In the winter of 1934, just two days before Christmas, a horrific tragedy befell the Dempsey family in their Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home. Ten-year-old Walter Dempsey Jr., a white male, was among the victims of a violent rampage carried out by a relative. The family had been joyfully preparing for the holiday festivities, their home filled with the anticipation of Christmas.
The festive atmosphere took a dark turn with the arrival of Kathryn Dempsey Schoch, Walter Jr.'s aunt from
Dunkirk, New York. A trained nurse, Schoch was grappling with the recent death of her own seven-year-old son, a loss that had profoundly affected her mental state. In the days leading up to her visit, Schoch had already shot and killed her sister in Dunkirk before traveling to her brother Walter's home in Pittsburgh, bringing with her Christmas gifts and a deeply troubled mind.
On the night of December 23rd, while the Dempsey family slept, Schoch's grief and mental instability culminated in a shocking act of violence. She moved through the quiet house and fatally shot her brother Walter and his sons, including young Walter Jr., his brothers Robert, Thomas, and David. The children's mother, Clara Dempsey, was also shot but managed to survive the attack.
Following the horrific acts, Kathryn Dempsey Schoch took her own life by ingesting poison. A note discovered by the police revealed the depth of her sorrow over her son's recent death, stating she could not bear to see others celebrate Christmas while she was in mourning. The devastating event left Clara Dempsey as the sole survivor of the immediate family and a community in shock over the senseless loss of life during what should have been a season of peace and joy.
