[BobbyB]

Wife's death was mercy killing, husband's family says
Posted by The Oregonian February 06, 2008 13:20PM
Categories: East Multnomah County, Top Stories


Friends and family of John Roberts, the Gresham man arrested in the death of his wife, Virginia, say her death Saturday was not a cold-blooded attack but an act of compassion for a woman living with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.

John Roberts' brother and daughter and a close family friend told The Oregonian that Virginia's ALS had worsened in the weeks leading to her death on Saturday. They say John Roberts hinted to them that Virginia had asked him to help take her life when she no longer wished to carry on.

Friends and family of John Roberts say Virginia Roberts was born in Guatemala. No members of her family could be immediately reached for confirmation of her reported disease.

"There is a story that makes this not just a murder," said Greg Roberts, a former Seattle police detective and John Roberts' brother. "It is my firm belief that this was a pact between the two of them, that she asked him to do this.

"And part of the reason why they chose this method rather than going down the assisted suicide route was that she was so proud that she didn't want to let herself get into the condition she would need to be in before they'd be allowed" to participate in Oregon's Death with Dignity program, which requires a person to be within six months of death.

Police arrested Roberts on an accusation of murder after receiving a 9-1-1 call at 9:44 a.m. Saturday. The caller said he shot someone.

Inside the couple's one-story home at 4160 NE El Camino Drive, police found Virginia Roberts dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. Police are not releasing the recording of the 9-1-1 call. Roberts remains in jail without bail.

Roberts' attorney, Angel Lopez, and Don Rees, a Multnomah County senior deputy district attorney prosecuting the case, declined to comment. Gresham police Capt. Tim Gerkman also declined to discuss specifics of the investigation.

"We're trying to track down all leads and possible motives, or prove or disprove different theories or reasons that this crime was committed," Gerkman said.

A grand jury is scheduled to review the case on Friday. Roberts is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

According to the ALS Association, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease affecting nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. Those with the disease are eventually robbed of their ability to control muscle movements, leading to paralysis. About 80 percent of those diagnosed with the disease die within five years.

The ALS association estimates that 5,600 each year are diagnosed with the disease and about 30,000 Americans may have the disease at a given time.

-- Brad Schmidt
bradschmidt@news.oregonian.com

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingn...y_killing.html

[Alffe]

This is a heartbreaking story....John Roberts sound like a very compassionate and loving man. Please keep us posted BobbyB if there are follow up stories.

[BobbyB]

Mercy Killing: Woman Never Had ALS




GRESHAM, Ore. - A Gresham man faces a murder charge after it is discovered his wife, who he claimed he had killed out of empathy, apparently never had a fatal disease.

John Roberts, 51, called 9-1-1 Feb. 2 saying he had just shot and killed his wife, Virginia, because she was suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease.

A 10-page document released Monday uncovers new facts that do not support Robert's story of a mercy killing.

According to the document, doctors that recently examined Virginia say the woman did not have a terminal illness, but was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in 2005.

On Jan. 18, she was examined by Dr. John Ellsion because she was seeking social security disability payments. He found her to be in overall good health and a search of the home found no medical documents confirming that she suffered from ALS.

Detectives also found notes and farewell letters on the kitchen table written by John Roberts. They also found a document titled "Last Will" and testament of John L. Roberts. There are questions about whether the killing was supposed to be a murder-suicide.

According to court documents, the night before John Roberts shot Virginia while she slept, he said in those suicide notes: ".. you will find our bodies in the bedroom down the hall". But the documents then say that he allegedly changed his mind, saying he saw his wife in a vision after she died, and she told him not to commit suicide.

Detectives say the investigation is ongoing and they are asking for the public's help. Anyone who knew the couple is asked to call Gresham police.

Robert's arraignment is set for Feb. 12.

http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=7854744

[BobbyB]

Alexis Del Cid Interview With John Roberts






The man accused of killing his wife says he is innocent and that soon the medical records will prove it. On Feb. 13, Koin News 6 reporter Alexis Del Cid conducted a phone interview with John Roberts while he was in jail. The following is a summary of her notes. They spoke about 20-25 minutes.

ALEXIS: Investigators don't believe your wife had Lou Gehrig's Disease. Did you lie about that?

ROBERTS: They can't find the Kaiser [Permanente] paperwork. Once they do, and when Kaiser finds all the proper paperwork and the right doctors, this will all go away. She did have Lou Gehrig's. She'd been suffering for some time.

ALEXIS: What's the name of the doctor who diagnosed her with it?

ROBERTS: (PAUSE) I've given that information to my attorney.

ALEXIS: When was she diagnosed?

ROBERTS: About 7 or 8 months ago a neurologist diagnosed her and said he'd help us through the final stages when it got too bad.

ALEXIS: Did you expect this to happen to you after killing her?

ROBERTS: Unlike OJ, Robert Blake, and Phil Spector, I expected to go to prison for a certain amount of time till it all cleared up- I didn't expect speculation that she wasn't really sick.

ALEXIS: Did she ask you to kill her?

ROBERTS: We had a code phrase.

ALEXIS: What do you mean?

ROBERTS: When she said that phrase- that was when I was supposed to kill her.

ALEXIS: What was the phrase?

ROBERTS: "I don't want to live another day like this."

ALEXIS: She said that the night you shot her?

ROBERTS: Yes.

ALEXIS: So she said that phrase and you knew that meant you were supposed to kill her?

ROBERTS: Yes.

ALEXIS: So she knew when she went to sleep that night you would shoot her while she slept?

ROBERTS: Yes.

ALEXIS: What about all the empty beer cans and liquor bottles that police found at your house and in your car? Were you drunk?

ROBERTS: I was absolutely sober. The cans were in my truck for recycling. The liquor bottles were from a holiday party.

ALEXIS: Did she leave behind any notes?

ROBERTS: She left messages for her family and friends.

ALEXIS: But everything was in your handwriting.

ROBERTS: She couldn't write any more, so I wrote them.

ALEXIS: In your statements to police, according to court documents, you say that your marriage was marked with numerous infidelities- that you had cheated on her many times. What's your response?

ROBERTS: That's between Virginia and I. I told the truth about everything.

ALEXIS: Do you regret it? Killing her?

ROBERTS: Absolutely not. I made a promise to her not to let her go through that.

ALEXIS: Would you do it again?

ROBERTS: Yes. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and the easiest thing I've ever done.

2/13/2008
http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?S=7869235

[crytears]

Have any of you read what this guy is all about?
He's a pathelogical liar, addictied to alcohol, porn and all sorts of unsavery "stuff".
He recently visited a prostitute he met on line...a habit he had...call that a loving husband?

His wife, Virginia had carpal tunnel on her hands thats caused the weakness.
She was in overall good health, was visiting freinds, going shopping, to movies, out to dinner with freinds....
looks like to me in no way was she suffering.
She was having loads of fun going out with freinds...
people who are ill don't do such on a regular basis.
I can hardly get out of bed sometimes, pain, muscle weakness/twitching, fatigue.

Her Kaiser Neurologist, Dr Jack Stigler NEVER told her or anyone that she had ALS...
so this is total fabrication on someones part and NOT by medical persons.
He diagnosed her with a motor neuon disease, but NOT ALS.

****************************
News article:
Medical records obtained by detectives in this case show Virginia Roberts had pain and weakness in her hands and wrists.
In 2005 she was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Following surgery in 2006, she enjoyed some relief but later reported a return of the pain. On September 11, 2007, Virginia Roberts was examined by Portland Neurologist, Dr. Jack Stigler. Dr. Stigler diagnosed Virginia Roberts with "motor neuron disease." Dr. Stigler reports there are many potential causes of "motor neuron disease" and patients have many different outcomes. Dr. Stigler states he explained to Virginia Roberts the condition could stabilize or slowly worsen and spread to other limbs.


Virginia Roberts was examined again by Dr. Stigler on November 7, 2007 and November 16, 2007 and his diagnosis remained the same. The defendant was present during the final visit. Dr. Stigler reports he did not tell the defendant nor Virginia Roberts that she had ALS or any terminal disease.
**********************************

I've been recently diagnosed with Polymyositis...pretty bad disease to have, but not anywhere near comparrison to ALS...
I once worried it was that because of the muscle weakness/twitching, swalloing problems and few other fun "stuff" I must deal with. I've been chronically ill now for over 20 years....and I still find something to live for.
I've also dealt with Carpal tunnel, had surgery on both hands, and yes its come back, but only slightly.
When at its worst, I still could use my hands to write...so the story of her not being able to write a suicide note because of her carpal tunnel...is also a lie...the night of my surgery I was using my hands!...so one could if they wanted, write a good bye note!
I doubt Virginia wanted to die...even if she did/does have ALS...she's in very begining stages.
I've read every article I could on this "Mercy Killing"...we live less than 10 miles from them...so is all over the news here.
From what I've read....this guy has a few screws loose AND is down right evil!

I could understand wanting to die as I too was once there when at my worst and had been 100% bedridden with fatigue and muscle weakness...turned out most of my problems were a B12 deficiency...thanks to Rose here my life began to take a turn for better once I got the proper form of B12....perhaps is all thats wrong with Virginia too.
How sad....from what I've read and news stories close to home, no way did Virginia have plans to die, nor was she suffering...perhaps weakness in her hands...but not bedridden, body wide pain like one would expect in a MND.
She didn't even have Fibromyalgia!...that in itself is bad enough!
Keep reading....the story is only in its begining....I'll bet when the truth is shown...
this guys motives won't be an act of mercy on a suffering wife!
In the TV news story about this, her neighbors all felt she was very healthy woman and in no way was she ill.
A prominant Neurologist, Dr Ellison here in Portland Oregon, found her in perfect health and was very surprised when she told him that a Kaiser doctor had told her she had Motor Neuron disease/ALS because he found her to be in good health.


One would think anyone suffering would at least look ill or show SOME signs of having catastrophic illnesses such as ALS....somehow carpul tunnel just isn't up there with such!

Oh..and get this...if she had pain, then why did she ONLY take very few Vicodin on a very minimal basis...she wasn't being seen by pain specialist like those who do have chronic pain...a few Vicodin here and there is NOT a life with pain!

John Roberts had a bad habit of making up crazy stories, a few years ago he had his family convinced that Virginia had end stage cancer...was a total lie.
His first wife was and still is terrified of him...he's done some very elaborate and crazy "things" to her and a few others, jokes about it too. She was married to him 18 years, stated he was a master manipulator and she had to do anything and everything to please him "OR ELSE!"....this guy ain't no mercy killer!
I hope he never gets out of prison....what will he do next?
Hope his celly doesn't complain of a headache!
Google Koin, Katu, Kgw for local news stations...this will link you to this story...you'll see a much different story and realize this was NO mercy killing! The man is Evil AND crazy!...sure glad my husband didn't listen to me when I didn't want to live as I feared the worst....but my EMG and NC test proves I don't have ALS!...thank God!
I don't know how you guys can handle such diagnosis...just worrying about this the few months I was told it may be such, about drove me to take my life....I'm just not that "brave". Blessings to you, those who suffer.
Just my 2 cents here!
CryTears
Here's some more links...you will begin to learn what this "guy" is all about once you read a few articles...too scarey!

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/orego...290.xml&coll=7

http://www.koin.com/Global/story.asp?s=7857087

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingn...as_murder.html

[BobbyB]

he will burn in hell.

[crytears]

Originally Posted by BobbyB

he will burn in hell.

Ha! I'm there now!
Very bad night, not enough pain meds....oyeeee! What a night!
Just so glad I got a nice TV at my bedside...and a new 32" LCD flat screen on the wall at end of my bed..
Santa was good this year!....just wish didn't have so danged many remotes!
But yeah, this guy is evil for sure!
I'm sure this will be a story "up there" along with Scott Peterson and his C-mass fishing story....
can't wait to watch this saga on Court TV.....NOT!
Is just too bad he didn't do to self what he did to wife...save Oregon a few coins we need for caring for our poor, lots of them here...is just sad to see money get wasted on him.
Wait and see....he'll end up pulling an insanity plea....
there is a vast difference between insane and evil!
Hope he gets to spend the rest of his life in a damp cell.
CryTears

[Alffe]

Oh my.... guess hope just blinded me! He does sound like a real s.o.b.