and a Fort Bend County jury. Finally, a year and a half after the shootings, Champagne admitted that Bart hired him to help kill his family. He helped himself to $7,000 to $10,000 of his dads cash and fled to Mexico with the help of his friend Rudy Rios. "But you can't walk around with anger.". With that penalty at stake, we must be concerned that justice really is so as much as reasonably possible. Trial The trial against Bart Whitaker began in March 2007 and was held in Fort Bend County. Instead, Cliff began to pray. [11], Whitaker left for Mexico in June2004, using $3000 to persuade an acquaintance to assist him; he assumed the name "Rudy Rios", found work in a furniture shop in Cerralvo, Mexico, developed a relationship with a woman, and concocted a story of service in Afghanistan to explain his gunshot wound. 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. [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. [28][full citation needed], On February 20, 2018, in a rare decision, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recommended that the death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment,[29] The seven-member Board unanimously recommended clemency to Republican Governor Greg Abbott,[30][29] the first time it had done so unanimously since 2009. [44], 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. Kent Whitaker survived his gunshot to the arm. [8]:ch.50[pageneeded], On December 10, 2003, Thomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker falsely told his family that he had just taken his final university exams and would soon be graduating from SHSU. [citation needed][24] Whitaker withdrew his appeal pertaining to the purity of the drug used, pending at the Supreme Court of the United States, just before a decision by the Texas Governor to grant clemency and commute his sentence. The hangar and dog kennels where the bodies of Paul and Maggie were found, pictured on March 1, 2023, A hose in the dog kennels at the Murdaugh family property, March 1, 2023, The dog kennels at the Murdaugh property in Islandton, March 1, 2023. Their mental highlight reel was probably playing footage of an 8-year-old Bart teaching his little brother how to ride a bike. 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. (Kent also said he forgave shooter Chris Brashear.). Now, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, 38, convicted in this case, is facing death by lethal injection on Thursday, Feb. 22. The laudable desire to hear the victim must not become a means of outcome determination of the magnitude of life and death. Thank you for supporting our partners, who make it possible for The Lineup to continue publishing the horror stories you love. 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. It was natural instinct. 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! Related: 46 Gripping True Crime Books from the Last 54 Years. WebThe Whitaker family from Odd, West Virginia, is arguably the most famous inbred family in the United States. Let me see what I can do, Cliff attempted to calm his neighbor. Im curious to find how the community in and around the familys home in Sugar Land, Texas, reacted when the justice system bared the id of the respectable-seeming young man in their midst. He hired two men to shoot and kill his mother, Tricia, younger brother, Kevin, and father, Kent. 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. 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. But instead of fleeing, Cliff decided he needed some protection of his own. WebThe Murders: On December 10th, 2003, the Whitakers were out celebrating their son Barts graduation at Sam Houston State. He fled to Mexico after learning that he was a suspect, assumed a new identity, and lived under the radar for over a year before he was caught and was extradited back to the United States. At it again. [26][non-primary source needed] Board Chairman, David G. Gutirrez,[27] also met with Kent Whitaker for a half hour. Another case of perverse justice we could name many is Rae Carruth, whom youve covered. You need to go. 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. "You're angry at him for stealing your money," Harpootlian said. WebJune 7, 2021: Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh found dead at the family hunting lodge. But his state, California,has an unofficial moratorium on execution which is absurd when the State still sentences to death. Marcus I totally agree. Decisions, as in US, were private, but limited information about decisions will be made public. Today, Bart resides in the William G. McConnell Unit, or McConnell for short, in Beeville, Texas. Whitaker is an eloquent, erudite writer, as his essay Hells Kitchen demonstrates, spiced up with smart literary references and quotes. The Whitaker family was in celebration mode - their oldest son, Thomas "Bart" Whitaker, had just finished his final Kent and his surviving son were both wounded in the attack. Cliff and Darlene sat downstairs in the back of their comfortable home, on this particular night. It seemed as if there was nothing he could do for his friends. In return, Bart agreed to give up any rights to parole. Maggie Murdaugh's iPhone was found on the side of the road outside of the property, and the backlight came on nearly two minutes before GPS data showed Alex Murdaugh's SUV pass by. Web(Mark Sims for Fox News Digital) Prosecutors have argued that Alex Murdaugh used a shotgun to kill his son, Paul, 22, and a rifle to execute his wife, Maggie, 52, near the property's dog We did have one murder from the UK on MD/FF have you seen the one about Graham Backhouse? [2][3] As of September 2021, Whitaker resided in the McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas. [citation needed], Brashear then exited through the Whitakers' back door and jumped over the fence into the rear neighbor's yard. On June 7, 2021, 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. 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. Just how he thought hed get away with it I think underlines his feelings of superiority. But how could parents believe such a thing? Related: 32 Most Horrifying Serial Killer Books. Hello Helen: Thanks so for your kind remarks and I wholly agree re Rebeccas posts! Although no one knows whether Barts remorse was genuine, his polite, cooperative behavior behind razor wire impressed the guards so much that several of them wrote letters asking for clemency for Bart, according to the LA Times. Brashear was the shooter, he said, and Bart had promised to cut both of his buddies in on a $1 million life insurance payout he would receive after his familys death. Want more true crime books? 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. If I were Governor I know I would be seeking reasons to offer clemency but I do not think I could find them in this case As an opposer of execution I would have to come to terms with that. 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. [16] Evidence was presented that Whitaker had recruited two individuals, Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, ages24 and 25 at the time of the 2007 trial, respectively,[16][11] Champagne to be the getaway car driver and Brashear to carry out the shootings in Whitaker's plan to murder his immediate family. In 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. From how the plan was hatched to Barts trial, sentence, and the stunning new development in the case, this book provides all the details. 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. WebThe tour of the crime scene happened before jurors were to head back to court in Walterboro to hear closing arguments in the closely watched murder trial. He went inside, determined to find his weapon, which he did. WebUpdated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM / CBS/AP. A defense expert said Riemer failed to shave hair from Paul Murdaugh's wound or X-ray his brain after it was blown from his body to confirm her findings. Cliff was unsure how that person was doing; that is, until he heard a pitiful sound emanating from the victim. Download Savage Son now. According to evidence presented at trial, the mother and son were fatally shot at the dog kennels on the property, and a Snapchat video Paul recorded at the kennels placed Alex at the scene shortly before the killings. Just hang in there. Judge Clifton Newman ruled earlier this week that the jury would be allowed to visit the scene of the June 2021 killings after Alex's defense team requested that jurors have an opportunity to tour the Moselle Road home so they could get an understanding of spatial relationships as to where the two bodies were found. [1] He spent years on death row at the Polunsky Unit near Livingston, Texas, before the commutation of his sentence. WebBart Whitaker was convicted of hiring a hit man to target his own family. WebThe Whitaker Family Murders True Crime Creepers. 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. Kent rushed in and was shot in the shoulder with the bullet shattering his humerus. ", "The Governor, the father, and the murderer", "Gov. A grand jury indicted Bart, then 25, and Steve Champagne and Chris Brashear, both 23, in October 2005. 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. [46] Scholarly attention has been directed toward this PEN program, noting that while PEN was an esteemed human rights organization known for the defense of free speech rights, in particular of persecuted writers, the Prison Writing Program presented a distinct agenda, namely in a "[belief] in the restorative and rehabilitative power of writing." The story takes you Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/KillerInstinctYTDont forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: http://bit.ly/KillerInstinctPodcastIf you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! I dont care how much perps have changed, repent, or are model prisoners: the worst crimes, like his, should mean whole-life because theyve earned the punishment they got (inc Whitaker). Fred Felcman, the original prosecutor in the case, said the board made its decision purely because of the fathers forgiveness, and disregarded the large number of others affected by the murders. And finally, I checked into where Barts young accomplices are today. Bart was close to 19-year-old Kevin, a college sophomore who looked up to him. Steve Champagne got 15 years in exchange for testifying against Brashear and Bart. 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. I dont oppose it absolutely (ie, I cant claim it to be unquestionably wrong in cases where there is no question of guilt); but because (i) its unequally applied even between cases of certainty in the same state; (ii) it costs a fortune to execute someone due to necessary legal safeguards money that could be better spent; (iii) it typically takes at least 15 yrs to do it often much longer making it something of a farce; (iv) it harshly punishes the innocent loved ones of the perp, victimising them just as the perps victims loved ones were, it makes little sense. Prosecutors also called back to the stand the pathologist who did the autopsies on the victims and their expert who studied the crime scene. And, of course, Mr Whitaker snr cannot properly speak for the three dead victims, only himself. Cliff met Tricia the day he and his wife had moved in. She was moaning in pain, but still conscious. 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. 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. He argues that he is to be re-made a victim if his son is executed. Was that on the TV? Brandon asked his parents. Bart would later tell ABCs 20/20 that he never felt as though he fit in. Little did Kent, Patricia, and Kevin Whitaker know that their life together was just a house of cards. WebBartlett Whitakers trial began in March 2007. Besides, he could tell that Kevin was very close to dead. Would a poor unknown with a public defender have fared so well? Texas is fortunate to have you working in their state. He needed to get the hell out of there. Forensic Files didnt mention it, but Bart had a prior arrest record for breaking into his high school and stealing computers after which his parents sent him to a private Christian academy, according to the LA Times. He looked at Kent and asked, What happened?, Kent looked at his friend with pleading eyes and reiterated, Im bleeding, Cliff.. The unfairness of the situation is, ironically, an argument against the penalty, illustrating unjustness in US criminal practice. In 2007, he admitted he was "100 percent guilty" and that he hated his parents and brother at the time. (Photo: Inside Story) 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 inside for them. He then heard the front door to his house open and saw his wife, Darlene, stick her head outside. Perhaps it should, and has. I understand that Mr Whitakers father is requesting your clemency. What a waste. 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. In 2003, Thomas Bart Whitaker plotted the murder of his family. Whitakers father, Kent, also was shot in the 2003 plot at the familys suburban Houston home but survived and led the effort to save his son from execution. [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. The couple had two sons, Brandon and Dane, who had gone off to college. commutes death sentence for man convicted of masterminding murder of mother, brother", "Driver in SugarLand murder plot gets 15years", "Testimony ends in Whitaker's murder trial", "Reprieve for man who plotted own family's murder", "Father forgives son who had mom, brother killed", "Man condemned in family murder plot loses high court appeal", "Judge sets execution date for SugarLand man who had family killed for $1million inheritance", "Texas Prison System stalls release of public information on executions", "Before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles / Request for Commutation of Death Sentence to a Lesser Penalty", "A father's plea: Spare my son [Friday letters]", "Members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles David G. Gutirrez, Chair", "Texas Parole Board Recommends Killer Be Spared From Death", "Texas Governor Weighs Parole Board's Advice on Inmate's Fate", "Governor Abbott commutes death sentence of Thomas Bartlett Whitaker", "[Commutation of death sentence of Thomas Bartlett Whitaker]", "Bart Whitaker talks about eventual execution", "Convicted killer accused of writing, selling book while in prison", "Voices from Solitary: The war of all against all", "Writing for Justice Fellowship 2018-2019", "Death row bloggers get help from victims", "Letters from death row: Faith behind bars", "Works of justice: An interview with Writing for Justice fellow Thomas Bartlett Whitaker", "Buried alive: Stories from inside solitary confinement", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker&oldid=1138499579, Recipients of American gubernatorial clemency, California State University, Dominguez Hills alumni, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2022, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from January 2022, Articles with incomplete citations from January 2022, Articles lacking reliable references from January 2022, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing expert attention from January 2022, Articles needing cleanup from January 2022, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from January 2022, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from January 2022, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Pages using infobox criminal with motive parameter, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from January 2022, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2022, Articles to be expanded from January 2022, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from January 2022, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from January 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from January 2022, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. 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Off to college Sam Houston State charged with killing 52-year-old Maggie Murdaugh and Paul Murdaugh near on. Agreed to give up any rights to parole mental highlight reel was probably playing footage an! Moaning in pain, but still conscious make it possible for the three dead victims, only himself unfairness the... Or McConnell for short, in October 2005 join the list of fatalities, Brandon whitaker family murders,...
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