Death Row Commutation in the offing?
Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:54 pm
Texas parole board recommends clemency for Sugar Land man slated to die for murder-for-hire plot
Thomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker planned the murder of the rest of his family in order to gain a million dollar inheritance. He arranged for one buddy to actually kill his family and another to be the getaway driver for the killer, and for them to make it look like his family walked into a burglary in their own home (including telling them where to find his brother's 9mm Glock to shoot them with). He then maneuvered his family - his father, mother, and brother - to walk into their house at the prescribed time, while "Bart" feigned a reason to stay outside. All three of his family member were shot once each, and the shooter exited the back to the waiting getaway car. The mother and brother died, the father was shot in the chest or shoulder, depending on accounts, but survived. The killer also deliberately wounded Bart to throw investigators off. Bart also initially told police the shooter was black to throw them off even further - apparently he didn't immediately realize his father had survived.
Bart had lured his family out of the house by announcing he had passed his exams and was graduating from Sam Houston University, so they all went to a restaurant to celebrate. Police soon learned that he had in fact dropped out of Sam U. without telling his parents. Eventually they also learned this was not the first time he had planned to kill his family, and the two accomplices were not the only ones he had tried to get to help him. He seemed skilled at finding "friends" whose lives were in turmoil and then bending them to his will.
When he learned police were about to arrest him he fled to Mexico for a year, but was eventually found and brought back. He may be another "affluenza" victim in that it seems his parents made sure he wanted for nothing, buying him luxury vehicles, a lakeside townhouse, paying tuition at two different schools, and for his bogus graduation, a $4000 Rolex. He had an $80,000 trust fund, but claimed in court he did not realize he could tap that. The son apparently learned to like being affluent and decided to kill the goose that was laying the golden eggs to get the parents' money plus a large insurance policy payout.
Once he was brought to trial his accomplices testified against him and the jury sentenced him to death.
His father says he forgave his soon immediately and has tried ever since to keep him off death row. I feel sorry for any parent who has a child that commits horrendous crimes, but I am afraid dad is being a chump here. "Bart" no longer goes by "Bart", he uses "Thomas" because he has "changed" in prison. I think he is more likely a first class sociopath.
Various routes of appeal have been pursued unsuccessfully. Unusually the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has recommended clemency in this case, I suspect largely because of the father's request. It is now up the Governor Abbott as to whether to grant clemency or let the execution proceed tomorrow night (22 Feb).
https://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/ ... homas.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker
Thomas Bartlett "Bart" Whitaker planned the murder of the rest of his family in order to gain a million dollar inheritance. He arranged for one buddy to actually kill his family and another to be the getaway driver for the killer, and for them to make it look like his family walked into a burglary in their own home (including telling them where to find his brother's 9mm Glock to shoot them with). He then maneuvered his family - his father, mother, and brother - to walk into their house at the prescribed time, while "Bart" feigned a reason to stay outside. All three of his family member were shot once each, and the shooter exited the back to the waiting getaway car. The mother and brother died, the father was shot in the chest or shoulder, depending on accounts, but survived. The killer also deliberately wounded Bart to throw investigators off. Bart also initially told police the shooter was black to throw them off even further - apparently he didn't immediately realize his father had survived.
Bart had lured his family out of the house by announcing he had passed his exams and was graduating from Sam Houston University, so they all went to a restaurant to celebrate. Police soon learned that he had in fact dropped out of Sam U. without telling his parents. Eventually they also learned this was not the first time he had planned to kill his family, and the two accomplices were not the only ones he had tried to get to help him. He seemed skilled at finding "friends" whose lives were in turmoil and then bending them to his will.
When he learned police were about to arrest him he fled to Mexico for a year, but was eventually found and brought back. He may be another "affluenza" victim in that it seems his parents made sure he wanted for nothing, buying him luxury vehicles, a lakeside townhouse, paying tuition at two different schools, and for his bogus graduation, a $4000 Rolex. He had an $80,000 trust fund, but claimed in court he did not realize he could tap that. The son apparently learned to like being affluent and decided to kill the goose that was laying the golden eggs to get the parents' money plus a large insurance policy payout.
Once he was brought to trial his accomplices testified against him and the jury sentenced him to death.
His father says he forgave his soon immediately and has tried ever since to keep him off death row. I feel sorry for any parent who has a child that commits horrendous crimes, but I am afraid dad is being a chump here. "Bart" no longer goes by "Bart", he uses "Thomas" because he has "changed" in prison. I think he is more likely a first class sociopath.
Various routes of appeal have been pursued unsuccessfully. Unusually the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has recommended clemency in this case, I suspect largely because of the father's request. It is now up the Governor Abbott as to whether to grant clemency or let the execution proceed tomorrow night (22 Feb).
https://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/ ... homas.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Bartlett_Whitaker
