AZ - Four Dead - Phoenix - Thursday, 11 April 2019 - *** Arrest ***

[mickey2942]

Phoenix man killed his wife, 2 kids and friend over suspicions of an affair: Police

Another family annihilator. According to this article on Family Annihilators in Psychology Today, he fits type 3. Terrible that this happens so often that there are enough to study and type.

The 3 Types of Men Who Murder Their Children

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 14, 2019
Family mourning Phoenix woman and her daughters killed in domestic violence shooting
[...]

“I just don’t understand why this happened. We just need prayer and support from everyone to get through this,” CP said.

According to court documents, Dasia's boyfriend, Austin Smith, believed she was having an affair with his brother, so “he shot her because God told him to do so.”

[...]

Dasia was originally from California. Her friend and co-worker EM said she stayed close to Dasia because of Smith.

“You have no soul, basically. That’s how I looked at him,” EM said. “She’s always been a rock and a pillar for those girls and she loves them so much. For me to hear that that’s what’s happened to her, that’s just so messed up on so many levels."

[...]

Dasia’s family prepared the following statement:

We are in anguish over the senseless loss of our beloved Dasia and her young children.

As we try to process our profound grief, our focus is on the welfare of her sole surviving 3-year-old daughter. She just lost her mother and sisters, and we want nothing more than for her to be with her family right now.

We understand that it is the weekend, but we are hoping that the authorities can help reunite us with her as soon as possible so that she is not in the care of strangers at this incredibly painful time.

Finally, we ask that the public respect our privacy so that we may begin healing.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 15, 2019
Man accused of killing wife and kids during jealousy rage said "in God's eyes it was all right"
[...]

Police initially said that Smith thought that the man who was killed was romantically involved with his wife, but a probable cause statement later filed in court said the suspect thought it was his brother, who was not named in the document, who was having an affair with her.

The victim, described as a family friend, told Smith "he was crazy" before Smith killed him.

[...]

The suspect told detectives during an interview that he believed "in God's eyes it was all right for him to deal with someone in this manner who had been involved in adultery or an extramarital affair," Thompson said.

The court document released later in the evening described Smith punching the older daughter, throwing her to the ceiling and onto the floor, then striking the child's head several times with a baseball bat.

[...]

Officers with a warrant searched the car Smith was driving and found a 9mm handgun, a .45 caliber handgun and a .223 caliber rifle they believe were used in the shootings, according to the probable cause statement.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 15, 2019
Phoenix man who cited God in killing of wife and children had guns returned after psychiatric referral
A man accused of killing his wife, two children and another man last week had been referred to a psychiatric facility by Phoenix police late last year, but later had three of his guns returned to him by the department, officials confirmed late Monday.

[...]

Phoenix police on Monday confirmed officers had contact with Smith last Nov. 21, when they responded to his residence in the area of 7100 W. Minnezona Drive. A neighbor reported Smith had a gun and was yelling that people were trying to kill him, according to a statement released by Phoenix police.

The caller told police Smith said he "would do whatever was necessary to protect himself and his family and added he was armed,'' according to the statement from Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department.

Officers found Smith had a handgun in a hip holster, Thompson said. Smith was cooperative with the officers at the time and did not act aggressive, he added.

"However, because of his behavior, the officers petitioned Smith into the Urgent Psychiatric Center and impounded three guns he had for safekeeping,'' the statement said.

A week later, on Nov. 28, Smith returned to the Phoenix Police Property Management Bureau and requested his guns back.

"A records check was conducted and Smith was found to have no outstanding warrants and he was not a prohibited possessor,'' the statement said. "Therefore, in accordance with the law, his three guns were returned to him."

 

[Justsayn]

Why does it seem that the anihalators are becoming prevalent?

 

[mickey2942]

Why does it seem that the anihalators are becoming prevalent?

Part of it is our news cycle, that we hear more about these cases. Another reason is access to weapons. But, I truly believe that society has become more violent, stressful, and disconnected from traditional supports. The family is no longer viewed as supportive center for people. We used to rely on children to be primary helpers for farm work, family businesses, parents are disconnected from interacting with children, who go to school, parents go to work, it is a process of institutionalization and depersonalization.

Children are now viewed as entities that consume, rather than contribute. Spouses are viewed as expendable and replaceable.

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 16, 2019
Man Accused of Killing Wife, 2 Daughters Spared 3rd Because She 'Reminded Him of Himself,' Not Wife
[...]

According to police, Smith confessed to the shootings. He allegedly said he was drinking at a bar last Thursday night before coming home and accusing his wife, 29-year-old Dasia Patterson, of cheating on him with his brother.

She denied cheating on him, but Smith allegedly fatally shot her before turning the gun on his 5-year-old daughter, Nasha Smith. He allegedly told police God told him to kill his wife.

Smith is also accused of killing his oldest daughter, Mayan Smith, 7, who died of blunt force trauma.

According to police, Smith allegedly admitted he spared youngest daughter because she “reminded him of himself.” Nasha and Mayan, he said, reminded him of his wife.

[...]

According to police, Smith fled after the killings and went looking for his brother. When he reached his sibling’s home, he was met by a family friend, who tried to convince him his wife hadn’t cheated on him.

Smith allegedly then fatally shot that man, Ron Freeman, who died at the scene.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 19, 2019
Could change in law have prevented Phoenix man from killing his family after psychiatric referral?
[...]

"A records check was conducted and Smith was found to have no outstanding warrants and he was not a prohibited possessor,'' the statement said. "Therefore, in accordance with the law, his three guns were returned to him."

Federal law prohibits any person from purchasing or possessing a gun if he or she has been “adjudicated as a mental defective” or “committed to a mental institution.”

In order to qualify for adjudication as a mental defective, a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority would have to determine that a person is:

• A danger to himself or others.
• Lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his own affairs.
• Is found insane by a court in a criminal case.
• Is found incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of lack of mental responsibility.

Smith was not "committed" to a mental institution either because federal law states that the term "commit" does not include a person in a mental institution for observation or by voluntary admissions.

According to Thompson, Phoenix police found no mental health order restricting Smith from obtaining a firearm and were obligated to return Smith's property.

[...]

 

[Richard]

Cases like this are especially horrific and tragic.

Once again, one sees the total inability to prevent such acts due to current laws and practices regarding dangerous persons with mental illness.

The quick response by some is to say that all firearms need to be "controlled" or that laws should be passed to prevent someone with mental problems from obtaining one.

As an example, ALL states have laws which prevent selling of firearms to persons with various types of legal restrictions - BUT only those restrictions such as Felony conviction records can be accessed by LE doing background checks. Any kind of mental health problems are privileged information covered by HIPA regulations, and therefor NOT available in a back ground check, unless mental issues previously led to some sort of felony conviction - OR if the person applying for a firearm purchase checks the block which says he/she has mental issues. Of course the person with mental issues is usually the last person to recognize or admit it.

What is seldom stated is that legislation needs to be passed regarding the establishment of secure mental health facilities and means of enforcing existing laws regarding persons identified with mental problems. Some jurisdictions do have "Mental Health Court" programs which deal with persons who have mental issues. Unfortunately, a "requirement" for someone being admitted to this type of program is that they have already committed some sort of crime.

The Sandy Hook School Shootings is often mentioned in discussions about terrible mass killings. A very detailed investigation was done on this case and the findings presented in a long report, which few have ever read. I include it below as a link.

Note that in the introduction, the authors are quick to show their hand as "anti-gun" people, and in several places in the report they state that assault type weapons with high capacity magazines were the primary cause of the tragedy, while downplaying all of the many mental health issues which were, in fact the real primary factors.

One can see in this report that throughout the killer's life, the same school system repeatedly ignored or downplayed significant mental issues during his IEP review meetings, and that no assistance was forthcoming from the community health system after he was graduated from high school.

LINK:

www.shac.ct.gov/SHAC_Final_Report_3-6-2015.pdf

 

[PommyMommy]

APR 26, 2019
Austin Elijah Smith, a Phoenix man who cited God in killing of wife and children, pleads not guilty
Austin Elijah Smith, the Phoenix man accused of killing his wife, two children and a family friend earlier this month, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder.

[...]

Smith's next next court date is scheduled for June 7.

https://ktar.com/story/2550991/phoe...ty-to-killing-wife-2-kids-over-affair-claims/
Smith is accused of murdering 29-year-old Dasia Patterson, 7-year-old Mayan Smith, 5-year-old Nasha Smith and 46-year-old Ron Freeman.