Doctor apparently kills cancer-stricken wife before killing self in 'act of love,' neighbor says

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Doctor apparently kills cancer-stricken wife before killing self in 'act of love,' neighbor says

Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2016 2:15 pm

By MARK BOWES Richmond Times-Dispatch

A retired physician is suspected of fatally shooting his paralyzed and terminally ill wife before turning the gun on himself Wednesday in a shooting that one of the couple’s neighbors described as an “act of love” to relieve his wife’s suffering.

A home health care worker discovered the bodies of Marilyn A. Rudzinski, 68, and her husband, Dennis J. Rudzinski, 73, about 10:30 a.m. after she arrived at the home in the 2700 block of Newquay Lane in Bexley subdivision, said Chesterfield police Capt. Michael Louth. ... Their deaths are being investigated as a murder-suicide, Louth said.

“He was just beside himself and didn’t know what to do,” said longtime friend Sally Ward, who lives a couple of blocks away. “We think that he was overwhelmed.” ... “This was an act of love,” Ward added. “They were just a couple that were never apart. They were always together. You always used to see them, and they were never alone. They were always grocery shopping on Sundays together.”

Marilyn Rudzinski had stage IV melanoma cancer, which had spread down her spine, paralyzing her, Ward said.
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Staff writer Brandon Shulleeta contributed to this report.

[whatthehey]

1. If we had sane end of life options, this trauma would be unnecessary

Why do the superstitous godbothering mumbo jumbo merchants have to join forces with the dithering blissninnies in white coats who are seemingly incapable of realizing there is far more "nocere" in forcing people to live in helpless hopeless agony than in painlessly ushering them out of it? Between these lobbies we are denied the control of our own lives and the dignity and sympathy we offer dogs.

When everything that can produce a painless, non traumatic certain death is controlled better than Ft Knox and handled only by the medical cabal who refuse to countenance people rationally preferring death to a sick tortured empty shell of a life, the only options that remain even to retired doctors (a great argument for maintaining your certification and Rx privileges) are violent, potentially risky to others, and traumatic for those who need to respond. Who would need a gun if pentobarbital were treated like Viagra?

[elljay]

2. It is all about control

They just cannot let people control their own lives, deaths, destinies, bodies. It just drives them insane.

[westerebus]

3. I agree.

There needs to be a better way to end one's suffering.