ALAMEDA, CA. – 72 year-old Jerry Canfield is charged with murdering his wife Joann. He says it was a mercy killing, a promise he made to her to take her out of her pain.
They were married for 37 years. Joann had been suffering from dementia, a devastating disease. Their neighbors say they were very much in love. Canfield placed his wife in a nursing home and spent mostly all of those days with her.
Saturday, Oct. 25, he brought his beloved wife home. Neighbors said she was ‘out of it’ and didn’t recognize anyone. Reports say Mr. Canfield dressed in a suit, placed a dozen roses by his wife’s bed, then shot her in the head, killing her. He then drove to the police station and turned himself in.
**There are resources available for caregivers who may feel overwhelmed. The Family Caregiver Alliance works with people all over the country, and their representatives will visit your home to see how to help you best. You can call them at 415-434-3388.
