In the quiet city of Dunkirk, New York, a devastating tragedy unfolded around the Christmas of 1934, forever marking the Dempsey family. Ruth Dempsey Hughes, a 37-year-old woman, was found deceased in her apartment, the victim of a shocking act of violence that extended far beyond her community. Her life was cut short by two bullet wounds, an event that was only the beginning of a much larger and more heartbreaking story.
The discovery of Ruth's body was made after a horrific event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came to light. Her sister, Kathryn Dempsey Schoch, a 40-year-old trained nurse, had traveled to the home of their brother, Walter Dempsey. In a state of profound grief and mental distress, Kathryn’s visit would turn into a scene of unimaginable horror. Authorities believe that Kathryn, overwhelmed by the recent death of her own young son, was responsible for the deaths of her brother and four of his children.
It is believed that before Kathryn made her fateful trip to Pittsburgh, she first visited her sister, Ruth, in Dunkirk. In the solitude of Ruth's apartment, it is thought that Kathryn committed the first act of this tragic chain of events. After shooting her sister, Kathryn then proceeded to her brother's home, where she continued her violent path before ultimately taking her own life with poison.
The motive for this devastating murder-suicide was attributed to Kathryn's immense grief. A note she left behind spoke of her sorrow over her son's death and her inability to celebrate Christmas without him. This personal anguish spiraled into a catastrophic event that claimed the lives of multiple family members, leaving a trail of sorrow and unanswered questions in its wake. In the end, what should have been a season of joy became a time of profound mourning for the Dempsey family and the communities of Dunkirk and Pittsburgh. As Kathryn took her own life, there was no suspect to arrest or bring to trial, leaving the family and the public to grapple with the shocking reality of the murder-suicide.
