GUILTY LA - Mary Horton Vail, 22, murdered, Lake Charles, 28 Oct 1962

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Man charged in 1962 murder of his wife appears in court Thursday

http://www.ksla.com/story/31085509/man-charged-in-1962-murder-of-his-wife-appears-in-court-thursday

The wheels of justice are turning in a murder case of a woman who died more than 50 years ago.

Felix Vail, who is charged with murder, appeared in court Thursday.

Although a grand jury considered the case in the 1960s, it declined to make a decision. After the case was re-examined, Vail was arrested in 2013. He is now charged with second-degree murder in Mary Horton Vail's death.

Special Assistant D.A. Hugo Holland explained they were in court to record the testimony of one of the witnesses.

http://www.americanpress.com/20160129-felix-vail

Wyatt said he will address the issue of Vail’s trial date Feb. 24.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Oldest prosecution of serial killer suspect is Aug. 8

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/journeytojustice/2016/02/11/mississippi-native-suspect-death-2-disappearances/80254576/

The nation’s oldest prosecution of a serial killer suspect is slated to begin Aug. 8.

Felix Vail, a 76-year-old Mississippi native, is accused of killing his wife, Mary Horton Vail, whose 1962 death in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was originally ruled an accidental drowning.

Vail is the last known person with his first wife, Mary, and two other women: his common-law wife, Sharon Hensley, who disappeared in 1973; and his wife, Annette, who disappeared in 1984.

The Louisiana Supreme Court is allowing the disappearances of these two women as evidence in the trial.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Witness: Felix Vail admitted in 1969 to killing first wife

http://www.kplctv.com/story/32394497/witness-testifies-ahead-of-felix-vail-trial

Accused killer Felix Vail made a court appearance Thursday morning to face a witness who is testifying ahead of the trial, which is set for this August.

77-year-old Vail walked into a courtroom on Thursday as he faced his former friend, Robert Fremont, who is now a witness in the murder trial of Horton.

During the trip, Fremont said Vail brought up his deceased wife, Mary. He said, "There was a boat involved and basically, he killed his first wife."

Later that year, Vail and Fremont had gone on another bicycle trip. This time, through the desert in Mexico.

Again, Vail brought up his deceased wife and this time, he added more details about the boat they were in. Fremont also said Vail admitted to hitting Horton on the head.

 

[whonos]

He was arrested in 1962, after the 1961 death of his wife. Realeased three days later. No real evidence that was presented in the video to say that this was actually related to the death of his wife. He was "looked at" in 1993 by the FBI for the possibility of being a serial killer. "Looked at" could mean a lot of things. I know a guy that was "looked at" for a string of prostitute murders. Only for about 3 minuets and only because his ex wife said a lot of misleading things to law enforcement.

So, other than that, he is not wanted, seriously suspected, or a publicly disclosed person of interest in any of the deaths/disappearances. I shudder to think that if three people close to me die or go missing over the course of my lifetime, I could end up being "investigated" not by LE, who apparently has decided that I am not a viable suspect, but by a reporter who feels perfectly comfortable putting my name and face all over the evening news and the internet.

If your first husband drowns under suspicious circumstances and your next 2 husbands just "disappear"? What are the chances? Do you know of a single human being anywhere that this has had 3 spouses "gone" under these circumstances?

You do not think that warrants investigation by someone? LE overlooked Drew Peterson's first wife. They are not perfect and overwhelmed with cases. Thank G_d for the brave reporter, although I am not going to credit him with special intuition because this is not rocket science and the reason I do not understand your protest.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

http://abcnews.go.com/Press_Release/2020-investigates-felix-vail-alleged-murderer-wife-dead/story?id=40972586

One woman dead, and two missing. One man with three stories. A murder case 54 years later. “20/20” collaborates with The Clarion- Ledger, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, to investigate Felix Vail, the man accused of murdering his first wife, Mary Vail, in 1962 and the other women in his life, Sharon Hensley and Annette Craver, are gone without a trace. Next month, after five decades, Felix will stand trial for the murder of Mary. “THE LAST ONE TO SEE THEM” airs on “20/20” on FRIDAY, JULY 29 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT) on the ABC Television Network.

Interview with Annette Craver's mother, who will be testifying at the trial.

http://www.recorder.com/Greenfield-woman-testifying-in-Felix-Vail-murder-trial-3717760

Rose is now the only living parent of the women Vail is suspected of killing and said she feels responsible for bringing justice for their families. She said she hasn’t thought much about what will happen if Vail isn’t convicted, because there is so much evidence against him.

Jury selection for the trial is set to begin Aug. 8 in Lake Charles, La., and Rose will arrive the following day. She plans to stay through the duration of the trial.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “They think the trial will be over by the end of the week. There’s so much evidence, they can’t imagine it’s going to take longer.”

Rose said her ideal outcome would be to see Vail convicted and spend the rest of his life in prison.

“Of course my hope and prayer is that he’ll confess and tell where the bodies of Sharon and Annette are, but I’m not counting on it. I’ll just be glad he’s finally being held accountable,” she said.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

The 20/20 special was great. It really showed the team effort between those behind the scenes. Annette's mother got the momentum going and the reporter delivered the exposure. It was a long process and hopefully the trial will result in a conviction.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/08/08/gone-felix-vail-murder-trial-opens/88381248/

Jury selection began Monday in the historic murder trial of Mississippi native Felix Vail, who mouthed that what is happening is a "circus."

Despite that initial complaint, Vail listened quietly as the prosecution and defense questioned potential jurors who will decide whether Vail killed his first wife nearly 54 years ago. Later in the day, the 76-year-old Vail, dressed in a blue sports jacket and blue shirt, became more animated, laughing and talking with visitors.

Assistant District Attorney Hugo Holland questioned potential jurors for more than an hour, seeking to find out if they would sympathize for Vail due to his advanced age or be influenced by press coverage.

One potential juror said she couldn't send Vail to prison because he's elderly. She was later dismissed.

Prosecutors say Felix Vail trial should be short

The murder trial of Felix Vail may be historic (the oldest prosecution of a suspected serial killer in U.S. history), but it isn’t expected to be long.

Prosecutors are predicting the trial will last a week, including jury selection.

The trial could make other history, too. If a jury finds Vail guilty and his conviction sticks, this could be "the coldest case ever solved" in America.

That record had rested with the 2012 murder conviction of Jack McCullough for the 1957 killing of 7-year-old Maria Elizabeth Ridulph — nearly 55 years between the slaying and the conviction.

But in March, prosecutors asked the trial judge to toss out McCullough's conviction, determining through phone records that he could not have been present for her abduction. He walked free from prison.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

The jury has been selected and opening statements are now being delivered. I don't know if there's a live video stream for the trial but a few reporters are tweeting from the courtroom.

https://twitter.com/KplcTschmidt

Theresa Schmidt Kplc @KplcTschmidt 4 minutes ago

DeR explains Mary found floating on side, just about face up. When they put her on boat rigor had already set in. DeR says that significant

Theresa Schmidt Kplc @KplcTschmidt 4 minutes ago

DeR says stains mean she was dead and stiff when she entered the water

Felix Vail trial: Opening statements begin

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/08/09/gone-opening-statements-expected-tuesday-felix-vail-case/88440046/

Coroner Dr. Terry Welke, a forensic pathologist, testified that he concluded her death was homicide. "I'm 100 percent certain that she was dead before she went in the water," he said.

DeRosier noted that Felix Vail was the last known person with Mary Horton Vail, who died in 1962; Sharon Hensley, whom he referred to as his wife and who disappeared in 1973; and Annette Craver, whom he married before she disappeared in 1984.

"Mary Horton Vail is gone, Sharon Hensley is gone," he said, "and Annette Craver Vail is gone."

Casanave said Mary Horton Vail's death was an accident.

"There is nothing evil or mysterious about this," he said. "We all know people who fall out of the boat and drown."

Overall, prosecutors expect to call 21 witnesses. Casanave plans to call a pathologist that will challenge Welke's homicide conclusion.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Three families testify in Felix Vail trial

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/08/11/felix-vail-trial-day-four/88552954/

Mary’s brother, Will Horton, recalled his sister’s fear of “dark water.”

Sharon’s brother, Brian Hensley, said he last saw his sister with Felix Vail before the pair left in 1973. He said in the month or two that followed, his mother heard from his sister by letter and by telephone, but no one has seen or heard from her since.

Annette’s mother, Mary Rose, called Annette “a huge light in my life. We were always loving toward each other.”

“Have you seen or heard from your daughter since September 1984?”

“No,” replied Rose.

“How long have you been waiting to tell this to a jury?” he asked.

“Thirty-two years,” she replied.

Prosecutors plan to call renowned pathologist Dr. Michael Baden as their last witness Friday morning.

The case could go to a jury as early as Friday.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Felix Vail found guilty!

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/08/12/felix-vail-trial-day-five/88604212/

Nearly 54 years after Mary Horton Vail went under the dark water of the Calcasieu River, a jury found her then-husband, Felix Vail, guilty of murdering her.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 26, but Vail will get a life sentence without parole, which means he may celebrate his upcoming 77th birthday behind bars.

The jury deliberated less than an hour before finding that Vail had killed his wife, rather than an accidental drowning as the coroner ruled after her Oct. 28, 1962, drowning.

It is the oldest conviction of a suspected serial killer in U.S. history, and if the conviction sticks, it would reportedly be the oldest cold case ever solved..

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Felix Vail was sentenced to life in prison on Monday.

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/09/26/suspected-serial-killer-felix-vail-gets-life/91105208/

In a hearing Monday, Mary’s brother, Will Horton, told Felix Vail, “There is no decency in you, so I don’t expect you to ever reveal the truth about Sharon and Annette. You're not man enough to do that."

Vail told Judge Robert L. Wyatt, "Your honor, the dramatic plausibility seem to interest the court about 95 percent more than the simple truth."

He said the truth is his wife, Mary, died in an accident and that the other two women "choose to disappear themselves from abusive mothers."

He asked the judge to free him because of his age and an unspecified "medical condition."

Instead, Wyatt gave a life sentence to the 77-year-old Vail, who is expected to serve his time at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.

"You have been found guilty by a jury," Wyatt said. "The family has experienced the loss of life, the loss of a mother, the loss of a sister."

Wyatt pointed out to Vail that since this murder, he has "continued to live his life for 50 years."

 

[madamx]

this article is amazing and it what is really amazing is all the time and years that it took to get this creep.. but it was done.. thanks to Rose Annette's Mom who just never gave up!
https://www.clarionledger.com/story...ad-two-other-missing-jerry-mitchell/95895894/

 

[iulia]

A Call That Changed Everything: Years After Mysterious Drowning, Woman's Brother Learns the Truth

 

[JerseyGirl]

Hunting for the Truth About Her Missing Daughter, Mom Finds 2 More Women Who Mysteriously Vanished

People Magazine Investigates: Gone Girls airs Monday (10 p.m. ET) on Investigation Discovery.

From the link above:

Sharon Hensley: LA - LA - Sharon Hensley, 24, Sulphur, February 1973

Annette Craver Vail: LA - LA - Annette Craver Vail, 18, Sulphur, 5 Oct 1984

 

[wary]

this article is amazing and it what is really amazing is all the time and years that it took to get this creep.. but it was done.. thanks to Rose Annette's Mom who just never gave up!
https://www.clarionledger.com/story...ad-two-other-missing-jerry-mitchell/95895894/


View attachment 130226

His life sounds as though it came out of the classic study of sociopaths (aka psychopaths):Mask of Sanity.