Mother of Amherst Boy Killed by Father to Testify on Domestic Violence Bill

Becky Ranes, the mother of 9-year-old Joshua Savyon of Amherst, the boy who was shot and killed by his father during a supervised visit at the YWCA in Manchester last August, will testify in favor of a bill that would make domestic violence a crime.

According to court documents, Muni Savyon had threatened his son and his mother several times before he shot and killed his son Joshua and then himself inside the YWCA in Manchester during a supervised visit on Aug. 11. According to the State House calendar, a public hearing on Senate Bill 318 will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in Room 100 of the State House before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Joshua Savyon's death saddened and shocked the community and the Amherst schools. Joshua attended the Clark-Wilkins Elementary School, and Amherst School Superintendent Peter Warburton issued a formal statement that reflected the school district's sense of collective loss.

According to the New Hampshire General Court's web site, Senate Bill 318, if passed, would establish domestic violence as a crime. The bill is sponsored by several State Senators and House members.