When Gary Sullivan murdered his wife Mel Ann by shooting her through the back of the head at their home in Millry, Washington County, on July 22, it became another one of the hundreds of murders that have taken place in Alabama in 2018.

When he took his own life minutes later, the couple became the 27th and 28th people to die in murder-suicides throughout the state in 2018.

Less a month later that number reached 32, according to AL.com archives. In total, there have been 13 murder-suicides so far this year.

Three people, two of which were from Enterprise, were also killed during a double murder-suicide in Panama City.

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Baldwin County

Bruce and Annette Matonis were found dead in their trailer home at an RV park on Patterson Road in the Wilcox area of the county.

"Upon entry into the RV, a male and female were discovered deceased," said a representative from the Baldwin County Sheriff's office. Both decedents had gunshot wounds. The preliminary evidence indicates that the male party initially shot the female before shooting himself."



Deputies from the Baldwin Sheriff's Department said that Bruce, 70, shot and killed his wife, 68.

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Barbour County

In late July, a Barbour County woman killed a man before turning the gun on herself.

Shaleka Russaw, 27, assaulted and then shot 21-year-old Ralph Williams Jr. of Ozark. Russaw’s body was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the torso outside of a residence in Barbour County, while Williams Jr., was taken to Montgomery area hospital for treatment. He later died from his injuries.

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Connor Sheets

Calhoun County

It was in front of the town’s abandoned Rabbittown General Store where 49-year-old Anthony Wayne Parker shot himself, the fourth person to die by his hand that day.

Earlier, he murdered his 12-year-old son, 19-year-old daughter, Heather Parker, and her fiance, 20-year-old Brandon Roberts at his modular home on Chinch Creek Road, Calhoun County, according to the county’s sheriff.

"Working hard to find answers to give to the family as to why this occurred," Sheriff Matthew Wade said at the time. "This is definitely devastating to the family and to us as well."

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Amanda Stokes Family

Coffee County/Florida

Mark and Amanda Stokes of Enterprise, Coffee County, decided to treat their employees by booking a beach house in Panama City for their friends and family in early May. But because the couple had just separated, Amanda Stokes, 28, and her new boyfriend, Kenneth Kruse, 30, stayed at a nearby Hampton Inn.

Amanda Stokes announced the separation on Facebook on May 2 before posting pictures of Kruse at the beach days later.

The Panama City Beach Police Department said that Mark Stokes gained access to their room before shooting them both dead May 5. He also killed himself in the same room.

“Upon entering the room in question, officers discovered three deceased individuals,” officers wrote. “All parties suffered gunshot wounds.”

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Elmore County

74-year-old Larry Vann shot his friend and fellow veteran Roger Withington, 68, twice in the abdomen while the victim sat in a recliner chair. Withington died in the chair while Vann turned the gun on himself.



Vann had recently moved in with Withington, but two men had been arguing, according to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin.

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Elmore County Sheriff's Office

Elmore County

Nine days after Charlene Orsi, 44, filed to divorce her husband Robert, he set out to kill her and their four children in Wetumpka.

Charlene Orsi died along with one of the couple’s 12-year-old triplets. The other two triplets are expected to make a full recovery after being injured. The couple’s other child, a 13-year-old, was able to escape to a neighbor’s house.

"They underwent surgery last night and everything seems to be OK and they came through alright," Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said. "From my understanding, the doctor said that it was promising for both of them. That's good news."



Robert Orsi is believed to have killed himself not long after the children escaped, although at the time of the death in early July investigators thought that the father may have succumbed to heat exposure caused by the family home being on fire.

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Christopher Harress

Jefferson County

Couple Lee Otis Farrow Hamilton, 28, and Felicia "Fee" Fletcher, 31, were discovered just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in their bedroom at their Tom Brown Village apartment, according to police reports.

Hamilton killed Fletcher before turning the gun on himself, according to police, who also said that Hamilton had spoken about killing himself in the past.

"It's just a very unfortunate situation," said Birmingham police Capt. Sean Edwards. "It's sad when a person who is supposed to love you and care about ends up killing you and then taking his own life."

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Limestone County

John Few was on the phone with a friend when he was heard asking someone to “put down the gun.”

Moments later, Jason Wooldridge, 48, shot Few, 34, then turned the weapon on himself.

"A witness who was on the phone with Few at the time of the incident told investigators he could hear Few telling Wooldridge to put down the gun just before hearing gunfire," the sheriff's spokesman Stephen Young said in a news release at the time.

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Family of Chevy Christopher

Limestone County

Chevy Christopher and his 84-year-old grandmother Betty Sue Christopher were killed as they slept in the same bed during a brutal murder-suicide earlier this month.



The boy's father, William Christopher, later took his own life.

"He [Chevy] was so energetic and full of life," family friend Misty Rutherford told AL.com. "He never met a stranger and made friends with anyone he met. He was the life of the party."

Chevy's parents married in Gulf Shores in 2009. The couple separated in April 2016, and William Christopher requested custody of Chevy, court records show. They settled their contested divorce and custody dispute in September 2016 by agreeing to joint custody, according to court papers.

It’s unclear what motives were behind the killings.

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Mike Dumas

Mobile County

While the evening of February 20th will likely always be remembered the night Mobile Police Department Officer Justin Billa was shot and killed, it was also the night Robert Hollie, 72, killed his ex-wife Fonda Poellnitz, 58, and then himself.

Not long after Hollie dragged the lifeless body of his ex-wife out on to the sidewalk of her Three Mile Creek home, he fled to his own house which was a few miles away.



Officer Billa, 27, was dispatched to the property to investigate the murder. But as Billa was setting up his police cordon, Hollie opened his front door and fired one shot at the officer. He later died in hospital.

Not long after that, Hollie took his own life.

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Family of Debbie Cox

Morgan County

Debbie Turner Cox, 54, was killed by her husband before he turned a gun on himself.

Little is known about 61-year old Dale Cox's motives for killing his wife, but a suicide note that was left gave some indication as to what was going in their lives at that time.



"They were having some financial hardships, but nobody thought there was anything that would cause this," said Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin. "Everybody was absolutely shocked."

Deborah Cox was a Morgan County school bus driver and former first responder. The couple had three adult children, as well as one child who attends school, the sheriff said. The youngest child was at school when the shootings happened.

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Morgan County

The latest murder-suicide in Alabama saw Ron Light, 54, murder Autumn Wydner, 45, before committing suicide, according to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department.

According to information released by the Decatur Police Department, the Morgan County 911 center received a call about 5:39 p.m. asking to check the well-being of people at a residence in the 3000 block of Wheat Avenue in Decatur.

Light and Wydner were both women and living in a domestic partnership, according to law enforcement.

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Associated Press

Tallapoosa County

Tresea Miller, 58, and her 75-year-old mother, Barbara Buttles, were gunned down outside a Walmart in the Tallassee part of Tallapoosa County in June.



Both women suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene, Tallassee police said at the time. The suspected, 65-year-old Harold Miller, the husband of Tresea Miller, collided with another vehicle in the Walmart parking lot before opening fire and later killing himself.

"A preliminary investigation has determined that there was a previous history of domestic incidents between the family members and at this time the case is being ruled a Murder/Suicide," the police chief said in a news release.

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Christopher Harress

Washington County

Mel Ann Sullivan was taking a brief break from her Sunday morning bible study to take a call. She was sat on her porch when her husband Gary stood behind her at the couple’s dining room window and fired one shot. Mel Ann Sullivan died immediately, according to Washington County Sheriff Richard Stringer.

"She never knew what happened," said Stringer as he described events from the murder-suicide of the couple the weekend of July 22. "I don't know what caused him to snap. I can't say what happened."

Gary Sullivan later botched an attempt to take his own life with a shotgun before his two grown children tried to wrestle the weapon away from him. As the two boys attempted to collect various weapons from around the house, Sullivan, while covered in his own blood, took a knife from the kitchen and walked out to the yard. He died after inflicting a fatal wound to his throat.

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Here are warning signs to watch for if you fear someone is suicidal and resources that can help those thinking of harming themselves or who fear a loved one might harm

themselves.

WARNING SIGNS

Threatening to hurt or kill oneself or talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself.

Looking for ways to kill oneself by seeking access to firearms, available pills, or other means.

Talking or writing about death, dying, ''ending the pain'' or suicide.

Feeling hopeless.

Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities - seemingly without thinking.

Feeling trapped - like there's no way out.

Increasing alcohol or drug use.

Withdrawing from friends, family, social support and society.

Feeling anxious, agitated, or unable to sleep or sleeping all the time.

Experiencing significant mood changes.

Seeing no reason for living or having no sense of purpose in life.

Feeling rage or uncontrolled anger or seeking revenge.

HOW TO HELP

Ask the person directly if he or she is having suicidal thoughts, has a plan to do so, and has access to lethal means.

If you think the person might harm him- or herself, do not leave the person alone.

Take seriously all suicide threats and all past suicide attempts, even if he or she minimizes your concerns.

Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.

Be willing to listen and be non-judgmental. Don't debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad. Don't lecture on the value of life or whether suicide is viewed by some as a sinful, selfish or angry act. Respect that suicidal feelings are most likely related to ending emotional or psychological pain.

Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support. Take into account other trusted friends, family members or allies who can be a part of a supportive team.

Don't dare him or her to do it.

Don't act shocked. This may translate as criticism or judgment and weaken trust between you.

Don't be sworn to secrecy. Acknowledge that all suicidal risk is to be taken seriously and firmly and gently explain that you are seeking support.

Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib reassurance.

Take action. Remove means, such as guns or stockpiled pills.

Get help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

Resources in Alabama

Sources: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and The Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition