When he walked out of his home, Cliff first looked over in the direction of the Whitakers house. Chris Brashear and Steven Champagne denied any involvement in the homicides and provided DNA samples and scent-test specimens. 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 Mr. Popular. The goal was to refute a defense expert who said moving an iPhone causes its backlight to come on. All of New York loved it redemption by literature! This site uses cookies to improve user experience. "I think his intentions were well, but his methods were flawed," Kinsey said. I don't have the benefit of the materials you have," Crosby said. She was scared. We know little about the family due to the Whitakers secretive nature It doesnt change what they did and what they have been judged on. 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.. Rebecca I love your updates, thank you so much for keeping these updates and these cases alive. Are you okay?, Im bleeding, Cliff, Kent cried out much louder. Bart would later tell ABCs 20/20 that he never felt as though he fit in. Now, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, 38, convicted in this case, is facing death by lethal injection on Thursday, Feb. 22. She was very hopeful, very upbeat and optimistic for [Barts] future.. The prosecution also called back cellphone expert Paul McManigal, a sergeant with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. [citation needed] He was named a 2018-2019 PEN America Writing for Justice Fellow,[45] a program that aims to support creation of "written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass incarceration and catalyze public debate". 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. Part of the problem is parole boards dont justify their reasoning/decisions to the public (knowing theyd be controversial) but its the public they are answerable to, just as justice in general is, as all such agencies operate with the permission of the public, ultimately (who pay for it all). 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. Steve Champagne got out and stayed out. Incredibly, Kent has since forgiven his son for orchestrating the killing of his son Kevin Whitaker and wife Patricia Whitaker, and has even visited him regularly while he was on death row. [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. [citation needed] They drove to the nearby Pappadeaux restaurant in Stafford for a celebratory dinner. Quite the opposite, his parents were kind and generous by all accounts. Thomas Bartlett Whitaker was born on Dec. 31, 1979, to Kent Whitaker, a comptroller for a family-owned construction business, and Patricia, known as Tricia, who gave up a career as an elementary school teacher to stay at home with Bart and his younger brother, Kevin. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Next up, they focused on two of Barts co-workers from the Bentwater Yacht & Country Club near Lake Conroe. They might think you are the one who shot the Whitakers.. But Bart also couldnt have the blood of his family on his own hands. Kents head was pointing back toward the Stanley house in an awkward position. If it is to make a difference there must be distinct characteristics of this case, which I cannot discern. WebThe Mysterious Saga of the Whitaker Family Murders Family Shot in the Chest. In this case the Texas parole board can make inconsistent decisions and swerve criticism by never giving their reasoning. He went inside, determined to find his weapon, which he did. 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. WebA Father's Life 10 Years After An Unspeakable Tragedy. Defense attorney Phillip Barber asked if McManigal took any notes or videotaped his experiments. 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). Download Savage Son now. Brandon Stanley followed directly behind his father. 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. The state reduced his sentence to life. Do the undoubted many prisoners facing execution who have personality disorders in some cases substance-induced; in others endogenous, so no fault of their own deserve less because they are (inevitably) non-compliant with prison life? Brashear shot Kevin once through his chest, and Kevin fell to the floor. So why did Bart kill the people he supposedly loved? He told AP: "As the greatest victim in this case, you don't have to convince me how awful this crime was.". He could still be here. She began to moan againonly this time, it seemed more drawn out and painful than before. The lack of consistency in sentencing is puzzling. Bart told first responders that he thought the gunman was black, in order to divert suspicion away from Brashear. Tricia and Kevin died from their gunshot wounds, but Kent survived. Until. There was a light on in the foyer, which provided him with his only illumination. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. WebJurors in the trial of accused killer Alex Murdaughs toured Moselle, the family property where prosecutors say the 54-year-old former lawyer gunned down his wife and son in 2021. The thought that a man with a gun might still be on the premises did not enter into his consciousness. The murders were arranged by Bart Whitaker in an attempt to inherit the family's estate. Kent, hold on to this. E: governor@state.tx.us, Pending Execution of Offender Thomas Whitaker, TDJC Number: 999522, date of birth: 12/31/1979. 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. Cliff was very fond of his new neighbors. Marcus I totally agree. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_McGreavy. What a waste. [18][non-primary source needed], In other early testimony, Steve Champagne described Whitaker recruiting him to be the getaway driver for Whitaker's eventual 2003 plan to murder his immediate family,[11] and his testimony included the detail that Whitaker's gunshot wound was a ploy to make it look like he was a victim, too. Although Texas very rarely commutes to life-imprisonment for capital sentences there are surely more meritorious than his case. 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 He decided it was best to put down his own weapon; however, he knew he had to do something. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices. The authorities also directed Adam Tripp to try to get Bart to admit he planned his familys murder. We can agree. 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. Yes! Thomas Whitaker and Christopher Wilkins, et al. Cliff hustled back to his house, stormed inside, and began yelling to Brandon, I need something to stop the bleeding! But Rudy Rios couldnt resist a $10,000 reward offered for information on Barts whereabouts. But instead of fleeing, Cliff decided he needed some protection of his own. Related: Guilt or Innocence: The Shocking Twists of the Sam Sheppard Case. Over here in the UK, CBS Reality shows these episodes as Medical Detectives, and seem to show the same ones quite regularly. 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. Examples of the prison writing of the title subject, with dates of their first publication, include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Another case of perverse justice we could name many is Rae Carruth, whom youve covered. WebMurder by Family chronicles Thomas Bartlett Whitaker 's attempts to have a hitman murder his parents and brother. [8]:Ch.53[pageneeded] Whitaker denied prosecution claims regarding the insurance profit motive, arguing that the only life insurance policy the family had was for $50,000 on his father's life. Texas Gov. [47][48] The name of the blog references "the hour at which executions take place in Texas". While out having a celebratory dinner, no one in his family WebWhitaker family murders: Crime scene location and resting place. Updated on: February 28, 2023 / 7:05 PM Cliff Stanley knew the Whitakers were in for a big weekend. got to do with justice (justice includes fair and equal treatment for all under law)? [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. Contact Stephanie K. Baer at stephanie.baer@buzzfeed.com. It irrevocably denies any possibility of rehabilitation; it eviscerates hope entirely. I respectfully wish to express my agreement with Mr Whitakers scheduled execution next month, which I do with a heavy heart. Gunman Brashear pleaded guilty to murder in 2007 to murder and is currently serving life in prison. After all, Bart was graduating from Sam Houston State University with honors. 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. So he hired a hitman to kill his parents and brother, and to non-fatally injure him. 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. Cliff made his way toward Kent. 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. [23], Whitaker's defense team lodged an appeal focused on the purity of drugs used in Texas executions in 20172018. Before the sentencing phase, both Kent Whitaker and Tricia Whitakers brother asked that Bart be spared the death penalty. 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. Today, Bart resides in the William G. McConnell Unit, or McConnell for short, in Beeville, Texas. WebGetty. After the shootings, Bart did a good job of pretending that he was happy that EMTs saved his dads life, but at some point, he told Champagne he wanted to finish off the job and really kill his dad the next time, according to 20/20. [citation needed] The trial began in March 2007, led by prosecutor Fred Felcman. Kent and his surviving son were both wounded in the attack. [38][c] I feel for him, as I am sure very many do. 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. 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. Greg Abbott has chosen to commute the execution of the Sugar Land man convicted in the 2003 murders of his mother and brother. "You're trying to take me somewhere you probably don't want to," Crosby said, starting a tense exchange between the attorneys. 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. The seven-member Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted unanimously to commute the sentence. Thanking you for your kind attention and with all good wishes for your work and the difficult and sometimes painful decisions you have to make, The Chairman Bart had also said he always felt he couldnt live up to his parents expectations (a halfway decent explanation for lying about college, but way short of mitigating murder). [16] Prosecutors presented evidence that although it wasn't Whitaker who shot his family members, he was responsible for the murders because he played the leading part in the conspiracy to commit the murders[19][bettersourceneeded], The prosecution's theory of motive focused on financial gain, with evidence variously described as pointing to Whitaker standing to inherit "about $1.5million" after the death of his parents and brother,[4] or that he had wanted to capitalize on a million-dollar life insurance payout. All to cover up another web of lies.Love Killer Instincts but hate the ads? 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