Tim Hennis

NewMom2003 · #1 06-05-2008, 05:43 PM

I'm going to be following this one. I still believe Tim Hennis to be innocent. Maybe I'm wrong and it will be proven by the DNA during the trial.

I believe I read somewhere that the trial is expected to start in September.

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/573385.html

More than two decades after a rape and triple homicide in Fayetteville, investigators apparently unearthed enough DNA evidence to persuade the Army to drag Tim Hennis out of retirement, put him on active duty at Fort Bragg and charge him yet again.
Army prosecutors might disclose that evidence next week. At a hearing that starts Wednesday at Fort Bragg, they will try to prove that Hennis should be tried for a third time for the 1985 murders of an Air Force wife and two of her daughters.

In 1986, Hennis was convicted and sentenced to die. In 1989, after the state Supreme Court ordered a new trial, he was acquitted. Now he might be tried again.

NewMom2003 · #2 06-05-2008, 05:44 PM

Here is my original thread that I started in Crimes in the News.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sho...34#post2274234

This is truly a fascinating case.

NewMom2003 · #3 06-05-2008, 05:47 PM

Here is a special section on the Fayetteville Observer's website that has lots of information about the case. It doesn't appear to have been updated recently though.

http://www.fayobserver.com/hennis/Hennis-1_content.html

golfmom · #4 06-06-2008, 06:54 AM

Hey newmom! I'm going to check out your links and follow along. Please keep updating.

NewMom2003 · #5 06-06-2008, 09:52 AM

Thanks golfmom!

It's such an interesting case.

Boyz_Mum · #6 06-06-2008, 06:33 PM

Thanks NewMom2003 for this thread, I am anxious to see the outcome of this trial. I tend to believe he's innocent too.

zoey555 · #7 06-17-2008, 04:31 PM

I just finished reading Scott Whisnant's "Innocent Victims" concerning the Eastburn murders and Tim Hennis's two trials. I was so relieved after the second trial that he was acquitted since I really didn't think there was enough evidence at the crime scene to link him to the murders even though he had very recently bought the Eastburn's dog.

I have never read a true crime book with so many twists and turns and so many coincidences.

After reading the book I immediately went to the internet to find out whatever happened to Tim Hennis and his family. Lo and behold I find out that via DNA, he's being charged with their murders by the military after 20+ years and a hearing was scheduled for June 2.

I can't seem to find what the result of the hearing was. If anyone knows, please post it here.

Having just put the book down, I am very interested in following this case.

zoey555 · #8 06-18-2008, 11:40 AM

Finally found this from the Fay.Observer.com website concerning the hearing. They don't mention what the next step is:

http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=295606

NewMom2003 · #9 06-19-2008, 05:31 PM

Welcome to WS zoey!

I'm glad there is some interest in this case. I'll keep posting updated information as I get it.

zoey555 · #10 06-19-2008, 07:02 PM

Thanks newmom2003 .... the book exhausted me by the time I finished it. Keep me posted on any updates. I couldn't find by googling what the next step is since the latest hearing June 2.

w1df10wr · #11 06-22-2008, 12:18 AM

I need to read more about this interesting case. Thank you, NewMom2003.

evelyn24 · #12 07-12-2008, 10:39 PM

Wasn't his DNA found inside the murdered woman?
Also didn't Hennis go to her home the day before her murder for some reason, but according to him he never went inside her home?
IDK, but if his DNA (bodily fluid/semen) was anywhere near the victims, I have to say he's in trouble.

zoey555 · #13 07-13-2008, 09:26 AM

He went to her home to take the dog that she was selling, but I can't remember how many days it was before the murders. As far as DNA, it wasn't invented 20 years ago when the murders happened, so it's a distinct possiblitity that samples were kept and tested recently, however I've not been able to find out anymore about the case since it has been re-opened.

NewMom2003 · #14 07-14-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evelyn24

Wasn't his DNA found inside the murdered woman?
Also didn't Hennis go to her home the day before her murder for some reason, but according to him he never went inside her home?
IDK, but if his DNA (bodily fluid/semen) was anywhere near the victims, I have to say he's in trouble.

Hennis did go to her house before the murders to get the dog. I can't remember if he went in the house or not.

I believe semen was found inside Katie Eastburn's body.

The Fayetteville police never looked at another suspect after Tim Hennis and his wife went to the police department on their own to tell them what they knew and that he had been at the house.

I question the chain of command on this DNA and whether it's been tainted or not.

I don't think he did it, but I could be wrong. I'm anxious to see how it all plays out.

shotzie · #15 10-25-2008, 05:59 PM

I just finished the Movie and started research. I found a page on the Military Board, that even his daughter was on...very sad..Yes he did go into the Eastburns house, used their bathroom. The DNA was not preserved thru chain of command per that board, alot of his military buddies wrote on the board that he was innocent, but one person was a real A** seemed like a troll.
They said the trial was postponed for later in 2008, but didn't have exact Date..I saved it to go back an see if anyone else posted in the next week or so.
Watching the movie it did seem he was railroaded.
an as one poster said the DNA could be blood, not necessarily semen..

It says he is a grandfather now, was in the military all these years and was in I believe in Irag. He retired in 2004. I can't believe the military would do this on some gung ho prosecutor, that didn't like the not quilty on the last trial these per the posters.

I am glad this is on our board, I have searched alot, I wanted to see a picture of him, just curious.
Hope some of you others find out more..

shotzie · #16 10-25-2008, 08:25 PM

http://www.fayobserver.com/special/H...1_content.html

hope this link works

Trial is canceled as of now, whatever that means, I am wondering is he in jail now or free?

Sameera · #17 11-07-2008, 03:43 AM

What's the latest on the hearing? I constantly look for updates but nothing seems to be happening.

In the original case the only things connecting Hennis to the case were Patrick Cone who identified him as a man walking near the scene of the crime and the fact that he visited the Eastburn house once in response to a newspaper ad. There was the witness who identified him as the man using the Eastburns' credit card at an ATM but at retrial she was discreditied as a liar. The whole case hinged on Cone's identification but at the retrial evidence was produced that he could have mistaken Hennis for another man. If Hennis really had murdered the Eastburns there should have been a whole lot more evidence tying him to the case than that. Even if it was Hennis, there are still things unexplained - like the creepy phone calls Mrs Eastburn received prior to her death. No evidence was ever produced tying Hennis to these phone calls.

Therefore I find it interesting to see how this new DNA evidence works out. And remember - there have been cases where DNA has been proved to be wrong (mistakes in the laboratory, contamination, etc). I think there was one in New Zealand where DNA evidence was discredited in a rape case - but not before it got a guilty man free and the rape victim being turned out of house and home when it seemed the DNA evidence proved her mistaken.

And no, I don't buy any theories that Jeff MacDonald engineered the Eastburn killings in the hope that a copycat crime might force the authorities to reconsider his case. For one thing, it does not explain the "Mr X" letters, the creepy phone calls Mrs Eastburn received just before she was killed, or similar phone calls a defence witness received, or the "Ah! History," note Jerry Beaver received after a homicide which seemed to bear hallmarks to the Eastburn case.

zoey555 · #18 11-08-2008, 10:12 AM

Seems there's nothing new to report. Don't even know if the new trial has gone to court. Don't know if they're even still holding Hennis is jail? This case just seems to have evaporated, newswise.

Update, while googling Tim Hennis November 2008, I came up with the following. I'll try to get more info by googling concerning the pretrial motions when I return home from town this afternoon:

News Update 06.02.08

North Carolina

A military court at Fort Bragg will hear pretrial motions today in the case of Timothy Hennis. Hennis was acquitted of three counts of first-degree murder in civilian court, but is being retried by the military. If convicted, Hennis could become the tenth person on the military’s death row.

Sameera · #19 11-08-2008, 05:16 PM

Prosecutor's and police conduct from the first trial has me nervous about how they are testing the DNA samples. There is no indication of downright fabrication of evidence but they did withhold evidence, such as the timesheet which proved Hennis' alibi and the existence of Raupach, and from the beginning they had a mindset that Hennis did it, which prevented them from objectively examining evidence, including evidence which pointed away from Hennis. One of the prosecution witnesses was proved to be lying at the second trial, but no evidence for a motive was ever produced, so we have no way of knowing if she was, say, bribed or coerced into giving that evidence.

Even if Hennis did it, the State still hasn't answered questions. They produced no satisfactory motive, no evidence that Hennis was mentally capable of the crime (and to my mind, only a "Jack the Ripper" type could commit that kind of crime) - and they never solved the mystery of those threatening phone calls Mrs Eastburn received prior to her murder. No evidence was ever found linking Hennis to those phone calls, and you would think the police would check the phone records. Why was the murder scene arranged to resemble the McDonald murders? And what about the Mr X letters - the work of a crank or the real murderer?

Another NZ case which springs to mind about DNA evidence is the Scott Watson case. The only serious forensic evidence linking him to the case was a hair from the victim which was in the bag of samples collected from his boat. However, there was a rip in the sample bag(!) which suggests there could have been contamination.

Sameera · #20 11-09-2008, 12:06 AM

Trial is canceled as of now, whatever that means, I am wondering is he in jail now or free?

Good question. If they dropped the charges, surely there would have been something about it? Maybe it's some hold-up somewhere. But is the trial "postponed" or "cancelled"? Does anyone know for sure? It just seems to have petered out. Which could indicate the DNA evidence is not as strong as previously thought and is not sufficient to hold up a third prosecution. If it was more definitive, why isn't the case proceeding?

It's really frustrating that this case occurred just before DNA evidence became available to begin with. Then DNA evidence would have ruled Hennis in or out from the start instead of being totally dependent on one eyewitness - who didn't even see the crime, just a man walking around at the time.

Mary456 · #21 11-20-2008, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sameera

But is the trial "postponed" or "cancelled"? Does anyone know for sure?

They haven't dropped the charges; the defense keeps asking for more time to prepare, so the trial has been delayed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sameera

It's really frustrating that this case occurred just before DNA evidence became available to begin with. Then DNA evidence would have ruled Hennis in or out from the start instead of being totally dependent on one eyewitness - who didn't even see the crime, just a man walking around at the time.

Actually, Patrick Cone positively identified Hennis as the man he saw leaving the Eastburn home the night of the murders. He described him so well that a composite sketch was made & it was a dead ringer for Hennis. Not only that, but Cone also saw the man get into a white Chevette & drive away.

Guess what kind of car Hennis owned...a white Chevette.

Mary456 · #22 11-21-2008, 12:10 AM

Sameera, just a comment.

As far as I know, the only book written about this case is Innocent Victims by Scott Whisnant. It's extremely biased in favor of Hennis - so much so that Whisnant resorted to a LOT of half truths & innuendo. You really have to take much of his book with a grain of salt. He tells you only what he wants you to know. It's like watching a trial & seeing only the defense's side.

If I were rich, I'd buy the transcript from the first trial, just so Whisnant could have a little egg rubbed in his face, lol. There's two sides to every story, and we're only getting one side from that author.

Sameera · #23 11-21-2008, 07:00 PM

Guess what kind of car Hennis owned...a white Chevette.

Did they check Hennis' white Chevette for forensic evidence?

Sameera · #24 11-21-2008, 07:02 PM

As far as I know, the only book written about this case is Innocent Victims by Scott Whisnant. It's extremely biased in favor of Hennis - so much so that Whisnant resorted to a LOT of half truths & innuendo. You really have to take much of his book with a grain of salt. He tells you only what he wants you to know. It's like watching a trial & seeing only the defense's side.

Yes, it is admittedly biased in favour of Hennis. But can you be more specific about half-truths and innuendo from the book and give some examples?

Mary456 · #25 11-21-2008, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sameera

Guess what kind of car Hennis owned...a white Chevette.

Did they check Hennis' white Chevette for forensic evidence?

Yes. There wasn't any, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. He tried to clean up the blood at the Eastburn's home, and could have done the same to his car before the bodies were even found.

That's assuming that he even left any blood in the car. He may not have, depending on how well he cleaned up.