Other children killed in home by intruder, but parents survive?

[detectivewannabe]

Julie Rea Harper and her son Joel - Tommy Lynn Sells broke in and murdered Joel, Julie was convicted for the crime but her conviction was overturned when Sells off-handedly admitted the killing to a penpal/author, I believe.


His reason was that Julie had snubbed him in a store and he was mad so he followed her home and later murdered Joel as revenge.

I know very little about this case but isn't Tommy's "confession" somewhat questionable? I am not saying she is guilty or innocent but she does have another trial coming up.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I know very little about this case but isn't Tommy's "confession" somewhat questionable? I am not saying she is guilty or innocent but she does have another trial coming up.

This is one of the few cases where I have absolutely no idea what to believe. While I haven't studied it nearly as closely as others due to timing, its a fascinating case and I'm very happy indeed that she's being given another trial.

 

[deanws]

Julie Rea Harper and her son Joel - Tommy Lynn Sells broke in and murdered Joel, Julie was convicted for the crime but her conviction was overturned when Sells off-handedly admitted the killing to a penpal/author, I believe.


His reason was that Julie had snubbed him in a store and he was mad so he followed her home and later murdered Joel as revenge.

OMGosh....*make note to self....Be NICE to everyone!*

 

[cami]

I know very little about this case but isn't Tommy's "confession" somewhat questionable? I am not saying she is guilty or innocent but she does have another trial coming up.

I don't think anyone, least of all the authorities are taking Tommy Lynn's confession very seriously.

This is Mary's baby. If she is reading, she can chime in. She knows Julia's case like the back of her hand.

 

[cami]

Julie Rea Harper and her son Joel - Tommy Lynn Sells broke in and murdered Joel, Julie was convicted for the crime but her conviction was overturned when Sells off-handedly admitted the killing to a penpal/author, I believe.


His reason was that Julie had snubbed him in a store and he was mad so he followed her home and later murdered Joel as revenge.

Julia's conviction was not overturned because of the confession.

The appeals court overturned it because the special prosecutor who tried the case was not sworn in as an Assistant State's Attorney before questioning the Grand Jury and calling witnesses at trial. The prosecutor was from the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor's office which, at the time, did not have the authority to assist with trials. The state law has since been changed.

 

[Goody]

Julie Rea Harper and her son Joel - Tommy Lynn Sells broke in and murdered Joel, Julie was convicted for the crime but her conviction was overturned when Sells off-handedly admitted the killing to a penpal/author, I believe.


His reason was that Julie had snubbed him in a store and he was mad so he followed her home and later murdered Joel as revenge.

Yeah, but nobody but Julie and her family of supporters believe TLS wasn't just blowing smoke. He also said he likes to screw with cops, tell them things that can't be proven and then watch them work themselves up trying to prove it. It is going to take more than the sputterings of a serial killer who is known to lie and is no longer interested in taking the rap for it to convince jurors he did it. I think she had better enjoy her freedom now while waiting for that second trial to get underway.

 

[Goody]

Don't they do that to look tough? I sure would want to look a lot tougher than I really am if I was in prison. I know I would be kicked to the curb in one hour after arriving there. I am a wuss. :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:

That is why you are here discussing crimes instead out there committing. We know our limits. They don't. :laugh: A cincher for getting one locked up.

 

[deanws]

That is why you are here discussing crimes instead out there committing. We know our limits. They don't. :laugh: A cincher for getting one locked up.

You bet!!! :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :blowkiss:

 

[Goody]

It's Locard's theory.

One of basic principles of modern forensic science is something known as Locard's Theory. Simply stated, the theory is that every time something comes into contact with another thing, it either takes or leaves something of itself. Crime scene investigations are largely based around trying to determine what persons may have been present at the scene of the crime and what they may have come into contact with. Additionally, the scene will hold clues about what took place and how. Shoe prints, fingerprints, DNA, fibres, handwriting samples, blood splatter, tool marks, projectile impact patterns, and trajectory measurements all have a story to tell.

Great post, Cami. I didn't know the source of it and now I do., Thanks.

BTW, TJ says to tell you the rules doesn't hold true if the only evidence a perp leaves behind is a fart. :laugh: :laugh:

 

[deanws]

Great post, Cami. I didn't know the source of it and now I do., Thanks.

BTW, TJ says to tell you the rules doesn't hold true if the only evidence a perp leaves behind is a fart. :laugh: :laugh:

(I guess that means my dogs are scott free then, even though I KNOW it was my poodle who ate the patty off my plate when I went inside to get napkins!

 

[Goody]

Here is one of the Crime Scene Indicators that I thought was very pertinant to Darlie. This is from Gregg McCrary's profile of the Sam Sheppard Case.

"Another red flag apparent with many staged domestic murders is the fatal assault of the wife and/or children by an intruder while the husband escapes without injury or with a nonfatal injury. "If the offender does not first target the person posing the greatest threat or if that person suffers the least amount of injury, the police investigator should especially examine all other crime scene indicators."

Yes, that was the very first thing that raised a red flag for me, too. In fact, I was not even interested in hearing more until you and Chewy bugged me about reading the transcripts so much I finally caved and look at me now! hahahahah.. :laugh: This posting monster is your creation, Cami.

 

[Goody]

This is one of the few cases where I have absolutely no idea what to believe. While I haven't studied it nearly as closely as others due to timing, its a fascinating case and I'm very happy indeed that she's being given another trial.

You know what bothers me the most about it? Julie and her ex had been in a huge custody battle for a couple of years. She had repetitioned the court a couple of times after she lost custody of the boy. The last judicial decision on it was only a couple of months before the murder. She wanted to go to school in Indiana. Maybe child support was an obstacle for her. She and her ex apparently hated each other. It is not a stretch to see someone who might have just wanted to break all ties with her past and taking final control over her ex with a "if I can't have him, you sure aren't going to get him." Killing the boy might have been her ultimate revenge, her ultimate win eliminating any possible comeback from the ex.

There always seems to be a red flag in these cases. In Darlie's it is the parent with the non-fatal injuries compared to kids with terribly fatal injuries. With Julie there is all that emotional stuff going on behind the scenes in the months preceding the murder. Rarely if ever do these red flags prove to be only coincidental.

 

[Goody]

This is one of the few cases where I have absolutely no idea what to believe. While I haven't studied it nearly as closely as others due to timing, its a fascinating case and I'm very happy indeed that she's being given another trial.

You know what bothers me the most about it? Julie and her ex had been in a huge custody battle for a couple of years. She had repetitioned the court a couple of times after she lost custody of the boy. The last judicial decision on it was only a couple of months before the murder. She wanted to go to school in Indiana. Maybe child support was an obstacle for her. She and her ex apparently hated each other. It is not a stretch to see someone who might have just wanted to break all ties with her past and taking final control over her ex with a "if I can't have him, you sure aren't going to get him." Killing the boy might have been her ultimate revenge, her ultimate win eliminating any possible comeback from the ex.

There always seems to be a red flag in these cases. In Darlie's it is the parent with the non-fatal injuries compared to kids with terribly fatal injuries. With Julie there is all that emotional stuff going on behind the scenes in the months preceding the murder. Rarely if ever do these red flags prove to be only coincidental.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

You know what bothers me the most about it? Julie and her ex had been in a huge custody battle for a couple of years. She had repetitioned the court a couple of times after she lost custody of the boy. The last judicial decision on it was only a couple of months before the murder. She wanted to go to school in Indiana. Maybe child support was an obstacle for her. She and her ex apparently hated each other. It is not a stretch to see someone who might have just wanted to break all ties with her past and taking final control over her ex with a "if I can't have him, you sure aren't going to get him." Killing the boy might have been her ultimate revenge, her ultimate win eliminating any possible comeback from the ex.

There always seems to be a red flag in these cases. In Darlie's it is the parent with the non-fatal injuries compared to kids with terribly fatal injuries. With Julie there is all that emotional stuff going on behind the scenes in the months preceding the murder. Rarely if ever do these red flags prove to be only coincidental.

Good points.

I have a question: Do we know of any cases where a WOMAN has confessed to murdering the children because of custody issues? We seem to hear about men doing it all the time. I can't ever remember hearing about a woman doing it though.

 

[cami]

Great post, Cami. I didn't know the source of it and now I do., Thanks.

BTW, TJ says to tell you the rules doesn't hold true if the only evidence a perp leaves behind is a fart. :laugh: :laugh:

aaaaaaahahahahaha that crazy fool, but wait a minute, that's gas, gas leaves fumes, fumes can be traced..... Tell TJ the cops will soon be at the door and to just go quietly. I don't think there's dna in a fart so he should get off.

 

[cami]

Yes, that was the very first thing that raised a red flag for me, too. In fact, I was not even interested in hearing more until you and Chewy bugged me about reading the transcripts so much I finally caved and look at me now! hahahahah.. :laugh: This posting monster is your creation, Cami.

aaaahahahaha okay I take responsibility for my actions aaaahahahaha wait I'll take half, Chewy owns the other half.

 

[G.I.RattlesnakeJane]

aaaaaaahahahahaha that crazy fool, but wait a minute, that's gas, gas leaves fumes, fumes can be traced..... Tell TJ the cops will soon be at the door and to just go quietly. I don't think there's dna in a fart so he should get off.

Sorry but the exact composition if the amount of methane in that fart can be traced just TJ ain't gonna like the evidence collection method.

 

[cami]

Sorry but the exact composition if the amount of methane in that fart can be traced just TJ ain't gonna like the evidence collection method.

aaaaahhahahhahahahaaaaaahahahaha I don't imagine he will, aaahahahahaha

 

[Goody]

Good points.

I have a question: Do we know of any cases where a WOMAN has confessed to murdering the children because of custody issues? We seem to hear about men doing it all the time. I can't ever remember hearing about a woman doing it though.

Dr Deborah Green poisoned her husband after he moved out and admitted to an affair. He filed for divorce, etc. She set the house on fire and killed two of three children, confessed, was convicted, and has since retracted her confession. Husband survived the poisonings but darned near died too.

There are many more cases of men doing it, but women have also been known to kill their children rather than let them call another woman "Mom". Deborah Green actually thought the deaths of the children would bring her husband back to her.

 

[Goody]

aaaaaaahahahahaha that crazy fool, but wait a minute, that's gas, gas leaves fumes, fumes can be traced..... Tell TJ the cops will soon be at the door and to just go quietly. I don't think there's dna in a fart so he should get off.

O, gees, I hope they don't light a match in here. We will go up in smoke for sure! hahahahahahhah.