In the winter of 1985, a terrible event unfolded in Rutland, Vermont, forever changing the lives of one family. The story revolves around Matthew Bishop, a 5-year-old boy. On February 18, 1985, Matthew, his 7-year-old sister Dawn, and his 31-year-old mother, June Bishop, were found dead in their beds. The person responsible for this act was the children's father and June's husband, 31-year-old Donald Alan Bishop.
Donald, who was reportedly upset about his separation from his wife and
children, went to their apartment on the corner of Crescent and Grove streets in the early morning hours. After letting himself in, he shot his wife and two children as they slept. Following this, he took his own life. The authorities treated the case as a triple homicide and a suicide.
Investigators found no signs of a struggle. A handwritten note was discovered in Donald Bishop's car. In it, he expressed his inability to cope with the loss of his family and stated that if he couldn't have his children, no one would. This note provided a motive for the tragic event, confirming that it was a planned act stemming from his distress over the marital separation.
