On October 19, 2022, 11-year-old William Darling III was fatally shot in a murder-suicide at his family's duplex on the 4600 block of Murphy Avenue in Billings, Montana. His mother, 38-year-old Melissa Darling, was also killed by multiple gunshot wounds. His father, 39-year-old William Darling Jr., was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. A neighbor described a troubled household where fighting was common, noting that the mother and son would frequently leave the home to escape the conflict, with the boy keeping busy mowing neighbors' lawns. The neighbor also described the father as isolated and increasingly angry, refusing work opportunities and sitting in the house "going stir crazy."
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Both documents explicitly describe a firearm incident. Document 1 states the victims "died from multiple gunshot wounds" and the perpetrator "died from a gunshot wound to the head." Document 2 describes officers responding to "a weapons complaint" and finding three people shot and killed.
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Document 1 (KULR8) states the child, 11-year-old William Darling III, "died from multiple gunshot wounds." Document 2 (Billings Gazette) reports officers found the 11-year-old inside the house and he "had been shot." The gunshot wounds were inflicted by the 39-year-old man (the perpetrator in the murder-suicide).
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Both documents explicitly describe this as a murder-suicide. Document 1 states the coroner "released the names of those involved in a murder/suicide in Billings." Document 2 states: "The initial investigation indicates this is a homicide/suicide case." The 39-year-old man (William Darling Jr.) killed the 38-year-old woman and 11-year-old boy before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
The naming convention strongly implies a biological father-son relationship: the perpetrator is identified as William Darling Jr. (39) and the child victim as William Darling III (11). Document 2 (Billings Gazette) describes the neighbor Pat Wright as knowing the family well — he "went to high school with both the husband and the wife, and said the 11-year-old and his daughter were friends." The neighbor refers to the perpetrator as "the husband" and describes a family unit living together. The naming convention (Jr. to III) is the standard naming practice indicating a father passing his name to his son.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 2 (Billings Gazette) includes a neighbor's account that clearly references domestic conflict between the husband and wife. The neighbor Pat Wright states: "There was trouble over there" and "She'd come over when they'd get to fighting, just to be away from it." He also describes the mother working a lot "just to stay away" and the 11-year-old mowing lawns "just to keep out of the house." While the word "domestic violence" is not used explicitly, the description of recurring fighting and the family members' efforts to escape the home strongly imply domestic violence by the husband/father.
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 2 (Billings Gazette) includes the neighbor's description of the perpetrator's psychological state: "he'd just sit in that house going stir crazy, I guess, getting madder." The neighbor also describes trying to get the husband to work "just to get him out and busy, get his mind off getting mad." While no formal mental health diagnosis or treatment is referenced, the neighbor's account describes a pattern of isolation, escalating anger, and an inability to cope — behavioral indicators that reference the perpetrator's deteriorating mental/emotional state, culminating in a murder-suicide.
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Document 2 (Billings Gazette) provides significant systemic context: "Bullets fired in the Billings area have now killed at least 13 people so far this year. In the past week, gunfire has killed four people and injured two others. BPD has launched nine homicide investigations in 2022... the same number of homicides investigated by the department for all of 2021." It also notes that with this child's death, "three minors have been shot and killed in Billings so far this year" and that this was "the second homicide suicide in Montana in 24 hours." Additionally, the article references a national trend: "In 2020, according to analysis from the non-profit KFF, firearms became the leading cause of death for people ages 19 and younger." These details place this child's death within a documented pattern of escalating gun violence in Billings and the broader context of firearms as the leading cause of death for children nationally.
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