesday, Metheny's former wife, Angela, 37, was found dead when police went to her home in the Hunter's Run subdivision near U.S. 20 and Fail Road, west of Rolling Prairie, to notify her of the death.

Police said she had been shot in the head, but haven't said anything further in the case, which appears to be a murder-suicide.

The brother of Keith Metheny, Dennis Metheny, the Coolspring Township trustee and host of a cable talk show as well as co-host of a radio call-in show, declined to comment until autopsies were completed in South Bend today.

According to Superior Court records, Keith Metheny filed for divorce on March 7, 2003, after the couple separated on Feb. 20. The divorce was finalized March 1, 2006. The couple was married July 21, 1990, in Michigan City, and had no children.

The divorce decree awarded the house on Sportsman Lane and a 2002 Ford Taurus to Angela Metheny, and a 2003 Jeep Wrangler to Keith Metheny. The couple agreed to the division of other property.

Angela Metheny did not request to have her name restored to her maiden name of Avila. Her mother, Jeanette Avila, and a sister would not comment Wednesday, saying they were still in mourning.

The St. John's church office manager, who preferred not to be named, said Wednesday that she called Michigan City police at about 9 a.m. Tuesday, at the time the church's preschool started. A mother had dropped off her child and came to the church office to report that a Jeep was parked in the back of the lot with a man who was “either asleep or dead.”

The mother was concerned for the safety of children.

A short time later, a Comcast Cable employee whose child attends the preschool called 911 to report that he saw a man with a wound to the head inside the Jeep.

Michigan City police officer David Fleck arrived at the scene at 9:25 a.m. to begin an investigation that eventually led to the discovery of Angela Metheny at her home at 808 E. Sportsman Lane, in the Hunter's Run subdivision.

Neighbors across the street and immediately west of the Metheny home on Sportsman Lane also would not comment, saying they were close to both parties.