Two recent brutal murders spark concern over COVID-19’s domestic violence impact

BOSTON — Two brutal cases of fatal domestic violence, just days apart, and after weeks of the COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory, has advocates concerned about the impact the pandemic is having on potential victims.

“For (domestic abuse survivors), home can be the most dangerous place to actually be,” Jane Doe Inc. Board Member Deborah Hall told me Tuesday.

The stay-at-home advisory, combined with government-ordered restrictions keeping people at home for months during the COVID-19 pandemic, can prove to be a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, combination in unstable homes.

Northeastern University Criminologist Jack Levin said incidents of domestic violence are increasing across the country and around the world, and likely linked to COVID-19.

"Under normal circumstances, (victims) might go to the police. They might inform the authorities,” Levin said. “But under these circumstances, they will not because they know they are trapped together for a long period of time. They’ll put up with things they won’t normally put up with.”

In the last week alone, two cases of horrific fatal domestic violence in the Greater Boston area made headlines.

In Dover, former prominent Boston surgeon Ingolf Tuerk was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife, Kathleen McLean. Over the weekend, McLean’s topless body was found in a Dover pond, with rocks weighting down her body.

And in Weymouth, 37-year-old William Walling Jr. was arrested for allegedly killing his 61-year-old father in the Lochmere Avenue home they shared. Authorities say William Walling Sr. was found dead in the house with a plastic bag over his head. In the backyard, police found what they suspect was a partially-dug grave.

In both cases, there were allegations of abuse before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

And there is no telling if COVID-19 directly played a role in these murders.

But experts say the fact that the murders were committed after weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, could be significant factor in the cases.

“Because of the pandemic, people are stuck together for long periods of time. They actually don’t know when it will end. And the end could be in a killing,” Levin said.

Deborah Hall in addition to being a Jane Doe Inc. board member, is also the director of domestic violence Services for YWCA Central Massachusetts.

She wants potential domestic abuse victims to know that when they can get to a safe place, there is help available.

The state hotline is 877-785-2020.

Hall said calls to statewide domestic abuse hotlines are up, and she is concerned that the numbers might be rising.

“As we slowly are seeing some restrictions being eased up, we anticipate will be hearing from a lot more people who are isolated and alone and sheltering in place. And those numbers may very well go through the roof,” Hall warned.

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