.png)
Killer in the family podcast
A true crime podcast exploring men who kill their families.
Killer in the family podcast
Episode 53 - The Walsh Family
If you want to reach new audiences through podcasting in 2025 then get in touch. My brand-new podcast package will support you, your charity or business to launch a successful podcast. Get in touch on clare.laxton@outlook.com or www.clarelaxtonconsults.co.uk to find out more.
In June 2024, just last year, in Harrow Ontario, Carly Stannard-Walsh, 41, and her children, 13-year-old Madison and 8-year-old Hunter, were found dead in their house. They had all been shot. Their husband and father Steven Walsh was also found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and had killed his whole family before taking his own life. In a move we rarely see, the police correctly identified and named this as an act of intimate partner violence.
This is the story of the Walsh Family.
Information and support
· Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans
· National Domestic Violence Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
· Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid
· National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
· Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America
· Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline
References
'Familicide' very rarely happens without warning signs, say domestic violence researchers | CBC News
Family breaks silence after Harrow mother, two children fatally shot | Windsor Star
What we know so far about the Harrow, Ont., family of 4 found dead at home | CBC News
Chaplain blesses a permanent memorial to mom and 2 kids killed in Harrow murder-suicide | CBC News
OPP confirms identity of family found dead in Harrow
Credits
Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton
Produced by: Clare Laxton
Killer in the family podcast (buzzsprout.com)
Music from Pixabay.
Killer in the family podcast is a total labour of love. If you'd like to support me please buy me a coffee or tea!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton
Hi there and welcome to Killer in the Family. This one is for all my listeners over in Canada. I know there's a dedicated group of Canadian fans, including some of my family, and I really hope that you enjoy this episode and let me know if you've heard of it or if you saw any of the coverage or news coverage of the case when it happened as well. I'd be really interested to see what it was like over in Canada. So let's get into this episode. Like over in Canada. So let's get into this episode.
Speaker 1:In June 2024, just last year, in Harrow, ontario, carly Stanard Walsh, who was 41, and her children, 13-year-old Madison and 8-year-old Hunter, were found dead in their house. They had all been shot. Their husband and father, stephen Walsh, was also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and had killed his whole family before taking his own life In a move we rarely see. The police correctly identified and named this as an act of intimate partner violence. This is the story of the Walsh family. This is going to be a really tough listen team, particularly because it happened so recently, just last year. As usual, there's links to information and support in the episode notes and some of the news articles in the sources list also have links to support as well. Now I have relied mostly on news articles for this episode as it happened so recently, and I wanted to give props to the Windsor Star for their really solid reporting on this case. You know me, it takes a lot for news articles on Familiar Side to impress me, but their reporting has been really good, naming what has happened and has been really sensitive to the family and to the victims as well. So more of this, please, right?
Speaker 1:Well, let's start by talking about Carly. She was born Carly Maureen Stannard on the 10th of April 1983 and was just 41 years old when she was killed. She was born in Windsor, ontario, in Canada. So Windsor is pretty much the most southeastern city in Canada. It's directly opposite Detroit in Michigan, which is in America, and interestingly, when I worked in Canadian Parliament, one of my friends actually worked for the MP for Windsor and it has such close links to Detroit, even though it's in a different country. Anyway, it's in Essex County, not to be confused with Essex in the UK, and has a population of nearly 230,000 people, so similar to Detroit. Windsor is Canada's automotive capital and hosts a lot of the country's car manufacturing and industry as well. So Carly was actually adopted by her parents, paul and Mary, in 1983. She followed her older brother, james, who was also adopted a few years earlier in 1979. Now I couldn't find out much about Carly's birth family, but it was clear that her parents and brother loved her so much from the moment she joined their family.
Speaker 1:According to an interview with Paul and Mary and Carly's stepmother in the local paper, the Windsor Star, quote Carly was known for her vibrant personality and determination, always setting goals and striving to achieve them. She was apparently a great bowler as well, and had 180 average in bowling, which I think is really good. She loved sports more generally too. Now, carly's big life ambitions were to have a family and children and provide the best childhood for them, maybe born out of her own birth and childhood being an adopted child, mary said her mum in the Windsor Star interview. Quote. She bawled her eyes out when those children were born. I was at her house, just the two of us and the kids. They were playing and Carly and I were enjoying a chocolate Manhattan and she suddenly said to me I can't believe I did that. I can't believe I made them mum. That moment is really special to me. Now.
Speaker 1:Carly graduated from Holy Names High School and St Clare College, which are both in Windsor, and when she was killed she was actually managing a winery. She also volunteered in the local community and with the school. Like so many mums we talk about on the podcast, her mother, mary, told the Windsor Star, quote they live their lives well, not just for themselves, but for others. We're going to miss them a hell of a lot. Stephen John Alan Walsh was born on the 25th of June 1981 in Windsor Ontario. On the 25th of June 1981 in Windsor Ontario. Now I couldn't find out loads about his childhood, but did find that he and Carly met on a blind date in 2006 and got married in 2009. They bought their rural property in Harrow, essex County, in 2009 as well. Now the property is surrounded by trees and is pretty hidden from the road that they lived on.
Speaker 1:Carly and Walsh went on to welcome Madison Rose Walsh into their family on the 22nd of May 2011. Madison was just 13 years old when she was killed. She was a grade 7 student at St Anthony Catholic Elementary School, and she was known for her kind nature and love of dancing. Apparently, she'd just got a job at a local nail salon too, and was said to be a hard worker like her mum. After Madison, carly and Walsh welcomed a son into their family when Hunter Paul Walsh was born on the 18th of November 2015. Hunter was just eight years old when he was killed. He also attended St Anthony's Catholic Elementary School, like his older sister. His family told the Windsor Star that he had a huge smile, quite the personality, and loved being outside with his dirt bike. As I said, the Walsh family lived in the town of Harrow in Essex County, near Windsor, in a semi-rural home and, by all accounts, were a very happy Canadian family.
Speaker 1:According to a CBC article, carly posted on her Facebook profile in March 2024 that Steve was away from home for at least a week. Quote we miss him, but he's kicking hardcore butt where he's at. He's going to do great things. New adventures are scary, but when you're as positive as this guy is, it makes this journey a lot less scary and more exciting. We're so proud of you and love you so much. So in March 2024, just a few months before Walsh killed his whole family. You know they seemed to be. They were putting out that image of a very happy, you know family, canadian family. Now I couldn't find out what Walsh did for a living, but it does seem that a few months later, so close to the time of the murders, he was experiencing some mental health issues. In the article where Carly's family talked about her, madison and Hunter, her mother Mary said, quote Steve had been in his bedroom for weeks, depressed, and Carly was taking the whole load the kids, the dog, the house and soccer while trying to get this man to come back into the real world. Apparently, walsh was in a very dark place. Music PLAYS.
Speaker 1:On Thursday 20th June 2024, ontario Provincial Police, or OPP, were dispatched to the rural home of the Walsh family in Harrow, near Windsor. They'd received a call requesting a wellness check on the family. They haven't released who the call came from, but I imagine if Carly didn't turn up to work or the kids didn't turn up to school, then alarm bells would have been ringing. But you know, that's just my speculation. When OPP officers entered the Walsh's home that day, they immediately found Walsh, who was dead by what appeared to be a suicide. They then found 41-year-old Carly, 13-year-old Madison and 11-year-old Hunter. They were also all dead, thought to have been killed by gunshot wounds and by a husband and father. Steve Walsh. The Windsor Star talks about a transcript of the call that was obtained by CBC and, according to the article, the officers' conversation when they attended the scene went like this Quote We've got what happens to be a male party, possible suicide with a shotgun, 45 for sure, 100%. The officer said in the recording, which was around 1.25 on that day. He goes on to say just need to clear this residence, look for the female party. And then six minutes later the officer said quote we've got four deceased parties.
Speaker 1:In July 2024, opp confirmed that Carly, madison and Hunter all died from gunshot wounds and that Walsh died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In a move I haven't actually seen before, they actually named the cause of death for the family was intimate partner violence. Cause of death for the family was intimate partner violence. They stated that intimate partner violence quote involves the use of physical, psychological or sexual force, actual or threatened, in an intimate relationship. However, these actions are not always physical and can involve emotional and psychological abuse, economic control or coercive control. It is heartening to see a police force correctly identifying intimate partner violence and homicide and naming it, rather than calling it an obscure tragedy or that someone saw red and got angry. They are actually accurately calling it what it is and clearly stating who the perpetrator is. Thank you, opp. And more of this from police and media in the future, please.
Speaker 1:Murders of Carly, madison and Hunter cause shock and trauma in their local community and we talk about this a lot on the podcast. Neighbours, families and friends pay tribute to them all. In the aftermath of the murders and we've already heard from Carly's parents and their tribute to her and their grandchildren the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board issued a statement about Madison and Hunter. They said, quote the St Anthony Catholic Elementary School community is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of two of its students and their parents due to tragic circumstances that occurred in Harrow on June the 20th.
Speaker 1:Madison Walsh was a grade seven student at St Anthony. She will be remembered by her teachers and her friends as a kind, caring girl who always had a smile on her face, was a good friend who included others and always tried to do the right thing. Hunter Walsh was a grade 3 student who will be remembered by his teachers and friends as a sweet kid who loved to play soccer and was always smiling and giving hugs to others. Charlie Walsh, mother of Madison and Hunter was vice chair of the school's Catholic School Advisory Council and will be remembered by the school community for always being present for school functions and council meetings. She cared deeply about St Anthony's and was an important member of the school community.
Speaker 1:The school community is struggling with the loss of the Welsh family, but staff, students and their families are relying on their faith in each other to get through this extremely difficult time. That's just a really good example of the impact that the ripple effect that we've talked about of familicide. Not only are, you know, women and children losing their lives, but it's the ripple effect on their family, friends, community schools, all of those people that go to school with Hunter and Madison will be grieving and will be affected by this as well. Now, later on in 2024, the school also created a couple of special memorials to the family. They included some benches that are in the memory of Madison, hunter and Carly. Cbc says, quote the benches are intended to offer a safe place for community members to sit or anyone looking for a quiet space or to enjoy nature in a peaceful environment. The school has also named two hallways after Madison and Hunter, and both their sports t-shirts are displayed in the school's trophy case as well, which I think are particularly lovely gestures of a memorial.
Speaker 1:While the community remembered and mourned, the police and investigators tried to make sense of what happened. As we've said, it's thought that Walsh was experiencing some mental health issues, but no further information has been released about that. What the police did do, as we've said, is that he states clearly that Carly Madison and Hunter lost their lives to intimate partner violence. Marley Madison and Hunter lost their lives to intimate partner violence.
Speaker 1:A CBC article after the murders spoke to some eminent academics in Canada about familicide and they stated that Walsh killing his whole family would not have occurred arbitrarily. According to Peter Jaffe, who's a founding member of the Chief Coroner of Ontario's Domestic Violence Death Review Committee, there would have been warning signs. While Jeff's research shows that familicide in Canada is relatively rare there have been 25 cases of familicide in Canada between 2010 and 2019, and it makes up less than 4% of all domestic homicides there are some clear risk factors there. 24 of these 25 cases were carried out by a man, and usually one between 24 and 54 years old. Jaff's research also found that around half of the familial sides occurred within rural settings, which would fit with what Walsh did. The CBC article also quotes Katrina Scott, who's the academic director of Western University's Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, who states that familial side is quote rooted in a sense of ownership and entitlement, a sense of possessiveness.
Speaker 1:That happens in terms of socialisation and, as I've said before, the police and media response to the Walsh killing his whole family has clearly recognised the role of intimate partner violence and where responsibility lay for the familiar side. This is not something we see very often and has to be applauded. Something else I was heartened by in response to the case is that the Essex Town Council took action and wrote to the Ontario government calling on it to declare femicide as an epidemic. Now a councillor there, kim Verbeek, brought forward the motion in August 2024 and it passed. And, according to CBC, kim said quote the truth is, you can't properly address what you don't acknowledge in name. Yes, kim. Again, it's so heartening to see this type of response, clearly stating the cause of the murders, remembering the victims and calling on government and councils to do more. Declaring a femicide as an epidemic will help focus the minds and efforts of government. It will help channel resources and funding into support and services that will reduce violence against women and girls. Since Carly Madison and Hunter were killed in 2024, canada has also passed legislation to make coercive control a criminal offence, and I hope to see more action from Canada in the next few years.
Speaker 1:This episode is dedicated to Carly Madison and Hunter, to their lives cut too short, to their love of sport and community and to everything they brought to their friends and family. We remember you. This has been killer in the family podcast written and produced by me, claire laxton. I'll be back next week with a new episode. Don't forget to send any comments or no-transcript.
