In the quiet village of Caledonia, Wisconsin, a chilling event unfolded that left the community in shock. On March 4, 2025, 15-year-old Reed Gelinskey allegedly murdered his mother, Suzanne Gelinskey, in their family home, drawing eerie inspiration from a Netflix documentary about the Menendez brothers.

That evening, after returning from school, Reed reportedly felt a profound sense of depression and an unsettling urge to harm his parents. He had been consuming his brother's anxiety medication for about a month, and on that night, he ingested approximately nine pills. Seeking distraction, he and his mother watched "The Menendez Brothers" documentary on Netflix, which delves into the infamous case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. During the "shotgun scene" of the documentary, Reed allegedly conceived a plan to kill his parents.

After the documentary ended, Suzanne went upstairs. Seizing the moment, Reed hid a steak knife in his pocket and concealed a dumbbell bar within his sweatshirt sleeve. He then called his mother downstairs under the pretense of needing help finding his medication. As she searched, Reed allegedly struck her twice in the head with the dumbbell. When she didn't fall, he threw her to the ground and stabbed her multiple times. In her final moments, Suzanne asked her son, "Why?" to which he chillingly replied, "Pain."

In a state of distress, Reed contacted a friend via Snapchat, sending images of the crime scene and confessing to the act. The friend immediately alerted the authorities. When officers arrived at the Gelinskey residence around 10:30 p.m., they found Reed exiting the house, covered in blood. He surrendered without resistance, repeatedly stating, "She is dead from what I did," and implored the officers to kill him.

Inside, officers discovered Suzanne lying unresponsive with multiple stab wounds and blood-soaked clothing. Despite their efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered the bloodied kitchen knife Reed had dropped, another knife near the kitchen sink, and a silver adjustable dumbbell bar near the refrigerator.

Further investigation revealed that Reed had also contemplated killing his father upon his return from work but couldn't find a suitable weapon. He admitted to feeling an overwhelming urge to kill both his parents that day.

Reed Gelinskey has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and is being tried as an adult. His bond was set at $1 million, and he is currently held in a juvenile detention center. He is permitted supervised contact with his father and is scheduled to appear in court on March 12 for a preliminary hearing.

The community mourns the loss of Suzanne Gelinskey, a dedicated 4K Educational Assistant at Knapp Elementary School. Parents and colleagues remember her as a kind-hearted individual who always had a smile on her face and could brighten any child's day.

This tragic incident underscores the profound impact media can have on impressionable minds and raises critical questions about mental health, the influence of media, and the importance of vigilance in recognizing and addressing signs of distress in our loved ones.

#InspiredByDarkness #CaledoniaTragedy #MenendezBrothers #MentalHealthAwareness

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