Retired Marine Walter Smith Drowned Girlfriend Nicole Speirs in Bathtub and Blamed Post Traumatic Stress; Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison (2006)

On March 25, 2006July 6, 2017 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, USMCLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2016-08-30 at 12.30.36 PM — Nicole Speirs

In August 2004, hard working Walter Smith was managing a photoshop at a local department store in a town outside Salt Lake City, Utah. Walter met the future mother of his children Nicole Speirs on a social media site. Nicole was a tomboy, she was into skateboarding, adventure, and the two appeared to get along really well. They went out on a couple dates and spent the night together. But Walter was not sure how close he wanted to get because he had other things on his mind. He only recently returned home after a tour of duty in the Marine Corps. He joined the Marine Corps after high school and in early 2000, he was at boot camp in California. One of his Marine friends spoke highly of him and shared that one wanted to spend time with Walter because he was very interesting. Then September 11, 2001… Of course the Marines were deployed to Iraq and in February of 2003, Walter and and his team were some of the first on the ground during Operation Iraqi Freedom. This was war and the possibility of dying was something they had to accept after witnessing many of their own die around them.

In the summer of 2003 after six months in Iraq, Walter returned to Utah for a visit and then was sent to a marksman training course in Virginia. While on a rifle range, the sounds of munitions were giving Walter flashbacks and he thought he was shooting at people in Iraq. According to a comrade, something was triggered inside him and he just lost it. The was the beginning of his medical discharge. He was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and medically discharged from the USMC. One of Walter’s Marine friends shared that most begin to experience the PTSD after they get out but they don’t push the subject with one another. But everyone recognized that Walter was depressed; he wasn’t the same person he was when they met him. Walter met Nicole Speirs shortly after his military discharge. Although after a few dates and intense nights spent together, Walter retreated. In the meantime, Nicole called Walter to let him know that she was pregnant. He went to the first doctor visit with her and they found out together they were having twins.

Walter wasn’t sure he was ready to have a family. He also learned that his parents were getting a divorce after 25 years of marriage. It rocked the foundations of all of the siblings. Walter retreated completely after the doctor visit with Nicole and requested a DNA test to prove they were his children. Nicole had to accept Walter’s decision; she didn’t know that he was struggling with PTSD. Walter became quiet and withdrawn. Once harmless, the civilian world now had several threats everywhere after his return. Walter’s family couldn’t understand what he had been through. Walter’s comrades shared that he engaged in one of the most violent fights during the deployment in Iraq. They were hit with an RPG and three guys were hurt. The enemy was packing families in cars and driving right at them. Walter had no choice but to use the gun to stop the existing threat. They had a hard time witnessing the innocent children die. The Marines in Walter’s company were never the same.

Now that Walter was back in Utah, his depression was getting worse. He was downward spiraling. By September 2004, Walter’s dad moved in with him. The family was concerned for them because they both were feeling extremely depressed. Walter’s dad shared that his own father committed suicide when he was young because he felt that he was a burden to the family. On June 30, 2004, Walter reached a breaking point. His thoughts were more distorted. Walter Sr. didn’t know it but Walter was experiencing violent tendencies. He feared for his own father’s life. He left their home before he harmed his father and made a decision to kill himself with a shotgun. He called some family to say goodbye but before he could pull the trigger, a friend contacted the local police to intervene. As a result, Walter was admitted into a psychiatric ward. He was diagnosed with PTSD, severe depression with psychosis, and alcohol dependency. Meanwhile, Nicole was on bedrest with a difficult labor and gave birth a month earlier then expected.

Nicole’s babies were both underdeveloped and needed to remain in the NICU for over a month but they finally got the green light to take them home. Nicole had a girl and a boy. Walter never went to visit Nicole at the hospital. By the time the children were five years old, Nicole filed for child support. Meanwhile, Walter looked at Nicole’s pictures on social media and could tell that the children were his right away and wanted to see them. This time, he told her the truth about the PTSD. Walter met the children and things seemed really good. Nicole was a phenomenal mom and this appeared to help Walter cope better too because she was calm and caring. Nicole was really excited that Walter came back. But Walter still doesn’t feel the same way as Nicole and wasn’t sure that he ever would; he had his own demons to contend with. But, they were both trying to strengthen their relationship for the sake of the children.

On March 9, 2006, Nicole was feeling dizzy so she left work and went home to rest. Two weeks later on March 24, 2006, Nicole and Walter were up late after a relaxing evening together at home. They made love and got in the bathtub to get cleaned up. Nicole asked Walter what she thought about their future; she wanted to get married. Walter said he needed more time and wasn’t ready to make that decision. He knew that he wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. She was upset about this but decided to play it out and see where things went. The next morning Walter and the children left at 5 am to visit his family. The rest of the grandchildren were going to be there for a group photo. Shortly after Walter arrived, he began arguing with a relative and acting erratically. The family eventually called the police on Walter because they were concerned about his behavior. Walter called Nicole and told her he was returning instead of spending the night with his family.

Walter entered through the garage around 1 a.m. like he usually did and put the children to bed. He went to the bathroom where he heard water running and found Nicole face down in the bathtub. She appeared to be dead. He called 911. He was rattled, couldn’t remember the address, he realized that she was dead and this appeared to deflate him. Walter was hesitant to do the CPR when asked by the 911 dispatcher but he did it and unfortunately it was too late. Nicole was gone. Police arrived to find Walter and Nicole’s dead body. The body had been in a cold tub which made the time of death difficult to determine. There was no clear sign of foul play. Walter was questioned and claimed that Nicole was taking an anti-depressant for depression. His demeanor striked investigators as guarded and numb. Walter was with his family so could corroborate his whereabouts. Walter made the dreadful phone calls to family members and loved ones but Nicole’s death didn’t make sense to any of them.

In the days after Nicole’s death, the police kept their eye on Walter Smith. They questioned neighbors who denied any knowledge of abuse or volatility in the relationship; as a matter of fact, neighbors observed that both appeared happy together. The Speirs family was concerned about when Nicole got sick and wondered if that had anything to do with it. And suicide was a theory that Walter planted until Nicole’s autopsy put an end to that. There were no drugs in her system but the manner of death was drowning; the cause of death was unknown. The big question was why and how did this happen? Walter and the Speirs family worked together to take care of the children over the next few months. But nothing could hold back the depression that Walter was fighting off. Sometimes he felt like the PTSD was going to break him.

On December 4, 2006, Walter drove himself to the Veterans Affairs hospital emergency room because he was feeling suicidal and homicidal. He called his Uncle Craig and told him he couldn’t live another day. After questioned by his uncle, Walter admitted that he had something to do with Nicole’s death. His Uncle Craig recommended he remain silent until he got there but Walter Smith already told the VA that he felt guilty about what happened to Nicole. The VA called the police department who showed up around the time that his uncle showed up. He was quiet initially but then told them he was responsible for Nicole’s death. It was not an accident; it was something more. He was arrested for suspicion of homicide and taken in custody. Walter Sr.’s heart was shattered and he was in absolute disbelief that his son could do something like this. Walter Sr. and Craig let Nicole Speir’s family know right away that Walter admitted to being responsible for Nicole’s death.

Two days later, detectives got a second crack at Walter. Walter explained that he was in the bathtub with Nicole. She was sitting towards the faucet with him behind her. She washed her hair and she had to bend forward to rinse it. He then pushed her head down in the water from the back until she drowned to death. He was emotionless, matter of fact, and flat when he talked about the crime. He admitted that they had not been arguing prior to the act. When asked, Walter said that Nicole did fight back to the best of her ability. The detectives did not believe PTSD was an excuse because he took advantage of her in the most vulnerable position. Investigators exclaimed that this was an intimate domestic violence encounter that could only be accomplished in that position of trust. Walter didn’t know why he did it; he couldn’t explain it to those who were questioning him. His reasoning for coming forward was because he wanted help; the crime had in fact eaten away at him. After his confession, Walter was charged with murder in the first degree. But the legal teams validated that PTSD is a legitimate mitigating factor to reduce a charge from murder to manslaughter.

The prosecution recognized and believed this murder probably would not have happened if not for PTSD. The Speirs family learned from the prosecution that there was a lack of physical evidence, that most likely a jury would be sympathetic to a war vet with PTSD, and that these factors could lead to a not guilty verdict. As a result, the family agreed to a plea deal and a sentence was negotiated; Walter Smith received 1 to 15 years in prison. The sentence automatically gave the Speir family custody of the two children. The family felt the sentence was weak but ultimately they wanted to protect the children. Detectives wanted the public to remember that this was still a homicide and the PTSD didn’t cause this. Walter began serving his sentence in the fall of 2007. Four years later, his family and the Speirs family attended his parole hearing; Walter wasn’t allowed to look at any of them. As he sat hunched and humbled, he was asked if there was anything he wanted to say. He was silent at first but then he finally said that he didn’t disagree with what the family wanted including spending all 15 years in prison because he deserved it. He also said he was truly sorry for what he did. Walter Smith’s parole was turned down and he will spend the entire fifteen years in prison.

Did the status as a Marine with PTSD shape the way this crime was handled?

Learn more: Complex Post Traumatic Stress and Dissociation in Military and Veteran Populations

The PTSD Defense:

Vet with PTSD dissociates, overreacts, self defense
Vet with PTSD dissociates, blames suicidal thoughts & pain, unravels
Vet who is violent criminal, doesn’t have PTSD, yet uses as defense
Vet who is violent criminal & has PTSD, yet would have committed crime regardless because violent criminal first (who happens to have PTSD)
How do we differentiate between dissociation & violent criminal activity?
When do we apply PTSD as a mitigating factor in homicide cases?
PTSD doesn’t cause crime, the propensity to harm is innate, can have both
Although manslaughter is lesser offense, it is still a homicide
Is it fair to use mitigating circumstances like PTSD, crime of passion, jealousy, etc. when the end result was murder? Impact on victim’s family.

“Walter Smith is a Marine Corps soldier just back from Iraq. Diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Walter finds comfort in the arms of young artist Nicole Speirs. But in the darkest recesses of the mind, their cruel fate is already decided.” -Discovery ID

Eddie Makdessi Convicted of Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder in Virginia; Given Two Life Sentences for the Homicides of Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown (March 16, 2006)

On March 16, 2006July 7, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Cold Cases, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Navy, ScandalsLeave a comment

Eddie Makdessi.jpg — Eddie Makdessi, U.S. Navy Spouse (photo courtesy of 48 Hours NCIS)

Navy Petty Officer Elise Makdessi worked as an Air Traffic Controller at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia. Elise was married to Eddie Makdessi for five years and they lived off base in Virginia Beach. Elise unknowingly helped plan, organize, and carry out her own murder and it is unclear if she was a willing participant in the original plot with Eddie to scam the government out of money or if she was controlled by Eddie. Eddie Makdessi murdered Elise Makdessi and Navy Petty Officer Quincy Brown on May 14, 1996 as part of an elaborate scam. The whole thing was a set up. Elise thought she was part of an arrangement where she would invite Quincy Brown to the house, have sex with him, then accuse him of rape. She also manufactured evidence to make it look like she was documenting sexual abuse in an effort to sue the Navy and make millions. She had journals and created what looked like a rehearsed video outlining what four Navy men, including Quincy Brown, did to her on the job.

Five years earlier in 1991 the Navy Tailhook scandal in Nevada made national headlines. Navy Lieutenant Paula Coughlin was one of the alleged victims who went public with her story. Two years before Elise and Quincy were murdered, Paula Coughlin won 1.7 millionafter suing the Las Vegas Hilton hotel where the Tailhook Association convention was held. Eddie must have convinced Elise that they too could make millions if they alleged that Elise was sexually assaulted on the job. What they didn’t realize is that you can’t sue the Navy; Coughlin won a lawsuit against the Hilton hotel. The Feres Doctrine prevents any soldier or their family from suing the Department of Defense for compensatory damages. Investigators believe that knowledge of this information gave Eddie and Elise Makdessi the motive to come up with the false accusation scheme to sue the Navy. Eddie was a scammer and always looking for new ways to make quick money. Elise didn’t know she was double crossed until Eddie was plunging the knife. A month before the murders, Eddie purchased $700,000 worth of life insurance on Elise.

Eddie and Elise Makdessi invited Petty Officer Quincy Brown over to the house under the guise of having a threesome. DNA evidence revealed that Elise and Quincy Brown had sex. Investigators would learn that Eddie shot Quincy first, then stabbed Elise. He hurt himself to make it appear that Quincy invaded the house, knocked him out, raped and killed Elise, and then he awoke from unconsciousness and shot the intruder. Eddie staged the crime scene and he almost got away with it. But investigators figured out this was a ‘set up’ based on the crime scene evidence, interviews with Elise’s co-workers, the video tape, and the large insurance policy. They were also savvy enough to recognize that this was a copycat case. Elise’s sexual harassment and sexual assault claims were in fact fabricated. All the men she accused of sex crimes in the video passed a polygraph examination and her supervisors testified that Elise never reported sexual harassment or sexual assault like she claimed in her video testimony. Unfortunately Quincy Brown was the pawn they used in their game and he never got the chance to see that the allegations were proven false.

Eddie was indicted in 2001. But by the time investigators were ready to arrest Eddie Makdessi for the murder of Elise Makdessi and Quincy Brown, Eddie had fled the country. They eventually caught up with him in Russia. Unfortunately, Russia did not have an extradition treaty with the United States so police could not force Eddie to come back to the states. Mike Mather, an investigative reporter, went to Russia to interview Makdessi and learned that he was remarried with a child yet things weren’t going so well for Eddie financially in Russia. After that interview, Eddie decided to leave his wife and child in Russia and go back to America to face the charges. He was going to prove his innocence and clear his name. He was sure he would beat the charges. It would be ten years after he committed the first degree murders of Elise and Quincy Brown before he went to trial. On March 16, 2006, Eddie Makdessi was convicted of two counts of murder, sentenced to life in prison, and ordered to pay a $202,500 fine. The motive was the life insurance money. He used the $700,000 payout to travel the world before settling in Russia. Eddie continues to deny committing the crimes.

Elise Makdessi’s sister, Dawn Crosby, asked the jury to “show Eddie Makdessi that my sister’s life was worth more than $700,000.” –The Virginia-Pilot (March 17, 2006)

Victims:

P.O. Elise Makdessi, U.S. Navy

P.O. Quincy Brown, U.S. Navy

Forensic Files:

Full Episode: Virginia Beach police arrive at the Makdessi apartment to find Elise Makdessi and her lover, Quincy Brown, dead. Elise’s husband Eddie had reported that he killed Quincy Brown in self-defense after Brown had murdered Elise. Eddie gave the police a videotape Elise had made a week before, alleging that she had been the victim of sexual harassment. -Double Cross, Forensic Files (S13,E5)

Investigation Discovery:

Paramedics respond to a horrific crime scene – a woman is found tied to a bed with slashes across her body. Next to her on the floor, a man with three gunshot wounds. Detectives spend the next several years unraveling this bizarre mystery. -Last Man Standing, Solved (S2,E10)

When a Naval Officer is apparently raped and stabbed by a coworker, a mysterious VHS tape suggests the victim may have been silenced to prevent a scandal. Dogged investigation and cutting edge forensic science reveals a shocking murder plot. -Deadly Accusations, Unusual Suspects (S7,E4)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Army Major David Shannon Fatally Shot by Step Daughter While Sleeping; Wife Joan Guilty of Conspiracy, Sentenced to Life, No Parole (July 23, 2002)

On July 23, 2002August 19, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Non Combat Death, ScandalsLeave a comment

Preview: Joan wants to kill her husband, and her daughter may be the perfect hitman. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)

Military spouse Joan Shannon conspired with her daughter Elizabeth to murder Army Major David Shannon for the Servicemens Group Life Insurance. On July 23, 2002, Elizabeth Shannon fatally shot Major David Shannon twice at close range while he laid in his bed in his Fort Bragg, North Carolina home. Joan Shannon was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in prison plus thirteen years for conspiracy to commit murder. The gunman, Elizabeth Shannon, pleaded guilty to the murder of Major Shannon and was sentenced to 25-31 years in prison. The motive for the crime was greed and Joan Shannon manipulated and coerced her teen daughter Elizabeth to commit the crime.

Investigation Discovery:

An Army Major lay lifeless in his bed, shot twice at close range while sleeping next to his wife. Investigators would soon uncover an intricately planned murder plot involving sex parties, adultery and coercion. -Behind the Picket Fence, Scorned: Love Kills (S1, E1)

When Special Forces Major David Shannon is fatally shot in his family home, investigators wonder if his job made him a target. But a deeper inspection of his personal life reveals sordid secrets… possibly leading to his murder. -She Loves Me Not, Married with Secrets (S2, E3)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Fort Bragg Army 1SG William Wright Murdered Wife Jennifer While Home on Leave from Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide in Jail While Awaiting Trial (June 29, 2002)

On June 29, 2002August 7, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Stateside Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Jennifer Wright

William Wright, U.S. Army

Forbidden: Dying for Love featured the Jennifer and William Wright 2002 homicide-suicide case on Investigation Discovery. ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ highlighted the circumstances that lead to the murder of Jennifer Wright and the pain it inflicted on those who were left behind including their three sons. According to the show, William Wright was a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina with his wife and three children. MSgt Wright was routinely deployed after 9/11/2001 and as a result he was never home. Bill’s absence was hard on Jennifer and the marriage. She wanted Bill to leave the Army but the Army was his life; it’s what he was meant to do. While Bill was deployed in Afghanistan, he learned that Jennifer was telling people back home that he divorced her.

Bill was stunned to learn the news and was granted leave to go back stateside and deal with his family crisis. Bill learned Jennifer was having an affair with the pastor at church and she wanted a divorce. Instead of salvaging his marriage, Bill murdered Jennifer in the family home on June 29, 2002 and covered it up. When investigators questioned Bill about Jennifer’s murder, he broke down and told them everything. Bill admitted he hit his wife with a baseball bat and then strangled her to death. He then put her body in a garbage bag and buried her in some woods near Fort Bragg. In 2003, William Wright was in prison awaiting trial when he died by suicide in his jail cell. Jennifer and William’s sons expressed concern that the Army’s anti-malaria drugs negatively impacted their father’s health and was most likely the reason this tragedy occurred.

This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. Rigoberto Nieves fatally shot his wife Teresa on June 11, 2002; Cedric Griffin fatally stabbed his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd fatally shot his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.

Source: ‘Onward, Christian Soldier’ Forbidden: Dying for Love

ID Go: While her husband serves in the army, a lonely married mother of three finds comfort in the arms of her church’s charismatic new minister. But danger looms in the form of a jealous love-rival that will stop at nothing to scare her away. -Onward, Christian Soldier, Forbidden: Dying for Love (S4,E4)

Army Spouse Teresa Nieves Found Fatally Shot in North Carolina Home by Fort Bragg SFC Rigoberto Nieves in Murder-Suicide (June 11, 2002)

On June 11, 2002August 8, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy, Scandals, Stateside Death, SuicideLeave a comment

Two days after returning home from Afghanistan, Fort Bragg Army SFC Rigoberto Nieves shot and killed his wife Teresa Nieves after an argument on June 11, 2002 in their Fayetteville, North Carolina home; SFC Nieves then turned his .40-caliber service revolver on himself. This domestic violence related homicide was one of five murders that occurred in a six week period at Fort Bragg in 2002. William Wright admitted to murdering his wife Jennifer on June 29, 2002; Cedric Griffin murdered his wife Marilyn on July 9, 2002; Brandon Floyd murdered his wife Andrea on July 19, 2002; and military spouse Joan Shannon manipulated her daughter Elizabeth to shoot her step-father Major David Shannon on July 23, 2002 while he slept.

Navy Veteran Christopher Ingraham Jr. Fatally Shot While Sleeping; Girlfriend Katrina Bridges Found Guilty, Sentenced to 47 Years (January 4, 2001)

On January 4, 2001August 16, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, NavyLeave a comment

In 1999, 18-year-old Katrina Bridges and 21-year-old Chris Ingraham were head over heels in love. Chris was the all American guy and he was in the U.S. Navy. He was the guy everybody loved to be around. It was a magical time for both of them that is until Katrina found out she was pregnant only three months after they began dating. Chris didn’t run away, he wanted to do the right thing, and he wanted to be a dad. Chris agreed to move to Maine from New York so Katrina could be close to her family. Chris needed to provide for the family so he got a job at the local Naval base as a clerk. Chris recognized he had a family and he was going to take care of them. The young couple had a supportive family including Katrina’s grandmother. But there’s something no one knew…Katrina had a serious problem. Cute little Katrina didn’t care who she took money from. And if she could steal from her own grandmother, she was capable of anything. Stealing was a bad habit Katrina had been doing for years. She stole from her school and family members in the past. Money was the object for her.

Katrina not only stole from friends and family but also the State of Maine. She received welfare benefits because she said there was no other income coming into the family even though Chris had a job. According to former FBI profiler Candice DeLong, compulsive thievery can be a sign of psychopathy and Katrina was a psychopath. DeLong explained that psychopaths steal because it makes them feel good, it’s a thrill, and they think they pulled one over on someone. The higher the risk, the more fun it is for them. And every time they get away with it, that buys them more time to steal something bigger and more valuable. Katrina’s life was all lies and she was a fraud. But one day, Katrina’s thieving ways were discovered. Her grandmother reported that some checks were missing and discovered Katrina had forged some checks and tried to cash them. Chris was appalled and when he confronted her, Katrina denied it. Chris reminded her that she stole from him, she stole from family, and he had enough.

Chris Ingraham didn’t know what to do; it was about money and trust. He was nervous about her raising their son because of some of the trust issues. He told Katrina that if she didn’t get professional help, he was leaving and taking their son with him. Chris gave her an ultimatum and this was most likely Katrina’s breaking point. Then one day, they got a knock at the door. It was a door-to-door life insurance salesman and this gave Katrina another option. When Chris got a life insurance policy for $15,000 that paid double indemnity in the event of an accident, Katrina saw a mountain of gold. So now there was a lot of money at stake. In Jonesboro, Maine on January 2, 2001, Katrina Bridges staged a robbery in her own home. Again, she was looking for money and she took some of Chris’ video games and sold them for a few dollars a piece. She called Chris at work and told him they had been burglarized. She told him they stole his shot gun and his video games. He told her to call the police…but she never did.

When Chris got home, he discovered that the shot gun was still there, no jewelry was missing, but the playstation games were gone. He knew that no one had broken into their home. He figured out that she took his games and sold them. He confronted Katrina and again she denied it. He told her he was done with her and the situation. The stage was set. Now Katrina had Chris exactly where she wanted him: defenseless and sound asleep. She didn’t have to go through with the murder but psychopaths are cool, calm and collected even when committing the most serious of crimes. She had no problem committing the murder, no guilt, no remorse, only nerves of steel. Katrina went into the marital bedroom and shot Chris once in the head while he lay asleep but the one shot didn’t kill Chris. Katrina attempted to shoot him a second time but the gun wasn’t working properly. So she just left him struggling for his life, took the child, and left the home. Now she needed to create an alibi. Katrina cut her hair and went to her mother’s house. She told her mother she was kidnapped by Canadian drug dealers.

Katrina said Canadian drug dealers broke into her house so she fled but was worried about what may have happened to Chris. The only reason for Katrina to cut her hair was to get rid of any blood smears or powder burns or powder soot that may have come from the gun when she fired it. Some ten hours after the shooting, Katrina finally went to the police. The police immediately went to the house to check on Chris and he was still alive and taken to the hospital; 24 hours later he died. Katrina told the cops there were two intruders and one of them raped Chris but the cops didn’t believe her story. Once Katrina realized her first story wasn’t believable, she changed her story and said Chris was depressed and he wanted them both to commit suicide. Now it was suddenly a murder-suicide pact. The police asked Katrina who pulled the trigger. Katrina said Chris wanted to commit suicide but he didn’t have the guts to do it himself and asked Katrina to do it. She put the gun to his head, she said she thought the safety was on, but then she pulled the trigger and the gun went off.

The cops arrested her on the spot because of her implausible stories and a history of lies, robbery, and Chris’ life insurance policy. It all pointed to her guilt. In 2003, Katrina Bridges was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to forty-seven (47) years in prison. Profiler DeLong summarized, “Katrina Bridges was cute, she was a pretty one, but she was pretty poison.” For Katrina, it wasn’t about the money, the lies and the thieving were fun. There were no indications Katrina had a drug problem, so what was she doing with the money? She didn’t need the money, she did it because it was fun but the consequences for those around her were devastating. Katrina Bridges was calculating, manipulative, secretive, and devious…and she’s right where she belongs.

Source: ‘Love Leaves Town’ Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

With hearts of stone, these Deadly Women give their men special send-offs when “Love Leaves Town.” A young mom prefers her vices to her boyfriend. -Love Leaves Town, Deadly Women (S10, E12)

Army Veteran Peter Theriault Last Seen in Irvine, California; Judy Valot Convicted of Homicide But Body Has Never Been Located (December 2, 1998)

On December 2, 1998September 2, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Missing, VeteransLeave a comment

Army veteran Peter Theriault went missing on December 2, 1998 from Irvine, California. Live-in girlfriend Judy Valot, 54, was charged and convicted of second degree murder in January 2000 despite a body, weapon, or any physical evidence. She was found guilty of murdering Peter Theriault and disposing of his body in a California desert because she was convinced he was cheating on her. There was no evidence that Peter was in fact cheating on her. Valot appealed her conviction and was granted a new trial. And again in 2005, Judy Valot was found guilty of second degree murder. She was sentenced to fifteen years to life in prison. Judy Valot was denied parole in February 2013 as she maintains her innocence and refuses to reveal the location of Peter’s body who is still missing to this day.

Investigation Discovery:

In December 1998, Peter Theriault, 51, fails to arrive for his shift at a car plant in Commerce City, California. Pete hasn’t missed a day of work in almost three decades. Friends and family immediately suspect something is very wrong. -The Green Eyed Monster, The Perfect Murder (S5,E7)

Army Soldier Kevin Spann Fatally Shot by Two Teenagers at Front Door of Georgia Home; Wife Gina Spann Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (May 11, 1997)

On May 11, 1997August 15, 2019 By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, In Their Name, Military Policy2 Comments

fullsizerender-2 — Kevin Spann, U.S. Army

Army SSG Kevin Spann married Gina Lynn Pierce in 1989 and became a step-father to her son. They met in Gina’s hometown in Illinois and moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1990. About a year after they were married, Kevin was deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Storm. Gina couldn’t handle being alone so she went back to her hometown in Illinois. After Kevin returned home from Kuwait, he went to Illinois to see if Gina would go to Fort Gordon, Georgia with him. Gina agreed and things were going well until Kevin had to start working long hours. Kevin suggested she get a job to help occupy her time. It would be at this job where Gina would meet three teenagers who quickly became her friends despite the age difference.

Gina became popular with the teenagers when they learned that she could buy them alcohol. They all started partying together at hotels after work and eventually Gina started sleeping with one of them. After awhile Gina just moved the parties to her marital home. Kevin would come home from work and find drunk, passed out kids all over his house. Gina also did not hide the fact that she was sleeping with one of the teens, Larry Kelley. She did not care how Kevin Spann felt about the arrangement. One day, Larry’s step father kicked him out of the house. Because Larry didn’t know where else to turn, he turned to Gina who agreed to let him move in with them. Not only did he move into the house but he moved into the marital bedroom with Gina and Kevin moved out. Kevin slept in another room in the same house.

In the spring of 1997, Kevin had finally had enough and asked Gina for a divorce. But Gina begged Kevin to make the marriage work and she promised him she would change. She knew that if Kevin divorced her she would end up with nothing. Kevin loved her and wanted to make the marriage work so he agreed to try again but he insisted that Larry get out of his house in one week. It would be days later that Gina found her front door open and Kevin lying on the floor in a pool of blood. SSG Kevin Spann was shot twice and killed at his doorstep on Mother’s Day, May 11, 1997. He was shot once in the head and once in the chest, torso area. When the killers left, he was still alive. Kevin bled to death.

Gina and Larry Kelley provided each other with alibis when investigators questioned their whereabouts. Although Larry also told police that he was Gina’s live in boyfriend which peaked investigators interest and made the couple prime suspects. They hauled both Gina and Kevin down to the station. Gina adamantly denied any involvement in the shooting. Larry on the other hand told investigators everything. He told them that Gina asked him to find someone to shoot her husband so he did. He found Matthew Piazzi and Gerald Horne to do the job. Investigators would learn that Gina devised a plan and told the teenagers what to do. After Gina and Larry left the residence, Matthew and Gerald were to knock on the door, wait for Kevin to answer, shoot him, and then get rid of the gun. Matthew was the gunman.

Investigators searched Gina’s car and found a $300,000 life insurance policy for Kevin Spann which gave them the evidence they needed to charge Gina with murder. Gina Spann and Larry Kelley conspired to murder Kevin and were both sentenced to life without parole. Gina finally admitted her role in the murder after learning that Larry Kelley was facing the death sentence. She agreed to tell investigators what her role was in the murder if they took the death penalty off the table for both of them. Gina Spann plead guilty to first degree murder and Larry Kelley was convicted of first degree murder. Matthew Piazzi and Gerald Horne both plead guilty to first degree murder and were sentenced to life in prison. Christopher Bargeron pled guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Source: Special Delivery, Deadly Affairs, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

Kevin and Gina Spann know that life in the military is anything but easy. But when Kevin goes away, Gina plays. -Special Delivery, Deadly Affairs (S2, E9)

Some women can’t resist boy toys. But fur flies when these Deadly Women reveal they’re “Killer Cougars.” -Deadly Women (S10, E1)

MILITARY JUSTICE FOR ALL

Tag: Intimate Partner Violence

Retired Marine Walter Smith Drowned Girlfriend Nicole Speirs in Bathtub and Blamed Post Traumatic Stress; Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison (2006)

Eddie Makdessi Convicted of Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder in Virginia; Given Two Life Sentences for the Homicides of Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown (March 16, 2006)

Army Major David Shannon Fatally Shot by Step Daughter While Sleeping; Wife Joan Guilty of Conspiracy, Sentenced to Life, No Parole (July 23, 2002)

Fort Bragg Army 1SG William Wright Murdered Wife Jennifer While Home on Leave from Deployment in Afghanistan; Died by Suicide in Jail While Awaiting Trial (June 29, 2002)

Army Spouse Teresa Nieves Found Fatally Shot in North Carolina Home by Fort Bragg SFC Rigoberto Nieves in Murder-Suicide (June 11, 2002)

Navy Veteran Christopher Ingraham Jr. Fatally Shot While Sleeping; Girlfriend Katrina Bridges Found Guilty, Sentenced to 47 Years (January 4, 2001)

Army Veteran Peter Theriault Last Seen in Irvine, California; Judy Valot Convicted of Homicide But Body Has Never Been Located (December 2, 1998)

Army Soldier Kevin Spann Fatally Shot by Two Teenagers at Front Door of Georgia Home; Wife Gina Spann Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (May 11, 1997)

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