On a cold February day in 1985, the quiet community of Rutland, Vermont, was shattered by a devastating tragedy. Seven-year-old Dawn Marie Bishop, her five-year-old brother, Matthew Alan Bishop, and their mother, June Marie Oles Bishop, 31, were found dead in their home. The events of February 18, 1985, unfolded as a grim murder-suicide, leaving the town in a state of shock and disbelief.
The perpetrator was identified as Donald Alan Bishop, the 32-year-old father of the children and
estranged husband of June. Distraught over the recent separation from his family, Donald went to their apartment on the corner of Crescent and Grove streets in the early morning hours. After letting himself in, he shot and killed his wife and two young children as they slept in their beds. Following the horrific act, he then took his own life.
Investigators found no signs of a struggle, suggesting the victims were caught completely unaware. The motive behind the tragic event was made clear by a handwritten note discovered in Donald Bishop's car. In it, he expressed his inability to cope with the loss of his family and chillingly stated that if he couldn't have his children, no one would. The case was officially classified as a triple homicide and a suicide by the Rutland County State's Attorney, bringing a swift but heartbreaking conclusion to the investigation.
