Massachusetts man commits murder suicide after divorce: child support, relocaton issues cited

Domestic violence is a recurring theme in many divorces across the country and world. Today a story was reported out of Massachusetts about Richard and Rebecca Bibart. Just this week, Rebecca won a judgment of divorce where Richard was ordered to pay child support, utilities, mortgage and other expenses. According to Metro West Daily News:

Rebecca Bibart filed for divorce in September, according to records in Worcester Probate and Family Court. She said the marriage “suffered an irretrievable breakdown.”

On Tuesday, the court decided that Richard Bibart would pay for the mortgage, heat, electric bills, personal credit card expenses, several expenses related to the children and Verizon bills, court records said. Rebecca Bibart would make car payments and pay for ice skating and personal care.

It appears that Rebecca also wanted full custody of the children and she wanted to relocate outside of Massachusetts. That is when Richard took matters into his own hands and murdered her and then himself. What a tragic circumstance. How did this man think that by killing his wife and himself, that it would be good for his children. On the one hand, it is tempting to try to understand that he did it because he didnt’ want to live without his children. But if that were so, he would not rob the children of both parents in this manner. He would think of them and love them too much to do that. So this was not about love of his children. It was about control and possession over his wife. He probably wanted to control his wife more than he loved his own children. He probably never even realized this to be so. Which is ironic. In his head, he probably reasoned that by killing her, she would not be able to take his kids. But then, he also killed himself and left his 6 and 8 year old without any parents at all.