Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
295 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Forum Posts for Dena Vanvoorhis:
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I’ve been trying to wrap my head around this tragedy and keep coming back to the moment when other family members got that chilling message from Dena's phone. It must've been such a heart-stopping moment for them, thinking she was just inside the house waiting. I can’t imagine the shock when they realized what truly happened. My thoughts go out to Dena’s family; that trauma is unimaginable, and losing two family members in such a way must be unbearable. It's haunting to think about how Wayne managed to use his mother's phone for that deception. It's a stark reminder of how things can seem normal even when they’re terribly wrong beneath the surface. This level of devastation leaves a permanent mark on loved ones, and the neighborhood, really everyone touched by this case, will be feeling this for a long, long time.
I wanted to touch on the impact of Marsy's Law in this unbelievably tragic situation. While I completely understand the purpose behind it—to protect the privacy of victims and their families—it seems to create a layer of distance in cases like Dena Vanvoorhis's. We often feel this sense of connection or communal grieving when these stories come out, but it's like certain pieces are always missing, making it harder to fully comprehend the depth of the tragedy.
Dena's loved ones probably appreciated some level of privacy in those first awful days, but I wonder if the community feels somewhat separated from offering the support they want to provide. Especially in something as horrible and confusing as a murder-suicide, where people crave understanding, it seems particularly complicated. How do others feel about this balance? Is it better to have a little more privacy for families, even if it means less clarity for the public?
My heart goes out to all who knew Dena. She seemed to be a person with such a positive influence, and it's truly devastating to think her life ended in such a terrible way. Remembering her for the joy she brought, rather than the horrific way she was taken, feels so important right now.