Sugar Land had a practically nonexistent murder rate and Kent would later recall that, when he saw the armed intruder, he figured it was one of his kids friends playing a prank with a paintball gun. Of course, someone rich enough to post $3m bail can afford good representation, buying relative lenience. [1] He spent years on death row at the Polunsky Unit near Livingston, Texas, before the commutation of his sentence. He described her as just a very, very sweet person.. handling of the prosecution's use of a phone recording between Hipp and Whitaker would become an element of the defense's later appeal of the verdict. The field trip came as prosecutors made their closing arguments in the weekslong trial where Alex Murdaugh stands accused of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. But Kent didnt die. Perhaps it should, and has. WebGetty. So he hired a hitman to kill his parents and brother, and to non-fatally injure him. He had also just finished his last exam, or so he said. When asked about the race of the assailant he said, Maybe black I dont know.. Bart didnt specifically refer to any plot, but a phone call recording caught him trying to bribe Adam to keep quiet in return for $20,000. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fugitive in $18 million COVID fraud scheme extradited to U.S. Prosecutors were against the visit, saying the scene looks different than it did in June 2021 as trees and vegetation has grown and no one has lived on the property since the killings. "[16] The trial judge's[who?] [4] He lived there under the false name for over a year. Tricia Whitaker continued to moan in agony. Required fields are marked *. I am writing as a member of the public with no connection to the above, his relatives, or his crime. Thus, he enjoyed the little time he was able to spend with Kent and Tricia Whitaker. Once the jury leaves, one reporter, photographer and videographer will be able to see the property. Why? 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. I respectfully submit that in terms of what is public knowledge, at least, Mr Whitakers crime should merit execution to respect fairness that those who plead for clemency have nothing substantive to claim. WebIn this book, Kent Whitaker describes the true story of the murder of his wife and younger son, a trail of events which had been arranged by his older son. I think you are spot on; especially with the letter you wrote that you posted above. Patricia was then also shot in the chest, also falling to the floor. While out having a celebratory dinner, no one in his family could've imagined the horror that waited for them when they got back home. McManigal said he tested a similar iPhone in his office last week and determined the backlight comes on with a gentle movement, but not as often with a violet movement. Divers recovered it. Tricia and Kevin sustained fatal chest wounds from the Glock pistol. Brd. Prosecutors have argued that Alex killed his wife and son to deflect attention and engender sympathy as a series of legal and financial troubles were about to explode. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP Randolph Murdaugh III, 81, died just three days after the family tragedy, the law firm said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Murdaugh is awaiting trial on about 100 other charges including financial crimes. Cliff was unsure how that person was doing; that is, until he heard a pitiful sound emanating from the victim. This seems to me the only potential mitigation against execution. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. Cliff Stanley knew the Whitakers were in for a big weekend. Money tangled. Behind the door was an intruder wielding Kevins gun, and within seconds the family was ambushed. He decided it was best to put down his own weapon; however, he knew he had to do something. Friend starts singing. He went inside, determined to find his weapon, which he did. (I live nr-ish Rutland ). I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. P.O. And finally, I checked into where Barts young accomplices are today. [3], Alongside the legal submission from the Whitaker legal team an 18-page document from Whitaker lawyers Keith S. Hampton and James Rytting (the latter at Hilder & Associates),[25][non-primary source needed] Whitaker's father, Kent, also appealed, cooperating with the legal team's submission and writing a letter in the public forum of the Houston Chronicle on January 18, 2018, asking that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles "spare my son". Cliff darted up from his wounded neighbor and bolted back toward his home. [citation needed] At trial, it was noted that Whitaker had access to an $80,000trust fund from his grandparents, although he testified that he did not know he could access it. Miraculously, after being shot in the shoulder, Kent Whitaker survived his attacksomething that Bart hadnt anticipated. Whitaker was Mr Whitaker premeditatedly arranged the murder of three family members, including his own injury to throw suspicion from him. She was in a kneeling position with her head on the front porch, near the slight step leading into the house. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McGreavy. Tricia and Kevin died from their gunshot wounds, but Kent survived. This WAS the case with the Parole Board here in UK until recently, but due to controversial decisions broad reasons are now to be given. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker pleased guilty to plotting the 2003 murders of his family, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. After the dinner ended, the family returned to their home in a wealthy Houston suburb to continue th Cliff knew he needed to get assistance for Kent and Tricia. Barber said. A series of school robberies got him kicked out of high school, and after that a psychiatrist diagnosed him with delusional paranoid disorder. He always thought a lot of the youngest son who had returned from his first semester in college at Texas A&M University. Defense attorney Phillip Barber asked if McManigal took any notes or videotaped his experiments. WebThe Murders: On December 10th, 2003, the Whitakers were out celebrating their son Barts graduation at Sam Houston State. [citation needed] Whitaker had enlisted an individual named Chris Brashear to carry out the shootings, and a Steven Champagne to be the getaway driver for Brashear. WebBart Whitaker, arranged the murder of his family. Especially when it has been said that capital punishment is punishment for them that dont have the capital. He should have gotten the death penalty and let it fold out as planned. He has pleaded not guilty. v. Oliver J. Related: The Case of Michael Petersona Perfect Husband, or the Staircase Murderer? Their mental highlight reel was probably playing footage of an 8-year-old Bart teaching his little brother how to ride a bike. [12][third-party source needed] Bart then ran inside and staged a struggle with Brashear, getting shot in his left arm to divert suspicion. "But you can't walk around with anger.". "I don't always take X-rays of every organ.". [citation needed] They drove to the nearby Pappadeaux restaurant in Stafford for a celebratory dinner. [38][c] [citation needed], Brashear then exited through the Whitakers' back door and jumped over the fence into the rear neighbor's yard. But what the Whitakers didnt know was that Bart wasnt going to graduate at all. A neighbor named Cliff Stanley raced onto the scene and used his own T-shirt to stanch Kents bleeding bullet wound. The main house at the Murdaugh family's Moselle Road property in Islandton, South Carolina, on March 1, 2023. rested the case for the prosecution in the capital murder trial for Thomas Bartlett Whitaker's role in the deaths of his brother and mother. "I think his intentions were well, but his methods were flawed," Kinsey said. Featured image of Kevin, Tricia, and Bart enjoy food and laughs at Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant to celebrate Barts impending college graduation: Kent Whitaker. The authorities also directed Adam Tripp to try to get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder. On December 10, 2003 the entire Whitaker family Kent, his wife Tricia, and sons Bart and Kevin were gunned down inside their home in Sugarland, Texas, by a masked man who had been waiting for them inside. Download Savage Son now. On December 10, 2003, the Whitaker family was celebrating the college graduation of their eldest son, Thomas Bartlettknown as Bart, with dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, he was afraid to move her body in case her blood had already started to clot up; he didnt want to break up the clots and cause her to bleed even more. Quite the opposite, his parents were kind and generous by all accounts. He had transferred from Baylor University in Waco where an informant tipped off police about Barts aborted plan to kill his family in 2001 to Sam Houston State University. Red herring. https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/severs-roger.htm (dont know the FF title). / CBS/AP. In September2005, Whitaker was handed over to U.S. authorities at the border town of Laredo, Texas, where he was arrested for capital murder. Also wounded, Bart made a Sugar Land Her legs and lower body were pointed outward toward the street. I just fixed it thx for the heads-up! What a waste. Related: Guilt or Innocence: The Shocking Twists of the Sam Sheppard Case. Cliff turned his attention back to the bleeding Whitaker parents. WebThomas Bartlett Whitaker (born December 31, 1979) is an American man convicted under the Texas Law of Parties of murdering two family members as a 24-year-old. You missed something. His mother Tricia and brother Kevin died in the shootings on 10 (Murderers like to tell war stories, whether they happened or not Michael Peterson and John Boyle.). Yes; perps have been executed for less egregious murder. Partners in crime. The judge has agreed with a defense request to let jurors ride 40 minutes to see the sprawling property. Then, Brashear entered a getaway car driven by Champagne, and they dumped the bag with the murder items in the water. Texas Gov. Hes probably hoping this is his ticket to salvation, a la Jack Henry Abbott, another eloquent killer. Bart would later tell ABCs 20/20 that he never felt as though he fit in. RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube. [14], Whitaker was refused a plea bargain by the District Attorney[who?] The lack of consistency in sentencing is puzzling. WebEvidence shown in Alex Murdaugh's trial for murder shows the Colleton County, South Carolina, property, known as Moselle. I wasnt aware of Runnels until a few days ago, when I saw a news item, looking his case up. WebThe Whitaker family from Odd, West Virginia, is arguably the most famous inbred family in the United States. Related: When Murder Runs in the Family: Frances Schreuder and the Killing of Franklin Bradshaw, Cliffs job as a vice president of a regional insurance marketing company was quite demanding and kept him very busy. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. Kent and his surviving son were both wounded in the attack. They handed him a death sentence. Good for you for writing to a condemned prisoner. He and his wife, Darlene, had moved into the home just six months earlier. Thanks, Rebecca. Champagne led police to the spot where he and Brashear threw a bag with the murder evidence into Lake Conroe. Tanya also accompanied Kent for court proceedings related to Barts fate. This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 01:00. Over here in the UK, CBS Reality shows these episodes as Medical Detectives, and seem to show the same ones quite regularly. [42] He also contributed[clarification needed] to Hell Is a Very Small Place: Voices from Solitary Confinement. And thanks Rebecca. Related: Murder in Little Egypt: John Cavaness, the Small-Town Doctor Who Killed His Son in Cold Blood. What the hell has his being a model prisoner/remorseful/forgiven by the surviving victim (would those who didnt?) But Rudy Rios couldnt resist a $10,000 reward offered for information on Barts whereabouts. 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 She was very hopeful, very upbeat and optimistic for [Barts] future.. Cliff made his way toward Kent. [16][18] At the trial, Hipp stated that he had contacted the SugarLand Police Department with information about previous plots after he heard about the Whitaker family murders 2003; he was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for testifying for the prosecution against Whitaker. At least citizens should expect and demand consistency within the same state (cf Jeffrey Dillingham in my below post). In the meantime, a newspaper reporter discovered that Bart never finished college. Until. The Whitakers had the cool house to be at and Kent and Tricia were the second parents to so many people, according to Kevins friend Brittany Barnhill, who appeared on the 48 Hours episode The Sugar Land Conspiracy.. I cannot comment upon the quantitative status in evaluating his crime that his not being the actual perpetrator should have. *This particularly an awful crime. He is to be admired. Yes! Bart had admitted his guilt and expressed remorse for the murders and for roping his friends into the plans, they stressed. Thats all for this post. The goal was to refute a defense expert who said moving an iPhone causes its backlight to come on. "You're trying to take me somewhere you probably don't want to," Crosby said, starting a tense exchange between the attorneys. This was the first commutation of such a sentence from Abbott, and the first from a Texas Governor since 2007. I think his father was partly responsible for the death of his wife and son by buying Barts story the first time and not protecting them from him. Just hold on tight.. After deliberation the Fort Bend County jury convicted Whitaker of capital murder,[11] under the Texas law of parties. It doesnt change what they did and what they have been judged on. He simply understood that his friend was in trouble and needed his help. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Instead of thanking his lucky stars that his parents bought his story, Bart decided to push his luck again. I see theres some pressure in South Africa for its return; thankfully there has never been here since Britain abolished it in the 60s. A defense expert who said moving an iPhone causes its backlight to come on to me the only mitigation... To graduate at all so he said and what they did and what they have been executed less... The District attorney [ who? luck again Odd, West Virginia, is arguably the most inbred! At Sam Houston State Doctor who Killed his son in Cold Blood Solitary Confinement the youngest son who returned! Youngest son who had returned from his first semester in college at Texas a & M.. 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