| Caffey family murders | |
|---|---|
| Location | Alba, Texas, U.S. |
| Date | March 1, 2008 |
Attack type | Familicide (Fratricide & Matricide), mass murder, child murder, arson |
| Deaths | 3 [a] |
| Injured | 1 [b] |
| Perpetrator |
|
| Verdict | All four pleaded guilty |
| Convictions | Capital murder [d] |
| Motive | Revenge against Erin Caffey's family's after disapproval of her and Charlie Wilkinson's relationship |
| Sentence |
|
Three members of the Caffey family were murdered in their house in Alba, Texas, on March 1, 2008. Erin Caffey, then 16, organized the murder of her mother Penny Caffey and younger brothers Matthew and Tyler. Her father Terry was the only survivor, after being shot five times. The murders were committed by Erin's then-boyfriend Charlie Wilkinson and his friend Charles Waid, with Waid's girlfriend Bobbi Johnson acting as a getaway driver. [1] [2] Erin and Wilkinson planned the murder for a month, after Erin's parents' disapproval of the relationship. [3] The crime gained notoriety for its violent nature, with one of Erin's brothers being stabbed repeatedly and her mother almost decapitated.
The Caffey family were devout Christians and part of the Miracle Faith Baptist Church, where Erin was in the church choir. They lived in Alba, Texas, a rural community with a population of 492 at the time. [4] The Caffey children had been homeschooled for three years, and were taught a Bible-based curriculum. Erin was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, a reason for the homeschooling. They had been re-enrolled at public schools six weeks prior to the murders, with Erin going to Rains High School. [3] She had been told weeks prior to the murders that she was not allowed to see her boyfriend, Wilkinson, after Penny discovered his MySpace page, which had references to profanity and sex. [5] Erin and Wilkinson began planning the murders after this incident so they could stay together, reportedly planning the crime for a month. [3] A former boyfriend was also told by Erin that she wanted her family dead. [1]
In the morning hours of March 1, 2008, Wilkinson and Waid entered the Caffey family house, while Erin waited outside in a car with Johnson. At around 3:00 a.m., Penny and Terry Caffey woke up to sounds of the bedroom door hitting the dryer in the laundry room, which was next to the bedroom. [5] Penny Caffey was the first to be shot, and was stabbed with a samurai sword leading to near decapitation. [6] [7] Matthew was shot in the head, and Tyler was repeatedly stabbed with the sword. Terry was shot five times. Following the crime, the house was lit on fire. Terry, the only survivor, crawled out of the burning house and to a neighbor's house, which took over an hour. [5] From there, 911 was called and authorities came to the scene.
All four suspects were found in a mobile home owned by Waid, and apprehended on the same day as the killings. [4] [8]
All four defendants were initially charged with three counts of capital murder, [9] with prosecutors stating they did not plan to seek the death penalty for Erin. [10] All defendants had their bonds set at $1.5 million each. [8] Though a minor at the time of the killing, Erin was set to be tried as an adult and held in Hopkins County Jail. On January 2, 2009, she received two life sentences for her role after accepting a plea deal, making her eligible for parole when she is 59 years old.
Wilkinson and Waid were spared the death penalty after accepting a plea agreement, accepting life sentences without the possibility of parole. [11] Johnson, who was named as an accomplice who did not use a weapon, was sentenced to 40 years in prison and may be eligible for parole after serving 20. [10]
Terry Caffey has since forgiven his daughter for the crime, citing Jesus for helping him with his grief. [12] He has remarried and has two stepsons.
The crime was featured in American crime drama television series Final Witness in 2012. [13] [14] In 2020, the crime was the premise of the sixth episode in Season 13 of Snapped: Killer Couples . [15] In 2016, Erin was interviewed by English journalist Piers Morgan for television documentary series Killer Women with Piers Morgan . [16] [17] Terry has written a book on the events, titled Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man’s Faith, and Shocked a Nation. [18]
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