Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Make sure that the file is a photo. She had been strangled with two of his ties, and her head had been smashed so badly that parts of her brain were exposed. But from all appearances, she never got much of a chance to get ready -- when she was discovered, she was still undressed, her hair still wet. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. The scene was a bloody mess. Mack Martin: We've got a circumstantial case and I think that the prosecutors in this case were putting as sinister a spin on it as they possibly could. So I answered. neighbor. David Bradbury: The way that this woman had been beaten, I mean, her face was swollen, her face was bloody. Hamilton was wearing bloodstained clothing, but no shoes or necktie, while the victim had a necktie around her neck. Nobody expected that to happen. District Judge Ray Elliott also ordered. Her face savaged: almost unrecognizable. It took the jury less than two hours to convict Hamilton of first-degree murder, and he was later sentenced to life in prison. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. He had been up at dawn for a 7 am surgery at an outpatient clinic. A friend was combing Susan's clothes closet for something appropriate for her to be buried in, when she came upon something concealed in an underwear drawer. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? Aguirre said he was calling her 10 or more times a day. link True Crime Videos Link in bio. It was the high society doctor, married to the beautiful wife, that were crazy about one another. And the shoe splattered with Susan's blood from different directions as she was being killed? Alliena Aguirre, a topless dancer for eight years, testified she had performed table dances at two Oklahoma City clubs for the doctor. The way that we are taught to do CPR, we interlock our hands. Today, John Hamilton resides in a maximum security prison, behind the walls where Valentine's Day has little meaning at all. Their fourteen-year marriage, however, resulted in Susans heinous murder. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. Wes Lane: John Hamilton is a control guy. And there was nothing-- it-- and there-- and there was nothing stolen. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. She denied having an affair or any type of personal relationship with the defendant. Prosecutors had made a big deal about the doctor showing up late for his second surgery that morning. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? The dancer said Hamilton told her he loved his wife and didn't want to get a divorce. On the steering wheel and driver's side seat and door sill, crime scene investigators recovered strands of susan's hair and a piece of her flesh. In this article, we delve into the life of Simon Ekpa, his family, and his net worth. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Bevel and prosecutors have denied those allegations. "She didn't know if she could get the trust back.". You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. And while there were scenarios to serously consider: a berserk robber, or maybe the legion of activists opposed to the couple's abortion practice, the crime scene wasn't telling them that. He was -- more suspicion drawn each time that we'd watch something. The Hamiltons' 14-year marriage apparently had been in trouble for some time before the slaying. So he hid his wife's jewelry before the 911 forces arrived, fully intending to get it out of the house sometime later. Afterwards he tried to clean up, but quickly gave up. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. Horton told the jurors her mother had a crowd lined up to attend the proceedings. The first-degree murder charge accuses Dr. John Baxter Hamilton, 52, an obstetrician and gynecologist, in the beating and strangulation death of his wife, Susan Shibley Hamilton, 55. Susan Hamilton's blood and skin were found on the steering wheel of the doctor's car, and a prosecution expert testified that his left shoe was spattered in a way that could only have happened while his wife was alive. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. The doctor refuted the prosecution's case against him point by point. Please, hurry. Contact supportservices@okmedicalboard.org for more information. And oh! the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs It was never anywhere else. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. Then the prosecutor rose for his cross-examination. It was never on any abortion protesters. He is accused of beating and choking to death his wife, Susan, 55, at their Quail Creek home on Valentine's Day. Furthermore, he has previously requested a retrial, which has been denied each time. Two African Americans had earned medals at the 1904 Olympic games in St. Louis Joe Stadler (from Cleveland) had won a silver medal in the standing high jump and George Poage (from the . A final report will not be completed for several weeks. He used to lavish his wife with expensive gifts and lavish vacations. The only thing that he could think of that it was consistent with was John Hamilton when he was beating her with that blunt instrument that was driving that up inside his shirt. "When he saw that this incredible woman was looking like she was leaving him, he lost it. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80157405/susan-hamilton. Was he, in fact, late -- they theorized -- because he was killing his wife during those moments then trying to figure out what to do next? Not least of all in a bloody crime there were no footprints leading out of the house. He and his wife, Susan, had met in 1985 at a friend's birthday party. Tom Bevel: He jumped out of his loafer shoes, which would have reorientated them, and he jumped over to her side and knelt down to try and assist her and to do CPR. Verify and try again. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. All rights reserved. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. The defense's expert was saying that Dr. John Hamilton most likely created those blood stains by bashing in his wife's skull. So, you don't have an object to compare it against. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. It was over by 8, and afterwards, John stopped by the hospital, where he had another procedure scheduled for later that morning. wife repeatedly throughout the You have a good marriage. What was she like? When the police in Farmington, New Mexico discover a broken window at a local head shop called The Eclectic, they expect to find evidence of a robbery. John Hamilton: The more Susan and I talked about things the more things were clarified, the more things we got straightened out. she hadn't done before. asked him to move out of their Learn more about merges. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. And for that, they hired a blood stain expert Named Ross Gardner. much I love your mother and I A judge earlier ruled there was probable cause to detain Hamilton pending formal charges being filed. Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. Shibley and Horton told the deny they were having an affair. smashed into the floor. or more times a day. And so, the motive was love lost. Dick Horton: I think the best way to describe her is a woman that always wanted to be a mother, was proud to be a mother. The doctor had been targeted by a militant antiabortion group, the Army of God, whose members have expressed support for the 1998 sniper killing of an abortion provider in New York State. Defense attorneys say the victim's blood and flesh got in the car when Hamilton realized after calling 911 his car was blocking the drive for emergency vehicles. Tom Bevel: I was hired-- either the-- the next day, or within two days at least-- of-- of the actual crime-- by the defense. Multi-directional blood spatters or spatters of blood coming from different directions reflecting movement were discovered on the defendant's shoes, but not on the slacks he was wearing, Lane said. Hamilton took the stand to testify in his own defense. A random intruder? John Baxter Hamilton. Mack Martin, the doctor's attorney, said, "We're going to enter a plea of not guilty, obviously. "He was just obsessed with her," District Attorney Wes Lane later told Primetime. He told the jury he loved his wife and tried to save her. There was no sign of forced entry in the house and nothing was missing, making it unlikely Susan Hamilton, who was 55, was killed by a burglar. After the second surgery, he returned home to pick up his datebook, and found his wife, he said. The conviction of Oklahoma City resident Dr. John Hamilton in the 2001 Valentine's Day murder of his wife Susan Hamilton will be examined on "True Crime with Aphrodite Jones" in an episode titled "Loved to Death," airing at 9 p.m. Monday on Investigation Discovery. So leaving in a hurry, that's evidence that gets transferred from one thing to another. I didn't kill Susan. One year later, a battered body is found tossed into a canyon, the eyes and genitals gouged. But the most damning blood evidence of all, may have been found in the doctor's car. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. The prosecutor tossed out an open-ended question: Wes Lane: Well, Mr. Bevel, is there anything that either the state's experts or the Oklahoma City Police Department missed in their examination of the evidence? You'd have to believe that he committed the violent murder in that narrow window between his two surgeries. And you could overlay the pattern transfer right on top of the wound, and you see an immediate -- I mean, they match up. The doctor and his wife built an envious lifestyle for themselves. A dozen roses? Supervised and trained employees in office duties, computer programs, and phone dialog. felt deceived.". Dick Horton: She calls us and says, "I found the jewelry in her underwear.". We're going to vigorously, steadfastly and as carefully and conscientiously as possible defend this case to the very end. "He said, 'You know how We don't have a weapon. Everyone who knew the couple was saying the same thing -- it just didn't make sense for the mild-mannered doctor to have killed Susan. Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. "My wife's bleeding all over the place," Dr. John Baxter Hamilton tells the 911 operator. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. If you can get whiplash in a courtroom, that's what happened. Susan's friend, for one, believed him, and encouraged Susan to do the same. They had been living a privileged life with their four children, and John was known in those days for being a romantic man toward his wife. There was an error deleting this problem. "I think John was so astounded that he had her that he had such a wonderful, perfect almost perfect wife, in his opinion," said Shary Coffey, Susan's best friend. her husband were working on their But for John Hamilton, the fight wasn't over. How did they get there from the bathroom? brain to figure that out," Horton testified. To the investigators, the only plausible explanation was that the doctor had bundled up the murder weapon to dispose of it somewhere along the way as he raced back for his second surgery, a bloody bundle that leaked. Her naked body was discovered by her husband, John. This week, ya girls are celebrating Valentines Day a day late. But that Wednesday morning, John arrived home from the hospital, and found a horrific scene: Susan, lying beaten and strangled on their bathroom floor. Friends say that when they met each other, they made an instant connection. Karen Reisig: I had gone into the doctor's lounge to dictate the procedure. There was a problem getting your location. The killer, careful not to step in the blood, changed into clean clothes and concealed the bloody clothes in a plastic bag before carrying them out of the house, Spruill said. John Hamilton: It was a shock to everybody. Oklahoma City investigators Teresa Sterling and Randy Scott arrived at the Hamilton house at noon that day. Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. And finally, there was the story told by blood. The doctor stopped giving his wife cardiopulmonary resuscitation and went to move the car, but he was shaking so badly he couldn't get the key in the ignition, defense attorney Mack Martin said. The expert, though, was certain that whoever was wearing that left shoe that day was present when Susan Hamilton was being bludgeoned to death. She was strangled with a necktie and then her face was repeatedly smashed into the tile floor in the bathroom of her Quail Creek home. Larry Spruill, a crime scene investigator, was on the stand for a second day Thursday, detailing what the evidence means and how it got there. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. At trial, Lane told the jury that Dr. Hamilton started to clean up the scene, but was interrupted by the page from his clinic. The day of the murder, one of Hamilton's patients had been at a hospital, sedated and ready for surgery, when Hamilton called and said he'd be arriving ten minutes early for surgery. Hamilton, 53, was taken into custody just over an hour after he called 911, saying his wife was "hurt" and "bleeding all over the place." Dennis Murphy: You were starting to see her come around? Try again. The first-degree murder charge accuses Dr. John Baxter Hamilton, 52, an obstetrician and gynecologist, in the beating and strangulation death of his wife, Susan Shibley Hamilton, 55. The doctor said he'd even started seeing a therapist on his own, to earn back Susan's trust, and that she, Susan, had decided to go into counseling with him. told Horton her mother had Hamilton, 62, was an Oklahoma City obstetrician, gynecologist and abortionist. So yes, I went and tried to move the car. her daughter was taking sides "You could tell she was crying. Try again later. Aguirre, the topless dancer, A big comfortable house in a top-notch neighborhood, lavish dinner parties, spur of the moment vacations. Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. His wife, Susan, worked twice a week at the abortion clinic. Vesta Hall: I have never, ever, one second, not one moment in time have I ever thought he was guilty. Rob Nigh: I've been doing criminal trials and appeals for 22 years and I've never seen a case like Dr. Hamilton's where the defense expert offered the most compelling evidence against the defendant. Or you wouldn't have had time to have gotten it off your clothing. AGE 40s John Hamilton Norman, OK View Full Report Used To Live In Relatives You need a Find a Grave account to continue. killed, Susan Hamilton also Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. He was only at home for a few minutes, because at 9 am his pager went off, the hospital calling him to get back for a second surgery. The distraught doctor managed to give police an account of his movements that morning. Steve Jimerson: I was afraid for his safety. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Steve Jimerson: She was very strongly pro-choice, and-- and very outspoken about it, about the right of women. At the time, many people sided with John Hamilton. "Susan never said that to me. "She was taken down almost immediately and spun onto her face, Spruill said. As a Finnish lawyer, Simon Ekpa has made a name for himself in the legal profession. "Moments like that in the courtroom just don't happen like that. We changed it to, instead, that-- Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love. Soon after their arrival, investigators started questioning Dr. John Hamilton himself. Even though she had a great education, her passion was to be a good mother. The other says, "It's his shirt that convicts him." A panicked Hamilton told the operator that he was attempting to perform CPR on her. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. They had regularly scheduled luncheon dates and worked Mack Martin: I never saw anything to indicate that John said, "If I can't have you, nobody can.". I had a million thoughts were running through my head. John Hamilton called his Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. And the only explanation of that event is the wounding to Mrs. Hamilton. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. What happened to him? Hamilton maintained his innocence throughout his trial, which may have turned on dramatic testimony from the final witness in the case. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. The note made police question whether the Hamiltons' marriage was as happy as it had seemed, and they began to regard Hamilton as a suspect. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Dick: Right. John Hamilton: I wanted EMT to be able to get in. John Hamilton: I still believed that the system would work. The defense says the scratches could have been made by a number of objects besides fingernails. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. John Hamilton: Right. He was talking on the phone. Dick Horton: Actually, we've turned it into a positive. But when the first responder -- firefighter David Bradbury-- arrived on the scene, he thought there was something odd about the way the doctor was performing chest compressions. Teresa Sterling: It was violent. Randy Scott: There's no burglary prints to obtain downstairs. "They have still got all kinds of scientific and technical evidence that has to be evaluated and reviewed, Martin said. Susan demanded to see John's cell phone bill, and when she got a hold of it her worst fears seemed to be realized. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. Bevel was the last witness in the trial, and from everything he testified to under the defense attorney's gentle questioning, he'd helped dr. Hamilton. "Someone got out of that room without leaving a bloody trail. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections) Dr. John Hamilton placed the. "I don't just snap," he said. Her husband, Dr. John Hamilton, called 911 and claimed to have found her that way when he returned from one of his surgeries. Susan managed john's abortion clinic, working there two days a week. An authoritative figure on the stand turning blood evidence from damning into benign. It was seen as a coup for the defense that it locked up one of the most highly regarded blood spatter experts in the nation. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. That high society doctor was Dr. John Hamilton -- an OB/GYN who in addition to his regular practice, ran an abortion clinic -- a role that in conservative Oklahoma, would bring him some unwelcome notoriety. been beaten with a blunt instrument. "She was really upset that he It was a violent scene. The doctor, according to the prosecution's version, now had to cover up his frenzy by going back to perform his second surgery as though nothing had happened. Hamilton had told the 911 operator he was performing CPR. Afterwards, the doctor decided to swing back home. When he met Susan in 1985, they were both divorced with four children between them. You can always change this later in your Account settings. ). Hamilton (5 Jan 1946-14 Feb 2001), Find a Grave Memorial ID 80157405, citing Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City . Louise Shibley, the victim's Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. A prominent doctor's wife is murdered on Valentine's Day. When Susan's ex-husband learned of her murder -- and the domestic melodrama about the cell phone log -- he thought he knew right away what had happened. Failed to report flower. pic.twitter.com/9VBREeKO87, The Spooky Hour (@SpookyHour) February 15, 2021. One of their arguments was that Tom Bevel should never have been allowed to testify. The medical examiner had determined that Susan had been strangled with two neckties, but her fatal injuries came from being bludgeoned with a blunt object, a murder weapon never found. The doctor realized he'd been scuttled by his own man, the expert on blood spatter. Steve Jimerson: Oh, they were la-la. Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? husband was having an affair with a patient. Late that Valentine's Day afternoon, they arrested John Hamilton for the murder of his wife. Just putting out brochures all over his neighborhood and his kids' school that, you know, said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive.". Oops, something didn't work. Many people have been searching the internet for his date cause. Possibilities: Was it a robbery gone bad? Dennis Murphy: You thought that the second operation was gonna be backed up? at times she insinuated it was too Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He said he'd gotten Susan's blood on him from performing CPR. The murder weapon was never found. She would've never hidden it in her underwear and all of a sudden the, you know, it just clicks that he's tryin' to make it look like a robbery. Horton: Anybody that you ask, nobody that I know that knew John Hamilton would say that he had the capability of doing it. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. Did you understand what she was saying in it? Maybe he ends up terminating that to save his marriage. Was he nervous about what an examination of his body would reveal? I was horribly wrong. "There is a science to blood spatters," Lane said. Please, please. Aguirre testified By that afternoon, police had taken the doctor down to the station. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Something he'd noted and what would later be regarded as the atomic bomb of the trial of Dr. John Hamilton. However, before the trial Bevel had also found some blood spatters in Hamilton's right sleeve that the prosecution expert had overlooked. The timeline was extremely tight for the doctor to even be considered as a suspect. That high society doctor was Dr. John Hamilton -- an OB/GYN who in addition to his regular practice, ran an abortion clinic -- a role that in conservative Oklahoma, would bring him some. John Hamilton: Oh, sure. As the last witness in the trial, he'd refuted a lot of the prosecution's findings, and bolstered his client's case. And there wasn't an objection. Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. The doctor's behavior in the minutes after finding Susan dead seemed "off.". "He tried to get the key in the ignition, but he couldn't because he was shaking so much," Martin said. John R. Hamilton Jr. John Ray Hamilton, Jr., 72, passed away at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo on Friday, January 6, 2023. said. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. sentenced to prison for life with or without the possibility of parole. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Effectively managed high-volume of product sales. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Quail Creek home. Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services "She loved to talk to John," Lane had questioned the other woman. without her knowledge. without bail since Feb. 14. By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. After all -- nothing can bring back the beautiful, headstrong, woman they all loved. Now this was the reasoning as prosecutors saw it: The doctor wanted the police to believe the crime had started as a robbery. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? He told Primetime the spatters were "almost a neon sign pointing towards the wearer of this shirt being associated with the beating.". would put together a novel theory of just what happened between husband and wife, something maybe grimly fitting for Valentine's Day. . "Someone said there is a fine line between love and hate, and that man crossed it," Lane said in his opening statement in the first-degree murder trial for Hamilton, an Oklahoma City gynecologist, obstetrician and abortionist. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Teresa Sterling: I interviewed those people. What made John show his dark side? Many still believe he is innocent, and he. Hamilton is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole at the state penitentiary in McAlester. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; . I can only speculate how. clinic two days a week. Failed to remove flower. Try again later. >> i have never, ever one second, not one moment in time, thought he was guilty, together at the defendant's Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. And I was wrong. John Hamilton was a devoted husband to his wife, and he used to take excellent care of her. That goes to another issue of we talk about possibly being staged or draw attention to me instead of emotionally upset over the loss of his wife. As for the discovery of Susan's hair and blood tissue in his car, Hamilton explained it this way: he said after calling 911 he realized the EMTs wouldn't be able to get their ambulance past his car out front, so he raced out to move it. Randy Scott: The lady's layin' in the floor, covered in blood, blood all over the floor. "It was a shock to everybody, Hamilton said on the news program. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. in december 2001, ten months after the valentine's day killing of his wife susan, dr. john hamilton was being tried for her murder. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Whoever killed her had cracked her skull open with an object never found, and bashed her face into the bathroom tile. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton loved his wife to death, District Attorney Wes Lane told an Oklahoma County jury Thursday. trips. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. As John Hamilton told it, by Valentine's Day the couple had already patched up the raw wounds of that ruckus over his unorthodox relationship with a stripper. Prosecutors are counting on experts to testify that Susan Hamilton's blood and flesh were found in the defendant's 1996 Jaguar parked outside their home at 3056 Bush Creek Road. The defense's expert, bevel, couldn't go that far. The attacker poured cleaning solution in the drain in an attempt to prevent investigators finding blood in the shower, the investigator said. "There is physical evidence missing from this crime scene, Spruill said. A name that would shock everybody. "The police said, 'There's my man. Sounded like he was talking to Susan. There isn't any greater love. Wes Lane: We could tell that-- that the blood had been moved around. Dr. Hamilton had a more simple explanation for being late. One thing everyone who knew the couple -- including the neighbor -- seemed to agree on -- was that whoever Susan's killer was, it certainly was not John Hamilton. And while he may have stepped over his boundaries professionally, he said he never had an affair with her. Gardner carefully examined everything the doctor had been wearing that morning. There is a problem with your email/password. last telephone conversation that she and Rob Nigh: Either Tom Bevel lied to the defense about what his testimony would be or defense counsel took a risk that should never be taken. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Philadelphian Melvin Sheppard, and William F. Hamilton set a world record in this race. Vesta Hall: She was beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, just a really neat lady. Tom Bevel denies lying about his testimony, and the courts didn't buy the argument either. On the other hand, his name appears in a few obituaries on the internet. Dr. John Hamilton placed the initial 911 call after his wife was strangled and beaten to death in Oklahoma on Valentine's Day 2001. . "Anything else, they don't want you to hear. After arriving at the crime scene, investigators placed john in the back of a police car. Western leaders say the nation lacks credibility, Rishi Sunak leads minutes silence for Ukraine as Boris Johnson lights candle at poignant service, CVS eyes European expansion as vet groups profits boom. The shoes were found next to Susan's body -- john said they fell off his feet as he was attempting to revive her. John Hamilton: I don't know. We checked every avenue of any burglary similar, remotely close in the neighborhood. degree murder trial of her stepfather, Dr. Nothing was stolen, and yet, there was this curious story that cropped up in the days after Susan had been murdered. For Susan's family and friends, the case is now closed, but it may never bring closure.