In the midst of what should have been a joyous holiday season in Pittsburgh, a deeply troubled woman brought unimaginable sorrow to the Dempsey family home on December 23, 1934. A 12-year-old white male named Robert Dempsey, along with his father and three younger brothers, became the innocent victims of a horrific act of violence perpetrated by their aunt, Kathryn Dempsey Schoch. This tragic event, born from one woman's profound grief, would leave a lasting scar on the community and the sole survivor of the immediate family.
Kathryn Dempsey Schoch, a 40-year-old nurse from Dunkirk, New York, had been consumed by the recent death of her own young son. Authorities believed this loss led to a sudden and severe mental breakdown. She arrived at her brother Walter Dempsey's Pittsburgh residence, bearing Christmas gifts and joining in the holiday preparations, giving no indication of the violence she was about to unleash. Before her arrival in Pittsburgh, it is also believed that she had shot and killed her sister, Ruth Dempsey Hughes, in Dunkirk.
In the dark of night, as the Dempsey family slept, Schoch carried out her devastating plan. She fatally shot her brother Walter, and his sons Robert, Walter Jr., Thomas, and David. The children's mother, Clara Dempsey, was also shot but managed to survive the brutal attack. After the killings, Kathryn Schoch took her own life by ingesting poison. A note she left behind revealed the depth of her despair, stating she could not endure seeing others celebrate Christmas while she was in mourning for her son.
The investigation into the deaths of Robert Dempsey and his family members concluded that Kathryn Schoch acted alone in the murder-suicide. As the sole perpetrator, and having taken her own life, there were no arrests made or suspects pursued in the wake of this family tragedy. The incident left a community in shock, mourning the senseless loss of life during a time meant for celebration and peace.
