kaorder1999
04-26-2006, 10:59 AM
Cancer patient, 83, held in wife's death
Oak Cliff: He feared what would happen to her after he died, police say
10:50 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 26, 2006
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
James Roberson has only a short time to live, and he feared that his frail wife would wind up in a nursing home after his death.
On Tuesday morning, a hospice worker arrived at their modest brick home in west Oak Cliff and found that the 83-year-old Mr. Roberson had shot his wife of 60 years to death as she lay in their bed, police said.
Mr. Roberson was being held on a murder charge in the Dallas County Jail on $2,500 bond. He was under behavioral observation in a medical cell, a Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said Wednesday.
"It is extremely sad," said Sgt. Gene Reyes, a homicide supervisor. "It's heart-wrenching. He did not want her to know that he was going to die. He's got cancer all over his body."
Neighbors and friends of Mr. Roberson and his wife, Mary, also 83, said the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in February. The shooting Tuesday left them shocked and saddened.
"I've known them all my life," said a teary Mark Hutton, whose parents have lived across the street for decades. "He was the most gentle man in the world."
According to police, the hospice nurse arrived at the home and found a note. Police declined to reveal the contents or where it was. After reading the note, the nurse found the body of Mrs. Roberson, still in bed in a flowery nightgown. Mr. Roberson was in the bathroom.
The hospice nurse called their daughter, who went to the house and then notified police about 10:20 a.m.
Neighbors say the couple had lived in their tidy home in the 2700 block of Larkspur Drive for about five decades. Their home was among the first, if not the first, built on the block. He worked for the phone company. They have a son and a daughter.
In recent years, Mrs. Roberson had been dependent on him after suffering a series of strokes that left her right side partially paralyzed. She could walk but needed help getting around, friends and neighbors said.
Mary and James Roberson, both 83, celebrated their 60th anniversary this year. He had terminal cancer and is being held in her slaying. "He took complete care of her," said Graham Klinefelter, a family friend who had been helping care for the Robersons. "He bathed her and took care of her needs."
Hospice nurses were helping Mr. Roberson, and health-care workers were helping with her. But Mrs. Roberson was expected to go to a nursing home if anything happened to her husband – an outcome that Mr. Roberson apparently could not accept.
After Mr. Roberson was found to have terminal brain and lung cancer, he began to worry about what would happen to his wife, according to friends and police.
"I spoke to him last night," Mr. Klinefelter said. "He was telling me how much he loved us."
Mr. Klinefelter did not know about what had happened when he arrived Tuesday afternoon to bring the Robersons some egg salad sandwiches. Mr. Roberson gave Mr. Klinefelter a feeble wave as he was led away by police. A short while later, police removed Mrs. Roberson's body.
"He's only weeks or days away" from dying, Mr. Klinefelter said. "He doesn't need to be leaving the house. He needs family with him."
Dan Ronan of WFAA-TV contributed to this report.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-06/0426robersons.jpg
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-06/0426roberson.jpg
Oak Cliff: He feared what would happen to her after he died, police say
10:50 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 26, 2006
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
James Roberson has only a short time to live, and he feared that his frail wife would wind up in a nursing home after his death.
On Tuesday morning, a hospice worker arrived at their modest brick home in west Oak Cliff and found that the 83-year-old Mr. Roberson had shot his wife of 60 years to death as she lay in their bed, police said.
Mr. Roberson was being held on a murder charge in the Dallas County Jail on $2,500 bond. He was under behavioral observation in a medical cell, a Dallas County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said Wednesday.
"It is extremely sad," said Sgt. Gene Reyes, a homicide supervisor. "It's heart-wrenching. He did not want her to know that he was going to die. He's got cancer all over his body."
Neighbors and friends of Mr. Roberson and his wife, Mary, also 83, said the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in February. The shooting Tuesday left them shocked and saddened.
"I've known them all my life," said a teary Mark Hutton, whose parents have lived across the street for decades. "He was the most gentle man in the world."
According to police, the hospice nurse arrived at the home and found a note. Police declined to reveal the contents or where it was. After reading the note, the nurse found the body of Mrs. Roberson, still in bed in a flowery nightgown. Mr. Roberson was in the bathroom.
The hospice nurse called their daughter, who went to the house and then notified police about 10:20 a.m.
Neighbors say the couple had lived in their tidy home in the 2700 block of Larkspur Drive for about five decades. Their home was among the first, if not the first, built on the block. He worked for the phone company. They have a son and a daughter.
In recent years, Mrs. Roberson had been dependent on him after suffering a series of strokes that left her right side partially paralyzed. She could walk but needed help getting around, friends and neighbors said.
Mary and James Roberson, both 83, celebrated their 60th anniversary this year. He had terminal cancer and is being held in her slaying. "He took complete care of her," said Graham Klinefelter, a family friend who had been helping care for the Robersons. "He bathed her and took care of her needs."
Hospice nurses were helping Mr. Roberson, and health-care workers were helping with her. But Mrs. Roberson was expected to go to a nursing home if anything happened to her husband – an outcome that Mr. Roberson apparently could not accept.
After Mr. Roberson was found to have terminal brain and lung cancer, he began to worry about what would happen to his wife, according to friends and police.
"I spoke to him last night," Mr. Klinefelter said. "He was telling me how much he loved us."
Mr. Klinefelter did not know about what had happened when he arrived Tuesday afternoon to bring the Robersons some egg salad sandwiches. Mr. Roberson gave Mr. Klinefelter a feeble wave as he was led away by police. A short while later, police removed Mrs. Roberson's body.
"He's only weeks or days away" from dying, Mr. Klinefelter said. "He doesn't need to be leaving the house. He needs family with him."
Dan Ronan of WFAA-TV contributed to this report.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-06/0426robersons.jpg
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-06/0426roberson.jpg