Luke Woodham

Last updated
Luke Woodham
Born
Luke Woodham

(1981-02-05) February 5, 1981 (age 44)
Pearl, Mississippi, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Education Pearl High School (formerly)
OccupationStudent
Known forPerpetrator of the 1997 Pearl High School shooting
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Criminal status Incarcerated
Partner Christina Menefee (1996-1996)
Parent(s) Mary Ann Woodham (mother)
John P. Woodham Jr. (father)
Motive
Convictions
Criminal penalty Life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 140 years
Details
VictimsMary Ann Woodham
Lydia Kaye Dew
Christina Menefee
DateOctober 1, 1997;27 years ago (1997-10-01)
8:06 a.m. - 8:16 a.m. (UTC-6)
CountryUnited States
State Mississippi
Locations Pearl High School, Pearl, Mississippi, U.S.
TargetsStudents and staff at Pearl High School
Killed3
Injured7
Weapons
Date apprehended
October 1, 1997
Imprisoned at Mississippi State Penitentiary

Luke Woodham (born February 5, 1981) is an American high school junior and convicted mass murderer responsible for the 1997 Pearl High School shooting in which he killed 3 people and injured 7 others.

Contents

Early life

Childhood and education (1981–1997)

Luke Woodham was born on February 5, 1981, in Pearl, Mississippi, to Mary Ann Woodham and John P. Woodham. And described as an "adorable toddler" with an active imagination, but by kindergarten, he was somewhat overweight and wore thick glasses, making him an easy target for bullies. His parents divorced when he was eight, and his father became absent from his life. He and his brother were often left without adult supervision, and Woodham felt responsible for the failure of his parents' marriage, leading to deep depression. [1]

His mother was described as overbearing and verbally abusive. She micro-managed his life, critiqued his appearance, and often used him as a sounding board for her issues. He felt suffocated by her control. He and his older brother did not get along and would often fight, sometimes physically, further contributing to Woodham's difficult home life. He was consistently bullied throughout his school years, starting as early as kindergarten. This intensified in high school, where he was targeted for being overweight and not fighting back. He often resorted to isolation to cope with the taunting. He was a bright student in his early years, but his grades plummeted in high school, and he had to repeat his freshman year, which was a blow to his ego. [2]

1997 Pearl High School shooting

Woodham fatally stabbed and bludgeoned his mother as she prepared for a morning jog. [3] An autopsy report revealed that she had eleven slash wounds and seven stab wounds, including stab wounds to the heart and lungs. [4] [5] Woodham then drove his mother's Toyota Tercel to Pearl High School. Wearing a trench coat to conceal the rifle he was carrying, Woodham entered the school and gave a manifesto to Justin Sledge. Sledge, realising what was about to occur, gathered some friends and hid in the safety of the library while the shooting took place. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Woodham then fatally shot Lydia Kaye Dew and Christina Menefee, his former girlfriend, then went on to wound seven others. [11] [12] [13] [14] The school's assistant principal, Joel Myrick, retrieved a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol from his truck and, spotting Woodham attempting to flee the parking lot after the shooting, shouted for him to stop. Woodham lost control of his vehicle, and Myrick ordered him out of the car at gunpoint and detained him until police arrived at the scene.

Woodham was arrested as he was apprehended by Myrick as he was attempting to flee the school in his car. Myrick held Woodham at gunpoint until police arrived, effectively ending the shooting spree. [15]

Trials and incarceration

Mississippi State Penitentiary, where Woodham is incarcerated ParchmanGateNewPhoto.JPG
Mississippi State Penitentiary, where Woodham is incarcerated

There were separate trials for the murder of Woodham's mother and the school shooting. Woodham's lawyer argued at both trials that Woodham was insane at the time of the killings. Jurors rejected Woodham's insanity defense at his first trial for the murder of his mother, and he was sentenced to life in prison on June 5, 1998. His second trial took place on June 12, and he was found guilty of two counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder, with the jurors once again rejecting the insanity defense. He was given two life sentences for the murders and seven 20-year sentences for his attempted murder convictions. [16] He is currently serving three life terms plus an additional 140 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2046, when he is 65 years old.

Conspiracy charges against the members of the Kroth who were minors were dropped by Judge Robert Goza "at the request of District Attorney John Kitchens, who said Mississippi's conspiracy law would make proving the accusations difficult." [17] Grant Boyette, who was 18 at the time, was convicted and sentenced to the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman boot camp for six months and five years of supervised probation.

Less than three days after his last conviction, [18] Woodham was removed from the Forrest County Jail in Hattiesburg. [19] On June 15, 1998, [20] Woodham entered the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) system in the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) in Rankin County. [18] While at CMCF Woodham underwent evaluation so he could be assigned to a permanent facility. Several weeks later, he was moved into the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) in Sunflower County. [19] In 2010, Woodham made a request to Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, asking for clemency; [21] however, his request was rejected. [22]

References

  1. ↑ Baxter, Jenn (2020-12-27). "Luke Woodham and the Pearl High School Massacre". Lessons from History. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  2. ↑ Administrator (2015-04-17). "Luke Woodham - Criminal Justice - IresearchNet". Criminal Justice. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  3. ↑ CHUA-EOAN, HOWARD (June 24, 2001). "MISSISSIPPI GOTHIC". Time– via content.time.com.
  4. ↑ "Luke woodham and the pearl high school massacre".
  5. ↑ Leigh, Natasha (2024-03-09). "The 1997 Pearl High School shooting". Medium. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  6. ↑ Baxter, Jenn (2020-12-27). "Luke Woodham and the Pearl High School Massacre". Lessons from History. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  7. ↑ Administrator (2015-04-17). "Luke Woodham - Criminal Justice - IresearchNet". Criminal Justice. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  8. ↑ admin (2007-04-18). "Va. Tech brings back Pearl shootings". The Demopolis Times. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  9. ↑ Carter, Josh (2021-06-17). "The making of a Mississippi school shooter". www.wlbt.com. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  10. ↑ "Miss. School Shooting Trial Begins". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  11. ↑ "The Avenger". PEOPLE.com.
  12. ↑ "Miss. Schools Eye Security After Conn. Shooting". www.jacksonfreepress.com. Associated Press.
  13. ↑ DeSoto County, other Mississippi school districts, review safety procedures » The Commercial Appeal
  14. ↑ Sack, Kevin (October 9, 1997). "Southern Town Stunned by Arrests in Murder Plot". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ "An Armed Principal Detained a Campus Gunman. But He's Against Arming School Staff. (Published 2018)". 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  16. ↑ "Teen guilty in Mississippi school-shooting rampage". CNN. June 12, 1998.
  17. ↑ "Conspiracy Charges Are Dropped in Mississippi School Shootings". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 23, 1998.
  18. 1 2 "WOODHAM INDUCTED INTO PRISON SYSTEM." Sun Herald . June 16, 1998. A8 Front. Retrieved on July 22, 2010.
  19. 1 2 Linedecker, Clifford L. Babyface Killers: Horrifying True Stories of America's Youngest Murderers. Macmillan, 1999. 53. Retrieved from Google Books on August 10, 2010. ISBN   0-312-97032-3, ISBN   978-0-312-97032-1.
  20. ↑ "Luke Woodham Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine ." (Archive) Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved on July 20, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Luke Woodham Asking for Clemency Archived 2014-03-22 at the Wayback Machine ." WJTV . July 28, 2011. Retrieved on March 22, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Luke Woodham Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine " (Archive). Mississippi Department of Corrections. Retrieved on April 15, 2015.

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