John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. "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. Investigators had plenty of theories to work with, but the suspect they brought into custody shocked everyone. been beaten with a blunt instrument. 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. Angela Horton testified Friday in Oklahoma County District Court that her Lane said a bloody imprint of what is believed to be the blunt instrument was discovered on the defendant's shirt. One says, "The shoes is what convicts him." John Hamilton, a prominent Oklahoma City gynecologist, has been in jail without bail since Feb. 14. Let's go find some experts to prove our case.' He had been having an affair with a stripper and his wife became aware of it. Detective Teresa Sterling: He's supposed to be there. We all know red is for the ribbon on the box of chocolate, not for the pool of blood in the master bath. Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. Discussed procedure quotes. He is accused of beating and choking to death his wife, Susan, 55, at their Quail Creek home on Valentine's Day. smashed into the floor. would never do that,'" Horton Of course, he didn't have the actual murder weapon to make a true comparison but he was able to leave the jury with a vivid impression: The doctor's shirt may have taken a kind of photograph in blood. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. John Hamilton: It was a shock to everybody. wanted to talk to someone," Now, courtoom lawyers like to talk about Perry Mason moments when a trial is electrified by unexpected testimony, but it hardly ever happens. Macy said he will ask that bond be denied for John Hamilton. 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. Knowing that they were about to put his patient under anesthesia, Hamilton returned to the clinic, performed the surgery, and then came back home to finish cleaning up, Lane said. Randy Scott: That would cause a suspicion for us to wonder why he's wanting to scrape his hands up. Right away, detectives started asking: Who could be responsible? day. Over the next few hours, investigators would explore those theories and more, as they tried to understand just what had happened to Susan Hamilton that Valentine's Day morning. Dennis Murphy: You were starting to see her come around? After two hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. At around 8:30, he bumped into his former medical partner, Dr. Karen Reisig. At trial, Lane told the jury that Dr. Hamilton started to clean up the scene, but was interrupted by the page from his clinic. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Dick Horton: I don't think there was any question she wore the pants. Now, keep in mind, John Hamilton was a doctor who performed abortions. afford them. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. been upset because she suspected her 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. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Shibley and Horton told the 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. Steve Jimerson: She was very strongly pro-choice, and-- and very outspoken about it, about the right of women. And I don't think they-- believed it. Two months before her death, they fought over the defendant giving his son money without Susan Hamilton knowing about it. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Product Description. Prosecutors had made a big deal about the doctor showing up late for his second surgery that morning. So the strategy would be to pick apart both the evidence and the logic of the prosecution's case. 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. Prosecutors Allege Murder Between Surgeries. their talk was somewhat unusual because it was something Or you wouldn't have had time to have gotten it off your clothing. 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. Investigators had to interpret the blood evidence left behind. I mean, because it was out there in view, I guess. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? But his argument wouldn't be enough. Failed to delete memorial. "Blood spatter is not an exact science, and Bevel had gone over to the dark side on him. The cry for help comes from Oklahoma City's most exclusive neighborhood. But suspicion began to point closer to home. Failed to report flower. But eventually, she said, "Yes, I'll go.". Oklahoma. Because Dr. John Hamilton was late. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. Randy Scott: It indicated that she still felt something for John, but it just things weren't the same as they were gonna be. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Hamilton was wearing bloodstained clothing, but no shoes or necktie, while the victim had a necktie around her neck. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. It was the high society doctor, married to the beautiful wife, that were crazy about one another. Randy Scott: There's no burglary prints to obtain downstairs. Oklahoma City police declined on Wednesday to release additional information about the slaying. When rescue workers arrived they found him hysterical and covered in his wife's blood. But On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. John Hamilton: His own expert is saying he's guilty. The murder weapon was never found. Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services I didn't kill Susan. so alone in my life,'" Horton said. Was he trying to cover up earlier injuries? All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. By then there'd been that neighbor's tip about problems in the Hamilton marriage. Many still believe he is innocent, and he. 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? Something he'd noted and what would later be regarded as the atomic bomb of the trial of Dr. John Hamilton. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. What happened to him? Watching. His attorneys have claimed that police had improper contact with Bevel, who is a former police officer, during the trial. She went in the closet and got one and gave it to me. Randy Scott: The lady's layin' in the floor, covered in blood, blood all over the floor. Nothing was found. People used to believe they were in deep romantic love back then. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. Khi gp Susan vo nm 1985, c hai ly hn v c 4 a con . The card had been found inside john's Jaguar. Please enter your email and password to sign in. "There is physical evidence missing from this crime scene, Spruill said. Not least of all in a bloody crime there were no footprints leading out of the house. In that card, Susan had written a message alluding to the couple's flare-up just days before: Susan ballistic over suspicions that he was having a fling with a stripper. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Even Susan's children were standing by their stepfather. the victim told them the defendant smothered her. Today, John Hamilton resides in a maximum security prison, behind the walls where Valentine's Day has little meaning at all. 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. Did you understand what she was saying in it? "They have still got all kinds of scientific and technical evidence that has to be evaluated and reviewed, Martin said. neighbor. And the seemingly inseparable couple became even more so after they married. John Hamilton: Yes, I'm trying. Tom Bevel: I would believe that they thought that, yes. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. John Hamilton and Alliena loyal patients, former employees and fellow physicians, all standing behind the doctor. To investigators, that delay opened up the doctor's window of opportunity by up to an hour. John Hamilton: I'm telling the truth now. James Argent admitted that his gastric sleeve surgery was incredible and, The dates of the junior doctors strike has now been confirmed with, A photojournalist who was injured in a Florida shooting rampage that took, With more than 160,000 lives lost each year in the UK, heart, Rev Richard Coles reveals hes set to retire two years after losing his partner to alcoholism, NYC jewelry store owner, 79, is beaten and pistol whipped during $500,000 heist in broad daylight, Mark Cusack consulted GP to confirm he is still alive after getting bizarre message from DWP, Puffin in Roald Dahl u-turn: Publisher announces it WONT edit authors beloved books, From male model and T4 to Radio 2: Tracking Vernon Kays rise to stardom, Student is found NOT GUILTY of murdering transgender sex worker, Wagner mercenary chief got around UK money laundering checks by submitting his mothers gas bill, Woman bites off rapists TONGUE and hands it in to police as evidence, What is Chinas REAL aim with its peace plan? said. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? killed, Susan Hamilton also Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. 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. Investigators never recovered the murder weapon. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Prosecutors may finish calling their witnesses today. This browser does not support getting your location. After 14 years of marriage, John Hamilton murdered his wife. Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. degree murder trial of her stepfather, Dr. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. 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. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. When he met Susan in 1985, they were both divorced with four children between them. It was up inside the sleeve. The attacker poured cleaning solution in the drain in an attempt to prevent investigators finding blood in the shower, the investigator said. much.". Nobody expected that to happen. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. She had been strangled with two of his ties, and her head had been smashed so badly that parts of her brain were exposed. Susan Johnston: Susan had noticed that John was getting a lot of cell calls. Wes Lane: John Hamilton is a control guy. By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. Then, Holly covers the case of Dr. John Hamilton who loved his wife Susan a little too much. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. home at 3056 Brush Creek Road. 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 was a devoted husband to his wife, and he used to take excellent care of her. a good marriage, even though This is a carousel with slides. lied to her," Horton said. What was she like? 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. Bevel said he had no choice but to tell the court what he knew, even if it hurt the client who had hired him. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Good amount of blood. Her head bludgeoned, surrounded by a pool of blood. A dozen roses? As is routine in domestic murders, the detectives would take a look at the spouse -- John Hamilton, himself. So in Susan's mind, the affair was not an issue anymore. John and Susan Hamilton had the seemingly perfect marriage. 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. "She loved him," Coffey said her friend told her every day for a week before she was killed. Ross Gardner: Effectively, the inside and front of that shoe was in motion around this spatter event from Mrs. Hamilton that's radiating out. But the expert looked at John's shoes -- the left one in particular -- and found that to be a different matter. "He was just obsessed with her," District Attorney Wes Lane later told Primetime. Officers say they can account for all the bloody footprints inside the house, but there is no evidence showing how the person got outside. Alliena Aguirre, a topless dancer for eight years, testified she had performed table dances at two Oklahoma City clubs for the doctor. the defendant was calling her 10 Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. However, there is no credible evidence that he is still alive or dead. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. "She said, 'I'm scared and I've never felt And you know, start her day off right before she got busy with her meeting. After all -- nothing can bring back the beautiful, headstrong, woman they all loved. John Hamilton: Please, please, send police, please send an ambulance, please. John Hamilton: I still believed that the system would work. I gave her her Valentine's card. Afterwards, the doctor decided to swing back home. There was a detail that the witness wanted to talk about. upset about the incident because Susan Hamilton thought 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. Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist, started performing CPR and called 911. According to another source, he will be released from prison on Valentines Day 2021. The prosecutor was well aware of the hurdles he faced, not the least of which: the lack of motive. On re-direct, Hamilton's lawyer tried to diffuse the bombshell testimony by suggesting that the spatter could have resulted from the doctor performing cpr. jurors about the disagreement Gibson Paul found himself getting dumped on Feb. 14, 2011, grabbed a gun and opened fire . You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. "I always took threats like that seriously," he said. The national media outlets refused to identify Hamilton as an abortionist, referring to him only as a local obstetrician. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "I don't just snap," he said. Everyone who knew the couple was saying the same thing -- it just didn't make sense for the mild-mannered doctor to have killed Susan. 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. John Hamilton, a prominent doctor in Oklahoma City, showered his wife with gifts, starting with a Porsche he gave her the day they married. John Hamilton: The more Susan and I talked about things the more things were clarified, the more things we got straightened out. would put together a novel theory of just what happened between husband and wife, something maybe grimly fitting for Valentine's Day. she hadn't done before. He died in October 2021, according to information obtained from a different source. Hamilton has been held in the Oklahoma County jail for seven days without bond. What he hoped to show the skeptics through trial was that yes, the doctor was indeed a man who loved his wife -- loved her maybe too much. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. Learn more about merges. 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, but it also said something to the effect how much she loved me and our time together. It was never on anyone that, there were calls that were made to Susan that scared her that weren't brought out. They found a disturbing scene that didn't suit a moneyed neighborhood. There isn't any greater love. In December 2001, ten months after the Valentine's Day killing of his wife, Susan, Dr. John Hamilton was being tried for her murder. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. The Hamiltons did have enemies. Thanks for your help! problems. On the other hand, his name appears in a few obituaries on the internet. "She didn't know if she could get the trust back.". Susan Hamilton's body was found on Aguirre testified Wes Lane: They're not gonna do that. How did it get there? Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. 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. The defense claims Oklahoma City police jumped to the conclusion that Hamilton was the killer and ignored other evidence. Try again later. Hamilton had told the 911 operator he was performing CPR. John frantically called 911. . Hamilton hired a new attorney, Rob Nigh, to appeal the verdict. The perpetrator then turned up the heat in the bathroom so the water in the shower would evaporate, he said. And, Bradbury says, he didn't see any signs that the doctor had even attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. It started out negative. 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. His defense team argued that there was no direct evidence that Hamilton was the murderer, noting that no murder weapon was ever found. But that Wednesday morning, John arrived home from the hospital, and found a horrific scene: Susan, lying beaten and strangled on their bathroom floor. It was never anywhere else. A prominent doctor's wife is murdered on Valentine's Day. The defense says the scratches could have been made by a number of objects besides fingernails. But the most damning blood evidence of all, may have been found in the doctor's car. A final report will not be completed for several weeks. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. And I just don't think that it's true." Ross Gardner: We took a one-to-one image of Mrs. Hamilton's head -- the injury, the laceration. For example, John Baxter Hamilton, the most prolific abortionist in Oklahoma City, crushed his wife's skull with a blunt object, then returned to his abortion mill to do more abortions. 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. That statement was out of character for Susan's friend, Susan Johnston, the woman next door, had pulled one of the investigators aside and put a bug in his ear, that the week before Valentine's Day, Susan Hamilton had confided about problems in her marriage. In this case, though, the spouse had an alibi, and a good one. Whoever killed her had cracked her skull open with an object never found, and bashed her face into the bathroom tile. 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. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. He was arrested and booked into jail about five hours later. Why do you do that? Two years after their first date, they married at a local country club. February 14th, 2001, would have been their fifteenth Valentine's Day together. talked to Susan Johnston, a If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. Susan Johnston: I said, "Susan, I don't think it's true. Dennis Murphy: And they thought they were very clever 'cause they took you, in effect, off the market. 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. told Horton her mother had Instead, he says, he came home between surgeries that morning to pick up his datebook and was horrified to find his wife lying on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood. And I didn't want any obstruction. And oh! If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. They had been living a privileged life with their four children, and John was known in those days for being a romantic man toward his wife. her daughter was taking sides "His face showed Dr. John Baxter Hamilton is on trial for killing his wife. Wes Lane, the prosecutor, was surprised to find he had an unpopular case on his hands. some 60 cell phone calls to a stripper. On "Dateline NBC, as in his legal appeals, Hamilton criticized Bevel and the accuracy of his blood spatter analysis, which Hamilton called "junk science.. 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). We took a one-to-one image of his shirt, and we overlay it. the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs The blood spatter expert on the stand -- on the payroll of the defense -- hesitated before answering. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. said Johnston, who also is married to a doctor. "The police said, 'There's my man. John Hamilton: Oh, sure. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Investigators though, weren't ruling anything out -- especially not after finding a Valentine's Day card, from her to him, opened that day. "The prosecution will present one theory," Martin said. 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. 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. At the time, many people sided with John Hamilton. He was jailed immediately and denied any bail. 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 Louise Shibley, the victim's The dancer said Hamilton told her he loved his wife and didn't want to get a divorce. Daughter of Kamille Kareen and Louise Sibley.Mother of 2 children.Lived to age 55 years.Murder victim. Susan Johnston: She was upset and angry with John. However, their investigation continues. But because it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to give Susan her first Valentine's card. or more times a day. And there was nothing-- it-- and there-- and there was nothing stolen. Tom Bevel: In order to say that, you have to have the murder weapon. Dick: Right. He told Primetime he made the calls to the stripper because she was "in real need of attention.". This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. And that wasn't all. 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. IE 11 is not supported. And, as you might guess, it was a job that came with a little danger -- anti-abortion protestors were a curbside reality. >> i have never, ever one second, not one moment in time, thought he was guilty, sentenced to prison for life with or without the possibility of parole. So leaving in a hurry, that's evidence that gets transferred from one thing to another. This account has been disabled. His long silence behind bars ended as he prepared to tell the jury -- and us -- what really had happened that Valentine's Day morning. He told them he had been frantically trying to save her life. ". without her knowledge. I mean, trying to set fire to his clinic. They had regularly scheduled luncheon dates and worked But Hamilton was late, not arriving until 9:30. The timeline was extremely tight for the doctor to even be considered as a suspect. I don't have anything to lose. I was scared. Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys.
Is Claudia Gordon Married,
Marcia Williams Obituary,
Helix Starkville Guest Parking,
Articles D
