The case of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas in 2004 and whom I wrote about for The New Yorker last month, has taken another strange twist . [35] For example, earlier in 2009, Kuykendall supported her 2004 contradiction of her brother's affidavit (saying that there had been no confession) and had previously always maintained that things had been amicable between her and Willingham before the fire. Kuykendall told prosecutors that he had never abused the children. February 27, 2023 Alexander Watson was arrested after an armed robbery turned into a murder, but while he was in custody, DNA evidence revealed that he had killed before and that he was an undiscovered serial killer. Application of the Law is not perfect in the UK either, but Todd would still be alive if hed lived here, and would probably have been exonerated. On December 23, 1991, a fire destroyed the Willingham family home in Corsicana, Texas. Kuykendall has acknowledged that Willingham had asked to see her to help him in his bid for clemency. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals denied Willingham a writ of habeas corpus a month before his execution. "I spent years not knowing, but Todd gave me that. Jackson stated that Willingham's comment was an indicator of guilt. On October 25, Stacy Kuykendall told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that during a final prison meeting just weeks before he was put to death, Willingham admitted setting the fire in response to Stacy's alleged threats of divorce the night before. Willingham publicly maintained he was innocent until he was put to death in 2004. [14] On returning to the scene of the fire with firefighter Ron Franks, in an effort to recover personal property (which was described as a very usual request at trial), Willingham was visibly dismayed at being unable to find a dart set. It was an unusual hearing . Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. Other witnesses at Willinghams trial provided contradictory statements about Willinghams behavior after the fire, but those statements were not evidence that a crime had taken place. Emily Meade as Stacey in "Trial By Fire.". Deleted member 31923. When the recusal motion was denied, Thompson appealed to the Third Court of Appeals and had the proceedings stayed. Myth: I said that I was going to divorce you. After the fire, police and fire investigators interrogated Kuykendall. A later study into the causes of the fire stated that it might not have been arson. The undeniable facts of the Cameron Todd Willingham case are these: On Dec. 23, 1991, 2-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall, and 1-year-old twins Karmon Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham died in a mid-morning house fire at 1213 W. 11th Ave. in Corsicana. According to the affidavit, he said that Stacy Kuykendall had told him and other family members that Willingham had confessed to her during her prison visit. The 3rd Court of Appeals ordered state District Judge Charlie Baird to not rule on the case of Cameron Todd Willingham. She provided a statement to the Fort Worth . Cameron Todd Willingham. But the investigators' conclusions have been strongly challenged by several fire experts. Your email address will not be published. All Rights Reserved. She said, No. [22] He was 36 years old. Today's episode is the story of Toni Jo Henry who had a horrible childhood, fought drug addiction, found true love and then was involved in a murder. )[39][40], In 2014, the Washington Post reported that new evidence emerged indicating that Webb had said in taped interviews that he lied on the witness stand in exchange for a prosecutor's help obtaining a reduced prison term and financial support from a rich rancher. wife, Stacy. Todd told me that it was stupid but it was like an obsession. Bradley was appointed to the science commission post by Gov. In the following days, Willingham returned to the house with some family and friends. Over time, she has alternated between claiming she believes her former husband is guilty and innocent. Stacy Kuykendall, his then-wife, played a . Authorities had to restrain Willingham from going back into the house. : Directed by Phoebe Kwong, Joel Pincosy. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Craig Beyler's report criticized investigators who ruled the . [34] "It's hard for me to make heads or tails of anything she said or didn't say," Willingham's prosecutor said. Stacy Kuykendall said she believed for over a decade her husband, Cameron Todd Willingham, didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters. Within 5 miles of your location. The film, based on the 2009 New Yorker article also title Trial By Fire, chronicles events around late Texas native Cameron Todd Willingham. If the judge clears Willingham, it will mark the first time an official in the nation's most active death penalty state has formally declared that someone was wrongly executed. It is also tasked with determining what corrective action, if any, is needed to ensure that forensic analysis in cases like this is reliable. Cameron Todd Willingham, 36, was executed by lethal injection on 17 February 2004 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder of his three children. Hurst speculated that it was likely that water sprayed by firefighters had spread the lighter fluid from the melted container. Killed in the fire were Willingham's three daughters: two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall and one-year-old twins Karmon Diane Willingham and Kameron Marie Willingham. The case was complicated by allegations that Texas Governor Rick Perry impeded the investigation by replacing three of the nine Forensic Commission members to change the Commission's findings; Perry denies the allegations.[4]. Write by: . Menu. How Did Cameron Todd Willingham Die? On February 8, 2004the very day that Ronnie Kuykendall claimed his sister had told him that Willingham had confessedthe CorsicanaDaily Sun publishedan interview with Stacy Kuykendall. For years, Stacy Kuykendall advocated for Cameron Todd Willingham, stating repeatedly that she believed he didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters in 1991. [31], In October 2009, the city of Corsicana released two affidavits that included statements from Ronnie Kuykendall, the former brother-in-law of Willingham, originally made in 2004. The 2011 documentary Incendiary: The Willingham Case also explored the case. Cameron Todd Willingham (January 9, 1968 - February 17, 2004) was an American man who was convicted and executed for the murder of his three young children by arson at the family home in Corsicana, Texas, on December 23, 1991.Since Willingham's 2004 execution, significant controversy has arisen over the legitimacy of the guilty verdict and the interpretation of the evidence that was used to . Neither one of us could live without them kids. While Kuykendall admitted to investigators that shed been hit by Willingham, she initially defended his innocence and didnt believe hed kill their children. Cameron Todd Willingham (9 gennaio 1968 - 17 febbraio 2004) stato un uomo americano condannato e giustiziato per l'omicidio dei suoi tre figli per incendio doloso nella casa di famiglia a Corsicana, in Texas , il 23 dicembre 1991. That was until she spoke to . [32][33], Journalists familiar with the case noted that Stacy Kuykendall's statement explicitly contradicted previous comments, legal testimony, and numerous published interviews before and after the execution. According to a tape recording of the conversation, Kuykendall made it clear that she still believed that Willingham was innocent and that he had no motive to hurt their children. I did ask her if she stood by her statements to theTribune and to theDaily Sun. She said, firmly, that Willingham had never done so. According to a tape recording of the conversation, Kuykendall made it clear that she still believed that Willingham was innocent and that he had no motive to hurt their children. [16] However, those not associated with the case paint a different picture of Willingham. The spokeswoman added he was aware of a "claim of a reinterpretation of (the) arson testimony. Our justice system has become who can twist a believable story, not the truth. Facebook gives people the power to. In August 2009, eighteen years after the fire and five years after Willingham's execution, a report conducted by Dr. Craig Beyler, hired by the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review the case, found that "a finding of arson could not be sustained." Cameron Todd Willingham : biography. Join Facebook to connect with Stacy Kuykendall Willinghamgirlslivesmattered and others you may know. Pic credit: Texas Dept. In 2009, an investigative report by Grann[1] drew upon analysis by arson investigation experts and advances in fire science since the 1992 investigation; he suggested that the evidence for arson was unconvincing. Craig Beyler, hired by the Forensic Science Commission, said of one of the analysts: None of these determinations have any basis in modern fire science, and of the second analysts findings: There is no basis for this notion in modern fire science. He found that the investigators did not comport with the standard of care for fire investigation at the time, and that a finding of arson could not be sustained., In a report filed with the Forensic Science Commission in 2006, five leading experts said each and every one of the indicators relied on [to determine that the fire was arson] have since been scientifically proven to be invalid., Gerald Hurst, whose report was sent to the governor before Willinghams execution, has said, Theres nothing to suggest to any reasonable arson investigator that this was an arson fireIt was just a fire.. All concluded that the original investigators relied on outdated theories and folklore to justify the determination of arson. [1], Psychiatrist James Grigson, known by the moniker "Dr. Death" for his repeated testimony as an expert witness in which he recommended the death penalty, said that a man of Willingham's criminal history was an "extremely severe sociopath" and was incurable. [1] This coverage suggested that the arson evidence was misinterpreted. The commission is determining whether the forensic analysis in the Willingham case was valid and, by extension, is also considering whether similar arson cases may have been tainted by faulty forensic evidence. Stacy Kuykendall is known for Evil Lives Here (2016). It seems unlikely that, moments after asking for this favor, he suddenly confessed to the murder of her children. If Stacy will advise, I will be happy to make correction. The Texas Forensic Science Commission is going to determine whether Willingham was innocent. Daily Sun) CORSICANA . She noted that he had an inadequate defense, saying of one of his lawyers, "He's not a good lawyer. In January 2004, the forensic evidence in the case was looked at by an established fire . Family's Effort to Clear Name Frames Debate on Executions. Myth: In 2004, Stacy Kuykendall told the Chicago Tribune that he never confessed, and she said the same to The New Yorker in 2009. He told me he was sorry and that he hoped that I could forgive him one day. In his letter, Willingham insisted that he was innocent: I hope that after I am gone that some day, some how the truth will be known and my name cleared.. He always said he heard his daughter crying, woke up, tried to get his children but couldnt, and exited the house. Here is whatMills and Possley wrote: The response from local prosecutors included a two-paragraph affidavit from Ronnie Kuykendall, the brother of Willinghams former wife. As he recalled it, their conversation with Kuykendall centered directly on the question of Willinghams alleged confession. What If He Was Innocent? He told me that he believed I was going to but he couldnt let that happen. [29] Fire investigator Gerald L. Hurst reviewed the case documents, including the trial transcriptions and an hour-long videotape of the aftermath of the fire scene. But tragically, their three young children were killed in the blaze. Press "Enter" or click on the arrow to show results. The neighbors said he seemed more concerned about damage to his property, such as his car than the welfare of his children. Recalling her visit to Willingham in prison shortly before his execution on February 17, 2004, Kuykendall told theStar-Telegram: He asked if I remembered what I had told him that I was going to do after the first of the year [in 1992]. . Although Kuykendall, who was eventually convinced of her ex-husbands guilt, turned down many of his last requests, she was there for his execution by lethal injection. Also, Stacy Kuykendall now claims that he confessed in the same conversation that he asked her to help with his clemency bid. "[28], Since Willingham's execution, persistent questions have been raised as to the accuracy of the forensic evidence used in the conviction: specifically, whether it can be proven that an accelerant (such as the lighter fluid mentioned above) was used to start the fatal fire. Stacy Kuykendall read a prepared statement to reporters outside the Travis County courthouse . Here are five crucial facts about the case. Therefore, I believe that there is no way he could have possibly committed this crime. However, her letter didn't work and within a year shed filed for divorce. Cameron Todd Willingham Just when it seemed Gov. Stacy Kuykendall read a prepared statement to reporters outside the Travis County courthouse. "He was polite, and he seemed to care," she said. By Maurice Possley, The Marshall Project. a husband returns home to find his wife dead on the living room floor; he tells first responders she committed suicide . Willingham's statement and eyewitness accounts had detailed rescue attempts. Death' says license won't be affected by allegations", "Execution Report: Cameron Willingham Page 1", "Jackson: Guest Commentary Willingham guilt never in doubt", "David Grann" The Prosecution Defends Itself", "A timeline of the Cameron Todd Willingham case", "Document USA (Texas): Further Information on Death penalty, Cameron Todd Willingham", "Inmate maintains innocence as execution approaches", "Man executed for fire that killed children", "Texas man executed for setting fire that killed his 3 young children", "Gerald Hurst | Death By Fire | FRONTLINE | PBS", "Dare Devils: Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Death Panel", "Texas Gov. After the fire, the police investigation determined that the fire had been started using some form of a liquid accelerant. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. They urged him to go inside and rescue his children, but he refused. He said that he woke up to her cry of Daddy, Daddy. Willingham said he woke up and saw smoke hovering a few feet above him, then jumped up from the bed where Ambers body would later be found, put on his pants and ran to the kids room where all he could see was fire. offspring chris havel wife; airigh 'n eilean; ontario bar exam results 2020. project zomboid ham radio frequencies; gunton hall rooms; kauai hotels kama'aina rate 2021; mary katherine backstrom net worth 2020; blackstone managing director salary. Me and Stacys been together for four years, but off and on we get into a fight and split up for a while and I think those babies is what brought us so close together, Willingham had said, per The New Yorker. Two medical experts confirmed the theory. Each time, she said that she and Todd had not fought the night before the blaze, and that they had gone to Kmart to pick up photographs of the family to get ready for their Christmas celebration. Note to Stacy and Family: Many accounts refer to Amber as having lastname of Kuykendall and Willingham. "[30], The Texas Forensic Science Commission was scheduled to discuss the report by Beyler at a meeting on October 2, 2009, but two days before the meeting, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced the chair of the commission (Sam Bassett) and two other members (Alan Levy and Aliece Watts). In a legal brief responding to Hursts report, the prosecution argued that the execution should go ahead, and includedan affidavit from Willinghams former brother-in-law Ronnie Kuykendall. 982 Followers, 33 Following, 49 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Stacy Kuykendall Willinghamgirlslivesmattered (@willinghamgirlslivesmattered) Dallas, TX - Outside an Austin court room today, the ex-wife of convicted, executed killer Cameron Todd Willingham tearfully reiterated her former husband's guilt. Stacy Kuykendall said she believed for over a decade her husband, Cameron Todd Willingham, didn't deliberately start the house fire that killed their three daughters. However, Cameron maintained his innocence to his dying breath, and later evidence also suggested that he could have been wrongly executed. The opinions of a state fire official in the case were "nothing more than a collection of personal beliefs that have nothing to do with science-based fire investigation," Beyler wrote. The prosecutor, John Jackson, and the City of Corsicana have both released formal responses to the Beyler Report on the investigation of the fire that killed Willingham's three children at the behest of the Texas Forensic Science Commission. On Jan. 8, the night before Willingham's 24th birthday, he was arrested by a SWAT team. The date is December 23, 1991, and 23-year-old Cameron Todd Willingham has fallen asleep while caring for his three young daughters, two-year-old Amber Louise Kuykendall and one-year-old twins . Stacy Kuykendall visited Willingham shortly before the execution, which is when he supposedly confessed. Some say Cameron Todd Willingham was wrongfully convicted, and the court put an innocent man to death. [42] According to the complaint, "During a pretrial hearing on July 24, 1992, [Jackson] told the trial court that he had no evidence favorable to Willingham. No clear motive was found, and Willingham's wife denied that the couple had been fighting prior to the night of the fire. During his trial, Willingham did not testify; the defense called only one witness, the Willinghams' babysitter, who stated that she believed that Willingham could not have killed his children. [18] During his trial in August 1992, he was offered a life term in exchange for a guilty plea, which he turned down, insisting he was innocent. Rick Perry defends 2004 execution despite questions about evidence, calls convict 'a monster', "Perry's denial of stay could become campaign issue", "CNN's Anderson Cooper to Air Report on Cameron Willingham Tonight", "Is Texas Governor Rick Perry Trying to Cover Up Execution of Innocent Man on His Watch", "Stacy Kuykendall's statement about the 1991 fire", "Death penalty case: Ex-wife says convicted killer confessed", "Texas execution: Statements by Gov. Since her ex-husbands execution, Stacy Kuykendall has remained completely under the radar. A psychologist was asked to interpret Willingham's Iron Maiden poster. [41] On March 3, 2015, the Texas State Bar filed a disciplinary action, Commission for Lawyer Discipline v. Jackson, against Jackson for failing to disclose information on his deal with Webb. [45], David Grann's investigative article in The New Yorker titled "Trial by Fire" (collected in The Devil and Sherlock Holmes) was adapted into the 2018 film Trial by Fire directed by Edward Zwick[46] starring Laura Dern and Jack O'Connell as Willingham.[47]. Required fields are marked *. [9][10] The APA said that Grigson had violated the organization's ethics code by, "arriving at a psychiatric diagnosis without first having examined the individuals in question, and for indicating, while testifying in court as an expert witness, that he could predict with 100 per cent certainty that the individuals would engage in future violent acts. She told reporters that Cameron Todd Willingham set the fire that killed the girls "and watched while . So where is Willinghams wife now? Willingham's ex-wife tearfully reiterated her contention Wednesday that he confessed his guilt to her. "[38] Judge Charlie Baird held an inquiry in September 2010 in Austin, but Lowell Thompson, the Navarro County DA, appeared at the hearing with a motion for Baird to recuse himself due to conflict of interest Baird had once affirmed Willingham's conviction while sitting as a Criminal Appeals judge yet had also been recognized by an anti-death penalty group. Perhaps most notably, Hurst was able to explain the presence of lighter fluid at the scene: a charcoal grill which had been used . His testimony has since been deemed unreliable as he lied in court about the prosecution offering him a reduced sentence to testify. The sole exception was when she spoke out about his ultimate fate in a 2012 interview with The Huffington Post, eight years after his execution, while his family members sought Willinghams pardon. The order comes at the end of a day of testimony. He said he was prescribed many medications at that point while being treated for bipolar disorder. 36-year-old Willingham flicked a middle finger at his wife, Stacy Kuykendall, as he was strapped down to the gurney for his execution in 2004. Attorneys for Willingham's family are seeking his exoneration. Stacey Kuykendall divorced her husband not long after the deaths of her children, and she professed that Willingham had been abusive towards her, but not the children. (Thompson later received an award from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association for this motion and appeal. The Dallas Morning News reports that a twin brother of Stacy Kuykendall, who is Willingham's former wife, says Willingham reminded Stacy Kuykendall, not long before his execution, of an earlier . [1][19], At trial, the fire investigator Vasquez testified there were three points of origin for the fire, which indicated that the fire was "intentionally set by human hands. If he had pleaded guilty, he would most likely have been sentenced to life in prison. Website by MADEO. According to the affidavits, Willingham's ex-wife had told Ronnie that Willingham confessed to her that he had set the fire. However, he insisted that he would not admit to a crime he claimed he didnt commit, so he was sentenced to die by lethal injection. Willingham's ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, has . "[17], An August 2009 Chicago Tribune investigative article concluded, "Over the past five years, the Willingham case has been reviewed by nine of the nation's top fire scientists first for the Tribune, then for the Innocence Project, and now for the commission. I was 21, just lost all my children and now everyone expected me to believe that their father did this. Evidence of such a deal would have eliminated Webb's testimony. The new chair, John Bradley, canceled the meeting, sparking accusations that Perry was interfering with the investigation[4] and using it for his own political advantage. "[12] According to Brandice, he refused, and moved his car away from the fire before returning to sit on a nearby lawn, "not once attempting to go inside to rescue his children." What are now being described as Willinghams inconsistencies dont come from Willingham at all they are recollections from hearsay witnesses, virtually none of whom testified at trial or were cross-examined. Cameron Todd Willingham, of Texas, was the husband of Stacy Willingham and the loving father of three young girls.There is a reason why I did not include the word 'loving' in front of the word 'husband'. They said somebody had poured a combustible accelerant on the floor throughout the house. Church recalls, I point-blank asked Kuykendall, Did he confess his guilt? And she said, No.. In that article, Kuykendall made it clear that she did not believe Willinghams version of events. Vasquez asked her if he ever abused the children. I miss them so much., While Kuykendall was in Willinghams corner and also persistent about his innocence for years, she changed her stance shortly before his execution.I read that Todds stepmom and cousin are asking the governor for a pardon. https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investigationdiscovery.com%2Ftv-shows%2Fevil-lives-here%2Ffull-episodes%2Fwhat-if-he-was-innocent%3Ffbclid%3. That statement was false. . Throughout his time on death row, he always maintained his innocence. In the statement, Willingham's ex-wife, Stacy Kuykendall, was quoted as telling family members that Willingham said "that he had set the fire because he knew she was going to leave him." The account came from Kuykendall's brother, Ronnie Kuykendall, in a statement to an investigator for the district attorney's office in 2004. Stacy Kuykendall, Willingham's then-wife and the mother of his three daughters, was not home at the time of the fire . October 26, 2009. He admitted that he exaggerated having gone inside the babies room (he said he wanted to sound brave and feared that people would think he was a coward for not going into the burning room).