Marybeth Roe Tinning (born September 11, 1942 in Duanesburg) is a convicted murderer who is currently serving 20 years to life in prison for the 1985 murder of her daughter Tami Lynne. She murdered her children to get sympathy from others.
Early life
Marybeth Roe was born in a small town called Duanesburg in New York. She had a younger brother and attended the local high school. Her father, Alton Roe, worked for General Electric as a press operator. Marybeth tried to kill herself several times as a child. Marybeth worked in low wage jobs over next few years until she became a nurse’s aide at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady. She met Joe Tinning on a blind date in 1963. Shortly after that, they married in spring 1965.
The Children’s deaths
Timothy (December 10, 1973)
Marybeth Tinning gave birth to a son, Timothy, on Thanksgiving in 1973. Not even three weeks later, she brought him to St. Clare’s Hospital and told doctors he was found lifeless in his crib. Doctors who examined the infant’s body didn’t either find anything wrong with Marybeth’s baby boy that would have attributed to Timothy’s death. The baby was ruled dead as result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Nathan (September 2, 1975)
On Easter Sunday of March 30th, 1975 Marybeth Tinning had given birth to her fourth child. When she came into St. Clare’s Hospital in September of that same year, this time with the Nathan already dead in her arms, Marybeth Tinning told doctors that she was driving in the car with her son in the front seat when suddenly he stopped breathing. Doctors found no reason for his death and listed it as SIDS.
Mary Frances (February 20, 1979)
In October 1978, Mary Tinning gave birth to her sixth child, Mary Frances. A few months later in January 1979, Tinning brought a near-lifeless baby girl into the emergency room across the street from her apartment. She said the girl had seizure and the medical staff were able to revive her successfully. Tinning returned to the hospital on February 20th complaining that Mary Frances had only been unconscious for a short time and she did not know what was going on with her. After performing an autopsy, doctors said they found nothing wrong with Mary Frances’ brain. Her death was listed as SIDS.
Jonathan (March 24, 1980)
On November 1979, Marybeth Tinning gave birth to Jonathan, who was her seventh child. In March 1980, she brought her son Jonathan back to St. Clare’s hospital unconscious and barely breathing. He was then revived but sent to Boston Hospital where he underwent thorough medical examinations and was found to not have any specific medical conditions that could be preventing him from breathing normally. Tinning returned with Jonathan brain-dead to the hospital a few days later and he went on to die soon after on March 24th, 1980.
Michael (March 2, 1981)
One fateful morning on March 2, 1981, Marybeth Tinning showed up at her pediatrician’s office her adopted son Michael and told his doctor that he was unresponsive. He was wrapped in blankets and the doctor examined him and found out that he had already passed away. Since he was adopted, suspicions about previous deaths in the family having a genetic origin were discarded.
Tami Lynne (December 19, 1985)
On August 22, 1985, Marybeth Tinning gave birth to Tami Lynne, her eighth child. Just a month later on December 19th, Cynthia Walter – a trained nurse who also happened to be neighbors with the Tinning family – went shopping with Marybeth and later visited her home. Marybeth frantically phoned up Cynthia at night and when she arrived and found the baby lying on the changing table, Cynthia knew something was terribly wrong. She could not feel the baby’s pulse or breathing. At the emergency room, things turned out to be much worse when they were saddened to find out that Lynne had passed away.
Arrest, Confession and Conviction
Marybeth, who had been home alone with her own children during the murders, was taken in for questioning by the Schenectady Police Department. During the police interrogation Marybeth voluntarily signed a confession indicating that she had murdered Tami Lynne, Nathan and Timothy. Her murder trial began on June 22, 1987 and she was given 20 years to life behind bars for Tamil Lynne’s murder.
Parole attempts
Marybeth Tinning had a difficult time seeking parole. In 2007, her first attempt was denied. Tinning went for a second chance to show that she had earned the legal right to forgiveness from society but was once more denied parole in 2009. Tinning was eligible for parole again in 2011. Again, Tinning failed to secure a pass from the Board of Parole Hearing as the board felt she showed no understanding nor remorse for the killings. She was finally was released on parole on August 21, 2018 having served more than 31 years of her 20-years-to-life sentence. She was 76 at the time.
