Idaho Man Kills Nurse Practitioner Wife, Then Himself, Leaving Six-Year-Old Son Orphaned

A six-year-old boy named Ty now has no parents. His father, Richard Yeager, 39, is believed to have shot his wife, Violeta Yeager, 37, inside their Meridian home before turning the weapon on himself. The Meridian Police Department confirmed the timeline: around 6 p.m. on October 20, officers arrived at the residence following a welfare check triggered by a report of a possible domestic violence incident.

The scene was grim. Both bodies were located within the home. Violeta, who worked as a nurse practitioner, sustained gunshot wounds to her chest and abdomen. Richard was found with a gunshot wound that authorities ruled a suicide. The Ada County Coroner’s Office provided these details to the Idaho Statesman, which broke the news.

Kristin Jenson, Violeta’s sister, captured the family’s shock in a GoFundMe campaign set up to support Ty and cover funeral costs. "There are simply no words to describe the pain of losing Violet this way," she wrote. The loss was total. Ty is now orphaned, forced to face a future without either parent. Jenson noted that while money cannot replace the parents Ty lost, community support could help shoulder the immediate financial weight. "We hope to ease some of the financial burdens during this incredibly difficult time and ensure that Ty has every resource possible to move forward," she said.

The legal and social aftermath is already underway. According to Jenson’s Facebook posts, Ty was still in foster care as of Saturday. The family is working to get him out of the system, a process that will be followed by what Jenson calls "the real work." That work involves therapy, consistent love, and stability. She thanked strangers and family members alike for their donations and shares, noting that kind-hearted people still exist in the world.

It is a bitter irony given Violeta’s recent social media updates. On her own Facebook page, she had described the family as "thriving" in their new home. They had moved to the area just over six months prior. "We somehow picked the absolute best neighborhood," she wrote, praising the neighbors who quickly became friends and the community they found. She recalled watching their little life fall into place, mentioning that they were thriving in ways they hadn't expected. The little things, she said, made all the difference.

Now, those little things are gone. Ty is left to navigate a world where his mother was killed in an act of domestic violence and his father died by suicide. The community is rallying, trying to piece together a safety net for a child who lost everything in a single hour.

The loss shattered a young family that had only recently found its footing in a new town. Ty is left without both parents, a devastating blow that no financial compensation can mitigate. Jenson made it clear: 'No amount of money can undo this tragedy or replace the parents Ty has lost.'

Just six months prior, Violeta and her family had relocated to the area. They seemed to be hitting their stride immediately. On Facebook, she described them as 'thriving' in their new home. The transition had been smooth enough that they felt genuinely settled.

'Six months in, and we couldn’t be happier with the life we’re building here. So grateful we took the leap,' she wrote.

The community around them was taking shape. New routines formed. Spontaneous nights out with neighbors became a thing. Kids played together, familiar faces appeared at local spots, and the area started to feel like home.

Violeta clearly adored her husband. On Father's Day in 2025, she gushed about him online. She called him 'the best dad of all.'

'[He] loves to teach Ty about all things outdoorsy and space related, makes and fixes anything I request, is hilarious and of course the director of fun! He’s my best friend and I’m so grateful he’s ours,' she shared at the time.

They had spent that holiday in one of their favorite spots. 'We spent Father’s day in one of our favorite places and got to be on the water and soak up the sun in Coronado! We love you so much!!!'

The details of what led to this killing remain murky. No clear motive has emerged yet.

The Daily Mail reached out to the Meridian Police Department for comment.

If you are struggling with a violent relationship, help is available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org. For thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.