20-02-2025
Grandfather reflects on family lost in murder-suicide one year later
FERGUSON, Mo. – This past year has been an unimaginable journey of heartache and loss for Cordell Beache.
Holidays and birthdays passed without his beloved grandchildren Ellie, Ivy, Jackson and Millie. Ellie and Ivy were 9-year-old twins. Jackson was 6 years old. Millie was just shy of her third birthday.
'The last Christmas we had together, we were all standing around the dining room table, and we had a cake with candles on it. And the children were singing Happy Birthday to Jesus,' Beache recalled. 'They just filled this house with joy and laughter.'
On Feb. 19, 2024, fire tore through his daughter Bernadine Pruessner's home on Clay Avenue in Ferguson. First responders discovered a devastating scene.
St. Louis County Police later ruled that Pruessner killed her children and herself. She left a suicide note in her minivan.
Beache said his wife, Cynthia, sensed something was wrong in the hours leading up to the tragedy.
'That night she looked at me and said, 'There's something wrong with Birdie,'' he said. 'We live with that every day—thinking, what could we have done? What should we have seen? And what signs were there?'
Inside Beache's home, wrapped gifts for the children still sit in an upstairs bedroom, untouched. It's a painful reminder they'll never be opened.'Every time we go in there, that's what we're looking at,' he said. 'It's been very challenging.'
Despite his grief, Beache is determined to make sure their memory lives on.
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The lot where Bernadine's home once stood is being transformed into a memorial garden. The intention is to make it a space for healing not just for Beache and his family, but for anyone who's grieving a loss.
'It's an area people can just go and reflect,' he explained. 'If there's anyone having issues in their lives, it's just a peaceful area for them to go and enjoy a scenery that's tranquil and peaceful.'
Beache and his wife have also established the JEMI Peace Memorial Foundation, named after Jackson, Ellie, Millie, and Ivy.
'We've been trying to focus on giving back to the community and honoring their lives,' he said.
Outside their home in Lake St. Louis, a Little Free Library stands in tribute to Birdie and the children, who loved to read.
Beyond memorializing his daughter and grandchildren, Beache is advocating for systemic change to better support women in custody disputes.
'She didn't have the financial means to keep fighting,' Beache said. 'After her death, we found out she had spent half a salary in legal fees, and that should not be allowed.'
Despite her struggles, Beache remembers Birdie as a devoted mother, teacher, and a loyal friend.
'She was raised very independent, and that's how she was,' he explained. 'She did not ask for help. She would do as much as she could on her own.'
Through it all, Beache holds onto his faith and has been processing what happened through counseling.
'My daughter and the grandchildren were the light of our lives. They brought us so much joy,' he reflected. 'We know that one day we'll see them all again. But for now, we're just going to focus on their memory and making sure that they're remembered for who they were.'
A fundraiser has been set up to help bring the Beache family's vision of the JEMI Memorial Peace Garden to life. They can also be reached through email at jemimemorialpeacegarden4@
If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available. For support, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit
Additional resources for families in custody disputes can be found here.
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