GUILTY TX - Tommy McGraw, Beth Wilburn & James Oatis, slain, League City, Nov 1983 *Arrest*

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DATE OF OFFENSE: 11-02-1983[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]LCPD CASE: 83-1901[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Offense: CAPITAL MURDER[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Location: Corvette Concepts, 595 W. Main, League City, TX 77573[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Victims: [/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Beth Wilburn
Tommy McGraw
James Oatis[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Details: On November 02, 1983, an unknown person(s) entered the Corvette Concepts garage. The suspect(s) brutally stabbed Beth Wilburn over 100 times, killing her in the business office of the garage. The suspect(s) then stabbed Tommy McGraw multiple times when he arrived at the business. The object used to stab the Tommy McGraw was impaled in his spine. The final victim, James Oatis, was an electrician working at the rear of the business. He was fatally shot several times. [/font]


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It is hard to imagine a woman being stabbed over 100 times. The brutality of these three murders certainly makes it appear that the attacks were personal.

Whoever committed these murders must have been thoroughly covered in blood. Someone must have seen something. It's hard to believe that no one has ever come forward with any information about this horrific crime!

Marilynilpa said:

It is hard to imagine a woman being stabbed over 100 times. The brutality of these three murders certainly makes it appear that the attacks were personal.

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I agree, thats some rage.......

Do you know of any leads at this time?

Angels_Not_Forgotten said:

Do you know of any leads at this time?

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I can't find anything recent about this horrible crime. I just happened to run across it while researching two other murders that had taken place in that town.

I'm going to e-mail the police department and see if they have any information they can share with us.

please keep me updated, this is so horrible.

I e-mailed the police department in League City, Texas, and got this reply:

The Corvette Concepts murders are also still open. I agree

with your assessment of the anger displayed toward Beth. We

have suspects in that case, but the evidence required to

support a criminal conviction is presently insufficient.

Again, we are actively seeking information leading to the

arrest of this killer, or killers.

Marilynilpa said:

Whoever committed these murders must have been thoroughly covered in blood. Someone must have seen something. It's hard to believe that no one has ever come forward with any information about this horrific crime!

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I'm curious if there was a shower in the Corvette Shop. It would not be unusual. My cousin owns a Corvette Shop and he has a shower for his employees, due to the fact, they deal with fiberglass daily.

It is very common for someone who stabbed 2 people this many times to have cut himself in the process. You would think the perps blood would have also been found at the crime scene on a door facing or where ever he made his exit. I'm sure with all the blood it would be difficult for investigators.

I'm just trying to figure out where in League City Corvette Concepts is or was. Along 518, East or West of I-45?

http://thepolicenews.net/html/TPNMar11.pdf

newsletter dated March 2011

Pretty thorough.

She (wilburn) was stabbed over 100 times with what was probably a screwdriver and then shot several times. Her BF (McGraw) was stabbed with the same screwdriver and it was found embedded in his spine.

Oatis (Electrician) was hanging light fixtures and was shot while atop a ladder.

(interesting coverage about Currie, who had a previous relationship with Beth Wilburn and was also co-owner of shop as well)

Pretty good article. JMHO

Bumping this Very interesting case. The savage stabbing seems like a rage,spur of the moment,crime of passion attack. The Gun shows more of a pre-planned crime. Odd to see that kind of mix. I think this case may have some connection to the i-45 killings going on, and may be connected to the case of Laura Lynn Miller, and the letter that her Father, Tim Miller received. I think it's possible that the killer brought a gun with him to control any Victims, and that he really wanted to stab somebody. The Zodiac killer attacked a couple in Napa in 1969, and used a gun to get them under control, and then stabbed them once they were under control. The same thing may be at work here.

Although the overkill stabbing seems to make it a crime of passion, or a personal connection to the Victim, there have been killers that have stabbed people dozens of times, and had no connection to the Victim.

From @Texasguy link above,

Jesse "Dean" Kersh, now 58, was arrested by police Tuesday morning at a restaurant in the 23000 block of Aldine Westfield Road in Spring.

The murders took place more than 3 decades ago on November 3, 1983 at the Corvette Concepts Shop, where Kersh used to work​.

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Docket:

OTHER EVENTS AND HEARINGS
01/27/2016 Statutory Warnings by Magistrate
WARRANT JP4
01/27/2016 Waiver of Counsel

01/29/2016 Notice of Appearance
01/29/2016 Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus - Non OCA
01/29/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
on Habeas Corpus

02/01/2016 Notice of Setting

02/04/2016 Bond Reduction Hearing (10:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)
Result: Held
02/04/2016 Court Coordinator's Case Notes
ORDER DENYING BAIL REDUCTION SIGNED

02/05/2016 Order Regarding Bond (Judicial Officer: Ellisor, John )
Order Denying Bail Reduction and Setting Bail Conditions

02/08/2016 Receipt
of Passport
02/08/2016 Bond

02/10/2016 CANCELED Status Conference Judge (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)
Reset
WAIVED APT OF ATTORNEY AT JAIL DOCKET

03/07/2016 Notice of Setting

03/24/2016 Exhibit list

04/15/2016 Notice of Setting

04/21/2016 Indictment - OCA
bond on file

06/30/2016 Notice of Setting

09/09/2016 Motion for Discovery
& Inspection of Evidence - Supplemental

09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
Discovery & Inspection - Supplemental
09/09/2016 Motion
for Production of Information / Witnesses
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
Production / Witnesses
09/09/2016 Motion to Produce Evidence
Exculpatory & Mitigating
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
Production - Exculpatory & Mitigating Evidence
09/09/2016 Motion In Limine
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
In Limine
09/09/2016 Motion
to Avoid Delay by Notice of Extraneous Offenses
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Delay by Notice Extraneous Offenses
09/09/2016 Request
for Pre-Trial Hearing
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Motion for Discovery
& Inspection of Evidence
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
for Setting
09/09/2016 Proposed Order (unsigned)
Discovery & Inspection

11/01/2016 Notice of Setting

01/12/2017 Notice of Setting

03/28/2017 Notice of Setting

05/18/2017 Notice of Setting

08/01/2017 Notice of Setting

09/19/2017 Status Conference (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)

03/08/2016 Reset by Court to 04/15/2016

04/15/2016 Reset by Court to 07/01/2016

07/01/2016 Reset by Court to 09/01/2016

09/01/2016 Reset by Court to 11/01/2016

11/01/2016 Reset by Court to 01/12/2017

01/12/2017 Reset by Court to 03/28/2017

03/28/2017 Reset by Court to 05/17/2017

05/17/2017 Reset by Court to 05/18/2017

05/18/2017 Reset by Court to 08/02/2017

08/02/2017 Reset by Court to 09/19/2017
Result: Held

09/19/2017 Notice of Setting
1/19/18

01/19/2018 Notice of Setting

04/26/2018 Notice of Setting

06/06/2018 Notice of Setting

08/08/2018 Status Conference (8:30 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)

01/19/2018 Reset by Court to 04/27/2018

04/27/2018 Reset by Court to 06/05/2018

06/05/2018 Reset by Court to 08/08/2018
Result: Held

09/14/2018 Docket Control Order

05/17/2019 Docket Control Order

04/03/2020 Notice of Setting

03/02/2021 Docket Control Order

06/24/2021 Docket Control Order

10/07/2021 Motion for Continuance
Agreed Motion for Continuance
10/07/2021 Proposed Order (unsigned)
Order Granting Motion for Continuance
10/07/2021 Motion for Continuance
AGREED MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE
10/07/2021 Order (Judicial Officer: Ellisor, John )

05/09/2022 Notice of State's Intent to Introduce Extraneous Offenses

05/10/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App
05/10/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Subpoena-Emailed K. Allen sb

05/20/2022 Docket Control Order

05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App1
05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App2
05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App3
05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App4
05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App5
05/26/2022 Application for Subpoena
Sub App6
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub1 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub2 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub3 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub4 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub5 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf
05/26/2022 Subpoena Issued - Work Product
Sub6 - E-Mailed subpoena to ADA/pf

09/09/2022 Pre-Trial Conference (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)
PREF SET #1 (set 2nd week of trial period 9/26/22)
07/16/2021 Reset by Court to 10/15/2021
10/15/2021 Reset by Court to 04/01/2022
04/01/2022 Reset by Court to 06/17/2022
05/20/2022 Reset by Court to 09/09/2022
06/17/2022 Reset by Court to 05/20/2022

09/19/2022 Jury Trial (9:00 AM) (Judicial Officer Ellisor, John)
PREF SET #1 (2ND WEEK 9/26/22)
07/27/2021 Reset by Court to 10/26/2021
10/26/2021 Reset by Court to 04/11/2022
04/11/2022 Reset by Court to 06/17/2022
05/31/2022 Reset by Court to 06/06/2022
06/06/2022 Reset by Court to 09/19/2022
06/17/2022 Reset by Court to 06/27/2022
06/27/2022 Reset by Court to 05/31/2022

link: https://publicaccess.co.galveston.tx.us//CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=1258320

IslandGirl said:

I'm just trying to figure out where in League City Corvette Concepts is or was. Along 518, East or West of I-45?

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Don't know if you are still around - but here is the street it is on:


from article:
League City police said they had charged 58-year-old Jesse Dean Kersh with the 1983 slayings of 25-year-old Beth Yvette Wilburn of Webster, who was then co-owner of Corvette Concepts on West Main Street;

Friday, Sept. 9th:
*Pretrial Conference Hearing (@ 9am CT) - TX - Thomas Earl McGraw, Jr. (28), Beth Yvette Wilburn (25) & James Craig Oatis (22) all slain in the Corvette Concepts garage, League City, Nov. 2, 1983. *Jesse "Dean" Kersh (25 @ time of crime/58/now 65) arrested & charged (1/26/16) & indicted (4/21/16) with 3 counts of 1st degree felony murder. Bond $150K. Bond reduction denied (2/4/16).
On November 2, 1983, an unknown person(s) entered the Corvette Concepts garage. The suspect(s) brutally stabbed Beth Wilburn 114 times & had 4 gunshot wounds, killing her in the business office of the garage. The suspect(s) then stabbed Tommy McGraw stabbed 14 times & had 7 gunshot wounds when he arrived at the business. The object used to stab the Tommy McGraw was impaled in his spine. The final victim, James Oatis, was an electrician working at the rear of the business. He was fatally shot 10 times. Jesse "Dean" Kersh, now 58, was arrested by police Tuesday morning (1/26/16) at a restaurant in the 23000 block of Aldine Westfield Road in Spring. Detectives said Kersh went on a bloody rampage stabbing & shooting the owner & two workers over & over again. Beth Wilburn was co-owner of the business at the time. Thomas McGraw was an employee of the business & James Craig Oatis was a contracted electrician performing work on the premises.
Trial set to begin on 9/19/22.
2/4/16 Update: Bond reduction hearing. Bond reduction-denied. 2/16/22 Update: Waived appointment of attorney. 9/19/17 Update: Status conference hearing on 9/19/17 reset from 3/8/16. 8/8/18 Update: Status conference hearing on 8/8/18 reset from 1/19/18. 10/7/21 Update: Motion for continuance-granted. 5/9/22: Notice of State's intent to introduce extraneous offenses. Pretrial conference hearing reset set from 7/16/21 on 9/9/22. Jury trial reset from 7/27/21 set to begin on 9/19/22.

I’m having to catch up but will follow this.

Dang... I can no longer access the Galveston court site...

Anyone else - @worm - on post #14 - is a link.

Niner said:

Dang... I can no longer access the Galveston court site...

Anyone else - @worm - on post #14 - is a link.

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I haven’t tried it but read what you posted on it.

Per another person - trial is set to begin on 9/19/22.