In that card, Susan had written a message alluding to the couple's flare-up just days before: Susan ballistic over suspicions that he was having a fling with a stripper. ). felt deceived.". Not necessarily a killer's shoe, countered the defense expert, but the shoe of Dr. Hamilton as he gave his wife CPR. The couple had exotic vacations and a beautiful house, and after 14 years of marriage, friends and family say they were inseparable, and very much in love. some 60 cell phone calls to a stripper. 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. Wes Lane: It was huge. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. wife repeatedly throughout the John Hamilton: Yes. 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. A dozen roses? Did you understand what she was saying in it? without bail since Feb. 14. The victim told her daughter in their Investigators uncovered evidence that Susan had found records of dozens of calls from her husband's cellphone to a topless dancer, and prosecutors say Susan told friends she was thinking about asking John for a divorce. "The police said, 'There's my man. The patient, as Susan discovered, was a stripper at a nightclub. By that afternoon, police had taken the doctor down to the station. Danyelle shares three haunting love stories that end in tragedy. Dick Horton, sometimes worried for his ex's safety. He told the jury he loved his wife and tried to save her. Pictures of his injuries have been shown to the jury. Nothing was stolen, and yet, there was this curious story that cropped up in the days after Susan had been murdered. asked him to move out of their John Hamilton: His own expert is saying he's guilty. Lane backed up his theory with physical evidence. Susan Johnston: I said, "Susan, I don't think it's true. If convicted, he could be In the week before she was The appeals made their way all the way up to the u.s. Supreme court, but they ultimately failed. John would have been devastated.". We actually believe that-- that-- John Hamilton was trying to clean things up before he got paged. Whoever this woman was, there were way too many calls to and from her. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. We took a one-to-one image of his shirt, and we overlay it. I mean, he fawned over her a lot. Then, Holly covers the case of Dr. John Hamilton who loved his wife Susan a little too much. And you could overlay the pattern transfer right on top of the wound, and you see an immediate -- I mean, they match up. Link in bio. Product Description. degree murder trial of her stepfather, Dr. But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. After all, only two people in the world knew what was really going on inside the Hamilton marriage. It had all of the appeal of a romance novel gone bad. John Hamilton: Yes, I'm trying. John, the good doctor, was simply trying to counsel her. Just the week before Susan was murdered, this wanted poster had been left for Dr. Hamilton. Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services general about patients calling "Susan never said that to me. They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. "Anything else, they don't want you to hear. A very nice, innocent guy was facing a nightmare. sentenced to prison for life with or without the possibility of parole. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? GREAT NEWS! 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. For Susan's family and friends, the case is now closed, but it may never bring closure. Feb. 13, 2003 -- Everyone says Susan Hamilton was the love of her husband's life. A crowd lined up to attend the proceedings -- loyal patients, former employees, and fellow physicians -- all standing behind the doctor. It was looked for extensively. I told some people at the clinic, "I wish I had someone that would look at me the way John looks at Susan." The dancer said Hamilton told her he loved his wife and didn't want to get a divorce. This is the shirt.". Susan Hamilton was beaten with a blunt instrument, Oklahoma County District Attorney Robert Macy said in court documents that list 39 witnesses in the case. Tom Bevel: I was hired-- either the-- the next day, or within two days at least-- of-- of the actual crime-- by the defense. The doctor's behavior in the minutes after finding Susan dead seemed "off.". Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. John Hamilton: I talked to the surgery nurse and she said, "The surgery before yours started 30 minutes late.". 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. Steve Jimerson: Oh, they were la-la. It took the jurors just two hours to reach their verdict. Jewels. "He was just obsessed with her," District Attorney Wes Lane later told Primetime. And then there were these curious stains on the doctor's shirt -- the blood expert thought he saw a similarity between their angular shape, and the wound created on Susan's head. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Here there might be a spark of life in your wife and you're giving her CPR, "Oh, I've gotta move the car.". A lot of the blood on his clothing could be explained by his attempt to administer CPR. And then she decides to eliminate her competition. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? But because it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to give Susan her first Valentine's card. Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. Prosecutors said Hamilton changed clothes after killing his wife in the master bathroom. John Hamilton, a prominent doctor in Oklahoma City, showered his wife with gifts, starting with a Porsche he gave her the day they married. So the strategy would be to pick apart both the evidence and the logic of the prosecution's case. And here's the thing about that timeline: John had to have left the house by 9:20 to make it back to the hospital by 9:30, when he was seen scrubbing up for surgery. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton loved his wife to death, District Attorney Wes Lane told an Oklahoma County jury Thursday. And I don't think they-- believed it. "I didnt do it, he said. Oklahoma City investigators Teresa Sterling and Randy Scott arrived at the Hamilton house at noon that day. free samples of anti-depressants was upset and denying he had The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. Susan Hamilton died of blunt force trauma to the head and ligature strangulation or strangulation brought on by something being tied or pulled tightly around her neck, according to the medical examiner's preliminary report. Which means if John Hamilton didn't do it, you'd have to believe whoever did arrived right as he was leaving, or had been waiting inside all along. Other little issues about maybe was it a burglary. They will bring them in here. Gibson Paul found himself getting dumped on Feb. 14, 2011, grabbed a gun and opened fire . It did in this case, though. And we kissed. By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. His wife, Susan, worked twice a week at the abortion clinic. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. day. And-- my children started, "Well, I'll never celebrate it again." And what do robbers take? 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. Furthermore, he has previously requested a retrial, which has been denied each time. Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. Vandalizing his home. been beaten with a blunt instrument. It was about that bloody shirt taken from the doctor. No affidavit was filed with the formal charges because John Hamilton is in custody. "I think that in and of itself caused the conviction," said Clark Brewster, an attorney who is preparing Hamilton's appeal. Have a good day. And I just don't think that it's true." But for John Hamilton, the fight wasn't over. Around 8:50 a.m., he said, he was beeped because he was late for another procedure. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton It took only about two hours for the jury to reach a guilty verdict and Hamilton was sentenced to life without parole. They found a disturbing scene that didn't suit a moneyed neighborhood. Even Susan's children were standing by their stepfather. And there wasn't an objection. The shoes were found next to Susan's body -- john said they fell off his feet as he was attempting to revive her. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. It was Susan's good jewelry. We don't have a weapon. The major one is that I've lost the love of my life. Dick Horton: She calls us and says, "I found the jewelry in her underwear.". Oklahoma. afford them. He's crazy about you. Dick: Right. In fact, she even told her best friend Sharry, "I don't believe John had an affair." Wes Lane: We could tell that-- that the blood had been moved around. Susan, in particular, became entangled with neckties, resulting in a severe head injury. John and Susan Hamilton had the seemingly perfect marriage. When asked if there shouldn't have been a blood trail in the house if the defense theory is true, Spruill said: "I would expect that. John Hamilton: The more Susan and I talked about things the more things were clarified, the more things we got straightened out. He says he did not kill his wife. Oklahoma City police Sgt. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. John Hamilton: I still believed that the system would work. It looked like the start of an attempted -- and then abandoned -- clean-up. And you know, start her day off right before she got busy with her meeting. John Hamilton, 53, is on trial in the Valentine's Day slaying of his wife at their And why was it delayed? The doctor refuted the prosecution's case against him point by point. He is accused of beating and choking to death his wife, Susan, 55, at their Quail Creek home on Valentine's Day. David Bradbury: The way that this woman had been beaten, I mean, her face was swollen, her face was bloody. Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. One says, "The shoes is what convicts him." There's no tracks that ran out through the creek bed and behind. pic.twitter.com/JX4vEnAq2O, Crimes with Christine (@CrimeswChris) March 25, 2021. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. Many people have been searching the internet for his date cause. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. What he hoped to show the skeptics through trial was that yes, the doctor was indeed a man who loved his wife -- loved her maybe too much. Theo , Hamilton l bc s sn ph khoa ti nng thnh ph Oklahoma. What was she like? She denied having an affair or any type of personal relationship with the defendant. Ever. Someone had to leave. There is a problem with your email/password. Try again later. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this 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. He was arrested and booked into jail about five hours later. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. I have a bad habit of trying to do too much in too short a period of time. It was up inside the sleeve. 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. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Instead, he says, he came home between surgeries that morning to pick up his datebook and was horrified to find his wife lying on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood. After all -- nothing can bring back the beautiful, headstrong, woman they all loved. Oops, we were unable to send the email. At the time, many people sided with John Hamilton. Bevel believed the blood pattern was consistent with what would have happened if Hamilton struck his wife. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. He said he performed a surgery around 7 a.m., then came home to exchange Valentine's cards with his wife. His former medical partner, for one, thinks that would be impossible. Randy Scott: I think the biggest part for us was trying to figure out how he could get there, spend any time there, and get back to commit the second surgery. And for that, they hired a blood stain expert Named Ross Gardner. Dr. John Hamilton placed the initial 911 call after his wife was strangled and beaten to death in Oklahoma on Valentine's Day 2001. . neighbor. "She was angry, and she John Hamilton in Oklahoma We found 15 records for John Hamilton in Norman, Tulsa and 9 other cities in Oklahoma. Try again. Susan Hamilton's body was found on A judge earlier ruled there was probable cause to detain Hamilton pending formal charges being filed. This week, ya girls are celebrating Valentines Day a day late. And I didn't want any obstruction. 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. He said the blood got on the steering wheel when he stopped doing CPR for a moment to move his car before the emergency vehicles arrived. deny they were having an affair. But the most damning blood evidence of all, may have been found in the doctor's car. Hamilton took the stand to testify in his own defense. Because Dr. John Hamilton was late. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Ross Gardner: We took a one-to-one image of Mrs. Hamilton's head -- the injury, the laceration. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. She said he would give her samples of medication she needed for depression when she didn't have the money to buy prescription drugs. IE 11 is not supported. News network NBC did a Dateline episode about the case. I didn't kill Susan. Try again later. Dr. John Hamilton, though, was ready to explain it all, and his version of the truth would be completely different than the prosecutor's. When rescue workers arrived they found him hysterical and covered in his wife's blood. The surgical team was about to get started when they realized the doctor was still at home. The case now landed in the hands of Wes Lane, the district attorney who would try Dr. John Hamilton for murder. In 1987, John Hamilton married Susan, and his wife began working part-time at John's clinic. ". 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. Spruill told jurors he has an opinion on how the killer got out of the house without leaving a blood trail even though the evidence doesn't provide an answer. Maybe Chicago gangsters get killed on St. Valentine's day. And she gets very suspicious of it and confronts John about it. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. His long silence behind bars ended as he prepared to tell the jury -- and us -- what really had happened that Valentine's Day morning. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections) Dr. John Hamilton placed the. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. The doctor and his wife built an envious lifestyle for themselves. Bevel, under oath to tell the truth, told the court about the spatter in the sleeve and said it was consistent with Hamilton beating his wife over the head with a blunt instrument. told Horton her mother had And he finally told her that it -- it was a patient and that she was down on her luck and havin' hard times and he was just helping her out. Horton said John Hamilton He said he "absolutely" did not kill his wife, and that he is not the type of person to fly off the handle. He did not think it could have come from giving CPR. And that wasn't all. I was scared. the defendant was calling her 10 the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs Online Bill Pay Boards, Committees, and Agencies Coronavirus Reporting Child Abuse requires every health care professional Click here for more information Statewide 24-Hour 1-800-522-3511 Posted on 06/17/2021 STAY CONNECTED! Hamilton, a frequent target of protesters opposed to abortions, was arrested about six hours after he made a 911 call reporting that he thought his wife was dead. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. jurors about the disagreement Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. The doctor realized he'd been scuttled by his own man, the expert on blood spatter. At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. Even though she had a great education, her passion was to be a good mother. 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. Things weren't nearly as bad as they portrayed them to be. Hamilton (5 Jan 1946-14 Feb 2001), Find a Grave Memorial ID 80157405, citing Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Oklahoma City . Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Soon after their arrival, investigators started questioning Dr. John Hamilton himself. A lot of impact spatter. And we're thinkin' that maybe he was having an affair. I mean, because it was out there in view, I guess. After the second surgery, he returned home to pick up his datebook, and found his wife, he said. You have a good marriage. All rights reserved. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. It was one of those moments. By 9:30, he was scrubbing up for the operation -- a complicated removal of a tumor. "He tried to get the key in the ignition, but he couldn't because he was shaking so much," Martin said. Dennis Murphy: It's changed Valentine's Day forever for you and your kids, huh? Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. I just felt like they were very happy. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. In 1997, Mississippi abortion provider Dr. Malachy Dehenre shot and killed his wife in their . After two hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. Before Susan Hamilton died, Coffey said, the victim had changed her mind and thought that her husband was not having an affair. 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. In this article, we delve into the life of Simon Ekpa, his family, and his net worth. And in photos of the crime scene, the prosecutor pointed out for jurors something that needed explaining -- a wet rag left in the pool of blood from the victim's head. "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. On February 14, 2001, the residents of Oklahoma City bore witness to a terrifying murder when Susan Hamilton was found strangled and beaten to death on her bathroom floor. Susan's friend, Susan Johnston, the woman next door, had pulled one of the investigators aside and put a bug in his ear, that the week before Valentine's Day, Susan Hamilton had confided about problems in her marriage. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. But the expert looked at John's shoes -- the left one in particular -- and found that to be a different matter. Mrs. Hamilton, 55, had worked as a physician's assistant at her husband's abortion facility, Oklahoma Women's Clinic. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. Randy Scott: He has time to get back by the house 'cause their-- their house is very close to in between the two hospitals. John had an explanation for his wife -- the patient had been having serious psychological problems, and had even threatened suicide.