‘Hidden homicides’: Families push states for more scrutiny of domestic violence deaths

Families who suspect their relatives' deaths were domestic-violence homicides misclassified as suicides or accidents are pushing state lawmakers for mandatory additional scrutiny, in cases advocates term 'hidden homicides.' Bills addressing this stalled in 2025 in Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Oregon over cost and training concerns, while California's Joanna's Law, enacted in 2024, now requires police to interview family members before ruling on cause of death in certain cases.

The law was prompted by the case of Joanna Lewis, whose family disputed a suicide ruling after she had sought restraining orders against her husband. Advocates from Alliance for HOPE International say investigators sometimes reach conclusions within 30 minutes of arriving at a scene, without knowing the family's history, and want similar legislation introduced in Alaska, Arizona and Nevada.

In Oregon, Kellee Harris is pushing lawmakers to revive a stalled bill after her daughter Kelsey's 2021 death, a week after reporting she'd been strangled by her boyfriend, was ruled a suicide by the Linn County Sheriff's Office, which stands by that finding. State Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin plans to reintroduce a narrower version next year requiring added documentation, toxicology, or interviews rather than automatic autopsies.

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