Whitton is also facing two counts of intimidation of a witness from June, in which he is accused of calling witnesses subpoenaed to testify in this week's trial and threatening them. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. A Jackson County Alabama man has been found guilty of murdering his first wife.46-year-old Barry Van Whitton was charged in the 1997 slaying of 28-year-old M. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Barry stated Kimberly and Haleigh left their residence in a white Ford van or truck with Alabama license plates shortly after Kimberly arrived home from work. Misery, mystery linger in these Alabama missing child cases Kimberly and her daughter may have traveled to Montana after they went missing, but investigators suspect foul play was involved in their cases. Barry Van Whitton (Jackson County jail) Attorney General Steven T. Marshall announced that the Alabama Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of Barry Whitton for the murder of his wife, Michelle Townson Whitton, in Jackson County. Jackson County man indicted in 1997 murder of first wife Barry the Hatchet: Directed by Bobby Blood. He was sentenced in October 2015 to life in prison and has been active in appeals in the last couple of months. Alabama man accused of killing wife in 1997. A Jackson County man accused of killing his first wife and suspected in the disappearance of his second will stand trial for murder in September. While the criminal case against Whitton was pending, the attorneys filed a motion seeking a declaration that section 15-12-21 was unconstitutional; an order allowing . Missing Mother & Daughter of Alabama - Medium Whitton has been in jail on the weapons charges since last July when authorities searched his mountain property near Section looking for his wife, 36-year . Strange said the Whitton case demonstratedthe determination and dedication of law enforcement officers to see justice done, no matter the passage of time. Her body was found Jan. 20, 1998, near the town of Powell in neighboring DeKalb County. She died of blunt force trauma to the head. Barry Van Whitton faces trial in Scottsboro, Ala., on murder charges filed in the 1997 beating death of his then-28-year-old wife, Michelle Townson Whitton. In the nearly two decades since her death, the prosecutor said, her family has suffered a "tremendous amount of loss.". It's unclear whether she knew his previous wife had been murdered or that he was considered a suspect. "Our investigation has determined this morning that it is the body of Michelle Whitton reported missing out of Jackson County," said former sheriff Cecil Reed in January 1998. In a cold case defrosted this winter, jury selection begins this morning in Scottsboro, Ala., in the murder trial of Barry Van Whitton. The river was dragged, people searched by air, all in hopes of finding the young mother. Then came news Michelle's car was found and that's whenWAFF 48 News went to talk with her husband, Barry. | Updated September 25, 2015 at 11:34 a.m. SCOTTSBORO, Ala. - It didn't take long for a jury to find Barry Van Whitton - charged in the 1997 slaying of his then-wife, Michelle - guilty of murder Thursday. testified in federal court in 2008 that Whitton once boasted of killing three people, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Whitton was also found to have hard plastic pieces sharpened into stabbing tools and a 42-inch length of rope taken from a laundry bag. She was found buried in a shallow grave in neighboring DeKalb County about six weeks later, on Jan. 20, 1998 - her son Ethan's second birthday. She was found beaten to death about 15 miles. A Jackson County jury on Sept. 24, 2015, convicted Barry Van Whitton of first-degree murder in the slaying of Michelle Whitton, whose body was found in January 1998 just inside neighboring DeKalb County. Graham said the sentencing date will be set later. Whitton had convictions at the time for receiving stolen property, resulting in the federal violations. "It's a lot more than some people get with their children.". He also faces two counts of intimidation of a witnessin alleged threats he made this past Juneagainst his own parents, who testified at his trial last month. ", "Does it hurt you that some of the family's even thinking about that? Authorities stated they found blood in one of his pickup trucks and on a hatchet handle, but the source of the blood has not been revealed. At Gray, our journalists report, write, edit and produce the news content that informs the communities we serve. To highlight the impact Michelle's death had on her family, Gwathney read a letter to the court from the victim's mother, Joyce Smart. Authorities interviewed her husband, Barry Van Whitton, who is Haleigh's stepfather. State and local authorities want to hear from anyone with information on the cold case or Kim Whitton and Haleigh Culwell. He has never been charged in their cases. SCOTTSBORO, Ala. It didn't take long for a jury to find Barry Van Whitton charged in the 1997 slaying of his thenwife, Michelle guilty of murder Thursday. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He was sentenced to ten years in prison. Barry V Whitton in AL - Address & Phone Number All rights reserved (About Us). | Updated September 9, 2015 at 12:46 a.m. Join Facebook to connect with Barry Hatton and others you may know. While the criminal case against Whitton was pending, Smith and Paulk filed a motion seeking a declaration that 15-12 . During the detention hearing, anFBI agent said blood evidence was found in a truck on the Whitton property and on a small hatchet. Murder suspect charged with threatening witness from jail Kimberly Culwell met the love of her life Barry Van Whitton through his magazine personal ad in 1999. A man accused of killing his first wife and suspected in the disappearance of his second faces new charges of threatening a witness in his impending murder trial. Barry Whitton sentenced to life for murder of 1st wife Whitton pleaded not guilty on Jan. 27. "I hope that this conviction will potentially lead to more evidence that may lead us to solve other crimes that Mr. Whitton may have been involved in. Barry Whitton, the man arrested last week on federal weapons charges, is now considered a suspect in his wife and step-daughter's disappearance. Jury selection in the trial began Sept. 9, and testimony began on Sept. 14. Ex parte Clinton Carter :: 2017 :: Supreme Court of Alabama Decisions Law enforcement did not find either of them at the Whitton property in Section, Ala., and were told that they left June 22, 2007, and had not returned. Alabama Supreme Court Upholds Barry Whitton Murder Conviction Kimberly promised to call her friend back in five minutes. Whitton was convicted of murder last month for bludgeoning to death Michelle Whitton, his first wife, in December 1997. The driveway leading up to the residence has two locked gates and as a result, the cabin can only be reached on foot. SCOTTSBORO, Ala. The defense in the cold-case trial of 46-year-old Barry Van Whitton rested . All rights reserved (About Us). Click here to read coverage of Barry Whitton's trial. While in jail on the gun charges, Barry allegedly told a cellmate he did not kill Michelle, but he knew who did and he had killed that person. The murder trial of a Jackson County, Ala., man in the 1997 slaying of his first wife has been continued until September. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). It's still being processed to find out if it's Kim Whitton's or Haleigh Culwell's. (TLM, ) September 5, 2018: Filing 7 . It took hours of digging through old video, but what we found is priceless. All rights reserved (About Us). Supreme Court of Alabama. - FindLaw Caselaw Kimberly Whitton and daughter-missing since 6/22/07 Alabama Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com, twitter.com/BenBenton, www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569. Final arguments begin today in trial of man charged with killing his He is currently serving the final year of afederal sentence on weapons chargesthat were filed against himafter several weapons were found in his home during a July 2007 search for Kim Whitton and her daughter. Date of Birth 07/07/1970 (52) Age 36 years old Height and Weight 5'9, 270 pounds Associated Vehicle (s) White Ford van or truck with Alabama license plates Markings and/or Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. The September 9, 2015, judgment of the Jackson Circuit Court in the criminal case involving Barry Van Whitton, i.e., the Whitton order, awarding attorney fees to Ronald W. Smith and Gerald R. Paulk ("the attorneys") in excess of the maximum amount stated in 15-12-21(d)(2), Ala. Code 1975, not having been appealed by the attorney general . The state's attorneys told jurors that testimony showed Whitton manipulated people and versions of events to suit his needs. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our, granted a continuance in the murder trial in May, two counts of intimidation of a witness from June. Interests. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Her body was actually found about a mile from where Barry lives now. But people in the community were already questioning if Barry could've been involved. Deputies went to the Whittons' 40-acre farm in Section for a welfare check, but neither Kim Whitton nor Haleigh were there. She was found beaten to death about 15 miles from their home. Barry Witthuhn - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Crystal Bonvillian Barry Van Whitton will spend the rest of his life in prison for bludgeoning his first wife, Michelle Townson Whitton, to death with. According to court documents, Whitton attempted to influence the testimonies of Dennis Whitton and Lavorene Whitton by making . Michelle was found in a shallow grave in Dekalb County near Powell in January 1998. She was found beaten and stabbed to death and buried in a shallow grave in DeKalb County, Alabama six weeks later, in January 1998. Barry Van Whitton's case was delayed to Sept. 9 upon a defense motion . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange's office is prosecuting the case, and Circuit Judge John Graham will preside. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Kimberly was last seen alive on June 2, 2007, when she left work at a Scottsboro nursing home. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She wrote of the health problems her grief has caused her, as well asher struggles to move on and live her life without Michelle, even as she continued to make good memories with the remainder of her family. A major exhibition of his work was displayed at . The criminal complaint states Whitton threatened to harm a witness in the murder trial, which is set to begin on Sept. 9. A former cellmate of Whitton'stestified in federal court in 2008 that Whitton once boasted of killing three peoplein the past and getting away with it. Whitton v. Gordy et al Defendant: Attorney General State of Alabama and Christopher Gordy: Petitioner: Barry Van Whitton: Case Number: 5:2018cv01225: Filed: . Barry Van Whitton, 46, formerly of Section, Ala., was convicted of murder in the slaying of his first wife, Michelle Townson Whitton, in 1997. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Whitton Barry - Security Specialist - RiverCity Security - LinkedIn Whitton will be sentenced on October15. In September 2007, Barry pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Court officials could not say on Tuesday how long jury selection might take in the case. I'm going to fight for my baby to the end,'' Rickett said. disappearance of 36-year-old Kimberly Compton Whitton and her 11-year-old daughter, Haleigh Brean Culwell. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Gwathney maintained that Whitton had dug the shallow grave in the days or weeks leading up to the murder with the idea already of burying his wife in "his favorite spot" on property he'd been run off of a number of times. View the profiles of people named Barry Hatton. Kimberly was last seen alive on June 2, 2007, when she left work at a Scottsboro nursing home. He was transferred from the Jackson County Jail in June and is being held in Cullman County without bond. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Barry Whitton's conviction on Dec. 9, said Joy Patterson, spokeswoman for the Alabama Attorney General's Office. testified in federal court in 2008 that Whitton once boasted of killing three people, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. When he was indicted, the former resident of Section, Ala., was serving a federal sentence in West Virginia on weapons charges. "Today, justice is served to a convicted murderer who will finally pay for a heinous crime that he committed 18 years ago," Strange said. Bynum has since died. Barry Van Whitton A Jackson County, Ala., man suspected in the disappearances of three people has been charged with murder in the 1997 death of his first wife, and he remains a suspect in the. Barry Whitton was a suspect in Michelle Whitton's murder nearly 10-years ago. He had been married to Kimberly for eight years prior to her disappearance. Twenty-eight-year-old Michelle Whitton was bludgeoned with the butt of a shotgun, cut on the face and throat, and stabbed in the chest. Brown hair, brown eyes. In December 1997, 28-year-old Michelle Whitton was reported missing by her husband Barry Whitton. Man whose wife, daughter missing is indicted on federal charges Whitton is charged in the 1997 beating death of his first wife. The typical sentence given for those charges is between 12 and 18 months, but the judge elected to sentence Barry to the maximum term due to the danger she believed he posed to the community; she described him as the most dangerous defendant she had seen in her judicial career. In December 2014, a little less than a year before he was supposed to be released from federal prison, Barry was indicted for Michelle's murder. Whitton's defense lawyers, Gerald Paulk and Jake Watson, pointed to testimony from neighbors and acquaintances of the couple who claimed they saw Michelle Whitton on the Sunday morning after prosecutors say the murder had already been committed. A photo of Michelle is posted with this case summary. He also was charged with first-degree promoting prison contraband in another incident. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). Barry Van Whitton, 46, is accused of murdering his first wife, Michelle Townson Whitton, in 1997. Whitton is charged in the 1997 beating death of his first wife. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, MySpace Page for Kimberly Whitton and Haleigh Culwell, Jackson County Sheriff's Department None of those he talked of killing were his wives or stepdaughter. Holding a shotgun before jurors, Gwathney said he repeatedly bludgeoned Michelle in the back of the head with the butt or barrel of the weapon. This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Few details have been released since. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. The state rested its case on Wednesday. He has remained in the Cullman County Jail more than an hour away since being charged. The indictment accuses Whitton of striking his wife in the head and causing . It was later determined she had been beaten to death. According to court documents, Whitton attempted to influence the testimoniesof Dennis Whitton andLavorene Whitton by making threats towardsboth witnesses. Whitton's murder indictment indicates that Michelle Whitton suffered blunt force trauma to the head. Kimberly's coworkers reported her disappearance on June 28, a week after she was last seen. He is currently serving the final year of afederal sentence on weapons chargesthat were filed against himafter several weapons were found in his home during a July 2007 search for Kim Whitton and her daughter. In January 2015, the Jackson Court, pursuant to section 15-12-21, Ala. Code 1975, appointed two attorneys to represent Barry Van Whitton, an indigent, in a noncapital-murder case. After authorities searched his property for evidence in his wife and stepdaughter's disappearance, they arrested Barry on weapons charges. Witnesses at the trial included a former prison cellmate of Whitton's who testified that Whitton admitted murdering his wife during an argument over her plans to leave him. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). Those items included pencil shavings and pencil graphite, which could be used to start a fire. Barry the Hatchet His defense team, comprised of Gerald Paulk and Jake Watson, also made no statement. Barry Van Whitton Rainsville, AL Phone Number Address Emails View Details Other Addresses Section, AL Dutton, AL Relatives Dennis Edgar Whitton Harold Keith Whitton Kimberley D Whitton Birth, Death, and Divorce Records for Barry V Whitton Sponsored by Ancestry.com Barry V Whitton No Records Found Barry V Whitton No Records Found Barry V Whitton Barry Van Whitton will spend the rest of his life in prison for bludgeoning his first wife, Michelle Townson Whitton, to death with the butt of a shotgun nearly 18 years ago in their Jackson County home. "They say there wasn't any sign of foul play in the car so that gives me hope that she's still alive," said Whitton in 1997.
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