INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Long Island Man Allegedly Bludgeons Own Mother, Sister, And Her Friend To Death Using Hammer

By Rahul Srinivas
Published on: 16:23 PST, Aug 12, 2017

A homeless man from Hempstead, Nassau County, has been arrested after allegedly bludgeoning three people to death using a hammer. Among the dead included the man’s own mother and sister. The third woman who was killed was a friend of one of the victims.

According to New York Daily News, the man identified as 34-year-old Bobby Vanderhall walked into his mother’s home and killed whoever was present there at the time in a fit of rage. He was reportedly upset over the fact that he was recently kicked out of the same house. This was confirmed by Stephen Fitzpatrick, head of the Nassau County Police Homicide Bureau, who was quoted saying, “He came to kill mom and the sister because his mother had kicked him out of the house.”

The victims of this carnage were later identified as Lynn Vanderhall (mother), Melissa Vanderhall, and Melissa’s friend Janel Simpson. A fourth woman who was present at the home when the incident happened managed to escape and call the police who reached the home a few minutes later.

According to the woman, Bobby was very angry when he knocked at the door and no one opened it. In a fit of rage, he reportedly went into the garage and found a large hammer, which he used to break into the house through the basement door. Once inside, he went upstairs where he found his mother, whom he allegedly hit on the head using the hammer and bludgeoned to death. He then rushed to the second floor and saw his own sister Melissa who was rushing in to aid her mother. She, too, was bludgeoned to death using the hammer, according to reports. Janel Simpson also met the same fate when she attempted to stop Vanderhall.

After the incident, Vanderhall walked out of the home, went back to his car, and fell asleep. He was arrested by the Nassau County Police a few hours later. The fourth woman who was also present at the home was also injured and suffered a fractured wrist and contusions. She was listed to be in a stable condition at a Long Island Hospital. According to investigating officers, Vanderhall’s mother had secured an order of protection against him just weeks after he was kicked out of the home in March. Vanderhall had a history of abusing his mother and sister and had slapped and physically abused Lynn in March.

Local residents and close relatives were shocked at the tragic turn of events and many were seen weeping outside the Vanderhall home hours after the incident. Janel Simpson’s mother was also seen outside the home. Vanderhall will be presented in court soon. At the time of publishing this article, it was not known whether he had an attorney.

[Featured Image by Max Sky/Shutterstock]

Share this article: Long Island Man Allegedly Bludgeons Own Mother, Sister, And Her Friend To Death Using Hammer
Crime murder
More from Inquisitr