Isn't that what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about? Larry Spruill, a crime scene investigator, was on the stand for a second day Thursday, detailing what the evidence means and how it got there. John Hamilton: His own expert is saying he's guilty. Dick Horton: Well, Susan was a very disciplined individual. Dennis Murphy: There were people that thought this guy was being sandbagged, railroaded. It was never on any abortion protesters. I think she became particularly alarmed when he didn't answer it. Friends say that when they met each other, they made an instant connection. So the strategy would be to pick apart both the evidence and the logic of the prosecution's case. The medical examiner had determined that Susan had been strangled with two neckties, but her fatal injuries came from being bludgeoned with a blunt object, a murder weapon never found. But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. Rob Nigh: I've been doing criminal trials and appeals for 22 years and I've never seen a case like Dr. Hamilton's where the defense expert offered the most compelling evidence against the defendant. brain to figure that out," Horton testified. 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She went in the closet and got one and gave it to me. Try again later. The attacker poured cleaning solution in the drain in an attempt to prevent investigators finding blood in the shower, the investigator said. Randy Scott: He has time to get back by the house 'cause their-- their house is very close to in between the two hospitals. "There is physical evidence missing from this crime scene, Spruill said. Detective Teresa Sterling: He's supposed to be there. John Hamilton: I don't know. "Ultimately, you take an oath to tell the truth and that overrides any allegiance I may have to any client," he said. And that wasn't all. In TV interview, Oklahoma doctor says he didn't kill wife An important clue came in the card Susan had written to her husband, which had a handwritten note reading: "I bought my cards two weeks ago, so I guess maybe they don't seem as appropriate now. Hamilton, 62, was an Oklahoma City obstetrician, gynecologist and abortionist. By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. At the end, I think she was calmer and she said, "I'm gonna think about it.". (Oklahoma Department of Corrections) Dr. John Hamilton placed the. Steve Jimerson: I was afraid for his safety. John Hamilton had been imprisoned since 2001 on suspicion of murdering his wife. the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs 2023 www.oklahoman.com. And finally, there was the story told by blood. Just the week before Susan was murdered, this wanted poster had been left for Dr. Hamilton. Dennis Murphy: There are a lot of people, the ones who would think you are guilty are saying, "It's time for Dr. Hamilton to finally admit his guilt, be a guy, step up to the plate, and tell the story the way it was.". Karen Reisig: I personally don't believe a physician could do-- a surgery, go commit a brutal crime of murder. And if there was another pair, she'd go get those. Randy Scott: It indicated that she still felt something for John, but it just things weren't the same as they were gonna be. Other little issues about maybe was it a burglary. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. John Hamilton, a prominent Oklahoma City gynecologist, has been in jail without bail since Feb. 14. Someone had to leave. A lot of impact spatter. "He (Hamilton) was really clinging to the defense lines that the blood result was not the way it was interpreted, Dennis Murphy, a "Dateline NBC reporter, told The Oklahoman on Wednesday. It was the high society doctor, married to the beautiful wife, that were crazy about one another. He was scraping his knuckles on the screen, mesh screen in the police car. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). a good marriage, even though She said he would give her samples of medication she needed for depression when she didn't have the money to buy prescription drugs. A dozen roses? How did it get there? Oops, something didn't work. Mack Martin: We've got a circumstantial case and I think that the prosecutors in this case were putting as sinister a spin on it as they possibly could. What was she like? Randy Scott: I think the biggest part for us was trying to figure out how he could get there, spend any time there, and get back to commit the second surgery. How about a candlelit dinner and a champagne toast to love? And, as you might guess, it was a job that came with a little danger -- anti-abortion protestors were a curbside reality. I mean, I knew Susan was dead. "Blood spatter is not an exact science, and Bevel had gone over to the dark side on him. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. He told Primetime the spatters were "almost a neon sign pointing towards the wearer of this shirt being associated with the beating.". Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist, started performing CPR and called 911. John Baxter Hamilton, Abortionist and Wife-Killer - Blogger Because Dr. John Hamilton was late. Doctor sentenced for wife's killing - NewsOn6 The Eclectic Murders - LearnLocker - Empowering student engagement for Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Molly Baxter - Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City - LinkedIn No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. John Baxter Taylor, Jr. 1882 - 1908 - University of Pennsylvania School ). Oklahoma Department of Corrections 3400 North Martin Luther King Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73111-4298 If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call Onelife at 800-559-9544 or the National Suicide Prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Susan Johnston: I said, "Susan, I don't think it's true. Investigators uncovered evidence that Susan had found records of dozens of calls from her husband's cellphone to a topless dancer, and prosecutors say Susan told friends she was thinking about asking John for a divorce. For Susan's family and friends, the case is now closed, but it may never bring closure. "She loved to talk to John," If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. Dennis Murphy: And they thought they were very clever 'cause they took you, in effect, off the market. So he hid his wife's jewelry before the 911 forces arrived, fully intending to get it out of the house sometime later. And there was nothing-- it-- and there-- and there was nothing stolen. And why was it delayed? He was born on April 23, 1950 in Phenix City, Alabama. The patient, as Susan discovered, was a stripper at a nightclub. Psycho For Love: John Hamilton killed his wife, Susan; Sentenced to Horton said her mother got How the case changed, the bottom fell out of everything. It doesn't always happen that way. Western leaders say the nation lacks credibility, Rishi Sunak leads minutes silence for Ukraine as Boris Johnson lights candle at poignant service, CVS eyes European expansion as vet groups profits boom. We actually believe that-- that-- John Hamilton was trying to clean things up before he got paged. Please try again later. "I don't think it took very long at all. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The group had faxed Hamilton a "wanted" poster the same week as the murder, and the doctor told Primetime he and his wife had both received threatening phone calls the week she was killed. Susan Hamilton was angry and stayed at Coffey's house that night, Coffey said. And-- my children started, "Well, I'll never celebrate it again." Oklahoma abortionist charged with murdering wife - Voice For Life cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Vesta Hall: She was beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, just a really neat lady. Susan was attractive, intelligent. Randy Scott: The lady's layin' in the floor, covered in blood, blood all over the floor. Was he nervous about what an examination of his body would reveal? Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. Please. The dancer said Hamilton told her he loved his wife and didn't want to get a divorce. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. general about patients calling Jim E. Hamilton Correctional Center - Department of Corrections By the time the prosecutor had wrapped up his case, he'd laid out a theory of what happened -- that the doctor had used the neckties to pull his wife down from to the ground, then bashed her head in with that murder weapon never found. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. And you could overlay the pattern transfer right on top of the wound, and you see an immediate -- I mean, they match up. The other says, "It's his shirt that convicts him." degree murder trial of her stepfather, Dr. At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. day. The judge ruled that he would not allow any testimony about threats the abortion doctor and his wife may have received. I can only speculate how. Multi-directional blood spatters or spatters of blood coming from different directions reflecting movement were discovered on the defendant's shoes, but not on the slacks he was wearing, Lane said. The defense also hired a respected crime scene investigator, Tom Bevel, as an expert witness. They took his clothes as evidence, and placed him in an interview room. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. In this article, youll learn more about Susan Hamiltons murder. But that Wednesday morning, John arrived home from the hospital, and found a horrific scene: Susan, lying beaten and strangled on their bathroom floor. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. "He said he was wracking his Dennis Murphy: A lot of people don't get that. After the second surgery, he returned home to pick up his datebook, and found his wife, he said. Right away, detectives started asking: Who could be responsible? Wes Lane: He knew that she was still considering divorce. Dick: Right. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton loved his wife to death, District Attorney Wes Lane told an Oklahoma County jury Thursday. Soon after their arrival, investigators started questioning Dr. John Hamilton himself. Hamilton hired a new attorney, Rob Nigh, to appeal the verdict. In 2001, Oklahoma abortion provider Dr. John Baxter Hamilton beat his wife and then choked her to death in their home. Hamilton jury told of love, hate, death Stripper tells of dances; best Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. The-- they don't agree. In this case, though, the spouse had an alibi, and a good one. Jurors have spent two days hearing testimony and looking at photographs of the bloody crime scene and injuries the victim suffered. the victim told them the defendant smothered her. But not pretty doctor's wives in Oklahoma City. a crowd lined up to attend the proceedings. Instead they uncover a horrific crime scene, with two badly mutilated bodies. The doctor was still in shock, as the judge added his opinion. John Hamilton: I'm telling the truth now. John Hamilton: My wife's, my wife, my wife I think my wife is dead. Did it ever. He was acting bizarre. I told some people at the clinic, "I wish I had someone that would look at me the way John looks at Susan." Investigators had plenty of theories to work with. Susan Hamilton Murdered 2001 Murdered , Bludgeoned , Strangled On the morning of Feb. 14, 2001, Dr. John Hamilton phoned 911 requesting urgent help for his wife. And I don't think they-- believed it. Daughter of Kamille Kareen and Louise Sibley.Mother of 2 children.Lived to age 55 years.Murder victim. A big comfortable house in a top-notch neighborhood, lavish dinner parties, spur of the moment vacations. Wes Lane: They're not gonna do that. He said he'd gotten Susan's blood on him from performing CPR. deny they were having an affair. Prosecutors may finish calling their witnesses today. "They have still got all kinds of scientific and technical evidence that has to be evaluated and reviewed, Martin said. Her husband, Dr. John Hamilton, called 911 and claimed to have found her that way when he returned from one of his surgeries. Angela Horton testified Friday in Oklahoma County District Court that her "She was really upset that he That high society doctor was Dr. John Hamilton -- an OB/GYN who in addition to his regular practice, ran an abortion clinic -- a role that in conservative Oklahoma, would bring him some. based on information from your browser. The couple had exotic vacations and a beautiful house, and after 14 years of marriage, friends and family say they were inseparable, and very much in love. Tom Bevel, a blood spatter expert hired by the defense, testified on cross examination that the "most probable explanation for blood inside Hamiltons shirt sleeve was that he had struck his wife with a blunt object. I just, I wanted them to be able to get in and help. On "Dateline NBC, as in his legal appeals, Hamilton criticized Bevel and the accuracy of his blood spatter analysis, which Hamilton called "junk science.. The state of Oklahoma would charge Dr. John Hamilton with just loving his wife to death. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. By the time emergency workers arrived, it was clear that Susan Hamilton was dead. The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. There was an error deleting this problem. Ross Gardner: Effectively, the inside and front of that shoe was in motion around this spatter event from Mrs. Hamilton that's radiating out. Susan's friend, for one, believed him, and encouraged Susan to do the same. Resend Activation Email. They said the police had focused on Hamilton too quickly, and not paid enough attention to the threats from antiabortion activists. Susan Hamilton's blood and skin were found on the steering wheel of the doctor's car, and a prosecution expert testified that his left shoe was spattered in a way that could only have happened while his wife was alive. However, there is no credible evidence that he is still alive or dead. And I said, "Yes, sir.". One thing everyone who knew the couple -- including the neighbor -- seemed to agree on -- was that whoever Susan's killer was, it certainly was not John Hamilton. And we're thinkin' that maybe he was having an affair. Drag images here or select from your computer for Susan Shibley Hamilton memorial. Her naked body was discovered by her husband, John. John R. Hamilton Jr. John Ray Hamilton, Jr., 72, passed away at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo on Friday, January 6, 2023. "Susan never said that to me. Spruill told jurors he believed the attack happened quickly and the victim fought to free the necktie from her neck. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? She was strangled with a necktie and then her face was repeatedly smashed into the tile floor in the bathroom of her Quail Creek home. "She loved him," Coffey said her friend told her every day for a week before she was killed. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services at times she insinuated it was too To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. If convicted, he could be husband was having an affair with a patient. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Bevel said he had no choice but to tell the court what he knew, even if it hurt the client who had hired him. I didn't notice any blood on his mouth whatsoever. That statement was out of character for Dennis Murphy: You thought that the second operation was gonna be backed up? "Someone said there is a fine line between love and hate, and that man crossed it," Lane said in his opening statement in the first-degree murder trial for Hamilton, an Oklahoma City gynecologist, obstetrician and abortionist. Area Briefs: Doctor convicted of killing wife loses appeal The doctor, according to the prosecution's version, now had to cover up his frenzy by going back to perform his second surgery as though nothing had happened. John Hamilton: Please, please, send police, please send an ambulance, please. I was scared. He has not given an inch in that regard., Murphy said Hamilton still has the "command authority of a physician and chatted about vacationing in Italy "as if he was still in touch with the outside world.. John Hamilton, 53, is on trial in the Valentine's Day slaying of his wife at their I thought you might like to see a memorial for Susan Shibley Hamilton I found on Findagrave.com. The scene was a bloody mess. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. His wife, Susan, worked twice a week at the abortion clinic. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Possibilities: Was it a robbery gone bad? Dennis Murphy: And the card would later become an issue because people saw kind of a snarky line from Susan of, "Well obviously, I got this before the trouble, huh?