Lesbian Couple, Children, murdered in own home on Christmas day in upstate NY

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**Co'tor Shas**

http://wamc.drupal.publicbroadcasting.net/post/rewards-offered-troy-police-seek-public-help-solve-quadruple-homicide?

Police, community members and the families of four people killed in Troy over the Christmas holiday are asking for help from the public. Here's the latest on the investigation into the quadruple homicide.

Found dead were 5-year-old Shanise Myers, 11-year-old Jeremiah Myers, their 36-year-old mother Shanta Myers and her partner, 22-year-old Brandi Mells. Relatives of the Lansingburgh family reportedly hadn't heard from any of the victims since late last week. Shakira Symes, sister of victim Shanta Myers, told WNYT she had been trying to get a hold of her sister for three days. "We were supposed to spend Christmas together. So when I got a phone call on Tuesday and they said, ‘Shakira, did you see the news?’ I said no, what's on the news.’"

The story has made international headlines, reminding many of the still unsolved quadruple murder of a family in nearby Guilderland in 2014.

The advice from police to public is also similar: Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said earlier this week there is no risk of imminent danger because the victims appear to have been targeted. "We do not believe it was a random act, we do not believe there is any imminent danger to the community."

Tedesco added that he has "never seen savagery like this."

As the investigation moves forward, Symes and other family members are hoping for a break in the case. 2 "Everybody in this community is responsible to do their part. You have no idea how many details they may already have and that small detail that you think is too small to make a difference might be the piece to the puzzle."

John Salka is Troy's Deputy Director of Public Information: "The city is urging anyone with information pertaining to this tragic incident to contact the Troy Police Department immediately. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by visiting CapitalRegionCrimeStoppers.com - the public's assistance is greatly important and will help the Troy Police Department and their partner agencies in this investigation."

Again, Chief Tedesco: "There's not a resource that we won't tap, be it in the city or wherever we need to get it. This will be a full court press, if you will, until we bring someone to justice."

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family to pay for funeral services and help 15-year-old Isaiah Smith, sole survivor of the massacre. Smith told WRGB he was away in Massachusetts when he learned his mother, brother, and sister were among the victims, and now fears that whoever killed them will come looking for him.

Victory Christian Church of Albany is offering a $10,000 reward for information that may lead to an arrest and conviction in the case.

The Charlotte Observer reports Shanta Myers had lived in several apartments in Charlotte in the 2000s, and references Facebook posts that say the father of Myers’ children lives in Charlotte. A school official tells syracuse.com that Brandi Mells attended 9th, 10th and 11th grade at West Genesee High School and was part of the class of 2013, but did not return for her senior year.

**nels1031**

2 arrests as of this morning.

No details released on the suspects yet, nor charges filed. Arraignments are today, so expect news to drop this afternoon. Hopefully they have the right perps and justice prevails. Aside from the race/orientation of the family, when I saw the headlines for this crime a few days ago, I was reminded of :

https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/05/01/dc-savopoulos-mansion-murders-why-hasnt-anyone-else-been-arrested/

A similar shocking crime, and local to me.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Suspects:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/murder-suspect-in-troy-new-york-quadruple-slaying-was-friends-with-victim-family-member-says

**oldravenman3025**

Makes me wonder if their so-called "friend" (who helped murder them) was involved in the unsolved multiple murders that happened nearby in 2014. The MO was very similar:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/quadruple-murder-place-miles-unsolved-slayings-article-1.3724011

**Luciferian**

Looks like he was in jail on a robbery charge in 2014.

**BaronIveagh**

Is it wrong that I find the brutal murder of women and children still offends me when the human corpse part ring thread does not?

**Laughing Man**

BaronIveagh wrote:
Is it wrong that I find the brutal murder of women and children still offends me when the human corpse part ring thread does not?

To be fair, one's the improper disposal of what amounts to medical waste. This involves killing actual people.

**BaronIveagh**

Laughing Man wrote:

To be fair, one's the improper disposal of what amounts to medical waste. This involves killing actual people.

Eh, no i have no problem with men killing other men. But women and kids... offends me.

**Crazy_Carnifex**

BaronIveagh wrote:
Laughing Man wrote:

To be fair, one's the improper disposal of what amounts to medical waste. This involves killing actual people.

Eh, no i have no problem with men killing other men. But women and kids... offends me.

Now that? That's messed up.

**Ouze**

Naw, it's a classic.

**SomeRandomEvilGuy**

Crazy_Carnifex wrote:

Now that? That's messed up.

The killing of women and children tends to elicit more of a visceral reaction. Similarly, when a woman or child is doing the killing it tends to have more impact.

He phrased it a bit badly but I think it's fair to say he doesn't actually think it's fine for men to kill each other.

**BaronIveagh**

SomeRandomEvilGuy wrote:

He phrased it a bit badly but I think it's fair to say he doesn't actually think it's fine for men to kill each other.

Happens every day, sometimes on my street. The police don't do anything to stop it. They sit back, wait for the noise to stop, and see if anyone is still alive. So, what lesson do we take away from this?

**BobtheInquisitor**

You need to move?

Acceptance of "life is cheap" seems like a failure on the part of society.

**djones520**

BobtheInquisitor wrote:
You need to move?

Acceptance of "life is cheap" seems like a failure on the part of society.

It's been a common facet of life for the entirety of our history. Life outside of our immediate circle is "cheap". It still is today. You even see it everytime someone puts a European countries flag up on their Facebook feed whenever a terrorist attack happens, but you've never seen a middle eastern flag.

Life is cheap. We just tend to put value on some of it. Not all of it.

**oldravenman3025**

BaronIveagh wrote:
SomeRandomEvilGuy wrote:

He phrased it a bit badly but I think it's fair to say he doesn't actually think it's fine for men to kill each other.

Happens every day, sometimes on my street. The police don't do anything to stop it. They sit back, wait for the noise to stop, and see if anyone is still alive. So, what lesson do we take away from this?

That's all they can do, besides acting as a moderate deterrent by routine patrolling. It's gotten to the point in some places where they'll ask themselves "why bother?".

The primary function of police is to investigate crimes after the fact and hopefully apprehend the perps. Then "The System" takes over, for all the good it does.

The police cannot stop it. I know that all too well. I went into police work somewhat idealistic, despite warnings by my father (who was an "old school" cop). By the time I left policing, and went into my brief foray into the wonderful world of corrections, any tea party notions I had were long burned away.

**DarkTraveler777**

BaronIveagh wrote:
Laughing Man wrote:

To be fair, one's the improper disposal of what amounts to medical waste. This involves killing actual people.

Eh, no i have no problem with men killing other men. But women and kids... offends me.

To answer your original question, yes, that is wrong. What dangles between your legs, or the number of winters you've experienced shouldn't make a murder more or less offensive. Murder should be offensive enough regardless of age or sex. If it isn't you are in need of some therapy (not saying this with judgement, you asked a question).

**trexmeyer**

I find it fascinating how so many people get upset over women and children being murdered yet they also happen to be the two most mistreated groups of people on the planet across all ethnic, religious, economic, (etc) lines.

Not even targeting the guy who said that. It's just interesting. I've seen a lot of it's okay if I abuse my wife and children but if someone else kills women and children they deserved to be (insert torture porn here). Freaking weird.

On topic: It's a really sad story. But does it have anything to do with their sexual orientation? And why mention the orientation in the header, but not the ethnicity? Wouldn't both be relevant if it turns out to be a 'hate crime'?

**oldravenman3025**

trexmeyer wrote:
I find it fascinating how so many people get upset over women and children being murdered yet they also happen to be the two most mistreated groups of people on the planet across all ethnic, religious, economic, (etc) lines.

Not even targeting the guy who said that. It's just interesting. I've seen a lot of it's okay if I abuse my wife and children but if someone else kills women and children they deserved to be (insert torture porn here). Freaking weird.

On topic: It's a really sad story. But does it have anything to do with their sexual orientation? And why mention the orientation in the header, but not the ethnicity? Wouldn't both be relevant if it turns out to be a 'hate crime'?

It's unlikely that it was a hate crime (although not impossible). Odds are that it was drug or gang related, since the police believe that they were targeted.

**BaronIveagh**

trexmeyer wrote:
I find it fascinating how so many people get upset over women and children being murdered yet they also happen to be the two most mistreated groups of people on the planet across all ethnic, religious, economic, (etc) lines.

Threatening people who do that with bodily harm is why I'm not able to fly some airlines, but I take your meaning about it as a statistic.

**jhe90**

oldravenman3025 wrote:
trexmeyer wrote:
I find it fascinating how so many people get upset over women and children being murdered yet they also happen to be the two most mistreated groups of people on the planet across all ethnic, religious, economic, (etc) lines.

Not even targeting the guy who said that. It's just interesting. I've seen a lot of it's okay if I abuse my wife and children but if someone else kills women and children they deserved to be (insert torture porn here). Freaking weird.

On topic: It's a really sad story. But does it have anything to do with their sexual orientation? And why mention the orientation in the header, but not the ethnicity? Wouldn't both be relevant if it turns out to be a 'hate crime'?

It's unlikely that it was a hate crime (although not impossible). Odds are that it was drug or gang related, since the police believe that they were targeted.

Sadly it seems likely. This obviously was not a robbery gone wrong it seems. Seems a huge risk to take over a few presents. There likely is somthing more to this case.

Its sad, but I'm sure cops have a very good idwa ans do not want to spook any other suspects.

**AlexHolker**

trexmeyer wrote:
On topic: It's a really sad story. But does it have anything to do with their sexual orientation? And why mention the orientation in the header, but not the ethnicity? Wouldn't both be relevant if it turns out to be a 'hate crime'?

Both suspects and at least three of the four victims are black (and guessing by the name, the partner is too).

**oldravenman3025**

jhe90 wrote:
oldravenman3025 wrote:
trexmeyer wrote:
I find it fascinating how so many people get upset over women and children being murdered yet they also happen to be the two most mistreated groups of people on the planet across all ethnic, religious, economic, (etc) lines.

Not even targeting the guy who said that. It's just interesting. I've seen a lot of it's okay if I abuse my wife and children but if someone else kills women and children they deserved to be (insert torture porn here). Freaking weird.

On topic: It's a really sad story. But does it have anything to do with their sexual orientation? And why mention the orientation in the header, but not the ethnicity? Wouldn't both be relevant if it turns out to be a 'hate crime'?

It's unlikely that it was a hate crime (although not impossible). Odds are that it was drug or gang related, since the police believe that they were targeted.

Sadly it seems likely. This obviously was not a robbery gone wrong it seems. Seems a huge risk to take over a few presents. There likely is somthing more to this case.

Its sad, but I'm sure cops have a very good idwa ans do not want to spook any other suspects.

What's even worse is that nobody in the house had to be an actual gangbanger or personally involved in the drug trade. Somebody could have been simply related to, or friends/had a relationship with at one time, somebody involved in shady crap. Or somebody saw/knew something they shouldn't.

Anything is possible.