In the summer of 2014, a family visit turned into a tragedy in a rural home just south of Nevada, Missouri. Harold 'Hal' Thomas Besaw, a 54-year-old male of Menominee Indian heritage, had traveled from his home in California to help his mother, 77-year-old Fay F. Besaw, get her house in order. He was known by friends and family as a big-hearted man with a boisterous and enthusiastic personality who would drop everything to help someone in need.
On Thursday, July 3, 2014, a violent
encounter unfolded within the family's home. Investigators believe that between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Harold's brother, 52-year-old Charles K. Besaw of Nevada, used a semi-automatic handgun to shoot and kill both Harold and their mother, Fay. After killing his brother and mother, Charles then took his own life. The bodies were not discovered until the following day, July 4th, when a family member placed a 911 call at 2:49 p.m., leading emergency personnel to the tragic scene where all three were pronounced dead.
The Vernon County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Southwest Missouri Major Case Squad, investigated the incident and ruled it a double murder-suicide. The investigation concluded that Charles K. Besaw was the sole perpetrator in the deaths of his brother and mother. While authorities determined an apparent motive for the shootings, they respected the wishes of the grieving family and did not release those details to the public. As the suspect in the murders was also deceased, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Harold Besaw and Fay Besaw.
