CW: Homicide
A 30-year-old Whitingham, Vermont man was ordered held without bail on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of his 75-year-old roommate. Justin Stacy, 30, is accused of murdering Robert J. Francis, 75, whose home Stacy shared, in February. Police said they learned of the alleged homicide on Monday after a family member of Stacy came forward.
Court filings show that Stacy allegedly told a family member that the fatal shooting was a “mercy killing.” The family member stated that they came forward because Stacy was exhibiting erratic behavior, including discharging a muzzleloader outside the home.
In legal terms, “mercy killing” is a type of homicide, and is considered murder if carried out without the victim’s consent or against their will. However, some jurisdictions establish legal rules that may result in reduced or no charges in circumstances when the conduct was motivated by compassion and the victim made a voluntary, informed decision to end their life.
This is not the first time an elderly person has lost their life in this way. On July 6, 2024, Michael Gelleny, then 67, of Arizona called the police to report that he had shot his wife Brenda, 65, in the back of the head.
Gelleny called the Goodyear Police Department at 4:50 p.m. to report that he had shot his wife once in the back of the head “to make it as quick as possibly (sic) without pain,” according to the probable cause statement for his arrest.
Disabled people are also victims of this type of homicide. When disabled people are murdered by their family members, the family members often receive sympathy from the public. Sometimes, people think that caring for a disabled person is difficult. Regardless of the circumstances, killing someone intentionally is murder.
There is even an annual event to honor disabled people who have been killed by their family members. Every year on March 1, the disability community acknowledges the Disability Day of Mourning. In the last decade, over 1,900 disabled people have been killed by their parents or other family members according to The Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
When these tragedies are covered by the media, the disabled person is rarely mentioned. Rather, they focus on the family member who cared for them. Usually, the story revolves around how overwhelmed they are while caring for their loved ones.
Robert Latimer killed his daughter Tracy by pumping exhaust fumes into the cab of his truck. In 1993, Tracy was 12-years-old, and had severe cerebral palsy. Latimer believed his daughter experienced chronic pain. “The harm I caused by her death would have been less than the pain inflicted by her life,” Latimer told CBC in 2019.
Seeing a loved one in pain is heartbreaking. Many people with cerebral palsy do experience chronic pain. However, Robert Latimer shouldn’t have murdered his daughter. Decades later, he still believes that he made the right choice.
People’s lives are valuable. There’s no mercy in taking someone’s life. I can’t imagine how frightened the victims must be.
Sources:
Beach, Kenzie. “Arizona Man Who Allegedly ‘mercy Killed’ His Wife Highlights Support for Physician-Assisted Suicides.” FOX 10 Phoenix, Fox Corporation, 9 July 2024, http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-man-reportedly-killing-his-wife-highlights-support-physician-assisted-suicides.amp.
Good, Jules. “Forced Reporting Endangers Students with Disabilities .” New Hampshire Bulletin, States Newsroom , 5 Mar. 2024, newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/03/05/forced-reporting-endangers-students-with-disabilities/.
Issa, Omayra. “25 Years after Conviction, Robert Latimer Still Believes He Was Right to Kill His Daughter.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 15 Nov. 2019, http://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5360711.
Lincoln, Lindsay. ‘How the Legalization of Assisted Suicide Should Inform a More Principled and Ethical Treatment of Mercy Killings’. Geo. J. Legal Ethics, vol. 30, HeinOnline, 2017, p. 873.
Shook, Ashley. “Vermont Man Charged with Murder of Elderly Roommate in Alleged ‘Mercy Killing.’” WWLP, Nexstar Media Group, 8 May 2025, http://www.wwlp.com/news/crime/vermont-man-charged-with-murder-of-elderly-roommate-in-alleged-mercy-killing.