On a tragic Labor Day, September 3, 1990, the life of 38-year-old Sergeant Robert Preston Palmer of the Elsmere Police Department was irrevocably altered. A male officer with 11 years of service, Palmer was at his home on Seneca Trail when an unprovoked and violent attack shattered the peace of the day. The assailant was John Bundy, the ex-husband of Palmer's wife, Barbara. Bundy arrived at the residence armed with a.
38-caliber revolver and a history of documented mental illness.
Without warning, Bundy began his assault by shooting Palmer's two young children, four-year-old Casey and three-year-old Robyn. Alerted to the danger, Sergeant Palmer engaged Bundy in a firefight. In the exchange, Palmer was struck by gunfire in his chest and upper right leg, while Bundy was hit multiple times. Despite his grievous injuries, Palmer was able to fatally wound his attacker. Neighbors, hearing the gunshots, called the police. When they arrived, Bundy and young Casey were already deceased. Robyn was found dying in her mother's arms in the front yard and succumbed to her injuries despite medical efforts.
Sergeant Palmer was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in life-threatening condition. He had suffered a collapsed lung and other severe internal damage. Doctors performed surgery, which included the removal of a portion of his right lung. Over the next three weeks, Palmer fought for his life as his condition continued to deteriorate, with his lungs failing and his kidneys beginning to shut down. In a final effort to save him, he was transferred to a medical center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, to receive an experimental artificial lung implant. Despite all medical interventions, Sergeant Robert Preston Palmer died from his injuries on September 25, 1990.
The investigation into the horrific events revealed a troubling backstory for the suspect, John Bundy. He had a history of schizophrenia and had been previously committed to Veterans Administration hospitals after a suicide attempt in 1983. Medical professionals had deemed him 'remarkably dangerous,' yet he was released from a VA Medical Center in early 1990. Shortly after his release, he legally purchased the revolver he would use to devastate the Palmer family. As the sole perpetrator, John Bundy, was killed at the scene by Sergeant Palmer, no arrests were made in connection with the tragic deaths. The incident left a lasting scar on the Elsmere community and highlighted profound questions regarding the release and monitoring of individuals with severe mental health conditions.
