The defense's expert, bevel, couldn't go that far. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. To use this feature, use a newer browser. But knew she wasn't one easily rattled or intimidated. At the end, I think she was calmer and she said, "I'm gonna think about it.". Oops, something didn't work. Wes Lane: She was talking leaving him. Susan Hamilton was beaten with a blunt instrument, Oklahoma County District Attorney Robert Macy said in court documents that list 39 witnesses in the case. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Wes Lane: Nothing. Nothing was found. So, you don't have an object to compare it against. Late that Valentine's Day afternoon, they arrested John Hamilton for the murder of his wife. 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. If anything, threats against the clinic, only seemed to bring the Hamiltons closer together. in december 2001, ten months after the valentine's day killing of his wife susan, dr. john hamilton was being tried for her murder. Was he trying to cover up earlier injuries? They were kind of a unit in that regards. at times she insinuated it was too Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Blood that then transferred from his hands and clothes to the car. I can only speculate how. Mack Martin: I never saw anything to indicate that John said, "If I can't have you, nobody can.". "Moments like that in the courtroom just don't happen like that. "Anything else, they don't want you to hear. John Hamilton, a prominent doctor in Oklahoma City, showered his wife with gifts, starting with a Porsche he gave her the day they married. However, the dark day arrived in their family on Valentines Day 2001, when he claimed Susan was in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor. If this is real-- if this blood splatter is real science then why should two prominent, national authorities disagree with the findings? Please send somebody quick. Dick Horton: She calls us and says, "I found the jewelry in her underwear.". Even the prosecutor, Wes Lane, had to admit that John had been telling the truth about that suspected affair. brain to figure that out," Horton testified. Susan Johnston: I said, "Susan, I don't think it's true. I had a million thoughts were running through my head. 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. One year later, a battered body is found tossed into a canyon, the eyes and genitals gouged. On Feb. 8, after the victim learned of the cell phone calls, the defendant wrote Aguirre in a letter saying he could no longer be her doctor, she said. John Hamilton: I talked to the surgery nurse and she said, "The surgery before yours started 30 minutes late.". He's crazy about you. We changed it to, instead, that-- Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love. Check. Hamilton hired a new attorney, Rob Nigh, to appeal the verdict. "Ultimately, you take an oath to tell the truth and that overrides any allegiance I may have to any client," he said. But Now, courtoom lawyers like to talk about Perry Mason moments when a trial is electrified by unexpected testimony, but it hardly ever happens. The expert, though, was certain that whoever was wearing that left shoe that day was present when Susan Hamilton was being bludgeoned to death. And I don't think they-- believed it. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. trips. John had an explanation for his wife -- the patient had been having serious psychological problems, and had even threatened suicide. What Happened To Dr John Hamilton? Oklahoma City investigators Teresa Sterling and Randy Scott arrived at the Hamilton house at noon that day. It was the high society doctor, married to the beautiful wife, that were crazy about one another. How about a candlelit dinner and a champagne toast to love? Wes Lane: Yeah, I mean, I talked to everybody from the restaurant waitress that would wait on them on Saturday mornings, and she was agasp that we could have charged John Hamilton, because she would see them at breakfast together all lovey dovey, and so, yes, there was just a vast amount of opposition and grand skepticism. And they've got a lady under anesthesia without the doctor, and that is just unheard of. Martin described the victim as being jealous of her husband's time away from her. This is a carousel with slides. John Hamilton: I wanted EMT to be able to get in. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. AGE 40s John Hamilton Norman, OK View Full Report Used To Live In Relatives Susan Hamilton was beaten with a blunt instrument, Oklahoma County District Attorney Robert Macy said in court documents that list 39 witnesses in the case. 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. In 1997, Mississippi abortion provider Dr. Malachy Dehenre shot and killed his wife in their . cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. 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. But that Wednesday morning, John arrived home from the hospital, and found a horrific scene: Susan, lying beaten and strangled on their bathroom floor. In 1987, John Hamilton married Susan, and his wife began working part-time at Johns clinic. ". "She said, 'I'm scared and I've never felt Her skull had Wes Lane: And that's when he started explaining that the blood spatter inside the sleeve. One says, "The shoes is what convicts him." 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. If convicted, he could be The defense claims Oklahoma City police jumped to the conclusion that Hamilton was the killer and ignored other evidence. her husband were working on their Lane had questioned the other woman. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. The prosecution wasn't going to be able to tap your expertise. To the prosecutor, the Valentine's Day card John had received that morning lit the fuse for the violence that followed. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Two neckties were knotted about her throat. She had been strangled with two of his ties, and her head had been smashed so badly that parts of her brain were exposed. As for the discovery of Susan's hair and blood tissue in his car, Hamilton explained it this way: he said after calling 911 he realized the EMTs wouldn't be able to get their ambulance past his car out front, so he raced out to move it. Randy Scott: There's no burglary prints to obtain downstairs. The prosecutor was well aware of the hurdles he faced, not the least of which: the lack of motive. They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? 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! Maybe he ends up terminating that to save his marriage. Feb. 13, 2003 -- Everyone says Susan Hamilton was the love of her husband's life. It doesn't always happen that way. Teresa Sterling: I interviewed those people. It had all of the appeal of a romance novel gone bad. Good amount of blood. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. The palm goes on the center of the chest, on the sternum. Investigators though, weren't ruling anything out -- especially not after finding a Valentine's Day card, from her to him, opened that day. However, there is no credible evidence that he is still alive or dead. Prosecutors may finish calling their witnesses today. What happened to him? their talk was somewhat unusual because it was something It was seen as a coup for the defense that it locked up one of the most highly regarded blood spatter experts in the nation. Lane looked for signs of spousal abuse in the past, but couldn't find anything substantive. Susan's friend, for one, believed him, and encouraged Susan to do the same. Marks made by the victim's fingernails were found on the body. "He tried to get the key in the ignition, but he couldn't because he was shaking so much," Martin said. By the time emergency workers arrived, it was clear that Susan Hamilton was dead. The blood spatter expert on the stand -- on the payroll of the defense -- hesitated before answering. And in photos of the crime scene, the prosecutor pointed out for jurors something that needed explaining -- a wet rag left in the pool of blood from the victim's head. Randy Scott: The lady's layin' in the floor, covered in blood, blood all over the floor. It did in this case, though. they thought the Hamiltons had Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. But before that valentine's day was over, they would have a suspect in custody. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Police haven't found the murder weapon or the clothes. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. I think she became particularly alarmed when he didn't answer it. Ross Gardner: Effectively, the inside and front of that shoe was in motion around this spatter event from Mrs. Hamilton that's radiating out. GREAT NEWS! Hamilton was wearing bloodstained clothing, but no shoes or necktie, while the victim had a necktie around her neck. Mrs. Hamilton, 55, had worked as a physician's assistant at her husband's abortion facility, Oklahoma Women's Clinic. The prosecutor tossed out an open-ended question: Wes Lane: Well, Mr. Bevel, is there anything that either the state's experts or the Oklahoma City Police Department missed in their examination of the evidence? The scene was a bloody mess. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. would put together a novel theory of just what happened between husband and wife, something maybe grimly fitting for Valentine's Day. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. But eventually, she said, "Yes, I'll go.". And there was nothing-- it-- and there-- and there was nothing stolen. mother, and Horton testified And I just don't think that it's true." John Hamilton: My wife's, my wife, my wife I think my wife is dead. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. John Hamilton: Please, please, send police, please send an ambulance, please. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Resend Activation Email. "I don't just snap," he said. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton is on trial for killing his wife. Bevel and prosecutors have denied those allegations. I didn't kill Susan. What were they to make of Susan's handwritten message -- "Obviously, I bought this before last Monday." Johnston said she thought The killer, careful not to step in the blood, changed into clean clothes and concealed the bloody clothes in a plastic bag before carrying them out of the house, Spruill said. Now, keep in mind, John Hamilton was a doctor who performed abortions. jurors about the disagreement Hamilton has been held in the Oklahoma County jail for seven days without bond. And she gets very suspicious of it and confronts John about it. 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. They'd learned that second surgery, originally scheduled for 9 am, hadn't actually gotten underway until 9:40. Her husband, Dr. John Hamilton, called 911 and claimed to have found her that way when he returned from one of his surgeries. "I don't think it took very long at all. The major one is that I've lost the love of my life. Tom Bevel denies lying about his testimony, and the courts didn't buy the argument either. Every avenue was checked. without her knowledge. 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. Randy Scott: It indicated that she still felt something for John, but it just things weren't the same as they were gonna be. told Horton her mother had Dick Horton: Well, Susan was a very disciplined individual. One unanswered question for investigators is how the killer got out of the house at 3056 Brush Creek Road without leaving a bloody trail. As the last witness in the trial, he'd refuted a lot of the prosecution's findings, and bolstered his client's case. Gibson Paul found himself getting dumped on Feb. 14, 2011, grabbed a gun and opened fire . 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). Testimony is expected to continue this morning before District Judge Ray Elliott. And I looked at the defense table which was over to my left. Two months before her death, they fought over the defendant giving his son money without Susan Hamilton knowing about it. And the seemingly inseparable couple became even more so after they married. I just felt like they were very happy. On this day, Valentine's Day, in 2001, abortionist John Baxter Hamilton bludgeoned his wife, Susan, to death in their Oklahoma home. "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. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. According to the investigation, he was the perpetrator of his wifes murder. At Christmas, the defendant I think that that just goes to I think probably in my heart I knew she was dead. was her doctor and gave her And that wasn't all. But suspicion began to point closer to home. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton is on trial for killing his wife. Taping him on the surveillance camera. Just, you know, just a very light-hearted conversation. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Maybe Chicago gangsters get killed on St. Valentine's day. The attacker poured cleaning solution in the drain in an attempt to prevent investigators finding blood in the shower, the investigator said. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. So he hid his wife's jewelry before the 911 forces arrived, fully intending to get it out of the house sometime later. Please try again later. Retha Chamberlain, Special Judge Russell Hall's court clerk, said the process to complete the paperwork would delay the appearance until then. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton loved his wife to death, District Attorney Wes Lane told an Oklahoma County jury Thursday. Ross Gardner: This was a relatively contained crime scene. "I always took threats like that seriously," he said. One blow crushed her skull, Gofton said. In particular, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Time for a new episode! Afterwards, the doctor decided to swing back home. There was a problem getting your location. 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. His wife, Susan, worked twice a week at the abortion clinic. Something happened in that bathroom that absolutely triggered him, which he grabbed the ties, and he then, surprised her, and in his rage, did all the rest of the work. killed, Susan Hamilton also Officers say they can account for all the bloody footprints inside the house, but there is no evidence showing how the person got outside. There were no Vesta Hall: I have never, ever, one second, not one moment in time have I ever thought he was guilty. John Hamilton: If Susan had scratched me wouldn't you assume that they would have found tissue, blood, DNA of some sort under her fingernails? upset about the incident because Susan Hamilton thought He was acting bizarre. Isn't that what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about? So leaving in a hurry, that's evidence that gets transferred from one thing to another. 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? A random intruder? But not pretty doctor's wives in Oklahoma City. Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. And-- my children started, "Well, I'll never celebrate it again." Your Scrapbook is currently empty. But his argument wouldn't be enough. It was one of those moments. They kept him there for hours on end. The prosecutor refused to release additional information about the slaying that took place at 3056 Brush Creek Road. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? And I think she just wanted to have somebody to talk to. 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. Ever. After all, only two people in the world knew what was really going on inside the Hamilton marriage. Please, hurry. Martin said Hamilton was hysterical when he found his wife, and after he called 911, he realized his car was blocking the driveway so he went to move it, getting his wife's blood and flesh inside the vehicle. said Johnston, who also is married to a doctor. Supervised and trained employees in office duties, computer programs, and phone dialog. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. pic.twitter.com/9VBREeKO87, The Spooky Hour (@SpookyHour) February 15, 2021. It took the jury less than two hours to convict Hamilton of first-degree murder, and he was later sentenced to life in prison. Spruill said she probably grabbed at the necktie with both of her hands. I mean, trying to set fire to his clinic. Wes Lane: It was huge. mother didn't sound like herself, although The only thing that he could think of that it was consistent with was John Hamilton when he was beating her with that blunt instrument that was driving that up inside his shirt. asked him to move out of their When he met Susan in 1985, they were both divorced with four children between them. To investigators, that delay opened up the doctor's window of opportunity by up to an hour. Hamilton (5 Jan 1946-14 Feb 2001), Find a Grave Memorial ID 80157405, citing Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City . Just putting out brochures all over his neighborhood and his kids' school that, you know, said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive.". There was an error deleting this problem. And that's what happened here. A dozen roses? for immediate release contact: diane denton december 16, 2004 615.741.3111 (office) 615.708.9384 (cell) disciplinary action report Dennis Murphy: You were starting to see her come around? After the second surgery, he returned home to pick up his datebook, and found his wife, he said. Quail Creek home. She went in the closet and got one and gave it to me. The doctor was then ushered away, as police wondered who might have committed such a brutal attack. "She was really upset that he Drag images here or select from your computer for Susan Shibley Hamilton memorial. Susan, as it turns out, should also have left by 9:20, because she had a 9:30 meeting at a friend's house ten minutes away. As John Hamilton told it, by Valentine's Day the couple had already patched up the raw wounds of that ruckus over his unorthodox relationship with a stripper. The surgical team was about to get started when they realized the doctor was still at home. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. But Hamilton was late, not arriving until 9:30. said. 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. By then there'd been that neighbor's tip about problems in the Hamilton marriage. Khi gp Susan vo nm 1985, c hai ly hn v c 4 a con . And, as expected, his take on the story told by the blood put his client, Dr. Hamilton, in a better light. Dick Horton, sometimes worried for his ex's safety. The doctor had been targeted by a militant antiabortion group, the Army of God, whose members have expressed support for the 1998 sniper killing of an abortion provider in New York State. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Dennis Murphy: And they thought they were very clever 'cause they took you, in effect, off the market. Tom Bevel: He jumped out of his loafer shoes, which would have reorientated them, and he jumped over to her side and knelt down to try and assist her and to do CPR. her daughter was taking sides On "Dateline NBC, as in his legal appeals, Hamilton criticized Bevel and the accuracy of his blood spatter analysis, which Hamilton called "junk science.. Susan, then 39, and John, 37, each had two children from their first marriages. Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. All rights reserved. "It tells a story. Wes Lane: All the air in the courtroom was gone. Dennis Murphy: Jurors saying, "Look at this shirt. A system error has occurred. Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. One of their arguments was that Tom Bevel should never have been allowed to testify. Wes Lane: He knew that she was still considering divorce. At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. He was arrested and booked into jail about five hours later. Ross Gardner: We took a one-to-one image of Mrs. Hamilton's head -- the injury, the laceration. Danyelle shares three haunting love stories that end in tragedy. His long silence behind bars ended as he prepared to tell the jury -- and us -- what really had happened that Valentine's Day morning. Tom Bevel: In order to say that, you have to have the murder weapon. She didn't sound like my mom.". Try again later. John Hamilton was a devoted husband to his wife, and he used to take excellent care of her. Susan managed john's abortion clinic, working there two days a week. We're going to vigorously, steadfastly and as carefully and conscientiously as possible defend this case to the very end. He was sentenced to life without parole. without bail since Feb. 14. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Randy Scott: That would cause a suspicion for us to wonder why he's wanting to scrape his hands up. "She was angry, and she Dr. Steve Jimerson -- a colleague of John's -- was best man. And here's the thing about that timeline: John had to have left the house by 9:20 to make it back to the hospital by 9:30, when he was seen scrubbing up for surgery. But the most damning blood evidence of all, may have been found in the doctor's car. John Baxter Hamilton. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. Mrs. Hamilton worked as a physician's assistant at her husband's abortion facility. The Hamiltons' 14-year marriage apparently had been in trouble for some time before the slaying. And when they found fresh scratches on his hands and arm, did that explain maybe the business about scraping his hands on the patrol car cage?