Custody dispute ends in murder

Domestic abuse is often a sad reality for many in San Francisco. While women are typically viewed as being the targets of such abuse, men and children can also be subject to it. Many might wonder why those suffering from abuse take so long to leave their abusers, yet when children are involved, parents are often concerned that the kids will suffer further harm if their abusive spouses are granted access to them. That concern may even grow into legitimate fear that abuse might escalate into violence against the kids or the parents who try to leave with them. 

A recent homicide case in Texas may serve to confirm such fears. A couple discovered the body of a man lying in a ditch near their home. The man turned out to be a local Air Force recruiter. He had been involved in a bitter custody dispute with his estranged wife since last year. When filing for divorce, he requested custody of the child he had with his wife as well as her other children. Stories told by the children detailed potential abuse by the mother, with one son even claiming that she had stabbed his brother with a pencil. The woman had also attempted to force her way into the man’s home of separate occasions (in violation of a restraining order he had against her). 

Days after the discovery of the man’s body, his wife and her new boyfriend were arrested and charged with his murder. Tragic cases such as this one may be avoided if people are able to secure protection from abusers and initiate action to end their marriages and keep abusers away from their kids. An experienced family law attorney may be able to help accomplish both tasks.