Broken Arrow killings

On July 22–23, 2015, five members of the Bever family were murdered in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.[2] Two members of the family, a 2-year-old girl and 13-year-old girl survived, the latter of whom identified two of her brothers, Robert Bever, 18, and Michael Bever, 16, as the assailants. The brothers were subsequently arrested and charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with intent to murder.[1][3][4][5]

Broken Arrow Killings
LocationBroken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States
DateJuly 22–23, 2015
Attack type
Mass stabbing, familicide
WeaponsKnife
Deaths5
Injured1
PerpetratorsRobert Bever
Michael Bever[1]

Details

At around 11:30 p.m. on July 22, 2015[6] police were alerted to 709 Magnolia Court[7] by a 9-1-1 phone call made by 12-year-old Daniel Bever, who stated his brother was attacking the family.[8] Screaming, commotion and a male voice were heard in the background before the line went dead. Dispatchers tracked the address by searching the number. After a failed attempt to call David Bever, the father, they dispatched officers to the scene.[7]

When the first responding officers arrived, they saw blood around the porch of the house. They knocked on the door, heard a faint voice calling for help, and forced their way into the house, where they immediately found a 13-year-old girl, Crystal Bever, bleeding from multiple stab wounds. After pulling her out of the home,[7] the officers discovered Daniel Bever and the rest of the victims, who were all dead.[6][9] It was believed that one of the brothers responsible for the killings lured out the victims by pretending he was under attack.[10]

Crystal Bever survived the killings, but was critically injured from her wounds. She identified two of her brothers as the assailants in the familicide, saying that they lured her to a bedroom before slitting her throat and stabbing her in the stomach and arms. She underwent surgery at a nearby hospital and was listed as being in serious but stable condition. The girl was initially reported to be the 9-1-1 caller. A two-year-old girl, Autumn Bever, was also found alive and unharmed inside the house. The surviving children were put in state custody. The parents, as well as three children, were all stabbed to death. Knives, hatchets, and other bladed weapons were found at the scene, along with protective gear.[1][5][9][11][12] Law enforcement officials claimed at least some of the weapons found were used in the killings.[13]

Victims

Five people were killed in the familicide, and one other person was injured. A medical examiner determined that the common cause of death was "multiple sharp force injuries". Autopsies revealed the victims died between the late hours of July 22 and the early hours of July 23. The victims were identified as:[5][11][14]

Killed
  • David Bever, 52 (father; killed by at least 28 stab wounds to the torso, face, neck and left arm and hand)
  • April Bever, 44 (mother; killed by blunt-force trauma and more than 48 wounds to the head, neck, torso and arms and hands)
  • Daniel Bever, 12 (son; killed by 21 stab wounds to the back, shoulder and chest)
  • Christopher Bever, 7 (son; killed by 21 stab wounds to the back, chest, shoulder and lower leg)
  • Victoria Bever, 5 (daughter; killed by 23 stab wounds to both sides of the neck, her chest, back and upper arm)
Injured
  • Crystal Bever, 13 (daughter; injured by a slit throat and stab wounds to the stomach and arms)[12]
Unharmed
  • Autumn Bever, 2 (daughter; sleeping in room)[15]

Motives and backgrounds of suspects

Neighbors said the parents home-schooled their children and kept a close eye on them, restricting them from mingling with neighbors or other children.[16][17][18] The family's lifestyle was reported to be so inconspicuous that some neighbors found out the full names of the entire family for the first time when the medical examiner released them. Neighbors also noted the strange and unsettling behaviors of Robert and Michael Bever.[19]

Defense attorneys stated that David Bever was physically and verbally abusive towards his children, according to Crystal Bever's testimony. [10] Robert Bever claimed that both of his parents were hateful and abusive to him and all of his siblings. He said his parents would often talk about people they hated and would refer to the biblical Apocalypse as “a retribution thing for everything they hated about the world".[12][20]

Robert Bever confessed to committing the familicide. He claimed that he and his brother planned the act for some time and intended to commit a shooting spree outside the family, hoping it would rival and even outdo the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.[8][21][22][23] He later confessed that he and his brother planned to dismember the bodies of their family, place them in storage bins, and hide them in the attic of their home. He also stated that they planned to steal the family car, shoot and kill five random people each at multiple locations, and eventually achieve a body count of at least 50 people.[10][24] An officer who interviewed Robert Bever stated that Bever admired serial killers, hoped to strike in locations outside of Oklahoma, and wanted to achieve a body count of up to 500 people or more.[12]

Aftermath

The two suspects fled the scene through the back door of the house when police arrived, and headed into a wooded area behind the property. They were apprehended quickly with the use of a K9 unit, and arrested without incident. The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Robert Bever, the oldest son of David and April Bever, and his 16-year-old brother, Michael Bever.[1] Robert Bever was armed with a knife at the time of his arrest.[7]

One of the brothers "spontaneously uttered" that plans for the killings were stored on a flash drive inside the home. This flash drive was later retrieved by police when they searched the home for a second time.[25] They also recovered computer equipment and video surveillance cameras, which they believe recorded the familicide as they were located near where three of the victims' bodies were found.[26] It was later determined that the brothers planned to make two videos, one depicting the bodies of their family that would be shown to investigators and prosecutors, the other without the bodies that could be posted online.[24]

Authorities have called the killings the "worst single criminal event in Broken Arrow history". The brothers were charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with intent to kill. On July 25, authorities announced that Michael Bever will be charged as an adult.[4][27][28] A conviction on first-degree murder carries the punishment of life imprisonment or the death penalty. However, the Tulsa County District Attorney stated that Michael Bever will be exempt from a death sentence since he was under the age of 18 at the time of the familicide.[29] Bever's attorney argued against the constitutionality of the decision to try Bever as an adult, stating that his client will die in prison and that it is the same as the death penalty. He also tried to argue that Bever should be rehabilitated instead of imprisoned if he was physically and emotionally abused at home, though no evidence indicated any abuse occurring in the Bever home.[30]

Investigators looked into a shipment of boxes containing a total of 3,000 rounds of ammunition that was believed to have been delivered on July 23.[9][22] They also began investigating social media accounts belonging to Robert Bever.

On July 6, 2016, it was reported that Robert Bever had attempted suicide by hanging with a bed sheet. Tulsa County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Casey Roebuck said the suicide attempt, occurring earlier that year on June 17, was discovered by a detention officer during a routine security check. Medical staff cut him down and checked him, determining he was uninjured. He was then moved to suicide watch.[31]

In mid-February 2017, Broken Arrow's city council announced a plan to raise money through the Tulsa Community Foundation for the acquisition of the Bever family home. They hope that enough money can be raised to purchase the house from the Bevers' mortgage holder and lending company, its current owner. If enough funds are raised, the home was planned to be torn down and, in its place, a memorial park and garden, titled "The Bever Family-First Responders Memorial Park", created.[32][33][34] The house was destroyed in a fire on March 18, 2017.[35] On March 27, 2019, Reflection Park was dedicated in an official ceremony. A path meanders through a knoll of grass where the Bever house once stood.[36]

The brothers were arraigned in court on August 3. They pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them. A preliminary hearing was set for October 28.[37][38] The date was later changed to October 9,[39] and later to January 22, 2016.[40] It was changed again to February 23, 2016.[41]

On August 5, Tulsa County Judge Bill Musseman ruled that documents concerning the case be made public. They were released the next day, redacted to protect the victims' identities and sensitive information.[7]

Robert Bever eventually pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Michael Bever's trial began on April 16, 2018,[33] and on August 9, 2018 he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.[42][43] Robert is currently housed in the Joseph Harp Correctional Center and Michael is in the Lexington Correctional Center.[44][45][46][47][48]

References
  1. Jones, Vicent; Corey, Samantha (July 25, 2015). "Girl, 13, who survived Broken Arrow stabbings named brothers as assailants in quintuple homicide". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  2. Smith, Alexander (July 23, 2015). "Five Found Dead in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Two Teen Relatives Detained". NBC News.
  3. "Broken Arrow police name suspect in quintuple homicide". fox23.com. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  4. Clark, Richard (July 31, 2015). "Five Murder Charges Filed Against Brothers In Broken Arrow Family Killings". News On 6. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  5. "Broken Arrow killings: Autopsy reports reveal Bever parents stabbed dozens of times". Tulsa World. October 13, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  6. "Oklahoma girl, 13, reportedly named brothers as assailants who fatally stabbed parents, 3 siblings". Fox News Channel. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  7. "Documents, 911 call notes from Broken Arrow quintuple homicide released". KJRH. August 6, 2015. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  8. "Young boy victim to brutal family murder may have saved lives with 911 call". WGN-TV. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  9. "Ammunition delivery possibly tied to Broken Arrow killings". fox23. July 25, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  10. "Oklahoma teen 'laughed' while describing killing five family members as part of brothers' gruesome mass murder plan". The New York Daily News. February 23, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  11. "Police in Oklahoma say motive unclear in 5 fatal stabbings". Yahoo! News. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  12. Fullbright, Lori (February 23, 2016). "Testimony: BA Murder Suspect Robert Bever Wanted To Kill 100+ People". News On 6. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
  13. "Teen brothers allegedly used knives, hatchet to kill parents, siblings". WTVR-TV. July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  14. "ME's Office Releases Additional Victims' Names In Broken Arrow Quintuple Murder". KOTV-DT. July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  15. https://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/court-of-appeals-criminal/2020/f-2018-870.html
  16. "Latest: 2 dead identified as parents; adult son is suspect". New Jersey Herald. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  17. "Police Release Names of Parents, Suspect in Broken Arrow Murders". ktul.com. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  18. "Tulsa suburb struggles to cope with horrors found in home". July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  19. Juozapavicius, Justin (August 1, 2015). "Oklahoma suburb searching for answers after fatal stabbings". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  20. https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/robert-bever-breaks-down-in-tears-on-witness-stand-in-younger-brothers-murder-trial-says/article_c8cf59ba-ccfb-5783-a0a8-76df8ef6c38f.html
  21. "Who is Robert Bever?". KTUL. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  22. Wagner, Meg (July 29, 2015). "Oklahoma teens accused of killing parents, siblings wanted to be more famous than Columbine shooters: report". The New York Daily News. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  23. "Oklahoma brothers accused in family murder reportedly planned more attacks". Fox News Channel. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  24. "Cops: Brothers killed family as part of mass murder plot; wanted fame". CBS News. Associated Press. February 24, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  25. "Search warrant in Broken Arrow Bever family homicide points to killing plan on thumb drive in house". KJRH. August 6, 2015. Archived from the original on August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  26. Cantrell, Rebecca (August 21, 2015). "Broken Arrow family's murder may have been recorded, cameras found near murder scene". KFOR. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  27. Juozapavicius, Justin (July 25, 2015). "Oklahoma 16-year-old to be charged as adult in stabbings". Associated Press. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  28. "Prosecutor: 16-year-old will be charged as adult in stabbing deaths of parents and 3 siblings". U.S. News and World Report. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  29. "Brothers Charged With 5 Counts of Murder in Stabbing Deaths". ABC News. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  30. Fullbright, Lori (January 21, 2016). "Appeals Court: Younger Bever Brother To Be Tried As Adult". News On 6. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  31. Jones, Corey (July 6, 2016). "Robert Bever attempted to hang himself in Tulsa Jail cell". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  32. "Fundraising effort seeks to turn site of Bever murders into memorial park, garden". Tulsa World. February 25, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  33. "Broken Arrow official hopes to demolish Bever home, create a park". KFOR. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  34. Slanchik, Amy. "Memorial To Replace Bever Family's Broken Arrow Home". Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  35. Griffin, David. "Vacant Bever Family Home Destroyed By Fire". newson6.com.
  36. "Broken Arrow city officials dedicate Reflection Park after Bever killings". Tulsa World. March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  37. Hulstine, Russell (July 27, 2015). "Court Date Set For Teen In Broken Arrow Quintuple Murder". News On 6. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  38. Maune, Tess (August 3, 2015). "Bever Brothers Plead Not Guilty In Murders Of Broken Arrow Family". News On 6. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  39. Vincent, Samantha (August 12, 2015). "Preliminary hearing date set for brothers in Broken Arrow quintuple homicide". Tulsa World. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  40. "Judge rules 16-year-old accused of killing family will be tried as adult". KFOR. October 12, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  41. Vicent, Samantha (January 13, 2016). "Broken Arrow killings: Preliminary hearing rescheduled for Bever brothers". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  42. "The Latest: Life with parole for son in fatal stabbings". Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  43. Ristau, Reece. "Michael Bever gets five consecutive life sentences in slayings of five family members". Tulsa World. TULSA, OK. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  44. World, Kelsy Schlotthauer Tulsa. "Robert Bever attempts to attack prison staff with 8-inch long 'sharpened instrument,' DOC reports". Tulsa World.
  45. "Robert Bever accused of assault on staff at correctional center". KJRH. July 17, 2019.
  46. Griffin, David. "Robert Bever Tries To Attack Prison Staff With 'Sharpened Instrument,' Report States". news9.com.
  47. "Man who fatally stabbed family tried to attack prison staff". KOCO. Associated Press. July 17, 2019.
  48. "Ok Offender Search". okoffender.doc.ok.gov.
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