Keywords

4.1 Introduction

The concept of kids who kill is often described as unfathomable, given the general perception of innocence in children. Case examples provide a brief window into the world of juvenile homicide . Details related to the offender , his or her background, and the criminal behaviors can shed light on the discussed risk factors and common characteristics associated with this population. The authors have identified several cases from diverse sources, including treating clinicians, forensic evaluators, court cases, and related media. Of note, limited case studies of JHOs are available and among those reviewed, inconsistent structure and content was provided. However, the chosen case examples highlight a variety of common factors and provide real life context to the information reviewed thus far.

4.2 Parricide

4.2.1 Dale Whipple

Dale Whipple, a 17-year old youth was charged with two counts of murder after admitting to hacking his parents to death with a double-edged, long handled, rusty axe. His trial revealed a history of adverse childhood experiences, including prolonged emotional and physical abuse at the hands of his parents. Dale and his younger sister, Penny, were reportedly beaten frequently with a “two by four.” During his testimony, Dale reported being in extreme pain daily. Reportedly, he made several unsuccessful attempts to seek help in response to the abuse. Relatives, neighbors, and school counselors admitted their knowledge of abuse, citing instances in which Dale’s father threatened harm to him and beat him with a paddle. Dale submitted a plea of self-defense, citing the growing severity in the daily abuse, along with concerns for his sister’s safety. The jury’s ruling in Dale’s case was a shock to many, given the brutality that Dale endured, charging him as “guilty, but mentally ill.” Dale was sentenced to concurrent sentences for the murder of his parents (30 years for the killing of his father and 40 years for the killing of this mother). The Court cited their rejection of his self-defense plea on the basis of his premeditation (he shared this plan with his sister in advance) and efforts to cover up the murders (he ransacked the home, left, and returned, pretending to “discover” his parents’ bodies). This decision was affirmed on State Supreme Court appeal, stating that the threat of harm was “too “temporally remote to be ‘imminent,’” as required under self-defense (Wyman 1985; Whipple v. Duckworth 1992; Smith 1993; Sacks 1994).

4.2.2 Robert Lee Moody

Robert Lee Moody, a born-again Christian, barely 18 years old, woke up to yet another morning of his mother’s head being smashed into a kitchen appliance. He ran to his neighbors to call the police, ignoring death threats from his father. Despite his efforts to get help, his mother refused to press charges, telling Robert “he’ll only come back to kill us.” Robert then stole his father’s shotgun, hid, and fatally shot his father three times. Minutes later, he took his motorcycle to the police station and confessed to the murder, claiming that the voice of God had instructed him to carry out the act, thereby “prevent[ing] more carnage to his family.” Robert was charged with first degree murder; he plead temporary insanity and attended a four-day bench trial during which the judge and public learned of the terror that Robert and his family endured under their father’s rule. Evidence findings revealed that Robert, his siblings, and his mother were exposed to prolonged and severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Robert’s father reportedly forced him to take illegal drugs and watch over 400 pornographic movies. He is said to have raped Robert’s sisters, and was physically abusive to his mother, forcing her into prostitution. In turn, the judge reduced the charges to voluntary manslaughter. Ultimately, Robert was deemed sane at the time of the murder and convicted of manslaughter. He was given a four-year suspended prison sentence with five years of probation and an order to spend two years working abroad as a Christian missionary. The judge cited the significant history of abuse as the primary mitigating factor in his decision (United Press International 1984; Smith 1993).

4.3 Female Homicide

4.3.1 Alyssa Bustamante

At the age of 15, Alyssa Bustamante brutally murdered her 9-year old neighbor, stabbing her in the chest multiple times and slitting her throat. She dragged the body to shallow grave she had dug in advance, burying her young neighbor under dirt and leaves. Alyssa killed for the thrill of it, describing the act as “ahmazing” in her diary. Evidence eventually led police to Alyssa, who confessed to committing the homicide and brought police to the victim’s body. She pled not guilty to first degree murder and it was determined she would be tried as an adult. While awaiting trial, she became psychologically distressed, reportedly attempting suicide, resulting in a transfer to a children’s psychiatric hospital. Trial testimony about Alyssa’s history revealed a childhood marked with numerous risk factors. Her father was absent from her life due to incarceration and her mother was in and out of jail, often committing petty crimes and engaging in substance abuse . At the age of seven, she was sent to live with her grandparents. Her psychological evaluation indicated that she suffered from significant mental health issues, including depression, self-harm (cutting), and recurrent suicidal ideation, inclusive of prior attempts and related hospitalizations. A few weeks into her trial, Alyssa accepted a plea deal to plead guilty to second degree murder; she was then sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole (Blanco n.d.; Associated Press 2010; CBS News 2012).

4.3.2 “Sally”

A 16-year old girl, described by her psychiatrist as a “shy, pleasant, self-conscious girl” (Ewing 1990, p. 102), stole her father’s pistol and shot her mother and younger sister at the breakfast table. Immediately after, she ran the quarter mile distance to the police station. Sally was unable to recall details of the murders, citing an amnesiac episode. Her psychiatric evaluation revealed a teenager with a significant history of risk factors. Sally was described as having little motivation at school. She endured prolonged bullying at the hands of her peers, reportedly teased for her “odor and nervousness” (Ewing 1990, p. 102) Further, it was reported that Sally was encopretic (resistance of bowel movements, creating impacted stool and leakage) throughout childhood and a bedwetter until the age of 14. Her family unit was described as “socially isolated” (Ewing, p. 102). Additionally, Sally endured significant trauma in the two years prior to the murders; she was sexually abused by her grandfather, who lived next door and reportedly paid her to provide oral sex on a weekly basis. The evaluation ruled out any neurological deficits and presence of psychosis, resulting in a diagnosis of schizotypal disorder. Ultimately, Sally was committed to a state institution for youth until the age of 18, at which point she was released (Ewing 1990).

4.4 Conflict

4.4.1 Jerry Johnson

Jerry Johnson was 17 years old when he and a friend lured two unsuspecting peers into the woods, fatally shooting one, and beating the other, leaving him for dead. The peer who Jerry murdered, Timmy, was described as his best friend who he had recently come into conflict with over a girl they shared romantic interest in. The boy who was left for dead managed to crawl his way to the highway and was eventually picked up by a motorist and able to reach the police, resulting in Jerry’s arrest. Jerry’s forensic evaluation painted a picture of a popular teenage boy who did well in school, engaged in extracurricular programs such as ROTC, and had plans for future enrollment in the U.S. Marine Corps. While his relationship with his parents was close at the time of the murder, he reported past estrangement from his father, describing him as an alcoholic who was verbally abusive to his mother up to a few years prior to the evaluation. Jerry’s childhood and development was otherwise unremarkable, with no report of prior delinquent behaviors, drug use, or adjustment issues. No cognitive deficits observed or presence of pathology. Of note, Jerry showed little remorse for the murder. The forensic psychologist highlighted the importance of recent interpersonal difficulties with his ex-girlfriend. Just before the murder, Jerry and his girlfriend broke up, to which he blamed Timmy for, suspecting that Timmy was flirting with his girlfriend. “Timmy was betraying our trust—trying to get my girlfriend to go out with him. That broke all the rules right there. […] Pretty soon they were gonna get together and go out. I had to stop that” (Heide 1999, pp. 120–121). While incarcerated in an adult prison and waiting for his trial for first degree murder, Jerry was implicated in a hire for murder plot, in which he had hired a hitman to kill the male peer that he had left for dead. Jerry pled guilty to both first degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder. In a plea deal, he testified against his accomplice in the murder, taking the potential for death penalty off the table. Jerry was sentenced to life in prison with a mandatory 25 years before parole eligibility on the murder charge. Additionally, he was sentenced to 7 years on the solicitation charge and another 5 years after being found guilty for possession of contraband while incarcerated (Heide 1999).

4.5 Crime

4.5.1 Drug Related Homicides

4.5.1.1 Heath Wilkins

Heath Wilkins was a 17-year old teenager who ingested LSD, along with his girlfriend, and stabbed to death a female clerk during a premeditated robbery at a local liquor store. Heath stabbed the woman in the back and three times in the chest. Reportedly, as she plead for mercy, he went on to stab her four times in the throat. Heath’s history revealed a childhood marked by abandonment, neglect, and abuse. At age 3, his father, who was reportedly mentally ill, disappeared, leaving Heath with his drug-addicted, physically abusive mother. Growing up, Heath was rarely looked after and became involved with illegal activities at an early age. He began smoking marijuana at the age of 5 and soon after began setting fires and committing house burglaries. At the age of 10, Heath obtained poison, reportedly trying it first on a dog. He then placed it in emptied capsules of pills and unsuccessfully attempted to give them to his mother and her boyfriend. Upon discovering the poisonous pills, Heath’s mother forced him to take them. Soon after, he was committed to mental institution due to his dangerous acts and from there on out he cycled through different institutions, foster homes, and detention facilities until the age of 16. A month prior to the murder, Heath was released to his mother’s care, who refused to allow him to live with her. Homeless, and without means to support himself, Heath began to engage in petty thefts with his girlfriend, whom he met in a juvenile detention center. The forensic psychologist who evaluated Heath during his trial described him as having limited ability to manage and control affect, resulting in increased vulnerability to impulsive actions. Further, he stated, “he is intolerant of intense affects such as anxiety, depression or anger, in that such feelings are overwhelming, interfere with his ability to think clearly and give rise to impulsive actions. […] His age co mingles with a profound depressive experience generated by an excruciating sense of lonely alienation whereby he experiences both himself and other people being lifeless and empty” (Ewing 1990, p. 53). Heath plead guilty to first degree murder. He refused counsel during his penalty phase and requested the consideration of the death penalty. Soon after being sentenced to death, Heath appealed his sentence citing cruel and unusual punishment under the eight amendment, which was denied by state Supreme Court. Over two decades later, Heath’s death sentence was commuted to two life terms after the ruling in Roper v Simmons (2005), which held that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty on individuals under the age of 18 (Rosenbaum 1989; Ewing 1990; Wilkins v. State 1991).

4.5.2 Gang Related Homicides

4.5.2.1 Robert Sandifer

Robert “Yummy” Sandifer, completing a favor to his gang, Black Disciples, was only 11 years old when he opened fire on several youth, killing a 14-year old boy. He managed to elude police capture for three days, ultimately deciding to turn himself in. However, moments after reaching out to the police, he was kidnapped by fellow gang members and subsequently killed for his silence. Robert’s gang involvement was no surprise to those who knew him, as he had acquired a lengthy arrest record in his short life (23 felonies and 5 misdemeanors). Robert’s father was in prison and absent during his childhood, leaving him in the care of his mother, a prostitute who violently abused him, burning cigarettes into his butt, neck and arms, and beating him with electrical cords. At the age of eight, Robert dropped out of school and began roaming the streets of his neighborhood, one that was riddled with violence and crime. Soon after, Robert joined a local gang and began engaging in criminal activity. He was known as a bully to other children, often stealing money. The Department of Children and Families was often involved in Robert’s life, given the neglect and delinquency; however, they failed to place Robert in a proper living situation, later calling his case one that “slipped through the cracks.” Due to his young age, Robert’s constant involvement in the legal system always resulted in his release to his grandmother’s chaotic home, in which 10–30 grandchildren resided at once. Left without supervision, Robert became deeply involved in the gang culture, completing errands and favors for elder gang members, tasks that would ultimately lead to murderous acts and his subsequent death. This case acts as a somber example of numerous risk factors, including chaotic and abusive home environment, violent neighborhood, crime related homicide , and gang affiliation (Terry 1994; Grace 1994; Lee and Buckley 2019).

4.6 Young Killers

4.6.1 “A.F.”

A recent case, “A.F.,” reveals the shocking death of a 6-month old infant at the hands of a 10-year old girl. The infant was being cared for at a daycare, which was housed at a foster care home where “A.F.” resided. While holding the infant, “A.F.” allegedly dropped him, prompting him to cry. Panicked and fearing the possibility of getting into trouble, “A.F.” proceeded to stomp on the baby’s head, resulting in his tragic death. “A.F.” was charged with first degree murder in the adult court system. Early in the trial, her developmental history and psychological profile were brought into evidence. Initial proceedings included testimonies from several forensic psychologists. Defense witnesses described a girl with cognitive deficits due to inconsistent schooling, functioning at approximately seven years old. Further, they cited specific psychological issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, adjustment disorder, and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, which accounted for violent outbursts. Her family life was described as negative, including exposure to early childhood trauma; moreover, she was recently removed from her parents’ care and placed in a foster home. “A.F.” attorneys successfully argued that the impact of trauma and observed cognitive deficits deemed her to be incompetent to stand trial. As of spring 2019, “A.F.” was found incompetent to stand trial and committed to an adult psychiatric hospital for restoration to competency. According to recent reports, her mental state has continued to regress (Boes 2019; Hoff 2019; Terlecki 2019) (Table 4.1).

Table 4.1 Commonly endorsed risk factors in case examples
Full size table