MIAMI: CBS News Miami spoke with a researcher following three murder-suicides in South Florida this week alone.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety’s research director, there’s at least a murder-suicide happening every day.
Just Thursday, we brought you the breaking news of one that played out near the well-known Pompano Beach Pier.
In one week, there have been three cases where a man and woman were found dead due to a murder-suicide.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office identified them Friday; the victim was Yadviga McConville, and deputies say the man who shot her before killing himself was Sergey Moiseenko.
“Because of the stigma about both suicide and intimate partner violence, the details of these stories are not told,” said Sarah Burd-Sharps, the senior director of research for Everytown for Gun Safety.
Everytown for Gun Safety spoke to 43 family members of victims.
Finding that in nearly a quarter of the cases, the person behind the crime was a man who was prohibited from owning a gun, but that’s not all the study found.
“Nearly 1 in 3 of these incidents, the gun was not securely stored. So it was readily accessible on a nightstand. under the mattress. In the car,” said Burd-sharps.
Through speaking with family members of victims, they found that most of the time women had taken steps to leave their relationship.
Just like Raiza Cajuso, who was separated from Marcos Gonzalez when police say he killed her at their home on West Randall Street in Northwest Miami Dade.
“They are doing things that legally the man should not be able to have a gun. And yet too many times these laws are not being implemented. Right? They exist. They’re on the books. But they’re not carried through,” said Burd-Sharps.
Those questioned in the research also felt the deaths were preventable and that mental health is a key factor.
“They themselves should realize they’re in crisis. You know, give their firearms to a relative or bring them to a third party. So they can get the help they need,” said Burd-Sharps.
Researchers spoke with children, siblings and parents of victims.
Most family members tell them they turn their pain into advocacy.
