Sword and Scale - Episode 83

Episode Date: February 13, 2017

Love can be a wonderful thing. It can make the world around you seem like a magical place. But sometimes, love can go wrong. Very wrong. In this season opener we examine several cases where love failed and darkness took over culminating in various murder-suicides. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sort and scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences Listener discretion is advised Calm down calm down We're coming to you. Welcome to Sword and Scale. Season 4, episode 83. A show that reveals that the worst monsters are real. Welcome back to season 4 of Sword and Scale. And more importantly, happy Valentine's Day. Love is a bitch, ain't it? I mean, when it works, it can make your entire universe better. Everything is wonderful. A little drizzle of rain can be magical

instead of an annoying inconvenience. Doing chores and tasks for your loved one that comes a privilege instead of the routine that would normally be. Even food tastes better. When you're in love, everything is magical. Every breath is another few seconds of pure joy.

But we all know love doesn't really work that way. At least, not for very long. The inevitable fact is that Edward A. Murphy Jr. was right. I'm speaking, of course, about what is nowadays commonly known as Murphy's Law. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. And ladies, you'll like this. The original phrasing of that law was something much closer to, if that guy has any way of making a mistake, he will.

It's true. It's been proven again and again. That's why it's a law. And that's why love never lasts. Humans are inherently flawed creatures. They assume things to be true that aren't there. They project their own life experience over new situations without giving much thought to the idea

that maybe they could be wrong. Maybe they could be completely wrong. Sometimes people destroy something beautiful, just because they're afraid of it, of what it could do to them if they let it exist. Today, we're going to explore a few examples of when love went wrong, really wrong. And since this podcast is about crime and murder, you can imagine where we're going with this. This is the murder suicide episode, folks, so strap in and Happy Valentine's

Day. January 1, 2017. The 1100 block of Old Barnwell Road, Lexington, South Carolina. Population just over 270,000 residents. A rural area where tractors are not a rare site, and pickup trucks are the norm. A place where violent crime is not a common occurrence. The Lexington County Sheriff's Office website shows that only seven homicides were reported in 2012 and only five in 2013. But 2017 would start off with a bang as two adults and two children would perish on New Year's Day. And an apparent murder suicide. I understand that does he have a weapon? I don't know, I can't. I'm not going closer. I can hear him say does he have access to weapons?

I guess probably he's supposed to enter the weapon right now. Okay, do you know what type of weapon he has access to? No, I don't. He's saying somebody's brilliant. I'm getting the information for the officer's father responding. Can you go into a random drawer? No, I don't. Yes, I have to move in.

Okay, can you go in? No, I don't. I'm going to go in. I'm going to go in. I'm going to go in. I'm going to go in. I am getting the information for the officer's father responding. Can you go into a land and show the door? No, yes, I have some. Okay, can you go into the land and show the door? Yes, please. Hello. Please, please, please.

Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. It wasn't as though no one saw it coming. On November 14, less than two months before this incident, deputies responded to the home

in reference to a 911 call where someone was suicidal. Then the following month, on December 12, deputies were called again. As 26-year-old Marissa Renosa claimed that 25-year-old George Chavez showed up unannounced to the home to see the two children they had in common

and would not leave. Hello Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. When police entered the home, they found four-year-old Elijah and one-year-old Ezra lying next to their mother, Marissa. All three were dead of apparent gunshot wounds. The children had been slaughtered at 8.15 pm on January 1, 2017. A third child, seen in Marissa's Facebook profile, was not present when the incident occurred.

It's not clear if George was also the third child's father. In the confusion, the Lexington County Sheriff's Office released a picture of George Lewis Chavez, their only suspect at the time, via Facebookington County Sheriff's Office released a picture of George Lewis Chavez, their only suspect at the time, via Facebook, and stated that they were actively searching for him. But minutes later, the body of George was found in a different part of the home,

also dead by gunshot. The gun was located nearby. We do believe that it's an apparent murder. Suicide here, working is that way in our investigation right now, is focused on that element of this incident. Now, overnight, you know, you were looking for someone. Are you looking for any other suspects at this point? We are not actively seeking any suspects.

However, our investigation is ongoing. So we would encourage anyone if they have any information that they think might be related to this case or might be related to the individuals who you shared about their names, momentarily just a moment ago. We would encourage them to call Crime Stopper. George's Facebook page is covered in selfies of him wearing urban street clothes, references to God and Jesus and short poems that he apparently wrote. There are also lots of pictures of Marissa dating back to 2012 and of his children.

On Marissa's Facebook page two years ago, there's a photo gallery she posted of her and her family and children. The caption reads, prismis with my loved ones. The first comment is from George. It reads, prismis with my loved ones. The first comment is from George. It reads, and mean nothing. A response,

you what? That's when a third person intervenes. What happened? George said, you're the number one bro. Alone niece and also a good picture of your mom and her husband. Sheers, in the company of your family. No other comment from George appears anywhere on Marissa's timeline. Children are often victims of these murder suicides.

Oftentimes, they're targets of opportunity, a way to get back at your spouse by destroying the thing you made together, and then leaving your spouse alive, accompanied only with a lifetime of sorrow. That was the case on Thursday, December 8th, 2016, in the tiny community of Hebron, Maine. I'd like to tell you a little bit more about why I'm a chaplain at Roger Williams, and see if we can get to know each other. This is Reverend Dan Randall, former affiliated Protestant chaplain and senior pastor at the first congressional church in Bristol, Rhode Island.

He had been there for 12 years before announcing his resignation on December 2014. He served his last mass on January 25, 2015. Before that, around the early 1990s, he had been a pastor at the first parish congressional church in Sakomane. There, Randall had a tragic past. His first wife, Greta, had died after suffering a fall at the two-light state park in Cape Elizabeth in 1993. She was six months pregnant at the time, and her unborn son died in the hospital the next day. But since then, Daniel Randall had remarried and had another child. The 56-year-old former pastor had been suffering with a drug and alcohol abuse problem, and apparently his second wife Anita had had enough.

Earlier in the week, she served him with the force papers while he was still undergoing the 90-day recovery program at Liberty Bay Recovery Center on Forest Avenue. On that Thursday, December 8th, at 10am, he checked out of the recovery center in Portland and purchased a shotgun. He then drove to the home of his estranged wife in Hebron, about 40 miles northwest of Portland. There, he would get his revenge. The other family member hasn't been in the house for a time, but obviously, as history here. But as luck would have it, his second wife Anita wasn't home at the time.

Instead, their 27-year-old daughter Claire had just recently moved from Rhode Island to stay with her mother and her teenage brother at the Marshall Pond home. The brother wasn't there either. Just Claire. When Anita Randall couldn't get a hold of her daughter on the phone, she asked neighbor Carol Daggett to go check on her. The 71-year-old has lived in this community for more than three decades, and when he arrived at the home, he saw what he thought was a holiday decoration.

A scarecrow faced down on the porch. Daggett noticed that the door was unlocked, so he went inside, ignoring the decoration. There, he was greeted with a collection of sinister messages, left in spray paint, on the counter, hallway, and walls. Five of the rooms in the home had writing on the walls. One of them said, Anita, it's all your fault, another said, Vowbreaker. Deget called 911, and when police arrived, they discovered Claire's body face down in the bathroom.

She had been shot several times. They also discovered that the Halloween decoration was in in fact, the body of Dan Randall, the shotgun near his corpse on the porch. It's ironic that Pastor Dan Randall would leave what can only be described as an insult spray-painted on the walls, because calling someone a vow-breaker seems incomparable to the far worse charge of being called a murderer. His successor, Reverend George Peters, said the former first congressional church pastor had clearly become, quote, unmoored from the foundation of his faith. Claire Randall was a talented vocalist and songwriter.

Her friends remembered her as the glue that held the family together. Claire's professional passions were in social services and education, specifically in relation to domestic violence prevention and substance abuse treatment programs. The Children, of course, aren't always involved. Sometimes a direct message is sent, and the killer just can't wait for everyone in the world to find out just what he did. And unfortunately, that's what happened to Jennifer's straight spears. The 43-year-old had ironically enough studied criminal justice at the University of North Texas. She had recently left her job as an analyst at United Health Group in Plano, Texas.

She had spent years working as an analyst investigating medical, pharmacy, and dental insurance fraud, and other wrongdoing by physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, and insurance members. But her crime-solving skills wouldn't help her on this day. music Jennifer Lee's Straight Spears was born on May 12, 1973, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The youngest and smallest of four girls, but her small frame carried a big heart, according to her memorial page. She loved people and animals and was always ready to help a friend or family member in need.

Jennifer had the unusual ability to listen to people and genuinely cared about their problems. She never judged. she just loved. On Jennifer's LinkedIn page, it states the causes she cared about. These include civil rights and social action, disaster and humanitarian relief, education, health, human rights, animal welfare, and children. It was Sunday, May 29, 2016. 43-year-old Jennifer Lee Strait Spears had recently started dating 45-year-old Kenneth Allen Amics, only four months prior. The two had been lifelong friends, and he'd always had a crush on her. But the relationship had become more than just friendship after

their two previous relationships fell apart, according to Kenneth, that is. However, this relationship seemed doomed from the start. You see Kenneth was a wanted man. He had two outstanding warrants from nearby counties. One of those arrest warrants was from Rockwall County, which is less than an hour away to the east. A grand jury in Rockwall County indicted Amix on a first-degree felony charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger

than 14. In Dallas County, about half an hour south, he was wanted for indecency with a child. In other words, exposing himself to a minor. Charles Amix received a call that day from his son, Kenneth, who said to his father, Kenneth then gave his dad the address to the apartment complex in the 2300 block of for hanging up. At 9.41 AM, he posted a message on Jennifer's Facebook page that read, �Please pray for us.� The message was accompanied with photos of Jennifer's now deceased body. �Love you all� said another message a minute later. At 1003 AM, Jennifer's mother called 911 and told dispatchers that she had received a

disturbing text, and that her daughter and Kenneth Amix, quote, are going to kill each other. Plano Police arrived at 2300 Catherine Lane moments later. Officer Danahue and MacArthur arrived and tried to make contact with Jennifer and Kenneth, but there was no response. So they found the apartment complex's maintenance worker, who granted them access to the garage. However, the door from the garage to the apartment had been secured with a deadbolt from the inside. The two officers forced their way in and began looking through the apartment for Kenneth and Jennifer. A third officer arrived around this time. A third officer arrived around this time. When they entered the bedroom on the floor, they found a nude male lying on top of a nude female.

There was a lot of blood, and both appeared to be deceased. But then, the officer's noticed that the man on top was making noises. He was still alive. Officers moved the man who was later identified as Kenneth Allen Amix, and noticed that he still had a knife in his right hand. There was also a second knife under him. Carefully, they unarmed him, and he was treated by the Plano Fire Department personnel. But as for Jennifer Lynn, it was too late. She was dead, with multiple stab wounds to her wrists,

forearm, and neck. Kenneth had one 8 cm wound on the right side of his neck and superficial wounds on his left wrist. Kenneth told police at the scene that the truth was that the two had been initially planning to run away together because Kenneth was wanted by the law and on the run. But that instead, they decided on a suicide pact months ago. On this night, they had been drinking, according to Kenneth, and decided to stab each other until they were dead. But at the last minute, Jennifer had chickened out in his words.

So he, instead, finished her off. He told police. Close friends of Jennifer Lee don't see how this is possible. They say that she would have never taken part in a suicide pact. On the way to Centennial Hospital in Frisco, Texas, Kenneth seemed very upset, according to Fireman Daniel Daly. He told police that Kenneth uttered the words, oh, I killed her. Oh, I lost her. I'll never get her back, just

kill me." In a recorded interview with Plano Police, Kenneth painted a picture of what happened in that apartment on May 29th. He said they were in the bedroom, lying down and had two knives. He went first and cut the back of her neck. According to Kenneth, they took turns stabbing each other. When asked, he said that he did not cut Jennifer anywhere else other than the neck. Jennifer said she was cold and told him to, quote, hit it harder according to Kenneth.

He said he then came down hard in his words like cutting tomatoes. And when he pulled the knife out, blood came out all over the place. He claims she said she was cold again, and that she didn't think she could do it anymore. She was too weak. So he grabbed her hand, the one that had the knife, and cut himself hard. He then posted the photos of both of them on Facebook and texted the same pictures to Jennifer's mother. But here's where the story takes a sharp left turn into crazy town, as if we're not there already. Remember I said that Kenneth had called his father Charles Amix shortly after the murder?

Well it turns out that the 70 year old, along with his 69 year old wife Sherry Amix, had been arrested just two months prior on March 16th. A third person had also been arrested. Get this, it was Kenneth's wife, 45-year-old, Christy Green Amix. The charge, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engaging in conduct that placed a child under 15 in imminent danger of death, bodily harm, physical or mental impairment. The indictment also states that the Amics family members did not voluntarily deliver the child to a designated emergency infant care provider under section 262.302 of the family

code. It seems fair to assume that the victims of Kenneth Allen Amics's two child sex abuse charges, were none other than his two own biological children. And that police suspected that not only his wife, but his parents knew about it. Now that his wife and his father and his mother, or his stepmother, it's not clear which, had been arrested, who knows what they told police about Kenneth, who knows what evidence was uncovered in those interviews.

Because this is an ongoing investigation, the details of what those family members said to police after being arrested is not publicly available, but we can assume it wasn't going to be helpful for Kenneth since he was on the run. What we do know is that this failed murder suicide happened just two months after the arrests. Clearly Kenneth felt the new tightening around his neck. The rest of the Amix family is out on bail, pending their next hearing. Kenneth Amix has a $600,000 bond and is awaiting trial behind bars. Jerry Selection is scheduled to begin on March 23, 2017. Jennifer Strait Spears was laid to rest

on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at Williams Memorial Chapel. Neighbors like Rebecca Miller are still at a loss for words about how this could have happened. We're kind of person post that on Facebook for that person's family and friends to see. I mean, that's just, it's a horrible human being to just, why would you do that? I can't imagine what her family and friends are going through and to find out that way and see. I mean, that's my heart just goes out to those people. friends are going through and to find out that way and see. I mean, that's my heart just goes out to those people. Taking a life is the most disruptive thing a human being can do. A murder is not just something that affects the victim and the perpetrator. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of tentacles of pain, reaching out to every single member of that person's social circle.

They're family, they're friends, they're coworkers, they're neighbors, and even casual acquaintances. All of these people's lives are adversely affected in some way. Forever. The finality of death means that person now leaves a hole, an empty space in the lives of so many. Seminole County, Avito, Florida, Josh, the 14-year-old son of 44-year-old Darrell Brooks and 45-year-old Peggy Brooks, caused 911 at approximately 4 p.m. on. How did you get hurt? Mind that. You got your dad shot her?

Don't come here. You got your dad shot her? Yes. Okay, your mom breathing. Pirate key, this is the feature of conference weapons to someone got shot. Okay, cool. What is the address of the emergency? Hello, what is the address? Is that it? OVM. Oh, I'm just going to ask you a question. Yes, sir. You can just call number. Call number, my home phone number?

Yes. The one you call me if I'm in case I need to call you again. Okay, what is your name? Yes. The one you call me if I'm in case I need to call you again. Okay. What is your name? Josh. Josh. My dad went off and ran away and didn't shout my mom. Okay.

So with us, he's beyond any help. I think he is still with us. Okay. How old is he? Over 40. Over 40. Okay. And where was he shot?

In the leg, over 40. Okay. And where was she shot? In the lake, I think? Okay. And is your father still there to shot her? I think so. You didn't see where he went? No. Okay. Which leg was it?

Angus 25. Wait, what? Which leg? Right, left. I think it, the right, I think. Was she shot anywhere else? It was that the only time? The only time? Okay. And you don't know if your father is still there, do you? No, I do not. And he is, you know, if the weapon is still around, or did he still have the weapon when he's back?

I think he still has the weapon. And do you feel safe where you are right now? No. Okay. Where is your mother? In my front yard I think. Okay. Can you tell if she's breathing? I don't know. Um, you're not sure if she's breathing? She is. I'm on the phone, Mom. Okay, so, FD, let me ask him a question because my stuff, my stuff, the deputy comment,

where will your dad add in his heat to harm? I have no idea. Do you think he left in the car? I know he has definitely not left in the car. Does he still have the guns? Yes. Yes? I have no idea. Do you think he left in the car? No, he has definitely not left in the car. Does he still have the gun?

Yes. What kind of gun? I don't know. I know? No, it's an unknown. Okay, where are your mom at? In my front yard. Stand along with me, sir.

Stand along with me. If you go ahead and keep talking to her, I'm going to... So, no other part of a body was injured? Stand aligned with me, sir. Stand aligned with me. FD Glenn, keep talking. I'm gonna... So, no other part of a body with injured? I do not think so. How about she is bleeding from her leg? Does anybody know how to control bleeding?

Or can you go near her and help her? No, I can't. My dad is surrounding her. You know, you don't want to get near her. Okay, well, I want you to stay. Keep yourself in the safe place. Okay, I want you to go near him then. Okay, should I go to my neighbor's house? No, I don't know. I actually want you to leave the home.

I want you to stay out of this side so he can see you and say something happened like that. You know what I mean? Okay, but so should I go to my neighbor's house? Can you really see you if you go that way? No. Okay, if you can do that safely, I wish it's right. Okay, I want you to stay, but don't hang up.

Can you stand the phone and do this? Um, I don't think so. Are you inside? No don't think so. Sir, are you inside? No, I am outside. You are outside? Yes. Okay, outside in the back, in the front.

In the front. Where is mom and dad at? In the front. Mom and dad is in the front? Yes. I just stand the one with me. Mom and dad is in the front. What is your dad doing?

Did he say anything to you? No, he is surrounding my mom. Yeah, when you say surrounding, is he? Dad is here. Yeah, pacing. Are you going to hear him and don't see? He is. Hello?

Is he still armed? Yes. Dad is pacing and he's still armed. Can you walk a little bit away from them so you're not in danger? Yeah, so I keep the fan the phone, don't hang up. Uh, okay. Hello? Yes, stand along with us.

Are they coming? Yes, they are. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no Are you by the trailhead, sir? What? Are you by the trailhead? I do not think so. He doesn't think so. By the trail, like I don't know. He's not familiar with reference to what you're asking me. Hold on a second, sir.

Okay, okay, okay. Are you injured at all, sir? No, and is anybody out in the home? No, besides the three of them. No. Sir, calm down. Calm down. Can you see your mom, though? No, I cannot. You cannot. Okay, just calm down. We down. Can you see your mom though?

No, I cannot. You cannot. Okay, just calm down. What's our unit coming to you? How old are you, sir? 14. 14. What's your name, sir? Josh Brooks. Josh Brooks? Okay, Josh, you're okay, but you're okay, all right? What Scott. I'm going to say what you can tell they get there. Okay. I just heard two more guns, Scott. He heard two more guns. Stay clear of that, okay. I don't want you to go anywhere near that. Okay, and the line with me, Josh. We'll say you just come in here. Okay. Okay. You hear that? You just stand stand along with me, Josh.

Okay, don't hang up until they're down. We'll let you know when they're down. Josh, stay with me. What's your dog wearing? A blusher and black shorts. That is wearing a police shirt. A blusher. And black shorts.

Josh. and black shorts. Josh? Josh, take a cup of deep breath, bud. You got an animal next to you, Josh? Yeah, I think. My dog. Is your dog injured in a log? No. I don't think the other ones are, but...

other ones are but any unit yet you know what what White House, block break or wood? What? I did a block break or wood house. I think it's brick. Break house? What kind of vehicle in the driveway, Josh? A can truck and a silver badge charger.

Okay, just stand on line with me. Do you have a long driveway, Josh? Yes, I do. Long driveway. Just stand on my driveway. So in the area, okay, just stand on it. Can you see your dad? No, we cannot.

Can I see your dad? Okay, you cannot see your mom or you cannot see your dad, right? Okay. I'm sorry. I cannot. Okay, that's okay, Josh. That's okay. What was your mom wearing?

A blue shirt. A blue and white polka-nose shirt and black shorts. Blue and white polka-nose? Yes. And what kind of shorts? Black. Black shorts. Okay. Third and what kind of shorts? Black. Black shorts. Okay.

What's your dad's name? Darrell Brooke. Darrell. Yes. E-A-R-R-E-L-L Brooke. No D-A-R-R-R. Why? Why?

Okay. You're Y-L. Yes. Y-L. And how old are your dad? In the 40s. In the N40s? Late 40s. Yes. I am. And how old you are, Dad? I am in 40. And in 40? Late 40?

Yes. Okay. Okay. What is your mom's name? What is your mom's name? Peggy Brooks. Peggy. Peggy.

Peggy. Peggy. Peggy. Why? Peggy. Brooks. And how old is your mom? Net 40. Net 40?

Okay. Stand on mine with me. Okay. Okay Josh, we do have units in the area so you're not alone okay? Okay. Stand on mine with me. Okay, take a couple of deep breaths Josh. Okay Josh, do you have a shed or anything?

Yes, I do. It's okay. Do you have back yard fence fence? Isn't my wife? It's a backyard fence. No, it is not. Yard is not fence fence? Okay, stand on mine with me. Can you get yourself to that shed?

Yes, sir, I can. Okay, stand on mine with me. Can you get yourself to that shed? Yes, sir, I can't. And your father wants to hear you if you get to that shed? No, he will not. That's probably the best thing you can probably do is go over there and get inside. Okay. You have a cordless bond, Josh, or a visitor cell phone. Okay, Josh, some are not here. You're breaking in and out.

That's fine. You can go further away. Okay, Josh, do me a favor. Don't go in the shed because you're breaking in and out. Okay. Okay, just stay right where you're at right now. Okay. Police arrived at the house on Bar Street, only to find two bodies and a gun on the front

lawn of the 4,000 square foot house, which included a large garage, pool, spa, and fireplace. Built just seven years prior, the home sat on four acres of land. Darrell Brooks was a partner in a lawn business with Peggy Jackson's husband. They had worked together that morning until about noon. When asked about his character, Peggy called Darrell a sweetheart. She said, he's never been a violent person. We don't know exactly why it happened, or what happened, or what set him off. We always called him a yacker," said Peggy Jackson. He loved to talk, loved to meet people, the friendliest guy you'd ever know. Neighbor Marion Priest said he often saw Darryl riding a golf cart around the rural neighborhood.

He was always real friendly to me, real mellow. Nobody would have thought it," said Priest. Neighbors described Darryl Brooks as friendly and outgoing. Peggy was a busy career woman who worked long hours at a local hospital and kept to herself. The couple had no reported history of domestic violence. Neighbor Dugo Brian described the couple as great neighbors, and said Darryl Brooks came home after work Thursday and was enjoying his hobby earlier that day, which was to play the drums.

O'Brien was also mystified by the incident, saying, Darryl and Peggy never argued, it's totally out of character. Friends couldn't understand what could have happened to the Brux's. It had been married for nearly 22 years and seemed happy according to everyone they knew. What is it that makes someone who's been happily married for that long, living in an upper middle-class home in America, with a successful business and a family suddenly snap, suddenly throw everything away. Unfortunately, in the case of the Brookses,

we will never know. But Josh, who watched his father shoot his mother when he was just 14, will forever live with the tragedy he encountered that day. There's something particularly heartbreaking when a crime involves very young children or babies. These innocent little humans depend on adults to take care of them, to nurture them, and to provide a safe home. When turmoil occurs in that home, they are completely vulnerable. Monday, 10.52 am, Shrewsbury Township in Pennsylvania. A post goes up publicly on Facebook.

I want you to know that I love John Russell more than anything in this world. I love him more than any man I've ever loved, including JR, Tracy, whomever. I cannot have him with his dad. That being said, I always thought of myself to be a strong person. I've been through hell and back and still had a smile. I've lost too many people, family, friends, pets, jobs, etc. But as of late, I don't feel so strong. I have been slowly dying inside. I'm confused. Just torn down. Hardly ever go out in public anymore. Don't socialize with people. I've become a hermit. I feel that the only thing I have to live for is this little guy asleep in my arms right now. John, he is the only reason why I haven't blown my head off right now.

And even now, all I can think about is leaving this world, putting a gun in my mouth and leaving, which is what is going to happen. I'm tired of being a single parent and a two parent home. I'm tired of trying to hold someone accountable for their actions, or should say empty promises. I'm tired of being told the grass is greener somewhere else, tired of crying, tired of being threatened with divorce, tired of being physically ignored, tired of being emotionally abused, tired of not being able to eat or sleep, tired of the stress, tired of the headaches, tired of it all. I thought that love would be enough, but it's not. Love is not enough, not for

you. You are not capable of having someone love you. You insist on destroying everything good. You talk about how you're the whipping post. Think again. Look how I get treated. It's easy for you to lash out at me because I'm here, and that is what you do all the time. You don't think you get ugly, but you do. You will never see your son again. You don't deserve to have a son, to have a legacy.

Why should you have your name carried on? You are a nasty man. Sure you have a big heart and can be the most loving and caring person. But where had he gone? Where is the man that took me away from North Carolina? Where I had a plan, where I was good being on my own? But as of late, you are hateful, ugly, and downright mean. Don't think you have? How about calling your son a pussy?

Or a whiny-ass little bitch? Telling him he's always going to be stuck up my ass. Call me names all you want, but leave him out of this. This is why you will never see him ever again. So you can have the single life back that you throw on my face often. Since you seem to be so happy being a stumbling drunk, you can have all the pill popping, smoking, and drinking you on. You can do all that without me, and John. I hope that you sit there and drown all the good memories and love away. No wait, I hope you have to go to jail. So you have to be sober. So you have to remember, clear headed, all that you lost. Why am I putting this on social media for all to see?

Because this seems to be the only way you will ever listen or see it. Seems to piss you off when I put something out there. So here it is for all to see. You're not so great a guy. You're an asshole who deserves to be alone. Goodbye. Good riddance. Wish I never wasted these past years with you. Hope I don't see you in hell. Oh, and before I forget, make sure you take mine and John's life insurance and pay off my debts that

had ruined your credit. And go to Arizona and buy that house you have so badly been wanting to do. I told you I was not going with you if you were drinking and I meant what I said. I just hate it had to end this way. Enjoy your miserable life. Thanks for saying goodbye when you left this morning. About two hours after posting this message, 40-year-old Sherry Sharemyer and her one-year-old son, John, were found dead inside their home at 1-2-069 Baltimore Street by Pennsylvania State Police. She had suffocated her son before shooting herself with a handgun.

The more than 4,000 comments that followed this post range from sensitive and caring, such as Angie and Dreos post, which reads, poor thing. I know the feeling and the temptation to make it all go away. God be with the family. To an outright condemnation, as in, Amaric Tio's post, which reads, she killed her baby to spite her husband. Way to go, Sherry., she killed her baby to spite her husband. Way to go, Sherry. Everyone should take a leaf out of her book.

Good way to get back at someone passive aggressively. Some site postpartum depression as a likely cause. Mia Mia's post reads, postpartum depression ain't no joke. I wish they could come up with some type of medicine for it. I had it before, and I swear I was not in my right mind. I cut my arm hoping to bleed to death, but luckily someone was there and took me to the hospital. I'm glad my depression wasn't that bad.

Still bad, but not this bad. It's clear, however, this wasn't a spur of the moment decision. The murder suicide occurred on December 26th, 2016, the day after Christmas. It's heartbreaking to think that this little boy would only experience a single Christmas. And who knows what happened that day to set the wheels of all of this in motion. But on that day, on Christmas Day, Sherry had changed her cover photo on Facebook to a picture of a motivational saying with white text on a black background.

It read, sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free. [♪ Music playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in background, playing in That does it for this return episode of Sword and Scale. It's great to be back and we have a lot of cool stuff planned this year. Thanks for joining us and until next time, don't kill yourself, don't kill anyone else, and stay safe. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one.

I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one.

I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one.

I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm going to go to the next one. I'm gonna tell you, make a construction industry here in Boston. There's a bunch of guys walking around with you, but then throwing them all up the restaurant and skill, whether we're in the car, on the job. We love it. We love your show, Mike. Thank you, thank you, thank you for putting on such good content every week.

And I'm a paid trying supporter. So you, I guess the only way I can say thank you. And keep it coming. Great job, Mike. You deserve it. nd I'm Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, you