A Michigan woman and her family were found dead on July 10 in an apparent murder-suicide, just weeks after a judge denied her request for a protective order.
Tirany Lee Savage, 35, her mother, son, and estranged husband were discovered with gunshot wounds, according to the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office.
On June 25, Savage petitioned the 34th Circuit Court for a restraining order against her husband.
“He has mental health issues and recently purchased a firearm and that is concerning to me,” she explained. “He keeps saying he is going to blow his brains out and I do not want my safety or my son’s safety in jeopardy.”
The order was denied three days later by judge Troy Daniel, who wrote that he found “insufficient evidence of a showing of immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage. Petitioner can request a restraining order in a divorce case.”
On July 7, Savage filed for divorce — just three days before the alleged murder-suicide took the lives of her and her family.
Kim Scott, executive director of River House, a non-profit that helps survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, told a local ABC affiliate that cases like this have increased over the last six months.
“One thing I will say for sure is we can’t say that intimate partner violence is because of stress financially or mental health issues or whatever else is going on,” she said. “Intimate partner violence is a result of power and control issues.”
She mentioned that it’s important that victims learn how to navigate the court system, something with which River House assists.
“When the individuals leave, they are 75 percent more likely to be in a legal situation,” Scott said. “Because, obviously the way the power control dynamic works is the perpetrator is going to feel more of a loss of control whenever their victim leaves because they’re used to that dynamic.”
“And so, they will push it to some of those extremes, threatening suicide, threatening homicide,” she added.
Social media users have expressed anger and outrage over the judge’s decision to deny the request for a protective order.
🙄🧐🤯🤬😔😢… more blood on your hands you spineless cowards. God bless the victims and Tirana Lee Savage… who saw this coming! https://t.co/dQruY0b2Kn
— runnergirl121 (@runnergirl1211) July 14, 2022
