Prosecutors are trying to prove Hamilton hid his bloody clothes and the blunt instrument used to kill the victim. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Penn's varsity track team, 1905 Dr. John Baxter Taylor, 1908 . Two African Americans had earned medals at the 1904 Olympic games in St. Louis Joe Stadler (from Cleveland) had won a silver medal in the standing high jump and George Poage (from the . Please send somebody quick. Is Lane Kiffin Married To Girlfriend Jennifer Dardano?Lane Kiffin, a well-known football, Is Melanie Martinez Alive Or Dead? He told Primetime the spatters were "almost a neon sign pointing towards the wearer of this shirt being associated with the beating.". Furthermore, he has previously requested a retrial, which has been denied each time. And finally, there was the story told by blood. Let's put it this way, nothing that we could really present. Tom Bevel: I was hired-- either the-- the next day, or within two days at least-- of-- of the actual crime-- by the defense. The expert, though, was certain that whoever was wearing that left shoe that day was present when Susan Hamilton was being bludgeoned to death. Bevel, under oath to tell the truth, told the court about the spatter in the sleeve and said it was consistent with Hamilton beating his wife over the head with a blunt instrument. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. She would've never hidden it in her underwear and all of a sudden the, you know, it just clicks that he's tryin' to make it look like a robbery. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I think she became particularly alarmed when he didn't answer it. Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. The doctor realized he'd been scuttled by his own man, the expert on blood spatter. This is a carousel with slides. I would say less than two minutes. John Hamilton and Alliena Even Susan's children were standing by their stepfather. Oops, something didn't work. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. I think that that just goes to I think probably in my heart I knew she was dead. There was a detail that the witness wanted to talk about. He was banging his head into the screen. "Anything else, they don't want you to hear. They had regularly scheduled luncheon dates and worked Prosecutors are counting on experts to testify that Susan Hamilton's blood and flesh were found in the defendant's 1996 Jaguar parked outside their home at 3056 Bush Creek Road. Did it ever. But when the first responder -- firefighter David Bradbury-- arrived on the scene, he thought there was something odd about the way the doctor was performing chest compressions. For ten months -- ever since that Valentine's Day when he was arrested for the murder of his wife -- John Hamilton had kept his silence behind bars. a crowd lined up to attend the proceedings. home at 3056 Brush Creek Road. And as the detectives looked more closely into the doctor's timeline that morning, they saw a hole -- not a big one but maybe enough time to kill and get back. Two neckties were knotted about her throat. A friend was combing Susan's clothes closet for something appropriate for her to be buried in, when she came upon something concealed in an underwear drawer. John Hamilton: Right. Jewels. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A prominent Oklahoma City doctor was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole for killing his wife on Valentine's Day. Lane said a bloody imprint of what is believed to be the blunt instrument was discovered on the defendant's shirt. Prosecutors may finish calling their witnesses today. Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. "I don't think it took very long at all. Police haven't found the murder weapon or the clothes. 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They were kind of a unit in that regards. On the steering wheel and driver's side seat and door sill, crime scene investigators recovered strands of susan's hair and a piece of her flesh. problems. Defense attorneys say the victim's blood and flesh got in the car when Hamilton realized after calling 911 his car was blocking the drive for emergency vehicles. 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. Shary Coffey, Susan Hamilton's best friend for 37 years, testified the victim told her on Feb. 7 that she thought her husband was having an affair. He said he "absolutely" did not kill his wife, and that he is not the type of person to fly off the handle. Horton said John Hamilton "Blood spatter is not an exact science, and Bevel had gone over to the dark side on him. His supporters, on the other hand, continue to believe he is innocent to this day. This week, ya girls are celebrating Valentines Day a day late. was upset and denying he had John would have been devastated.". In murder cases constructed on the interpretation of blood evidence, it's not unusual for juries to hear from dueling experts when they go to trial. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. We actually believe that-- that-- John Hamilton was trying to clean things up before he got paged. "He tried to get the key in the ignition, but he couldn't because he was shaking so much," Martin said. Yeah, I'm going to hang up so I can continue. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Try again later. based on information from your browser. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. "The evidence will be she was just as much in love with him.". John Hamilton, 53, is on trial in the Valentine's Day slaying of his wife at their She said he would give her samples of medication she needed for depression when she didn't have the money to buy prescription drugs. Wes Lane: She was talking leaving him. pic.twitter.com/JX4vEnAq2O, Crimes with Christine (@CrimeswChris) March 25, 2021. Thanks for your help! In the week before she was The doctor refuted the prosecution's case against him point by point. I just felt like they were very happy. Please, hurry. The blood spatter expert on the stand -- on the payroll of the defense -- hesitated before answering. We took a one-to-one image of his shirt, and we overlay it. At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. She had been strangled, and her face had been repeatedly John Hamilton, who had spent every day since his wife's murder in a jail cell, would finally get a chance to testify about the last days of the marriage -- a story he also told to us. And if there was another pair, she'd go get those. Tom Bevel: I expected an objection. There is a problem with your email/password. And then she decides to eliminate her competition. John Hamilton: I don't know. It was up inside the sleeve. After the second surgery, he returned home to pick up his datebook, and found his wife, he said. We're going to vigorously, steadfastly and as carefully and conscientiously as possible defend this case to the very end. Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? And you could overlay the pattern transfer right on top of the wound, and you see an immediate -- I mean, they match up. "When he saw that this incredible woman was looking like she was leaving him, he lost it. Even though she had a great education, her passion was to be a good mother. Lane backed up his theory with physical evidence. Tom Bevel denies lying about his testimony, and the courts didn't buy the argument either. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. Several witnesses have testified the couple were always together and frequently took jurors about the disagreement I didn't notice any blood on his mouth whatsoever. They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. In this article, youll learn more about Susan Hamiltons murder. A prominent doctor's wife is murdered on Valentine's Day. He says he did Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. 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. John Hamilton: Oh, sure. Investigators had plenty of theories to work with. John Hamilton: No, she's not breathing, I don't get a pulse. John Hamilton had been imprisoned since 2001 on suspicion of murdering his wife. Dick Horton: She calls us and says, "I found the jewelry in her underwear.". I mean, because it was out there in view, I guess. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. On this day, Valentine's Day, in 2001, abortionist John Baxter Hamilton bludgeoned his wife, Susan, to death in their Oklahoma home. The first-degree murder charge accuses Dr. John Baxter Hamilton, 52, an obstetrician and gynecologist, in the beating and strangulation death of his wife, Susan Shibley Hamilton, 55. with John Hamilton. The-- they don't agree. upset about the incident because Susan Hamilton thought And what do robbers take? Afterwards he tried to clean up, but quickly gave up. I mean, he fawned over her a lot. After two hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. If this is real-- if this blood splatter is real science then why should two prominent, national authorities disagree with the findings? Given the circumstances, he was accused of murdering his wife. Online Bill Pay Boards, Committees, and Agencies Coronavirus Reporting Child Abuse requires every health care professional Click here for more information Statewide 24-Hour 1-800-522-3511 Posted on 06/17/2021 STAY CONNECTED! What motive? It looked like the start of an attempted -- and then abandoned -- clean-up. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The Hamiltons did have enemies. When asked if there shouldn't have been a blood trail in the house if the defense theory is true, Spruill said: "I would expect that. In 1997, Mississippi abortion provider Dr. Malachy Dehenre shot and killed his wife in their . Hamilton (5 Jan 1946-14 Feb 2001), Find a Grave Memorial ID 80157405, citing Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City . "She loved him. The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. general about patients calling Randy Scott: She gets the bill and upon looking at the bill she notices-- she starts marking and finds a huge number, and I'm talkin', close to 100 phone calls to this phone, back and forth to John. Spruill told jurors he believed the attack happened quickly and the victim fought to free the necktie from her neck. But not pretty doctor's wives in Oklahoma City. Investigators had to interpret the blood evidence left behind. The murder weapon was never found. If convicted, he could be sentenced to prison for life with or without the possibility of parole. trips. 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. Dennis Murphy: So, you'd have to think that the opportunistic robber breaking in to steal some jewelry and the TV--. And go back and do another surgery. Hamilton has been held in the Oklahoma County jail for seven days without bond. Testimony is expected to continue this morning before District Judge Ray Elliott. ", Hamilton denies that he was having an affair or that his wife wanted a divorce. Hamilton reportedly had come home from the hospital where he worked to get his planner and discovered his wife, 55-year-old Susan Hamilton, lying. He was talking on the phone. He was born on April 23, 1950 in Phenix City, Alabama. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Susan Johnston: He just couldn't have done it. A crowd lined up to attend the proceedings -- loyal patients, former employees, and fellow physicians -- all standing behind the doctor. "I don't know, she looks like somebody hurt her." It's Valentine's morning and socialite Susan Hamilton lies nude, smashed in a pool of blood. wife repeatedly throughout the John Hamilton, 53, ordered an expensive arrangement of red orchids for his wife, but he never got the chance to give them to her. "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. And, as expected, his take on the story told by the blood put his client, Dr. Hamilton, in a better light. John Hamilton: Right. without her knowledge. Steve Jimerson: Oh, they were la-la. Dr. Hamilton had a more simple explanation for being late. Someone had to leave. Horton told the jurors her mother had John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist, called 911 on Valentine's Day, 2001, to report that he had arrived to find his wife, Susan, apparently dead in a pool of blood in the bathroom. the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs Maybe they missed it altogether. But before that valentine's day was over, they would have a suspect in custody. How did it get there? Inmate John Baxter Hamilton is currently incarcerated in Oklahoma Department of Corrections (OK DOC) located at 3400 N Martin Luther King Ave, Oklahoma City, OK. Connect with john using InmateAid. So he runs by that house. And Susan's getting ready you know, trying to get dressed. Then the prosecutor rose for his cross-examination. John Hamilton: You know, I've come to find out that blood spatter is really junk science. John Baxter Hamilton, who was convicted of the Valentine's Day murder of his wife, lost his bid to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Tuesday. The card had been found inside john's Jaguar. Foreman: We, the jury and panel, sworn in the above-entitled cause, do upon our oath sign as follows. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Oklahoma City police Sgt. Vandalizing his home. I told some people at the clinic, "I wish I had someone that would look at me the way John looks at Susan." All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. was her doctor and gave her Hamilton will have a closed-circuit arraignment before a judge on Friday. Or maybe more likely, an anti-abortion zealot targeting the doctor and his wife? Randy Scott: You know, you wouldn't a had time to washed up. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. And why was it delayed? At trial, Lane told the jury that Dr. Hamilton started to clean up the scene, but was interrupted by the page from his clinic. Vesta Hall: She was beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, just a really neat lady. A panicked Hamilton told the operator that he was attempting to perform CPR on her. Macy said he will ask that bond be denied for John Hamilton. he was upset. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Lane looked for signs of spousal abuse in the past, but couldn't find anything substantive. Susan was attractive, intelligent. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. And they've got a lady under anesthesia without the doctor, and that is just unheard of. There was no sign of forced entry in the house and nothing was missing, making it unlikely Susan Hamilton, who was 55, was killed by a burglar. Mrs. Hamilton, 55, had worked as a physician's assistant at her husband's abortion facility, Oklahoma Women's Clinic. He had been having an affair with a stripper and his wife became aware of it. Was he trying to cover up earlier injuries? I don't have anything to lose. Susan Hamilton died of blunt force trauma to the head and ligature strangulation or strangulation brought on by something being tied or pulled tightly around her neck, according to the medical examiner's preliminary report. And that's what had happened to Susan Hamilton on that Valentine's Day morning. His attorneys have claimed that police had improper contact with Bevel, who is a former police officer, during the trial. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. Bevel was the last witness in the trial, and from everything he testified to under the defense attorney's gentle questioning, he'd helped dr. Hamilton. John Hamilton: I was frantic. Shibley and Horton told the Aguirre said he was calling her 10 or more times a day. Just putting out brochures all over his neighborhood and his kids' school that, you know, said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive.". "They have still got all kinds of scientific and technical evidence that has to be evaluated and reviewed, Martin said. To investigators, that delay opened up the doctor's window of opportunity by up to an hour. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? Right away, detectives started asking: Who could be responsible? And, as you might guess, it was a job that came with a little danger -- anti-abortion protestors were a curbside reality. an affair when he called her before the slaying. "She said, 'I'm scared and I've never felt in december 2001, ten months after the valentine's day killing of his wife susan, dr. john hamilton was being tried for her murder. The prosecutor refused to release additional information about the slaying that took place at 3056 Brush Creek Road. Two months before her death, they fought over the defendant giving his son money without Susan Hamilton knowing about it. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Effectively managed high-volume of product sales. And that's what happened here. The defense's expert was saying that Dr. John Hamilton most likely created those blood stains by bashing in his wife's skull. Other little issues about maybe was it a burglary. Not least of all in a bloody crime there were no footprints leading out of the house. It read, "A reward in heaven will be bestowed on anyone contributing to bringing this murderer to justice." Let's go find some experts to prove our case.' But because it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to give Susan her first Valentine's card. Try again later. And for that, they hired a blood stain expert Named Ross Gardner. Randy Scott: John Hamilton was just not the victim's spouse that we were seein'. On February 14, 2001, the residents of Oklahoma City bore witness to a terrifying murder when Susan Hamilton was found strangled and beaten to death on her bathroom floor. John Baxter Hamilton. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. Retha Chamberlain, Special Judge Russell Hall's court clerk, said the process to complete the paperwork would delay the appearance until then. >> i have never, ever one second, not one moment in time, thought he was guilty, I knew they that they were suspecting me. Officers say they can account for all the bloody footprints inside the house, but there is no evidence showing how the person got outside. And it was there they noticed something else odd. Investigators had plenty of theories to work with, but the suspect they brought into custody shocked everyone. One says, "The shoes is what convicts him." Many people have been searching the internet for his date cause. they thought the Hamiltons had It doesn't always happen that way. Hamilton, a frequent target of protesters opposed to abortions, was arrested about six hours after he made a 911 call reporting that he thought his wife was dead. mother didn't sound like herself, although And we're thinkin' that maybe he was having an affair. A system error has occurred. The prosecution wasn't going to be able to tap your expertise. The scene was a bloody mess. Please try again later. The jurors, all women and the youngest members on the panel, wiped their eyes with tissues while Dr. Jeffrey Gofton, a forensic pathologist for the state Medical Examiner's office, testified he believes Susan Hamilton, 55, died from possibly three blows to her head with a blunt instrument. The defense also hired a respected crime scene investigator, Tom Bevel, as an expert witness. Shouldn't the killer have left a trace? She didn't sound like my mom.". Dennis Murphy: Until that Valentine Day morning, there was no-- no anger issues, no histories of this guy hit-- hittin' the switch and flipping out, and-. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Dennis Murphy: So these things that you say are kind of like out of focus- moving the car, there was the other thing -- the business about moving her jewelry, hiding it in her drawer? Mack Martin, the doctor's attorney, said, "We're going to enter a plea of not guilty, obviously. The case now landed in the hands of Wes Lane, the district attorney who would try Dr. John Hamilton for murder. Marks made by the victim's fingernails were found on the body. or more times a day. He was -- more suspicion drawn each time that we'd watch something. It was the high society doctor, married to the beautiful wife, that were crazy about one another. A neighbor was about to give the cops the dish. Her naked body was discovered by her husband, John. And while there were scenarios to serously consider: a berserk robber, or maybe the legion of activists opposed to the couple's abortion practice, the crime scene wasn't telling them that. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Dennis Murphy: So that was the reason you went home? But Karen Reisig: I personally don't believe a physician could do-- a surgery, go commit a brutal crime of murder. John Hamilton, a prominent doctor in Oklahoma City, showered his wife with gifts, starting with a Porsche he gave her the day they married. As a Finnish lawyer, Simon Ekpa has made a name for himself in the legal profession. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. "Ultimately, you take an oath to tell the truth and that overrides any allegiance I may have to any client," he said. "The prosecution will present one theory," Martin said. His former medical partner, for one, thinks that would be impossible. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80157405/susan-hamilton. I mean, I knew Susan was dead. In addition to delivering babies, John Hamilton performed abortions at his clinic, and Susan worked there too. Horton: Anybody that you ask, nobody that I know that knew John Hamilton would say that he had the capability of doing it. Susan Hamilton suspected her husband was having an affair with a patient and stripper whose telephone number turned up 60 times on the defendant's cell phone bills. But knew she wasn't one easily rattled or intimidated. Spruill told jurors he has an opinion on how the killer got out of the house without leaving a blood trail even though the evidence doesn't provide an answer. So in Susan's mind, the affair was not an issue anymore. Their fourteen-year marriage, however, resulted in Susans heinous murder. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. He said he'd gotten Susan's blood on him from performing CPR. This is the shirt.". Dr. Steve Jimerson -- a colleague of John's -- was best man. The major one is that I've lost the love of my life. What made John show his dark side? And that justice would come out. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Steve Jimerson: They all said he was just as normal and jovial as he always was. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. Susan's friend, for one, believed him, and encouraged Susan to do the same. We changed it to, instead, that-- Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love. Taping him on the surveillance camera. "She was angry, and she So the strategy would be to pick apart both the evidence and the logic of the prosecution's case. And be, even be in his right mind. "I didnt kill Susan.. They'd been suspicious earlier, back at the house when he scratched his hands against the cage in the police car. There was a problem getting your location. Steve Jimerson: Susan's children, when it first happened, were calling me, trying to find if I had knew of any reason somebody or some person might have been there. He'd even mentored the blood expert used by the prosecution. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. At around 8:30, he bumped into his former medical partner, Dr. Karen Reisig. The doctor said he'd even started seeing a therapist on his own, to earn back Susan's trust, and that she, Susan, had decided to go into counseling with him. Pictures of his injuries have been shown to the jury. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. He and his wife, Susan, had met in 1985 at a friend's birthday party. A random intruder? "She was taken down almost immediately and spun onto her face, Spruill said. Not necessarily a killer's shoe, countered the defense expert, but the shoe of Dr. Hamilton as he gave his wife CPR. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Tom Bevel: I would believe that they thought that, yes. Dennis Murphy: And that you can almost envision whatever that murder weapon is, the-- the bludgeon coming right down on poor Susan's head causing the blood spatter. I can only speculate how. Oklahoma. Dr. Hamilton 911 call Doctor, slain wife argued about affair, police say - Evidence taken from home where woman's body found Doctor leaves jail for funeral - Obstetrician permitted to attend wife's services Doctor accused in wife's death to remain in jail Suspect loses bail appeal - Doctor charged in wife's death to remain in jail pending trial Even the prosecutor, Wes Lane, had to admit that John had been telling the truth about that suspected affair.