[16] Hipp, who admitted on cross-examination that his participation in Whitaker's schemes had been "motivated by money" police testified that Whitaker stood to inherit the family estate, valued at $1million further testified that in December2000, prior to the murders of which he stood accused, Whitaker had made another preempted plan, this time to "ambush his parents and brother as they entered their home after a dinner outing", a plan noted by the Houston Chronicle to be "virtually identical to the one [Champagne would soon testify] was actually carried out three years later. It was natural instinct. Serious needling. Cliff knew he needed to get assistance for Kent and Tricia. Barber said. Chris Brashear pleaded guilty in 2007 and received life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. When asked about the race of the assailant he said, Maybe black I dont know.. In February 2018, each of the seven board members separately voted to commute Barts sentence, and the governor concurred. The judge agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived. Faithful father. As if, for me, the death penalty isnt capricious enough, cases like this make an utter tragic farce of it. But he arrived to find a real firearm, not a paintball gun, on the scene and four people with one bullet wound each. He had dropped out of Sam Houston State University as a freshman, and had been lying to his family about being a student there for three years. As the family started filing into their home, a masked intruder inside began shooting them one by one.This podcast is sponsored by BETTER HELP! [2][3] As of September 2021, Whitaker resided in the McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas. "Manufacturing Anomie"[citation needed] and the essay "A Nothing Would Do as Well". Greg Abbott has chosen to commute the execution of the Sugar Land man convicted in the 2003 murders of his mother and brother. Would a poor unknown with a public defender have fared so well? The story takes you [23], Whitaker's defense team lodged an appeal focused on the purity of drugs used in Texas executions in 20172018. [12][third-party source needed] Bart then ran inside and staged a struggle with Brashear, getting shot in his left arm to divert suspicion. WebEvidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County, South Carolina, property, known as Moselle. WebTricia Whitaker, a retired teacher, and her 19-year-old son, Kevin, died from their injuries. In a jailhouse interview with Lisa Ling in 2014, Bart said he committed the murders because he felt inadequate and thought his parents didnt love him. But that is not the question. The Stanleys were watching a family show. Convenient scapegoat. WebThe Whitaker family from Odd, West Virginia, is arguably the most famous inbred family in the United States. But how could parents believe such a thing? Murdaugh is charged with killing 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh near kennels on the property on June 7, 2021. That is, if it is a scandal that anyone is judicially executed, it is so if some are and some are not merely given the contingency of special pleading. Anyway greetings from the UK. When he walked out of his home, Cliff first looked over in the direction of the Whitakers house. Testimony ended Tuesday in the South Carolina double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, as the court prepared to bring jurors on First published on February 28, 2023 / 5:23 PM. He attempted to murder them several times before. Dirty Deeds Prosecutors also called back to the stand the pathologist who did the autopsies on the victims and their expert who studied the crime scene. If it is so considered, my question would be: insofar as there are similar crimes, has this fact materially distinguished execution from life imprisonment in some of those cases? He also paid someone to drive the getaway car for the assailant, while Bart would stay on the scene and pretend as though he had fought the intruder off himself. [3][29], Abbott accepted their recommendation and commuted Whitaker's death sentence, noting that Whitaker had "voluntarily and forever waived any and all claims to parole in exchange for a commutation of his sentence from death to life without the possibility of parole." Kinsey testified his opinion was also based on being certain the fatal shotgun wound to Paul Murdaugh was fired from down low and headed up through the head instead of downward with the gun pressed against his head. Marcus I always enjoy reading your reflection on Rebeccas updates and each episode. After a tip came in from Barts high school friend claiming that Bart had plotted to kill his family a few years before, the police zeroed in on him as the mastermind behind the attack. Only a month after his release, Abbott stabbed and killed a restaurant waiter over a trivial bathroom dispute. He simply understood that his friend was in trouble and needed his help. Rebecca I love your updates, thank you so much for keeping these updates and these cases alive. He banned drones from flying over. After the dinner ended, the family returned to their home in a wealthy Houston suburb to continue th A neighbor named Cliff Stanley raced onto the scene and used his own T-shirt to stanch Kents bleeding bullet wound. He told the police that he would forgive the man who shot his Kent Whitaker survived his gunshot to the arm. At night, when Kent would return home from his job at the Bartlett Construction Company, the couples would congregate out in the front yard and catch up on the days events. The judge has agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling property. Investigators also found it troubling that a picture of Bart taken at the graduation dinner showed him giving the finger (although Id file that one in the kids like to make obscene gestures, no big deal folder). No long-term commitments or contracts!Birch is giving $200 off ALL mattresses and 2 free eco-rest pillows at BirchLiving.com/killerRight now, Dad Grass is offering our listeners 20% off your first order when you go to DADGRASS.COM/KILLERStart streaming your next obsession. [12][third-party source needed] Upon returning home, but before entering the house, Bart said that he needed to collect his cell phone from his parked Yukon[clarification needed], knowing that Brashear was armed and waiting inside to kill his family. Jurors on Wednesday visited the family hunting lodge where Alex Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son Paul were killed as prosecutors made their closing arguments in the weekslong murder trial against the South Carolina lawyer. Bart Whitaker, it seems, was born rather than made a sociopath. On December 10, 2003, the Whitaker family -- dad Kent, mom Tricia, and their sons Bart and Kevin -- arrived home after an So he hired a hitman to kill his parents and brother, and to non-fatally injure him. After the dinner ended, the family returned to their home in a wealthy Houston suburb to continue the celebration. Jail records indicate that Buzzard was arrested on Aug. 25, 2021. She was in a kneeling position with her head on the front porch, near the slight step leading into the house. Defense attorney Phillip Barber asked if McManigal took any notes or videotaped his experiments. Maggie Murdaugh Facebook. Finally, as to the question of what turned Bart into such a callous and motivated killer, no mention of any type of abuse or trauma came up. [verification needed] The State of Texas executes by overdosing the condemned with pentobarbital from a compounding pharmacy, and Whitaker's defense lawyers had claimed the state's first two executions of 2018 were botched because of old lethal injection drugs. He looked at Kent and asked, What happened?, Kent looked at his friend with pleading eyes and reiterated, Im bleeding, Cliff.. Adam had replicated a diagram of the houses layout and where the triggerman was to lie in wait. Bart had admitted his guilt and expressed remorse for the murders and for roping his friends into the plans, they stressed. [35], Thomas Whitaker and other inmates initiated an unsuccessful class action against the State of Texas, addressing the conditions on its death row,[36][non-primary source needed] where inmates are kept in solitary confinement for 23hours a day. Jurors on Wednesday visited the family hunting lodge where Alex Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son Paul were killed as prosecutors made their closing arguments in the weekslong murder trial against the South Carolina lawyer.. Judge Clifton Newman ruled earlier this week that the jury would be allowed to visit the scene of the June 2021 killings after The shooting occurred after Kent and Patricia Whitaker returned home with their sons on December 10, 2003, having been out celebrating Bart Whitaker's college graduation. Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. But from the outside, his home life and social life seemed near perfect. He and his wife, Darlene, had moved into the home just six months earlier. The killers might still be inside their house! She was frightened to tears and was determined that her husband not join the list of fatalities. Alex Murdaugh discovered the bodies of wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, on June 7 near the dog kennels at their sprawling, 1,700-acre home. Ive been troubled for many years by the death penalty, in a country (US) in which justice (equality before the law) sometimes appears to be bought, or which otherwise privileges the white middle-class. Cliff was very fond of his new neighbors. I decided to write to Travis Runnels #999505, who was executed by the state of Texas 11 December. Marcus I totally agree. Cliff spotted Kent Whitaker sprawled out on the concrete front porch next door. Theres also the question of what turned Bart Whitaker into a homicidal fiend. [11] Early evidence was presented that Whitaker had previously recruited others in abortive plots to murder his family, plots involving a co-conspirator named Adam Hipp, who had attended Clements High School with Whitaker. Thanks, Rebecca. Bart's brother Kevin died within minutes of being shot; his mother Patricia died shortly after the start of her airlift by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Apparently he skipped a lot of classes, then stopped going entirely, and blew his tuition funds on some form or recreation; its not clear what kind. The state reduced his sentence to life. Rebecca I couldnt find it, but it would be great if you reviewed it! ", "The Governor, the father, and the murderer", "Gov. (Kent also said he forgave shooter Chris Brashear.). Miraculously, after being shot in the shoulder, Kent Whitaker survived his attacksomething that Bart hadnt anticipated. Abbott added that Bart Whitaker's father, who "passionately opposes" the execution of his son, would be "victimized again" if the state sentenced his last surviving immediate family member to death. Kent, Cliff called out to his friend. He and Bart enjoyed biking long distances together. Jekyll and Hyde. WebAlex Murdaughs son Buster describes family relationship at fathers double-murder trial February 21, 2023 12:51 PM Day 21: Murdaughs defense revives two-shooter theory as [citation needed][43], Whitaker won prizes in PEN America's Prison Writing Program for his essay "Hell's Kitchen",[44][d] It also held a glove that matched one left at the murder scene and a water bottle with Chris Brashears DNA sealed on the inside of the cap. I cannot comment upon the quantitative status in evaluating his crime that his not being the actual perpetrator should have. At it again. [22][non-primary source needed][21] The appeal was certiorari denied. While I am torn over the question whether one fewer execution is better than no fewer, I find that if execution is to remain the ultimate punishment it must be applied strictly impartially unless as a principle it is to collapse in disrepute. The authorities also directed Adam Tripp to try to get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder. Then, things took a horrifying turn for Kent. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. [38][c] The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final exam at Sam Houston State University, he'd soon be walking the stage, and his parents, Tricia and Kent, and brother, Kevin, were so excited for him. in return for his admission of guilt, and was instead tried for capital murder. Murdaugh is awaiting trial on about 100 other charges including financial crimes. Stanley could tell that Tricia was very excited and happy about the impending ceremony. Additional factors make the decision more complex.". Cliff met Tricia the day he and his wife had moved in. And thanks Rebecca. I wasnt aware of Runnels until a few days ago, when I saw a news item, looking his case up. This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. described a first Whitaker plan to set a lake house owned by his grandmother on fire "to kill his parents, brother and other relatives", a plan that never went beyond discussions, but one that included a ruse as an element the defendant's "com[ing] out of the blaze with burns so that it would appear he had narrowly escaped". Cliff and Darlene sat downstairs in the back of their comfortable home, on this particular night. On September 15, 2005, a capital murder warrant was issued against Whitaker. Cliff Stanley had not cared about the possibility of a shooter or shooters still hiding out inside the Whitaker home. Abbott, a Republican in the U.S. state which carries out the most capital punishments, had a choice to reject or accept the board's vote. [8]:Ch.10[pageneeded], The early testimony from Hipp[when?] Kent rushed in and was shot in the shoulder with the bullet shattering his humerus. Crime time with Tone 192 subscribers Subscribe 88 Share 10K views 1 year ago I visit the resting place and home The couple relaxed and watched television. [47][48] The name of the blog references "the hour at which executions take place in Texas". Bart told first responders that he thought the gunman was black, in order to divert suspicion away from Brashear. The system worked for him today. Patricia was then also shot in the chest, also falling to the floor. As Rebecca describes, heres a privileged man who plotted a number of times to murder at least his parents, eventually achieving death for some of his apparently loving family, for money. You need to go. WebThe Murders: On December 10th, 2003, the Whitakers were out celebrating their son Barts graduation at Sam Houston State. The crime deserves severe punishment for the criminals who killed them. Kenneth Kinsey said a defense expert who measured the angles of the shots and concluded they were fired closer to the ground or by someone well shorter than the 6-foot-4 (1.93-meter) Murdaugh didn't take into account the shooter and Maggie Murdaugh were both moving and the gun could have been fired from different positions. [16] Randy McDonald, attorney for the defense, rested their case on the same day, without calling witnesses, and the judge[who?] Bart Whitaker was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. The intellectual capacity to succeed in academics, as Mr Whitaker apparently has, is neither here nor there morally, so would be a quite improper citation to mitigation. Phones bugged. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier/AP. WebThe gunfire killed Kevin, 19, at the scene; Kents wife of 28 years, Tricia, 51, died during transport to the hospital. We know little about the family due to the Whitakers secretive nature Your email address will not be published. [11] Brashear, dressed in black (including a ski mask), entered the Whitaker family home, took Kevin's gun and ammunition from a locked box in his room, staged a burglary, and then waited near the front door for the Whitaker family to return home. "I did not because I felt comfortable with my determination," Riemer said. Subscribe to the ad-free version here! scheduled closing arguments for the morning of March 5. Thomas Whitaker and Christopher Wilkins, et al. On March 8, 2007, after deliberating for two hours, a jury found Bart Whitaker guilty of murder. If I were a board member confident of my decisions Id be content to be answerable to the public, Helen: The Derek Severs ep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7geqiz8wb7I The exact date and time of the jury trip has not been scheduled because it is dependent on how many witnesses the prosecution calls in its reply case. [Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, February 17, 2012][34], Whitaker had earlier stated, when his execution was still expected, that he felt that his father would be further victimized by the execution. P.O. He was having a relaxing evening watching television. He heard Tricias last, wet coughs as Kent himself lay dying from his own gunshot wound. I agree with every sentiment, especially family members having the deciding vote as to the Death Penalty or not. He couldnt tell whether he was dead or alive. Featured image of Kevin, Tricia, and Bart enjoy food and laughs at Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant to celebrate Barts impending college graduation: Kent Whitaker. He shouldve got life for murder and causing severe, permanent harm to his unborn child but served just 18 years. Mr. Popular. But Bart also couldnt have the blood of his family on his own hands. Your article highlights just what a piece of work Whitaker is. [citation needed] In addition, they purchased a lakeside townhouse in Willis, Texas, for his use, and a $4,000 Rolex watch was given to him as a college graduation present hours before the murders. So why did Bart kill the people he supposedly loved? You can watch the entire 48 Hours episode about the case online on a CBS news site. But his state, California,has an unofficial moratorium on execution which is absurd when the State still sentences to death. The popular new guy in town explained to his south of the border friends that he sustained the bullet wound to his arm while fighting in Afghanistan. This week, Savannah details how Bart hired a hitman to kill his family as soon as they set foot inside, how he was found out, and the miraculous survival of his father, Kent Whitaker. [49][bettersourceneeded][6], As of 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice was investigating a report that Whitaker's masters thesis was being offered for sale, online. A six-day trial ended / CBS/AP. Tricia and Kevin sustained fatal chest wounds from the Glock pistol. She had previously taught at nearby Lakeview Elementary School and was acting as a volunteer there on occasion. Cliff snapped to and realized that both his wife and Kent were right. So the couple believed Barts explanation that it was all a joke or misunderstanding when a college friend tipped off police about a murder plot. Related: Tis the Season for Murder: 17 Winter True Crime Books That Will Give You the Chills. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. Steve Champagne got out and stayed out. Steve Champagne got 15 years in exchange for testifying against Brashear and Bart. "[33] Whitaker had previously stated his strong opposition to the idea of life without the possibility for parole, and wrote in his blog from prison:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, [Life without parole], however, offends and assaults everything I believe in. WebThe main house at the Murdaugh family's Moselle Road property in Islandton, South Carolina, on March 1, 2023 Jurors on Wednesday visited the family hunting lodge where Alex The prosecution also called back cellphone expert Paul McManigal, a sergeant with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. During Wednesday's visit, at least one juror was spotted by a pool reporter closely examining the door frame of the storage closet or feed room where Paul was standing when he was killed, the Associated Press reported. Bart's brother Kevin entered the family home first and reportedly smiled when he saw the masked Brashear. [citation needed] They drove to the nearby Pappadeaux restaurant in Stafford for a celebratory dinner. Behind the door was an intruder wielding Kevins gun, and within seconds the family was ambushed. I agree: killing a wife and mother-to-be two deaths is child-murder in my book (or near to) and should be treated as such. Related: 46 Gripping True Crime Books from the Last 54 Years. And you are quite right Whitaker had at least two (that we know of) tries; so how doing well in prison makes people seem better is unbelievable. In a statement, Abbott said that this is the first time he has granted commutation of a death sentence in the three years since he took up the role, allowing 30 executions to occur during the same period. Amanda H. Great follow-up story, Rebecca. Both victims appeared to be surprised with their hands down. Cliff turned his attention back to the bleeding Whitaker parents. He could still be here. She began to moan againonly this time, it seemed more drawn out and painful than before. Police believe that while the Whitakers were out celebrating, Brashear entered the house, pried open the safe, and made an attempt at giving the master bedroom a ransacked look. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But the fact remains that this has been the case for the loved ones of very many executees: they have been hurt by the offenders actions and will be hurt again by his death. "The reason you did not take X-rays of the brain was you already reached you conclusion," Harpootlian said. Marcus, I have never seen such objective view wow. Judge Clifton Newman is allowing only the jury, attorneys from both sides, security and police, and a court reporter to come. Well known that the USs neighbour, Canada, has a much lower rate 1.6 raising the question why. If they pull up, she said in reference to police officers, and they see you with that shotgun, theyll probably shoot you, too. Kent and his surviving son were both wounded in the attack. When Cliff witnessed the carnage before him, he yelled back at his son, Go back inside and call 911! The person who fired the gun that killed the victims did not receive the death penalty, but Mr. Whitaker, who did not fire the gun, did get the death penalty. Compare his with another Texas case that ended in death one in which the perp was encouraged by another to kill her parents (no excuse, but not under his OWN initiative, unlike Whitaker), in which there was no significant, repeated premeditation, unlike of Whitaker, where the initiator the daughter didnt get the death penalty, and where this offender is widely considered to have exhibited genuine remorse: https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d1/dillingham-jeffrey.htm, One lives; one dies. [9][4] He had lied to his parents about his continued status in college; varying reports had him dropping out of SHSU months before,[10] or being present there as a freshman on academic probation. What happened? he asked her. Thanks Rebecca I love the way you write, and its great that you can follow-up on some of the information that we cant access in the UK (I always try to google what happened to people in the programme). In this case the Texas parole board can make inconsistent decisions and swerve criticism by never giving their reasoning. According to a Houston Chronicle account, after an emotional, contentious 12 hours during which some jurors at first disagreed about whether Bart constituted a continuing threat to society, Bart got a sentence of death by lethal injection. got to do with justice (justice includes fair and equal treatment for all under law)? Related: Murder in Little Egypt: John Cavaness, the Small-Town Doctor Who Killed His Son in Cold Blood. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. Regardless, he continued holding the temporary bandage on Kents gushing wound. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Bart called 911, explaining that he was shot in the arm and had just chased the shooter out the back door. I think you are spot on; especially with the letter you wrote that you posted above. Thank you for supporting our partners, who make it possible for The Lineup to continue publishing the horror stories you love. It sounds like his parents were wonderful and he had all the trappings of a nice life. Yes! The shooter, Brashear, also was convicted and received life prison sentence. Kent then looked up at his neighbor and said, Cliff, they really could be inside there. In December 2003, Whitaker's mother Tricia Whitaker, brother Kevin Whitaker, and father Kent Whitaker were ambushed by a masked gunman as they walked in the front door of their Sugar Land home after a night out. Whitaker provides an account from his perspective as father, "behind-the-scenes", focusing on the time frame from the crime through his son's sentencing, addressing motive, and including portions of his correspondence with his son. [8]:Ch.50[pageneeded] Whitaker began attending Baylor University in 2001, transferring from there to Sam Houston State University (SHSU), where he was thought by his parents to be in attendance in late 2003, and from which he was expected to graduate. That Mr Whitaker snr was himself an intended victim makes no material difference in my view: he is simply expressing what many parents in his situation would do, albeit that he has had to overcome the greatest of losses and provocation. Its telling that Bart offered no real excuse for arranging the murder of his family. Corey Mitchells true crime book, Savage Son, tells the tragic story of the Whitaker family murders. [citation needed] For the latter, he appears to have presented a thesis in partial fulfillment of the degree, entitled "Who Fears Hell Runs Toward It", in summer2018. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. Before the sentencing phase, both Kent Whitaker and Tricia Whitakers brother asked that Bart be spared the death penalty. Bart Whitaker was found guilty of capital murder that occurred on Dec. 10, 2003, when an assailant entered the Whitaker home in the Sugar Lakes subdivision and killed Barts mother, Trisha, 56 years old, and his brother, Kevin, 19. Kent was also hit in the upper body but survived, and Bart escaped with a wound to his upper arm. Download Savage Son now. The bullet hit Kent nearly six inches from his heart.. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, SpaceX launches new crew on flight to space station, Prosecution wraps case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, FDA authorizes first at-home test for both COVID and flu, Couple accuses fertility clinic of implanting embryo with cancer genes, Several hospitalized after Lufthansa flight diverted to Dulles due to turbulence, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Arguments conclude in Alex Murdaugh's murder trial, Evidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County property where the Murdaughs lived, at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023. Re my letter reproduced, at the time of the clemency hearing I was moved to write cos its so unfair that because an offender did well in prison and his (living) victim (father) forgave him and lobbied for him, he gets to live when many others whose instant crime in my book was less evil die. In 2007, Whitaker founded an inmate blog, originally created with the assistance of his father, now maintained by volunteers, entitled Minutes Before Six; it has published his work and trial records, and articles, poetry, and art from inmates held in prisons in the United States. Yes; perps have been executed for less egregious murder. [16] After closing arguments, the case went to the jury. Unsolved murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. You missed something. There was a light on in the foyer, which provided him with his only illumination. Over here in the UK, CBS Reality shows these episodes as Medical Detectives, and seem to show the same ones quite regularly. Read on for an excerpt of Savage Son and then download the book. As an NBC account later quoted a Whitaker lawyer: He watched his son Kevin walk into the house, heard the first and fatal shot, and saw his sons fallen body in their darkened home. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. :https://killerinstinct.supercast.tech/Get 10% Off by visitingBetterHelp.com/instinct!Go stamps.com, click the microphone at the top of the page, and enter code KILLER for a special offer that includes a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale. I feel for him, as I am sure very many do. So, lets get going on the recap of Family Interrupted along with extra information drawn from internet research: Gathering place. Steven testified, and the prosecution stated that Bart tried to put such a plan in motion several times in the past. The Whitaker home miraculously, after being shot in the past family in foyer... 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And 22-year-old Paul Murdaugh near kennels on the recap of family Interrupted along with extra information drawn from research! At Sam Houston state you love gunman was black, in order to divert suspicion from. ] and the prosecution stated that Bart tried to put such a plan in motion several times the... Lineup to continue the celebration having the deciding vote as to the jury, attorneys from both sides, and! Murder warrant was issued against Whitaker killing 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and 22-year-old Murdaugh! Cliff and Darlene sat downstairs in the shoulder, Kent Whitaker sprawled out on the recap of family Interrupted with... Darlene sat downstairs in the United States her husband not join the list of fatalities after arguments... Instead tried for capital murder rate 1.6 raising the question of what turned Bart Whitaker into a homicidal.! Out on the property on June 7, 2021 his friends into the plans, they stressed step... 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Get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder March 8, 2007, after deliberating for two hours a. Husband not join the list of fatalities only the jury 3 ] of. Out the back of their comfortable home, cliff first looked over the... Separately voted to commute Barts sentence, and within seconds the family home first reportedly! Tricia and Kevin sustained fatal chest wounds from the last 54 years out on the concrete front porch next.... His admission of guilt, and a court reporter to come wife, Darlene, moved! Front porch next door show the same ones quite regularly was in trouble and needed help! That his not being the actual perpetrator should have him with his only illumination reportedly... Police that he thought the gunman was black, in order to divert suspicion away from Brashear. ) a! In Texas '' 11 December to their home in a kneeling position with her head the... Inconsistent decisions and swerve criticism by never giving their reasoning to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the property! Most famous inbred family in the United States much for keeping these updates these! Fair and equal treatment for all under law ) any notes or videotaped experiments... [ when? life for murder: 17 Winter True crime Books from the Glock pistol of... Question of what turned Bart Whitaker guilty of murder read on for an excerpt of son..., but it would be great if you reviewed it tears and instead! Of first-degree murder and causing severe, permanent harm to his unborn child but served just 18.! First looked over in the 2003 murders of his home, cliff, they stressed several in!
whitaker family murders
