(GA) DeKalb couple found killed, Police suspect third murder-suicide
"The victims were Alan Booker and his wife, Tammy, according to relatives who said they were notified by police of their deaths.  Police spokesman Dale Davis said the woman had taken her 13-year-old son to the doctor's office at 5300 Memorial Drive and the father was either waiting or followed them to the office.  "The child went into the doctor's office and the victim was waiting in the car alone when the father apparently shot her and himself," Davis said." ... "Bookers' son had told him that his father was a musician and that his parents had been having marital difficulties."

Kristine Frawley
Shot and killed on January 28, 2003

(IL) Fatal shootings called murder-suicide
"Alsip police said Thursday that the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old woman and her boyfriend outside of the woman's home was a murder-suicide.  Brian Reid, 23, of the 4300 block of Lincoln Lane in Robbins, shot Kristine Frawley on Tuesday night in a car outside Frawley's house in the 11400 block of Magnolia Lane in Alsip and then shot himself, according to Alsip Deputy Police Chief Patrick McDonald.  Reid apparently became angry after Frawley told him she wanted to end their relationship, McDonald said."

Kathy Sneider
Stabbed (multiple times), beaten, and then decapitated on January 27, 2003

(IL) Son charged in mom's death
"A Palatine man beat and stabbed his mother to death before decapitating her and placing her head on the front porch of the home they shared, authorities said Wednesday as they charged him with first-degree murder.  Karl Sneider flew into a rage and killed his mother, Kathy, shortly after she returned home from work Monday and told him she wanted to discuss putting him in a mental institution" ... "Judith Boelens, the mother of a woman Karl Sneider had dated and was convicted of battering, said his family remained supportive despite his troubles.  "They were always there for him," Boelens said."

(LA) Man murders wife, turns gun on self
"Police say couple was separated, husband was stalking" ... "Police say 42-year-old Gerald Barnes was stalking his wife of 15 years. They found binoculars on his car seat. Family members say the couple had been separated recently. Gerald alledgedly followed 42-year-old Cynthia Barnes into the store. When she left without buying anything, he followed her to her car.  "The violence toward this lady started outside the car and as she saught refuge inside the vehicle, he continued to fire upon her," says Cataldie. Cataldie says Cynthia was hit multiple times in the face and once in the chest."

Hazel Taylor
Shot and killed on January 18, 2003

(IL) Joliet man held in slaying of wife
"The Will County state's attorney's office on Wednesday filed charges against a Joliet man who allegedly killed his wife and tried to shoot a police officer coming to her aid.  Will Taylor, 59, of the 500 block of Strong Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder of a police officer, said a spokesman for the state's attorney's office. He is being held in the Will County Jail.  Police said Taylor is suspected of shooting his wife, Hazel, 61, early Saturday in their home. When officers arrived and forced their way into the home, Taylor allegedly held a loaded gun to a police officer's head and fired three times, misfiring each time, police said."

Melissa Hopson
Shot and killed on January 17, 2003

(MO) Man charged with killing ex-girlfriend
"A 20-year-old Washington Park who was recently paroled for stabbing his former girlfriend has now been charged with killing her.  Jamall Isaac is charged with fatally shooting 18-year-old Melissa Hopson. He is being held in the St. Clair County Jail on $1 million bail.  Police were called to an apartment complex in East St. Louis late Friday and found Hopson's body in a parking lot between two buildings. Police say Isaac and Hopson had been riding in a car with others when they got into an argument and Isaac pulled out a handgun and shot her.  Isaac was convicted of stabbing Hopson in 2000, and he was paroled November 13th."

Mary Pierce
Shot and killed on January 13, 2003

(NJ) Woman shot dead; Man hurt in suicide attempt, police say
"Mary Pierce, 46, was shot and killed inside her home at 501 G St., according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Arthur J. Marchand." ... "A law enforcement source and neighbors identified the gunman as Nelson Gonzalez, 39, of the same G Street address." ... "They never bothered anyone," Royal said. "They were mainly a problem for each other."  Marchand confirmed Pierce had filed at least one restraining order against the suspect."

SAVAGELY BITTEN!  Anna Cieslewicz
Bitten to death by 2 dogs on January 12, 2003

(IL) Dog attacks kill woman, injure another
"One woman was killed and another seriously injured after they were both mauled Sunday in the Dan Ryan Woods Forest Preserve by two pit bulls.  The women, who were both joggers, were attacked in separate incidents by the two dogs near 83rd Street and Western Avenue, said Cook County Forest Preserve District police spokesman Steve Mayberry." ... "As the officers called for an ambulance, one of them heard a dog bark.  "He turned ... and saw one of the dogs rushing toward him, at which time he pulled his gun and shot and killed the dog," said Mayberry."

Gehan Faycurry
Shot and killed on January 8, 2003

(IL) Husband held in Lincolnwood killing
"Police said Samin Faycurry, 73, of 7250 N. Keystone Ave. shot his wife, Gehan, 58, in their home during a quarrel Jan. 8.  According to investigators, Faycurry then drove to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was admitted after complaining of chest pains."

Dauniev E. Berry
Shot and killed on December 3, 2002; body found January 9, 2003

Article dated January 10, 2003
(MO) Police search for suspect in killing of Cahokia woman
"East St. Louis police were searching Friday for a suspect in the shooting death of a woman whose decomposed body was found Thursday in a trash-strewn vacant lot at the city's north end, authorities said. Berry disappeared the night of Dec. 3 after entertaining family in the mobile home she shared with her mother. By the time she was reported missing on Dec. 5, East St. Louis police had already found her car, a 1995 Pontiac Grand Am, in a liquor store parking lot near Broadway and 10th Street.  Officers found traces of blood inside the car, leading them to suspect foul play in Berry's disappearance.  After the car was found, East St. Louis Police Chief Delbert Marion said police wanted to question Berry's boyfriend, an East St. Louis man with whom she had been seen the night of her disappearance."

Brandy Nichole Waters
Shot and killed on January 3, 2003

(VA) Jealousy sparked killings
"Minutes earlier, Wilson, 21, had shot his 17-year-old girlfriend, Brandy Nichole Walters, right in front of their little daughter and numerous other children and adults in a house at 2405 Concord Ave. in South Richmond.  He then ran about two blocks to the Golden Food Market where Walters had worked, and he killed the owner, 37-year-old Shin Hee "Tommy" Kim, and another employee, 43-year-old John Collins Jr.  A police source and others familiar with the situation said Wilson believed there was something going on between his girlfriend and Collins."

Marie M. Irons
Head severed with an ax on December 29, 2002

(MI) Man Accused of Ax Killing Estranged Wife
"A man killed his estranged wife with an ax as she slept, their 2-year-old son beside her, police said.  Christopher Howard, 36, was charged with murder Tuesday and jailed without bail in the slaying of Marie M. Irons, who was found in her bed Sunday, her head nearly severed." ... "Irons, 41, had taken out a protection order against her husband about a week earlier, complaining that he had threatened her and the children and that he had been hospitalized for a mental disorder."

STRANGLED!  Cristina Filippsen
Murdered on December 28 or 29, 2002

(FL) Man suspected of killing ex-girlfriend takes own life as frantic father follows
"A man abducted and killed his ex-girlfriend, drove around with the woman's body in his truck, then shot himself as the woman's frantic father chased him, police said." ... "The body of Garcia's ex-girlfriend, Cristina Filippsen, 20, was found in the pickup's back seat, Schwartz said. Filippsen was apparently abducted from the parking lot of the Dolphin Mall sometime Friday evening, after the woman asked Garcia to meet her there so she could ask him to leave her alone."

JaWanda Bailey
Shot and killed on December 27, 2002

(NY) Three Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Bridgeton Area
"Cumberland County Prosecutor Arthur Marchand said Michael King, 39, of Bridgeton, apparently shot and killed his girlfriend, JaWanda Bailey of Bridgeton, and his father, Wayne King, of nearby Fairfield Township, before turning the gun on himself." ... "Bailey's next door neighbor, Sheena Lawrence, 19, said Bailey and Michael King broke up two days before Christmas."

STRANGLED!Shirley Ann Malcolm
Murdered on December 27, 2002

Article dated January 24, 2003
(MI) Waterford man arraigned in killing
"Detectives were able to determine that he argued with Malcolm Dec. 27 after he became suspicious that she was involved with another man who lived in the house." ... "The death wasn't reported until Dec. 31, after Carter argued with the third roommate and told him he had killed the woman, said Detective Brian Foley. The man, whose name was not released, called police." ... "It wasn't the first time police had been called to their house, Foley said. Carter spent 60 days in the Oakland County Jail after he was convicted of a domestic violence charge Aug. 29."

Jean Wholaver, Victoria and Elizabeth
Shot and killed on December 24, 2002

Article dated January 15, 2003; full context below
(PA) Pa. Man Charged With Deaths of Three
"A man accused of sexually molesting his daughters was charged with the Christmas Eve deaths of the two young women and their mother.  Ernest Wholaver Jr., allegedly shot the three after breaking into their home as his brother waited in a truck. The bodies of the three victims were found Christmas morning.  At the time, Wholaver, 42, had been free on bail on charges that he sexually molested his daughters, Victoria, 20, and Elizabeth, 15. His bail was revoked and he was arrested Jan. 2.  Wholaver was charged Monday with killing his daughters and his estranged wife, Jean Wholaver. Victoria Wholaver's 9-month-old daughter was found unharmed in the home.  Wholaver's lawyer, Spero T. Lappas, said Tuesday that his client would plead innocent. He called the evidence "transparent, insubstantial and flimsy."