Suicide Or Shotgun Murder: The Case Of John Rafter Jr.
In 2016, John Rafter Jr. filed for divorce from his wife, Karina, for the second time. The separation split their family apart, and John lived with his 13-year-old son. One morning, John's son woke up late for school to discover his father's lifeless body in bed with a shotgun. Though John had struggled with mental health and suicidal ideation in the past, this was not a case of suicide – it was homicide.
Henrico Deputy Commonwealth Attorney Matthew Ackley and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Susan Parrish discuss their prosecutorial work on the case and share how they were able to bring justice for John.
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