“Without systematic toxicology and psychotropic drug history data, policymakers cannot measure how often these drugs were present or spot patterns that warrant study.” – CCHR International

Twelve deaths in five 2026 attacks: States must require psychiatric-drug toxicology in homicides and mass acts of senseless violence

By CCHR International
The Mental Health Industry Watchdog
September 28, 2026

A Clark County, Nevada coroner’s toxicology report released in September found multiple psychiatric and other drugs in the systems of a 34-year-old mother and her 11-year-old daughter after a murder-suicide at a Las Vegas hotel. The published lab results are the kind of evidence homicides, attempted homicides, murder-suicides and mass acts of senseless violence should produce—so investigators can determine whether mind-altering psychiatric drugs were present that might explain the behavior. Such testing is seldom done.

This Las Vegas murder-suicide is one of five recent cases that are in addition to CCHR International’s 2026 compilation of 145 violent incidents involving people taking or withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. In the incidents that occurred between February and June 2026, 12 people were killed and three were injured; nine of the dead were children. Two suspects also died. Two were U.S. military veterans; two were parents who killed their own children. One case is pending trial. The published toxicology was available in only one of the five cases.

The five 2026 cases are:

• Tawnia McGeehan, 34 (Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb. 15) shot her 11-year-old daughter, Addilyn Smith, at a cheer competition, then killed herself. Toxicology found the antipsychotic quetiapine, gabapentin, lorazepam, and diphenhydramine in the mother and daughter; McGeehan also had other psychotropics that included an SSRI (citalopram or escitalopram) and a sleep drug. A note said the daughter had been “very medicated.” Police found McGeehan’s prescription bottles at the scene. She had a history of prior psychiatric drugs and suicidal ideation amid a custody fight. Only case with published toxicology on the deceased.[1]

• Kersten Francilus, 25 (Martin County, Florida, Apr. 2) stabbed a 73-year-old woman more than 50 times while she walked her dog, killing her. The Sheriff said he was on psychotropic drugs and had been involuntarily committed in 2025. His mother said he may not have taken medication since February, which, if true, raises concerns about severe withdrawal effects. No public toxicology.[2]

• Shamar Elkins, 31 (Shreveport, Louisiana, Apr. 19), a Louisiana Army National Guard veteran, shot eight children ages 3–11 (seven were his own) and wounded two adults, including his wife. He was then killed by responders. Family reported mental health struggles treated with “medication” and counseling at a VA hospital. No public toxicology or autopsy results.[3]

• Thomas Caleb Butler, 32 (Escondido, California, May 20), a Navy veteran, physically beat Kerry Sheron, 69, an Army veteran, whose injuries were ultimately fatal, outside Sheron’s home. A bystander was also injured. A family friend said he was medicated[4]; his wife’s 2025 custody filing and local reporting cited PTSD, welfare checks, and mental health incidents. The case is pending. No public toxicology report.[5]

• Michael Gledhill, 44 (Los Angeles, California, June 3), stabbed actor James Handy (Top Gun: Maverick, Jumanji), who later died in the hospital due to his injuries. Gledhill was diagnosed with schizophrenia in July 2025 and prescribed psychiatric drugs. His mother believed he had stopped them about a week before the incident, indicating potential drug withdrawal. He was later found mentally incompetent to be prosecuted. No public toxicology; withdrawal not addressed in published reports.[6]

Four of these five cases have no published toxicology. That is why CCHR is pushing legislators to sponsor bills modeled on Tennessee Public Chapter 897 (SB 2088/HB 2013), effective July 1, 2026. That law requires toxicology screening for psychiatric drugs, including at therapeutic levels, when a deceased person is suspected in a mass shooting in which the perpetrator tried to kill four or more people. With consent, it also allows tests on a living suspect in specified circumstances. De-identified results (HIPAA-compliant) are to go to a health science center for analysis and recommendations to government. CCHR wants the mandate broader and public: the weapon or the body count should not decide whether this evidence is collected.[7]

CCHR is also concerned that in a series of cases in which mothers killed or tried to kill their children after known mental health struggles, authorities have not reported toxicology tests—or have not released the results—even though two high-profile cases show why those tests matter. One is McGeehan, already listed above: the rare 2026 case in which a coroner published a full psychotropic panel on both mother and child. The other is Lindsay Clancy. On January 24, 2023, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, Clancy, a 32-year-old labor and delivery nurse, strangled her three children—Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months—then jumped from a window. Callan died days later. She had just been discharged from a psychiatric stay at McLean Hospital. Her lawyer said she had been prescribed about 13 psychiatric drugs in the prior months for postpartum mood disorder, anxiety, and related conditions, and argued overmedication and drug-induced homicidal and suicidal ideation. That case put the risks of psychiatric drugs, polypharmacy, and postpartum treatment on the public record.[8]

In a similar, heartrending crime, on June 20, 2001, in Houston, Texas, 37-year-old mother Andrea Yates drowned her five children (ages 6 months to 7 years) in a bathtub. She had a history of psychiatric hospitalizations, prescribed drugs (including the antidepressants Remeron, Effexor, and previously Wellbutrin, plus the antipsychotic Haldol), and suicide attempts. A science consultant, Edward G. Ezrailson, Ph.D., wrote that a combination of the drugs contributed to involuntary intoxication and worsened her behavior. The “overdose” of one antidepressant and “sudden high doses” of another “worsened her behavior,” he said. This “led to murder.”[9]

These toxicology files are the exceptions. In the mother cases below, mental health treatment or crisis is documented—therapy, court-ordered psychological help, postpartum psychosis treatment or prior hospitalization—yet there was no public report that toxicology tests were conducted or no results were disclosed to show whether psychiatric drugs were present, recently stopped, or mixed with alcohol.

• Ortilla Zamora, 35 (Lakeland, Florida, 2022), drove into a lake with her 4- and 9-year-old sons; all three drowned. Her relatives described a recent mental health crisis just prior to the incident. An autopsy was done; toxicology was not released.
• Paulina, 36 (Stena Spirit Ferry Cruise from Sweden to Poland, 2023), jumped overboard with her 7-year-old son. She had been seeing a therapist. No drugs were named; no toxicology was reported.[10]
• Kalyna Young, 21 (Boone Lake, Tennessee, 2024), drove into a lake with her 2-year-old; both survived. She had drunk high-alcohol malt liquor; cans were found in the car. No blood-alcohol number or other drug screen was published.[11]
• Naomi Elkins, 27 (Lakewood, New Jersey, 2024), drowned her daughters, ages 1 and 3 years old. She had been receiving postpartum psychosis treatment since at least 2018. A judge found her not guilty by reason of insanity and committed her to a secure hospital. Specific hospitals, drugs, and toxicology were not published.[12]
• Melanie Robinson (Fort Worth, Texas, 2025) drove into the Trinity River; her 1-year-old drowned, and she died three days later. She was on deferred-adjudication probation from a 2021 guilty plea after either pushing or trying to get another son to jump off a bridge. Police declined to discuss her medical history. No toxicology or prescription record was released.[13]

The questions about psychotropic drug use raised by the Clancy, McGeehan and Yates cases should be answered in every comparable case.

Kevin P. Miller’s documentary Letters From Generation RX (2017) includes a daughter’s account of her mother, in a “robotic” state, loading six children into the family’s Bronco to drive into a river and saying it was “time for all of us to die” and they would “all feel better soon.” The children survived. The film places the episode in its account of SSRI antidepressants. Similar water cases that did end in death include mothers who drove children into the ocean or a river.[14]

The five cases bring CCHR International’s running count of 145 incidents documented in its report Psychiatric Drugs Create Violence and Suicide to 150. That report compiles violent acts by people reported to be taking psychiatric drugs or withdrawing from them. The Violence Prevention Project’s U.S. Mass Shooter Database separately found that 24% of mass shooters in its set had been taking psychiatric drugs. Sealed records and sparse toxicology mean that figure is incomplete.[15]

Since 2004, CCHR has identified 57 drug regulatory warnings and labeling updates linking some psychiatric drugs to violence, aggression, or hostility, of which 13 cite homicidal ideation or thoughts of harming others. Without systematic toxicology and psychotropic drug history data, policymakers cannot measure how often these drugs were present or spot patterns that warrant study.

It is vital that every state legislature require psychiatric drug toxicology—and public, de-identified reporting of the results—whenever a suspect in a homicide, attempted homicide, or murder-suicide has a known psychiatric history, a current or recent prescription, or an involuntary hold. Tennessee wrote a starting rule for mass shootings. The five cases of 2026, and the mothers who drowned or nearly drowned their children with no published labs, show why that rule does not go far enough.

[1] Katherine Schaffstall, “Toxicology Results Revealed for Utah ‘Dance Mom’ and Daughter, 11, Who Died in Murder-Suicide,” Us Magazine, 16 Sept. 2026, https://www.usmagazine.com/crime-news/news/toxicology-results-revealed-for-dance-mom-and-daughter-11/; Sorina Trauntvein, “Call 911 before walking in’: Coroner’s report released on Utah mother’s murder-suicide in Las Vegas,” NC 8 News, 16 Sept, 2026, https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/call-911-before-walking-in-coroners-report-released-on-utah-mothers-murder-suicide-in-las-vegas/

[2] Kate Hussey, “73-year-old randomly stabbed at least 50 times while walking her dog, police say,” FOX News, 7 Apr. 2026, https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/04/07/73-year-old-randomly-stabbed-least-50-times-while-walking-her-dog-police-say/

[3] Alexx Altman-Devilbiss, “Shamar Elkins had ‘dark thoughts’ before killing 8 children in Louisiana, family says,” ABC 12 News, 21 Apr. 2026, https://wcti12.com/news/nation-world/shamar-elkins-had-dark-thoughts-before-killing-8-children-in-shreveport-louisiana-family-says-mass-shooting-investigation-domestic-dispute-veteran-suicidal-thoughts/; “A Louisiana man killed 8 children, 7 of his own. His family said warning signs preceded the tragedy,” CNN National News, 20 Apr. 2026, https://krdo.com/news/national-world/cnn-national/2026/04/20/a-louisiana-man-killed-8-children-7-of-his-own-his-family-said-warning-signs-preceded-the-tragedy/  

[4] Ross O’Keefe, “Alleged ‘Trump House’ suspect was Navy veteran with ‘severe PTSD’: family friend,” California Post, 21 May 2026, https://nypost.com/2026/05/21/us-news/alleged-trump-house-suspect-was-navy-vet-with-severe-ptsd-family-friend/; Peter D’Abrosca, “Suspect in ‘Trump House’ owner attack is mentally ill Navy vet, victim’s wife says won’t survive: reports,” Fox News, 22 May 2026, https://www.foxnews.com/us/suspect-trump-house-owner-attack-mentally-ill-navy-vet-victims-wife-says-wont-survive-reports; Adonis Albright, “Rally for Escondido army veteran who died after attack outside Trump-themed home,” NBC 7 San Diego, 7 June 2026, https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/rally-for-escondido-army-veteran-who-died-after-attack-outside-trump-themed-home/4033734/; Caleb Lunetta, “Prior allegations of violence, PTSD cited in court docs against suspect in ‘Trump House’ assault,” The San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/05/28/prior-allegations-of-violence-ptsd-cited-in-court-docs-against-suspect-in-trump-house-assault/

[5] “Thomas Butler Charged in Kerry Sheron ‘Trump House’ Death,” Legal Clarity, 30 Jun. 26, https://legalclarity.org/thomas-butler-charged-in-kerry-sheron-trump-house-death/

^[6] “Actor James Handy’s alleged killer found mentally incompetent for prosecution, CBS News, 23 June 2026,” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-handy-alleged-killer-michael-gledhill-mentally-incompetent-prosecution/; Bethan Moss, “’MURDER’ ARREST: Moment Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy’s ‘killer’ is taken in handcuffs as he’s charged with star’s fatal stabbing,” The U.S. Sun, 6 June 2026, https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/16461655/top-gun-killer-handcuffed-charged-stabbing/; “James Handy’s Girlfriend Claims Alleged Killer Son Had Schizophrenia…Stopped Taking Meds,” TMZ, 5 June 2026, https://www.tmz.com/2026/06/05/james-handy-alleged-killer-had-schizophrenia-and-stopped-taking-medication/

[7] State of Tennessee Public Chapter No. 897, Senate bill No. 2088, https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0897.pdf

[8] https://www.cchrint.org/2026/04/28/cchrs-latest-report-links-145-violent-incidents-to-psychiatric-drugs/

[9] https://www.cchrint.org/2026/08/24/lindsay-clancy-trial-exposes-deadly-psychiatric-drug-cocktail/; Susan Campbell, “The Denial of Mental Illness,” The Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2004, https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2004-01-25-0401250057-story.html; David Walsh, “Texas mother drowns children: Andrea Yates and ‘family values,’” WSWS.org, 2 July 2001, https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2001/07/yate-j02.html; Edward G. Ezrailson, Ph.D., Report on Review of Andrea Yates’ Medical Records, 29 Mar. 2002

[10] “Catherine Romik, “The tragic death of Poles on the ferry. ‘The woman assured her that she was being treated therapeutically’,” Gazeta, 6 July 2023, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/7,114883,29944204,tragiczna-smierc-polakow-na-promie-kobieta-zapewniala-ze.html; Thomson Reuters, “Denmark says fatal fall of Polish mother, son from ferry was not an accident,” KFGO, 3 July 2023, https://kfgo.com/2023/07/03/denmark-says-fatal-fall-of-polish-mother-son-from-ferry-was-not-an-accident/

^[11] Clarice Scheele, “Witnesses recount saving toddler, woman from Boone Lake,” WJHL Channel 11 at 5, 12 Aug. 2024, https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/witnesses-recount-saving-toddler-woman-from-boone-lake/; “Woman accused of driving car into Boone Lake with toddler inside appears in court.” WCYB News, 12 Aug. 2024, https://wcyb.com/news/local/woman-accused-of-driving-her-car-into-the-lake-with-a-toddler-appears-in-court

[12] Olivia Land, “NJ mom worked at day care same day she drowned her toddlers for ‘religious purposes’: cops,” New York Post/California Post, 27 June, 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/06/27/us-news/nj-mom-worked-at-daycare-same-day-she-killed-kids-for-religious-purposes-cops/; Matt Trapani, “Lakewood woman accused of drowning kids found not guilty by reason of insanity,” News 12 New Jersey, 2 Apr. 2025, https://newjersey.news12.com/lakewood-woman-accused-of-drowning-kids-found-not-guilty-by-reason-of-insanity

^[13] S.E. Jenkins, “Mom dies in the hospital after crash and son’s death in Trinity River, officials say,” CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/mom-pulled-from-trinity-river-after-crash-died-in-hospital/; Emerson Clarridge, “Mom accused in Trinity River baby killing tried to push another child off bridge,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Apr. 2025, https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article303496386.html; Paul Wedding, “Mother who killed 1-year-old son and herself driving into Trinity River was accused of trying to push another child off of a bridge,” ABC 8 News, https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/mother-who-killed-son-herself-driving-into-trinity-river-accused-pushing-another-child-off-bridge/287-53aa4360-afe3-4b50-82b8-200860973e7f

[14] https://www.cchrint.org/2018/11/09/letters-from-generation-rx/; Transcript of “Letters From Generation Rx,” JourneyMan TV, https://www.journeyman.tv/film_documents/7009/transcript/

[15] https://www.cchrint.org/2026/04/28/cchrs-latest-report-links-145-violent-incidents-to-psychiatric-drugs/  “Mass Shooter Database,” The Violence Prevention Project, https://www.theviolenceproject.org/mass-shooter-database/; “Autopsies sealed in ongoing investigation,” Uvalde Leader News, 24 Nov. 2022, https://www.uvaldeleadernews.com/articles/autopsies-sealed-in-ongoing-investigation/