MA Shattering Silence

In light of the recent famous double parenticide in the Reiner family, we thought we should list similar tragedies in Massachusetts.

There have been 17 parenticides and 4 attempted parenticides in #Massachusetts since 2019 when we started tracking incidents of tragedies due to untreated serious mental illness. There have been more, but these were reported in the Boston news.

March 4, 2025, Thaddeus Joseph, 22, of Avon, allegedly killed his mother, who was found facedown in the kitchen in a pool of blood and a bloodied carving knife near her body. Joseph’s father reported that his son had been experiencing mental health issues, including anxiety and feelings of self-harm. Police reported that Joseph was acting erratically upon arrest.

September 24, 2024, Christian Alexander from Reading was arrested on suspicion of cutting his mother and father with a razor blade. Alexander’s father was found at the home bleeding profusely from the neck, while his mother was slashed across the chest. “I just had a psycho attack, I didn’t mean it,” Alexander told the arresting officer. It was reported by his mother that her son has substance abuse and mental health issues.

August 15, 2024, Matthew Paluzzi, 26 years old, allegedly killed his 76 year old father by stabbing him in the neck. Anthony was found on the couch by his mother. Paluzzi was living with his parents after he allegedly pointed a gun at an ATM drive-thru employee in 2020 and asked her if she wanted to die. He had been on probation and through several mental health treatment programs. Paluzz’s attorney asked for money for a forensic psychologist.

June 6, 2024, Jessica Cavallaro, 24 of Bedford shot both her parents and killed them. Jessica left work early because of a panic attack and she told her boyfriend’s father she was going to get breakfast with her parents who lived nearby. Upon entering the back of her parent’s SUV, she shot them both in the back of the head with a gun believed to have

May 7,2024, Ygor Barboza, 24 of Barnstable was accused of stabbing his 62 year-old father. He reported
“God made him do it” and “we’re all children of God.” Witnesses told police he was heard saying he was “the king of Egypt”. The attorney representing Barboza reported that he suffered from mental lness and the family was unable to get him the help he needed.

March 6, 2024, 30 year old Justin Moreira was accused of holding his mother at knifepoint and shooting at police in a Hyannis standoff. He was scheduled to attend court that morning for previously threatening to shoot up a school in May of 2022. His mother reported that he stated, “The Feds are going to get me, I am going to get killed”.

December 27, 2023, a 21 year old male was arrested in Cambridge after attacking his father and almost killing him. He was experiencing extreme bipolar psychosis, has a history of being homeless, released from programs on
several occasions for non-compliance, and refused services from DMH as he didn’t believe he was ill Eleven months later the attack on his father took place and he is now at Bridgewater State Hospital.

November 2, 202317 year old Lucas Larson of Sharon allegedly killed his father whose body was found in their home. His body was said to have sustained “obvious injury” Larson was ordered to undergo a mental competency evaluation after a court psychologist said the 17 year old didn’t understand what was going on.

May 28,2023, April Monroe, 48, from Somerville was charged with strangling her mother. She had a known history of mentalilness though not violence. She told police she found her mother with blood coming out of her mouth and then went to a club to listen to music.

September 30, 2022 in Truro, 34 year old Adam Howe killed his mother and set her on fire. Police responded to a wellness check. Family reports he has known mental health issues. Adam was ordered for involuntary commitment by a Judge at 3am in the morning but was refused by Bridgewater State Hospital due to administrative errors (noted it needed to be a section 19). Adam was placed in Ash St. jail in New Bedford on 15 minute checks due to his suicidal risk and found dead. He clogged his nostrils and airways with wet toilet paper.
Two lives tragically lost because of a broken mental health care system in Massachusetts.

March 15, 2022 in Boston, 23 year old Najee Herbert, stabbed his mother to death after an argument over a suicide note she found in his phone. Najee had no criminal record. He had self inflicted wounds and was brought to the hospital. The judge has ordered Najee to be transferred to Bridgewater State Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

June 28, 2021,19 year old Jack Callahan allegedly drown his father in a Duxbury Pond. Jack told investigators he was trying to exorcise his father’s demonic spirits, one of which he referred to as “Dirty Dan.” He went on to say that he was baptizing his father, dunking his head in the water about 4-8 times.

February 8, 2021 in East Bridgewater 42 year old Steven Walcott Jr. killed his father. He lived with bipolar disorder. His family repeatedly tried to get him help.

November 16, 2020 in Wayland Richard Kane Jr. 4l years old, killed his mother and took his own life. He battled mental health issues.

December 18, 2020 in Mashpee 26 year old Andrew Bailey strangled and punched his mother killing her because he thought she was a spy. He had a history of mental health illness and had been recently released from the hospital.

December 10, 2020 in Middleborough Ryan True 21 years old with bipolar disorder brutally stabbed his parents.
He lived with bipolar disorder and was off of his medications.

February 27, 2020, Zackery Grandy, 22 of Dorchester was taken into custody for the murder of his mother.
His defense attorney reports that he struggled with mental illness over the years, has no touch with reality, and can’t hold a conversation with him.

March 2020, John Brittan 27 of Amesbury killed his mother and injured his father after stabbing them. John suffers from schizophrenia telling police that his “alleged mother” had kidnapped and tried to poison him.

October 24, 2019 Sean Murphy 21 year old fatally stabbed his mother in their Plainville home. He heard voices in his head telling him to kill his mother. He believed the CIA and National Security Agency had planted devices in his head. Patrick Murphy, Sean’s Dad, described Sean as a supportive and empathetic peer counselor at college.
Sean was a talented, intelligent writer who finished his four year bachelor’s degree in three years, was a nonviolent person and never had behavior problems.