Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. Case 170: The Caffey Family 34,744 views Mar 27, 2021 734 Dislike Share Save Casefile Presents 54.3K subscribers DESCRIPTION On February 29 2008, intruders stormed the Caffey family home in. Armed with a .22-caliber pistol and two samurai swords, they moved through the house with brutal efficiency. That comported completely with what Charlie told us, which was that she kept calling and saying, Where are yall? That Saturday I got home at midnight, I came in from a 14 hour shift and I was tired. Google Universal Analytics short-time unique user tracking identifier. Terry and Penny worked as ministers at a conservative Baptist Church in Celeste, Texas. It is the loudest sound you can ever imagine. She asked him to lunch last June, and they never ran out of things to talk about. This might just hold water if it were not for a previous boyfriend, Michael Washburn, revealing that Erin had said to him too that she wanted her family dead. Erin Caffey's. She and Terry hoped that the individual instruction might benefit Erin, who had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and lagged behind her classmates. Family. Youre not going to see that boy no more, Terry told her. A girl was sitting with her back to the wall, in a fetal position. "They burst into our bedroom and opened fire, shooting me several times." Caffey also said And then I decided, no, theres been enough bloodshed. However, the relationship didnt bode well with her parents, with Terry Caffey noting that he had reservations about Wilkinson from the start. 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. Terry Caffey has forgiven his daughter, Erin, who was just 16-years-old when she plotted to murder her family after her parents told her she couldn't see her boyfriend anymore Determined not. When I was at their house, that was what the family was like. After everything we had heard, I was picturing a monster, for lack of a better word, said Sergeant Vance. Then I heard Bubba cry out, Charlie why are you doing this? So thats who I had just seen Charlie, Erins boyfriend. Volunteer firefighters had struggled for several hours to put out the flames, but the house had burned down to its foundation. The cabin appeared to have been burning for some time; the structure was engulfed in flames, and the metal roof had begun to buckle under its own weight. Caffey broke down in tears at the thought of knowing he will never get the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day or see her have children. Erin Caffey, 16, is an American teenage girl sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in Texas for her role in the deaths of her mother and two young brothers. She declined to meet with the Texas Ranger or Detective Almon, electing to make a written statement instead. Her parents did not approve of the relationship and worried that For the many people who puzzled over his loyalty, there were many others, in the pews of Miracle Faith and elsewhere, who understood it as the scriptural imperative of unconditional love. I bought me a nine-millimeter pistol and I slept with it beside me.. At their sentencing hearings in January, Terry rose to address each of them in the courtroom. Johnson, who had recently played a minor role in the Rains High School production of Oklahoma!, seemed to be in high spirits. Who is she dating? In rural communities as small as Alba and Emory, there are no strangers, and Fischer shook his head when he heard Charlies name. From left are Matthew, Terry, Tyler, Penny and Erin. But the teenage Christian ended up masterminding the evil murder of her own family after she was barred by her parents from dating a boy they thought unsuitable. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. I showed him the statement that a friend of hers had given to investigators about how Erin had wanted them to be killed. 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. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. She also showed no symptoms of smoke inhalation. I knew thats not what I wanted to do. He thought for a moment before answering my question, and I studied his face behind the Plexiglas. Erin, now 24, is the subject of a new ITV documentary called "Killer Women . Our bathroom was the only place to get out. He was frank about the horror of what he had done and made no excuses for himself. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. 1969-1976. The only survivors were 16-year-old Erin Caffey and her father, Terry Caffey, who was shot multiple times before the two intruders set the house on fire. The two men did the killing. 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. It will also air on the TLC channel this Friday at 7 p.m., according to TV Guide. Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. Caffey's other son, Tyler, was found stabbed to death. The Story Of Erin Caffey, The 16-Year-Old Who Convinced Her Boyfriend To Murder Her Entire Family. Wilkinson and Waid were given life without the possibility of parole; Johnson got 40 years. Twice a week, Terry made the trip to Greenville to see his daughter. I decided I would not become a bitter old man. I didn't want to grow into a bitter, angry old man. Password recovery. Mimi Swartz is a staff writer based in Houston. "It was so loud and it's even hard to describe. For a moment, Fischer heard only dead silence on the other end of the line. "But that hope would be short-lived because just within a half an hour of finding out she was alive, my sister came to me and told me [Erin] had been arrested and had been charged with murder.". Click to reveal. Terry Caffey net worth is $15 Million Terry Caffey Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family . 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. I forgave my daughter more easily but to forgive the guys who did this, for a long time felt too much. "The hardest thing [was] to hear that. Were you involved in this? Fischer asked. But the other three all immediately said she was the ringleader. Charlie might strike his desk or storm out of the classroom when he was provoked, but he usually walked away from a fight. He could see Charlie lying on a mattress, awake, wearing only blue jeans. Often they went to a friends house where they could be alone, and after Christmas, they had sex for the first time. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The Caffey family had been attacked and killed earlier that morning, Fischer informed him. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! City Employees Are Heading for the Exits. Her accomplices were her boyfriend Charlie Wilkinson, 18, his pal Charles Waid, 20, and Waids girlfriend Bobbi Johnson, 18. TESTIMONY Terry Caffey: A Crime of Passion By Randy Rudder The 700 Club. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Parents Terry and Penny Caffey had three children: one daughter, 16-year-old Erin, and two sons, 13-year-old Matthew (or "Bubba") and 8-year-old Tyler. We thought it was just puppy love.. Now what can I do with this. Terry and Penny had met at a revival meeting in Garland when she was 21 and he was 24, and their strong Baptist faith had always bound them together. In November they each pleaded guilty to three counts of capital murder. An instant later the teen opened fire, killing Terry's wife, his two sons, and wounding him 12 times, before setting the house ablaze. A Right-wing Cabal Took Over Odessas Municipal Government. TOP 5%. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. Terry stepped in, however, still believing in the forgiveness his faith taught him, and asked prosecutors to take the death penalty off the table, according to Killer Couples., All four eventually pleaded guilty. When I came round I heard commotion and two voices. Fischer drew his gun and commanded her to show him her hands, but she just stared at him. Im going to take all of the pain pills they gave meall the depression medication, the Xanax, everythingdrink me a bottle of Jim Beam, put a hose in the tailpipe of my daughters pickup, run it up to the window, and just fall asleep and not wake up again. She did not want to be identified, but did want to talk about the man she married. The take, along with the contents of Terrys wallet and Pennys purse, amounted to $375 and some change, he said. Charlie kept saying, Are you sure you want to do this? Johnson recounted. Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. He and his new wife also adopted three children. Fire, she said, her voice trailing off. I refuse to grow into a bitter old man. Erin Caffey today, seven years after the event that left her mother and brothers dead and her father gravely wounded on March 1, 2018, at the family's home in Alba, Erin Caffey is currently in. That's probably better than being all alone in this world. He fell to the floor and did not move again. "My prayer is that I'll live long enough. She gushed innocence, remembered a co-worker (who, like many teenagers interviewed for this story, asked to remain anonymous). This is the true story of the brutal Texas murder that destroyed a family, restored one man's faith, and shocked a nation At 3:00 a.m. on March 1st, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter's boyfriend standing in his bedroom with a gun. Some guys would really tease him and pick at him until he would get angry, remembered a classmate. Its time to enjoy life again. Their daughter, Erin, worked as a carhop at the Sonic. Rebecca sensed that something was spiritually wrong with the girl. They stayed with her for five hours until she was released from the hospital, then offered to accompany her and her grandparents to the intensive care unit at the East Texas Medical Center in Tyler to see Erins father. With the scars still visible on his face, Terry Caffey talks Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at his home in Gilmer. I dont know whats wrong with her head, he said. Wilkinson would later tell investigators that he warned Erin that he would have to kill her younger brothers in order to leave no witnesses. And then in walks this tiny, meek, blond-headed girl who couldnt fight her way out of a wet paper sack. The judge informed Erin of her rights and asked if she would be willing to speak with investigators. If I want to heal and move on, I must find some forgiveness in my heart, and that has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do because you took so much from me.. 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. And it was Erin who had insisted that her brothers be killed, according to both Johnson and Waid. They left the room, and then Charlie came back and cut Pennys throat to make sure she was dead. Throughout the fall, Charlie visited the Sonic to see Erin. Then they shoot younger brother Matthew, only 13, in the head. The old-timey ones with the white fence? Wilkinson gave her a promise ring that belonged to his grandmother and told his friends they would marry, according to Killer Couples. Terry and Penny were fine with the relationship until Erin's grades started to slip and they took a closer look at Wilkinson, not liking what they found on his Myspace page. Gently, Sanders asked Erin what she remembered. This was a vulnerable 16-year-old girl with a controlling, psychopathic guy.. On the night of March 1st, 2008, in a quiet, rural Texan community, Terry Caffey's wife, Penny, and their two young sons, Bubba and Tyler, were brutally murdered by their 16-year-old daughter's boyfriend, Charlie Wilkinson, and his friend Charles Waid. He visits his daughter in prison every few months. None of the four involved were drunk or had taken drugs on the night of the murders. Very caring. Do you realize she is sixteen years old? Terry had already begun to grow uneasy with how fast the relationship seemed to be moving. He only wanted to run away with Erin, he told a buddy. 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. 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. She glanced apprehensively around the trailer. The police had arrested Erin for plotting the murders of her family. Somehow I pulled myself up and climbed over the mattress. He made an hour-long crawl to his nearest neighbors home to call for help and soon authorities were on their way. Charlie was playing basketball outside the fellowship hall that afternoon, and Terry pulled him aside. (On the weekends, they had until eleven.) Documentary Biography A family suffers multiple tragedy in a deadly home invasion. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Matthew Caffey was the son of the late Penny Caffey,and Terry Caffey, his father.He was thirteen years old at the time of his death. The Caffeys were also heavily involved with their local church, and this merged with their passion for music. And so with Waid behind the wheel of the Neon, they went back to the Caffeys house. Charlie talked about Erin twenty-four-seven. Though the Caffeys would not allow Charlie to take Erin out alone, the two teenagers still managed to spend much of their time together. Terry has remarried since the murders and has one more biological child. I dont have a family to go home to. And I remember weeping, just weeping uncontrollably. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Then, in early February, Penny overheard Erin giggling one night past her phone curfewErin had sneaked her cell phone into her room to call Charlie. Now shes explaining why she did it. Less than 24 hours after authorities responded, the Caffey home was a smoldering pile and all four suspects were in custody and talking. And so Erin accepted a plea dealtwo life sentences to be served concurrently, plus an additional 25 yearswhich ensures that with good behavior she will be eligible for parole when she is 59 years old. - Published on February 4, 2014. Caffey has remarried and lives in Wills Point, Texas with his wife and two stepsons. 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. Once inside, Wilkinson made his way to Terry and Pennys room and fired away at the sleeping couple with a .22 pistol. Though she was unsure how she had gotten to the trailer, she said, she did remember trying to call her friend Charlie and being unable to reach him. Then they used their pocket lighters to set fire to furniture and clothes and bedsheets. Further, Penny Caffey is the mother of Erin who plays the Piano in church. 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. As Fischer continued down the hall, he saw that a blanket covered the empty door frame of one bedroom. Charlie Wilkinson and Erin Caffey's Dangerous Relationship Massacre of the Caffey Family The Trial And Sentencing Of Erin Caffey. 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. I have worked with some good liars, but Erin was one of the best, said Lewis, who has nineteen years experience counseling juvenile offenders. I knew she was gone.". I was suicidal. Erin Caffey was convicted of three counts of capital murder and will not be eligible for parole until she is 59 years old. I remember trying to raise myself up but I couldnt feel the right side of my body. Penny informed her daughter that she was grounded. 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