In the summer of 2014, the quiet life of 77-year-old Fay Frances Besaw came to a tragic end in her Nevada, Missouri, home. A White female, Fay was a beloved mother and grandmother, known for her enthusiastic support at her sons' sporting events and her volunteer work in the local school district. Born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, she had relocated to Missouri to be closer to her eldest son and his family after the passing of her husband, Emmanuel 'Jack' Besaw.
On July 3, 2014, a day that
would otherwise be filled with preparations for Independence Day celebrations, Fay was fatally shot. The tranquility of her home was shattered by an act of violence that would also claim the lives of two of her sons, Harold and Charles Besaw. Harold, who was in his 50s, had been visiting from California at the time.
The grim discovery of their bodies was made the following day. An investigation by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office quickly determined that the deaths were the result of a double murder-suicide. Authorities identified Fay's son, Charles Besaw, as the suspect in the killings. It was concluded that Charles, who lived with his mother, shot both Fay and his visiting brother, Harold, before turning the gun on himself.
As the perpetrator was deceased, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Fay and Harold Besaw. The investigation was concluded, and in deference to the surviving family's wishes for privacy during their time of immense grief, a specific motive for the tragic actions of Charles Besaw was not publicly released. Fay's ashes were to be interred with her late husband at the Riverside Veteran's cemetery.
