This case is murder, as it appears that the suspect had initially received a restraining order. The restraining order was probably issued due to prior concerns; perhaps he had already caused harm to his wife or children. Therefore, there is a likelihood that the murder of his wife was pre-meditated. The suspect’s charges on the possession of a firearm and sexual assault indicate that the act was pre-meditated. Additionally, he was previously charged for forcible confinement and pointing a gun towards his wife.
The high-risk factors that increased Deborah’s risk to homicide were that the suspect had initially demonstrated that he wanted to murder since he possessed a firearm that he pointed at her. This affirms that he intended to kill his wife. He had previously been issued with a restraining order, indicating that there was a possibility that he intended to cause harm to Deborah. The suspect had already been charged with sexual assault. This demonstrates that he had committed a serious offense, and he would likely commit another crime.
There is a likelihood that if Deborah was pregnant at the time, and it was a wanted pregnancy that she would be at less risk of domestic violence. However, if Deborah was pregnant at the time, and it was an unwanted pregnancy, then she would have been at more risk of domestic homicide. Studies assert that pregnancy is a period that necessitates increased demand for resources and increased relationship commitment. A study reported that females with unwanted pregnancies said more mistreatment than those with wanted pregnancies (2020). Hence if it were an unwanted pregnancy, then the risk of domestic homicide would increase.
