From 11:46 p.m. until 12:48 a.m. that night, Erin called him six times from inside the Caffey house, Tanner said, reading from the case file. But why? Then, Erin broke her phone curfew and in February 2008, they put their foot down and told Erin that she needed to break up with Wilkinson. The phone records really did it for me, she said. Were me and your mom good parents? he asked her as they sat on opposite sides of the Plexiglas divider. Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Mans Faith, and Shocked a Nation. How Florence ButtNot Her SonLaunched the H-E-B Empire. Then, in early February, Penny overheard Erin giggling one night past her phone curfewErin had sneaked her cell phone into her room to call Charlie. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? Penny informed her daughter that she was grounded. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. In school, she brought up the subject once or twice a day; during a lunch break in mid-February, a junior overheard her tell Charlie that killing her parents was the only way they could be together. Caffey said he has talked to his daughter about what happened the night of the murders and he said Erin is "very remorseful," but claims she did not initially plot to kill her family. Meanwhile, Wilkinson claimed that he had offered for him and Caffey to simply run away together, but Caffey insisted on the murders instead. I dont care, she reportedly said, just do what you gotta do.. Documentary Biography A family suffers multiple tragedy in a deadly home invasion. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Terry L. Caffey. She couldnt sing a lick.. Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. All I heard was the word home. I thought, I dont have a home. Worst of all, as far as Erin was concerned, Charlies weekly visits to the house were suspended. I brought all of the relevant documents and pictures, and we went through everything. Terry Caffey previously told Nightline what happened that night. He told sheriffs deputies that it was Charlie Wilkinson. I was angry at these two young men, the other lady that drove the getaway car. Then they used their pocket lighters to set fire to furniture and clothes and bedsheets. Sergeant Vance had interviewed the boy whom Erin was caught kissing at Miracle Faith, and he had told the Texas Ranger that Erin had spoken to him about her desire to have them killedseveral months before she had started dating Charlie. Erin Caffey started dating Charlie Wilkinson. I remember the nurse coming in and saying, Mr. Less than 24 hours after authorities responded, the Caffey home was a smoldering pile and all four suspects were in custody and talking. Wilkinson and Waid were given life without the possibility of parole; Johnson got 40 years. He didnt bring me through all that for nothing. As he drove nearer, he could see that a house was on fire. The judge agreed. Height, Age,. Slowly, though, he began to parcel out information. Terry was rushed into emergency surgery, after which he was stable enough to talk. The heart-breaking moment a father realised his own daughter had killed his entire family has been revealed, due to a new documentary with Piers Morgan. Now shes explaining why she did it. I want them, in this lifetime, to have a chance for remorse and to come to a place of repentance for what they have done. Very caring. But Caffey said God showed him another way to deal with his grief. I dont know, she mumbled. Upon visiting his burned-out property, Terry noticed a . Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter's boyfriend standing in his bedroom with a gun. Then, they discovered Erin Caffey in the trailer where he was living, and she appeared to be in a state of shock. I could not do it, he said, covering his face with his hands. An avid hunter, he spent much of his time fishing and tracking wild hogs through the brush, and like most of his friends, he was proficient with a firearm. We didnt see any of this coming.. Youre not going to see that boy no more, Terry told her. I would never be able to honour my family if I let this destroy me. I grabbed the mattress, the cover, anything I could to pull myself up. Erin Caffey being interviewed by Piers Morgan for his show. The Caffey family, with Erin on the far right. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Now, one year later, Terry is remarried, the adoptive father of two young sons, and working to rebuild his relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, who is currently serving two life. Though Charlie and Waid had been drinking that night, neither was using drugs. Erins car keys and phone were taken away, and for weeks, her parents drove her to and from school. For more on the Caffey family slaughter, including Terrys terrifying ordeal and the twisted relationship between Erin and Wilkinson, watch Killer Couples at Oxygen.com and airing Thursdays at 8/7c. Charlie Wilkinson shot my family.. Sometime late in the night of Feb. 28, 2008, or early on March 1, Wilkinson and his friend, 22-year-old Charles Waid, stormed into the Caffey home while Erin and Waid's girlfriend, Bobbi Johnson, waited outside in the car. He now travels the country preaching what he has become good at, forgiveness. Caffey said his wife had been shot first. I wanted them to have the chance to find remorse, he explained. The Story Of Erin Caffey, The 16-Year-Old Who Convinced Her Boyfriend To Murder Her Entire Family. He survived being shot five times and the arson that burned down his Alba, Texas, home. Terry, who shares a warm relationship with his stepsons, says that, like Job, he has been doubly blessed for never faltering in his faith in God. She was very smart. Im still here. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? The days and weeks that followed, the grief, I cannot put it into words. The threesome picked Erin up at the end of her parents driveway and rode around for an hour, talking about what to do. It was when he spoke about Erin that his voice softened and grew sentimental. There was nothing he could do for his family at that point. "I am trying to climb over the bed but that's where the flames are and that's where I found Penny, and when I saw her, it was a terrible scene, her nearly decapitated head. I remember trying to raise myself up but I couldnt feel the right side of my body. Terrifying video footage has emerged of the moment a gunman killed a homeless man in an execution-style attack in the USA. Dickerson realized that he was looking at the Caffey home. Google Universal Analytics short-time unique user tracking identifier. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. At daybreak, the fire was still smoldering. There was nothing left but the subfloor and the metal roof. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! I wanted to die where they died. Terrys father had died of a heart attack on February 21, and though none of the Caffeys had been close to him, they performed Amazing Grace in his honor. Fischer told them he needed to talk to Charlie Wilkinson. I was shocked, angry and hurt, this was the guy I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with and he loved me, she told The Sun. As time went on I began to realise that my grief and anger would destroy me. Life does go on., This article originally appeared in The Sun. This Week In History News, Mar. That same month, Erin Caffey started talking about killing her parents in front of friends. It is the loudest sound you can ever imagine. Blood was coming out of my mouth, nose, eyes and ears. She also showed no symptoms of smoke inhalation. Dickerson strained to see a mailbox or a landmark that might orient him to his surroundings, but the houses were few and far between. "Not only was I angry at God but I was angry at my daughter. (Tyler, the youngest, preferred to play outdoors.) Terry and Bubba played harmonica, with Penny on piano. A similar case happened in Italy a few years back. Less than 24 hours after authorities responded to the murders in the Caffey home, all four suspects were in police custody, and they were all talking. And so with Waid behind the wheel of the Neon, they went back to the Caffeys house. Terry fell into deep depression and planned to kill himself, but God intervened. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Their detailed accounts of the night were consistent with Charlies. They also had two sons: Matthew, known as Bubba, who was in the seventh grade, and Tyler, a fourth-grader. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Then, that fall, an incident at the junior high had upset Terry and Penny: A girl who had been showing interest in Erin had kissed her in the hallway. Four suspects have been arrested and charged with the murders of the Caffey family. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. After taking multiple bullets himself, Terry Caffey watched his wife die as he lay beside her, unable to move or speak. They met at a sonic fast food joint where Erin was working as a waitress. Terry cried a lot and kept asking, Why? He said, I dont understand. He fell to the floor and did not move again. Terry and Penny had wanted to be closer to Miracle Faith, where they were then serving as the churchs youth ministers. I would have done anything for her, he said. I want them to wake up every day and think about what they took and hopefully one day they will find remorse in their hearts. Charlie talked about Erin twenty-four-seven. Though the Caffeys would not allow Charlie to take Erin out alone, the two teenagers still managed to spend much of their time together. Terry and his wife, Penny, had three children together, 16-year-old Erin, 13-year-old Matthew, and 8-year-old Tyler. Charlie had broken into the house and shot Caffey and his family as they slept. From then on, the Caffeys limited Erins time with Charlie to once a week, in their home, under their watch. Then I heard Bubba cry out, Charlie why are you doing this? So thats who I had just seen Charlie, Erins boyfriend. MurderpediaThe Caffey family, with Erin on the far right. (If certified, she would face the same punishment at trial as an adult, including life without parolewith one notable exception: Even when certified, a juvenile cannot receive the death penalty.) Wilkinson and Waid then ransacked the house for valuables Wilkinson had allegedly promised Waid $2,000 that was stashed away and set fire to the place with lighter fluid. I watched the "Final Witness" on ABC on Sept 14, 2010. In December that year, Erin asked her parents to return to public school and, after they agreed, she and Wilkinson became inseparable, according to Texas Monthly. There were just things about him that didnt sit right with me, he later said. She insists to her father that she tried to run away from Wilkinson the night of the murder, but was forced to wait in the car. I know theres no such thing as perfect, but in my book, they were, said Tommy Gaston, who was a frequent guest in their home and played in a gospel band with Penny. Mr Caffey was recovering in hospital from multiple gunshot wounds having just watched his 13-year-old son Matthew get shot to death and his wife Penny almost decapitated, when police paid him a visit. You always will.. I wanted them to pay for what they did., I have met people that have gone through a lot less than what I have and theyve grown into bitter, angry people, and thats not who I am, and I saw myself coming that, he said. The police had arrested Erin for plotting the murders of her family. Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. Charlie Wilkinson and Erin Caffey's Dangerous Relationship Massacre of the Caffey Family The Trial And Sentencing Of Erin Caffey. Somebody brought me a Bible and told me to read the book of Job. I dont know whats wrong with her head, he said. He did not care for Charlie, and he was not happy about how much time the high school senior was spending with his daughter. All of them played instruments, and Erin used to sing so passionately during services that she would sometimes break down in tears, according to Texas Monthly. He lost everything, his whole family, all his worldly possessions, but he did not lose his faith, and God blessed him doubly. More and more she and her mother were at odds, and Erin once called Charlie in tears to report that Penny had slapped her in the heat of an argument.

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