After everything we had heard, I was picturing a monster, for lack of a better word, said Sergeant Vance. Later that day, when the bodies of the two Caffey boys were pulled from the rubble, one firefighter, overcome with emotion, fell to his knees. Penny was withdrawn for most of February, and she declined to go on a womens church retreat, saying that she needed to spend more time with her family. Terry Caffey Story. When I came round I heard commotion and two voices. I told them that killing these boys will not bring my family back. As he drove nearer, he could see that a house was on fire. A mountain biker is mauled by a mountain lion, and a hotel receptionist goes into fight mode to survive a brutal attack by a man posing as a guest. I was just angry. More and more she and her mother were at odds, and Erin once called Charlie in tears to report that Penny had slapped her in the heat of an argument. "I found out that Tyler, 8-year-old little Tyler, was hiding upstairs in the closet and the two boys [the killers], Charlie and Charles, took turns stabbing him to death," Caffey said. Wilkinson and Waid then ransacked the house for valuables Wilkinson had allegedly promised Waid $2,000 that was stashed away and set fire to the place with lighter fluid. Sheriffs deputy Serena Booth sat in. Erin Caffey was convicted of three counts of capital murder and will not be eligible for parole until she is 59 years old. That is where I found Penny. His face and upper body were caked with blood. At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter's boyfriend standing in his bedroom with a gun. At his urging, she received a lesser sentence than life without parole; he wanted to make sure that she had something to live for, he said. Erins car keys and phone were taken away, and for weeks, her parents drove her to and from school. Wilkinson and an accomplice shot Caffey's wife Penny to death and set the family's home on fire. I dont think she actually thought he would go through with it. Too much has been lost already, it seems, for him to give that up as well. Youre not going to see that boy no more, Terry told her. I felt someone kick me in the foot and heard heavy breathing. There had been two guys with swords dressed in black who had ordered her to get down on the floor. It was Charlie who had wanted the family dead, and when he came to the house, she had been powerless to stop him. None of the four involved were drunk or had taken drugs on the night of the murders. A teaching assistant who was brutally bashed by a 122kg student has denied her attackers claims that she sparked the classroom assault. Gaston, a genial man with a head of white hair, was the Caffeys closest neighbor, and he looked relieved to see the sheriffs deputy at his door. It was so loud and its even hard to describe, he said. Terry has since remarried and is now pursuing ministry full-time. In the end, Caffey, Wilkinson, Waid, and Waids girlfriend were all charged with three counts of capital murder. Assistant attorney general Lisa Tanner, a seasoned prosecutor who has sent four men to death row in her eighteen years as a trial lawyer, was assigned to the case. When authorities tracked down Wilkinson and brought him in for questioning, they also found Erin in the trailer where he was staying. Erin was taken by ambulance to the Hopkins County Memorial Hospital, in Sulphur Springs, where she was given a full medical assessment. In the living room, he found a camouflage-colored purse with a drivers license inside it belonging to Erin Caffey. Though Charlie and Waid had been drinking that night, neither was using drugs. They brought along Waids girlfriend, a bubbly high school senior named Bobbi Johnson, whose silver Dodge Neon they were driving. I spent days out there picking through the ashes. They were ridiculous reasonsnot even reasonsjust an excuse, Waid told me. Now, one year later, Terry is remarried, the adoptive father of two young sons, and working to rebuild his relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, who is currently serving two life sentences in a Texas state penitentiary for her involvement in the crimes. I wanted them to die. He continued to visit her at the county jail, but what disturbed him most, at the end of a year of counseling, was the realization that he could no more explain why she had wanted her family killed than on the day he had first met her. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Caffey was also sentenced to life, though she will be eligible to apply for parole after 40 years. From then on, the Caffeys limited Erins time with Charlie to once a week, in their home, under their watch. The kids were homeschooled, Terry was training to be a minister, and a Bible verse was etched into a wooden sign hanging above their driveway. Well, Id read the story countless times before, but I read it again and it was almost like I was there with Job. (If certified, she would face the same punishment at trial as an adult, including life without parolewith one notable exception: Even when certified, a juvenile cannot receive the death penalty.) The sound of gunfire had woken Bubba and Tyler, who called out for their parents and then locked themselves in Erins room. At that point, the church-going teen began to slip up in school. Password recovery. She and Terry hoped that the individual instruction might benefit Erin, who had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and lagged behind her classmates. He now travels the country preaching what he has become good at, forgiveness. I believe he would have spared their life so I wrote letters and protested at the headquarters of the attorney generals office, asking them to spare the boys lives. I have my moments, my days, where I cry but those days come further and further apart. Bring on the Shiplap? Erin Caffey - Teen Plans Family Murder. Yet when I visited him, he seemed hesitant. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Terry has forgiven his daughter. When she spoke to Lewis, Erin insisted that Charlie had a volatile temper; he had killed her family after she had broken up with him and then framed her. - Published on February 4, 2014. Courtesy Terry CaffeyErin Caffey with her boyfriend, Charlie Wilkinson. Wilkinsons gun then jammed, so Waid pulled out a samurai-style sword and used it on Penny, almost decapitating her. Sometime late in the night of Feb. 28, 2008, or early on March 1, Wilkinson and his friend, 22-year-old Charles Waid, stormed into the Caffey home while Erin and Waid's girlfriend, Bobbi Johnson, waited outside in the car. Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. Rural family, deeply Christian, homeschooling, parents interfering in 16-year-old daughter's dating life. The ambulance was about to pull away from Tommy Gastons house when sheriffs investigator Richard Almon, who had hurried to the scene, climbed inside. He told sheriffs deputies that it was Charlie Wilkinson. He survived being shot five times and the arson that burned down his Alba, Texas, home. The father, Terry, was a pastor. Instant vibe, he said, snapping his fingers. There was nothing he could do for his family at that point. Terry maintained a relationship with his daughter for years after the massacre. Filled with lovesick rage, she ordered her boyfriend and his buddy to carry out her revenge. I don't care just do what you gotta do, she allegedly said, according to Killer Couples.. He needed somebody to lay down beside him at night who he could tell his troubles to. They said their vows in October at Miracle Faith, just a few feet from where Terrys wifes and sons caskets had rested seven months earlier. Wilkinson, however, was openly heartbroken and angry, according to Killer Couples. And friends of Erin told Texas Monthly that the same month, Erin started talking about killing her parents. During a Valentines Day dinner that was hosted by her youth group, she stood idly by, too preoccupied to even fill water glasses. I hope that God forgives me, Charlie added. In November they each pleaded guilty to three counts of capital murder. And that's when I decided to -- it's time to move on. This was a vulnerable 16-year-old girl with a controlling, psychopathic guy.. Charles Dickerson was the only officer on duty on March 1, 2008, when the call came into the Rains County sheriffs office just after four-thirty in the morning that there had been a shooting at the Caffey residence. Ive never come across anyone as dangerous as Erin, said criminal therapist Israel Lewis, who worked with her after her capture. I had never seen such a sight. Furious with her parents, Erin told her aunt that she planned on running away to be with Charlie when she turned seventeen. I didn't want to grow into a bitter, angry old man. Life does go on., This article originally appeared in The Sun. Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. She is the most evil woman I have ever met, Morgan said. That comported completely with what Charlie told us, which was that she kept calling and saying, Where are yall? All of them played instruments, and Erin used to sing so passionately during services that she would sometimes break down in tears, according to Texas Monthly. Were you involved in this? Fischer asked. While the suspects were being questioned in the sheriffs office in Emory, Erins grandparents were driving her to the hospital in Tyler, escorted by Chief Sanders and Deputy Booth. Gently, Sanders asked Erin what she remembered. I want to go. Caffey has remarried and lives in Wills Point, Texas with his wife and two stepsons. His dad worked at a paper mill outside Dallas. The murders shocked the nation especially when the police revealed that Erin Caffey was the mastermind behind the entire massacre. I have to forgive her., I was very angry, Caffey told Nightline. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Terry and his wife, Penny, had three children together, 16-year-old Erin, 13-year-old Matthew, and 8-year-old Tyler. Charlie Wilkinson and Erin Caffey's Dangerous Relationship Massacre of the Caffey Family The Trial And Sentencing Of Erin Caffey. But the other three all immediately said she was the ringleader. Her voice faltered, and her cousin, who did not have her natural talent, outshone her. Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This page is in NO way shape or form representative of Terry Caffey or his brand.This page is based on factual information gathered about his. However, in fall 2008, Erin found something that began to draw her interest away from godly things: She fell in love with 18-year-old Charlie Wilkinson. The boys play guitar and harmonica in church. He thought for a moment before answering my question, and I studied his face behind the Plexiglas. The days and weeks that followed, the grief, I cannot put it into words. Records of calls between Caffey and Wilkinson nailed her lie that she had been the victim of a kidnap. But the kicker was from 1:22 a.m. to 1:58 a.m., when she called him seven more times. Caffeys mother Penny was shot, then stabbed with a samurai sword and almost decapitated. Caffey and three co-defendants are all accused of killing her mother Penny Caffey and her brothers Matthew and Tyler Caffey, before setting the family's house on fire in Emory. Charlie Wilkinson was his daughters boyfriend, Caffey told the detective, and he and his wife had recently demanded that Erin stop seeing him. That Saturday I got home at midnight, I came in from a 14 hour shift and I was tired. We were still going to be able to convict her of capital murder., The phone records corroborated a pivotal point in Charlies account of the murders. Erin Caffey is a young American citizen who was convicted of murder in 2008. Terry Caffey previously told Nightline what happened that night. Bubba tried to put up a fight by kicking Charlie, and when he did, Waid, who was still downstairs, raised the .22, aimed at the balcony where the brothers stood, and shot Bubba in the face. Terry Caffey was discharged from the hospital several days later and went to stay with his sister in the town of Leonard, about an hours drive from Alba. She gushed innocence, remembered a co-worker (who, like many teenagers interviewed for this story, asked to remain anonymous). They drove down back roads for a while to blow off steam. Life does go on. He crawled the length of four football fields to find help after being shot five times. I heard footsteps going up the stairs and I began to panic. Charlie told the detective that when they first drove up, the Caffeys dog had barked so much that they decided to leave, but Erin called him on his cell phone afterward and promised to keep the dog quiet when he returned. At daybreak, the fire was still smoldering. His daughter looked fragile and anxious in her orange prison jumpsuit, and at the end of every visit, he made sure to tell her that he loved her. Then, that fall, an incident at the junior high had upset Terry and Penny: A girl who had been showing interest in Erin had kissed her in the hallway. Forgiveness took months with me praying continuously even when I still had rage towards God. The Caffeys were also heavily involved with their local church, and this merged with their passion for music. Theyre all gone, Caffey told the sheriffs deputy, his voice breaking. He was totally in love with her and considered her his soul mate, Dion Kipp Jr., a friend of Charlies, later told investigators. Erin Caffey, far right, was given two life sentences for her role in the deaths of her mother and two young brothers in March 2008. Not only did Caffey forgive them all, including his daughter, but he asked them to be spared from the death penalty when the case went to trial. She informed them that she had been instructed to arrest their granddaughter in connection with the Caffey murders and requested that Erin step out of the car. Do you believe her version of events? I asked Terry. Terry and Bubba played harmonica, with Penny on piano. With Erin and Bobbi nearby, the two Charlies break into the house in the middle of the night, March 1, 2008. Terry found the visits agonizing, but he felt compelled to be in the presence of his only living child. Erin was cute and petite, with blue-gray eyes and a flirtatious smile, and she thrived on attention. He hesitated, and Fischer thought he might reach for the gun. She seemed totally sincere and genuine, and I would have put my license on the line to say that she was telling me the truth. Erin Caffey with her boyfriend, Charlie Wilkinson. He . Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He was engulfed in grief. Four suspects have been arrested and charged with the murders of the Caffey family. He lost everything, his whole family, all his worldly possessions, but he did not lose his faith, and God blessed him doubly. Before the conclusion of the interview, he added a detail to the story that Charlie had left out. No kids an angel, but I know what she is capable of, and I know shes not capable of murder., Erin told another version of her story to Israel Lewis, the mental health counselor who was hired to evaluate her for the defense. Fire, she said, her voice trailing off. A week before the end of February, Terry Caffey went to visit his father, Clarence, who, unfortunately, passed away due to what was reported as natural causes. The only motive appears to be that a few days before the murder spree, Penny and Terry told their daughter she could no longer see Wilkinson. It didnt take long for Erin Caffeys kidnapping story to fall apart. 3, Couple Mistakes Abstract Painting For An Interactive Exhibit And Paints Over The Artist's Work, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. . A few days earlier wed found out what kind of character Charlie really was, with the drinking and the sex, and told her to break it off. She cried one time when we were in my truck and I ran over a squirrel; shes tenderhearted. I honestly believe she was not the mastermind. While being treated at the hospital, Caffey said he had given up hope and wanted to die, until he received word that Erin was still alive. Perhaps the most surreal moment of our interview came when she sang Amazing Grace, pitch-perfect. Killing them will not bring my family back. He asked that Charlie Wilkinson and Charles Waid receive sentences of life in prison without parole. I found out later they had come in with samurai swords and found Tyler in the closet. Charlie hung his head and was quiet. Youre Erin Caffey? chief deputy Fischer asked the girl again. I remember trying to raise myself up but I couldnt feel the right side of my body. I threw my arm across Penny, and took shots in my arm and face which blew me out of bed and knocked me out. Wilkinson would later tell investigators that he warned Erin that he would have to kill her younger brothers in order to leave no witnesses. She had woken up in a house full of smoke, she said. You can read more about Terrys experience in his book. The funeral was private. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Wilkinson and Waid then looted the house for valuables as Wilkinson had promised Waid $2,000 for his help. He had never gotten over Charlies nonchalant attitude when they first met; Terry had come home from work, and Charliehis legs slung over the side of Terrys armchairhad not bothered to stand up or shake his hand. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terry L. Caffey. I wanted them to die. I was angry at these two young men, the other young lady that drove the getaway car. The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. On the night of March 1st, 2008, in a quiet, rural Texan community, Terry Caffeys wife, Penny, and their two young sons, Bubba and Tyler, were brutally murdered by their 16-year-old daughters boyfriend, Charlie Wilkinson, and his friend Charles Waid. A password will be e-mailed to you. I showed him the statement that a friend of hers had given to investigators about how Erin had wanted them to be killed. As his home burned around him, Terry awoke and made the unimaginable decision to crawl out a window for help. She was teary at the start of the interview, but otherwise she showed little emotion. The Slaughter Of The Caffey Family Unearthed A Dark Love Affair, Serena Booth: Erin Caffey, Charlie Wilkinson Had Time To Change Their Minds, Terry Caffey's Shock At Learning The Murders Were Erin's Fault. When the police arrested them all, she claimed to have been drugged and kidnapped. The pair then headed upstairs to where Tyler and Matthew were hiding. Upon visiting his burned-out property, Terry noticed a . However, he still visits Erin in prison in Greenville, according to ABC News. And so Terry sat opposite the only other surviving member of his familythe girl who investigators were telling him had wanted him and his wife and sons deadand conversed with her about subjects as mundane as the weather. After the killing spree, Charlie told the detective, he had carried a suitcase of Erins belongings, which she had previously packed, out to the car. 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