Detective Teresa Sterling: He was acting very upset. Hamilton will have a closed-circuit arraignment before a judge on Friday. "She "You could tell she was crying. But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. This is a carousel with slides. Randy Scott: You know, you wouldn't a had time to washed up. And he was in there. Bevel believed the blood pattern was consistent with what would have happened if Hamilton struck his wife. It did in this case, though. clinic two days a week. We don't have a weapon. 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. At around 8:30, he bumped into his former medical partner, Dr. Karen Reisig. The way that we are taught to do CPR, we interlock our hands. 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? 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. Susan Hamilton suspected her husband was having an affair with a patient and stripper whose telephone number turned up 60 times on the defendant's cell phone bills. The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. I just felt like they were very happy. Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. His attorneys have claimed that police had improper contact with Bevel, who is a former police officer, during the trial. In 1987, John Hamilton married Susan, and his wife began working part-time at Johns clinic. Two weeks later he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. But he never had a chance to do that -- or to tell the cops that the killer had gotten the jewels -- that's because he was put in the back of the police car and never got back inside the house again. You'd have to believe that he committed the violent murder in that narrow window between his two surgeries. I had a million thoughts were running through my head. The jurors, all women and the youngest members on the panel, wiped their eyes with tissues while Dr. Jeffrey Gofton, a forensic pathologist for the state Medical Examiner's office, testified he believes Susan Hamilton, 55, died from possibly three blows to her head with a blunt instrument. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. tears.". her daughter was taking sides She had been strangled, and her face had been repeatedly The court rejected Hamilton's. doctors. One says, "The shoes is what convicts him." Two men's ties were tightly knotted about her neck. Had he hurt himself? Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. What Happened To Dr John Hamilton? Furthermore, he has previously requested a retrial, which has been denied each time. His long silence behind bars ended as he prepared to tell the jury -- and us -- what really had happened that Valentine's Day morning. Dennis Murphy: So, you'd have to think that the opportunistic robber breaking in to steal some jewelry and the TV--. "She didn't know if she could get the trust back.". They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. Good amount of blood. The medical examiner released a preliminary cause of death Friday. "Ultimately, you take an oath to tell the truth and that overrides any allegiance I may have to any client," he said. And it was there they noticed something else odd. Testimony is expected to continue this morning before District Judge Ray Elliott. It was never on anyone that, there were calls that were made to Susan that scared her that weren't brought out. Not least of all in a bloody crime there were no footprints leading out of the house. He told them he had been frantically trying to save her life. "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. "I think that in and of itself caused the conviction," said Clark Brewster, an attorney who is preparing Hamilton's appeal. the bathroom floor. Now, courtoom lawyers like to talk about Perry Mason moments when a trial is electrified by unexpected testimony, but it hardly ever happens. John Hamilton: His own expert is saying he's guilty. We actually believe that-- that-- John Hamilton was trying to clean things up before he got paged. It was a violent scene. "She was angry, and she 0 cemeteries found in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. would put together a novel theory of just what happened between husband and wife, something maybe grimly fitting for Valentine's Day. If I really did it, if it would, if it would clear my conscience, but I didn't do it. The prosecutor refused to release additional information about the slaying that took place at 3056 Brush Creek Road. John Hamilton, a prominent Oklahoma City gynecologist, has been in jail without bail since Feb. 14. without her knowledge. Judge: Based upon the comments a majority of the jurors said to me in which they indicated they were very disappointed they didn't have the sentence of death as an option, I would consider yourself, you should consider yourself very lucky. If you can get whiplash in a courtroom, that's what happened. The stripper did it. trips. 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 . They'd been suspicious earlier, back at the house when he scratched his hands against the cage in the police car. If anything, threats against the clinic, only seemed to bring the Hamiltons closer together. He and his wife, Susan, had met in 1985 at a friend's birthday party. Please try again later. There isn't any greater love. Susan Johnston: Susan had noticed that John was getting a lot of cell calls. Horton told the jurors her mother had Dr. John Hamilton placed the initial 911 call after his wife was strangled and beaten to death in Oklahoma on Valentine's Day 2001. . 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. Hamilton, 62, was an Oklahoma City obstetrician, gynecologist and abortionist. 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. Dr. Steve Jimerson -- a colleague of John's -- was best man. Please, please. John Hamilton called his or more times a day. pic.twitter.com/9VBREeKO87, The Spooky Hour (@SpookyHour) February 15, 2021. There is a problem with your email/password. They had regularly scheduled luncheon dates and worked Steve Jimerson: They all said he was just as normal and jovial as he always was. With that revelation, the defense expert became the star witness for the trials prosecution. It took the jurors just two hours to reach their verdict. Lane said a bloody imprint of what is believed to be the blunt instrument was discovered on the defendant's shirt. It took the jury less than two hours to convict Hamilton of first-degree murder, and he was later sentenced to life in prison. Horton said John Hamilton Dennis Murphy: Because then you know the history of the phone calls. Susan's friend, for one, believed him, and encouraged Susan to do the same. 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. A system error has occurred. Lane had questioned the other woman. I don't have anything to lose. wanted to talk to someone," And for that, they hired a blood stain expert Named Ross Gardner. And the only explanation of that event is the wounding to Mrs. Hamilton. Shouldn't the killer have left a trace? Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? Dennis Murphy: And that you can almost envision whatever that murder weapon is, the-- the bludgeon coming right down on poor Susan's head causing the blood spatter. The timeline was extremely tight for the doctor to even be considered as a suspect. "She was really upset that he There was a detail that the witness wanted to talk about. This week, ya girls are celebrating Valentines Day a day late. News network NBC did a Dateline episode about the case. AGE 40s John Hamilton Norman, OK View Full Report Used To Live In Relatives For ten months -- ever since that Valentine's Day when he was arrested for the murder of his wife -- John Hamilton had kept his silence behind bars. He was acting bizarre. Instead they uncover a horrific crime scene, with two badly mutilated bodies. 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. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Inmate John Baxter Hamilton is currently incarcerated in Oklahoma Department of Corrections (OK DOC) located at 3400 N Martin Luther King Ave, Oklahoma City, OK. Connect with john using InmateAid. Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist, started performing CPR and called 911. Was he trying to cover up earlier injuries? brain to figure that out," Horton testified. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. last telephone conversation that she and "We talked in But because it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to give Susan her first Valentine's card. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Dr. Hamilton had a more simple explanation for being late. Over the next few hours, investigators would explore those theories and more, as they tried to understand just what had happened to Susan Hamilton that Valentine's Day morning. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Dick Horton, sometimes worried for his ex's safety. After all, he'd had a busy morning -- performing not just one, but two surgeries with only a brief stop at home in between. She said he paid her $100 and $80 for the dances that cost $20 each. Philadelphian Melvin Sheppard, and William F. Hamilton set a world record in this race. Dennis Murphy, Dateline NBC: Who was she? In addition to delivering babies, John Hamilton performed abortions at his clinic, and Susan worked there too. Her face savaged: almost unrecognizable. And the shoe splattered with Susan's blood from different directions as she was being killed? Dennis Murphy: There were people that thought this guy was being sandbagged, railroaded. One year later, a battered body is found tossed into a canyon, the eyes and genitals gouged. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Now, keep in mind, John Hamilton was a doctor who performed abortions. deny they were having an affair. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. mother didn't sound like herself, although John Hamilton and Alliena There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He wants everything in control in order. Yeah, I'm going to hang up so I can continue. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. It read, "A reward in heaven will be bestowed on anyone contributing to bringing this murderer to justice." A dozen roses? We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. 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. Product Description. Thanks for your help! Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. I was never gonna see Susan again. Vesta Hall: I have never, ever, one second, not one moment in time have I ever thought he was guilty. Steve Jimerson: Oh, they were la-la. Wes Lane: We could tell that-- that the blood had been moved around. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. But I do love you. He has not given an inch in that regard., Murphy said Hamilton still has the "command authority of a physician and chatted about vacationing in Italy "as if he was still in touch with the outside world.. I think she became particularly alarmed when he didn't answer it. for immediate release contact: diane denton december 16, 2004 615.741.3111 (office) 615.708.9384 (cell) disciplinary action report a good marriage, even though 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. By 9:30, he was scrubbing up for the operation -- a complicated removal of a tumor. Is Lane Kiffin Married To Girlfriend Jennifer Dardano?Lane Kiffin, a well-known football, Is Melanie Martinez Alive Or Dead? Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? So he runs by that house. Karen Reisig: I personally don't believe a physician could do-- a surgery, go commit a brutal crime of murder. "Blood spatter is not an exact science, and Bevel had gone over to the dark side on him. He says he did not kill his wife. killed, Susan Hamilton also To investigators, that delay opened up the doctor's window of opportunity by up to an hour. degree murder trial of her stepfather, Dr. John Hamilton: Yes. He was born on April 23, 1950 in Phenix City, Alabama. The card had been found inside john's Jaguar. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. I gave her her Valentine's card. John Hamilton: It was a shock to everybody. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Watching. Check. The defense's expert, bevel, couldn't go that far. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Or maybe more likely, an anti-abortion zealot targeting the doctor and his wife? He had been having an affair with a stripper and his wife became aware of it. The dancer said Hamilton told her he loved his wife and didn't want to get a divorce. Susan demanded to see John's cell phone bill, and when she got a hold of it her worst fears seemed to be realized. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. John Hamilton: I still believed that the system would work. Shibley and Horton told the "He said, 'You know how "I didn't find any evidence of blood leading up to the front door. Melanie Martinez is a talented singer. Dennis Murphy: And the card would later become an issue because people saw kind of a snarky line from Susan of, "Well obviously, I got this before the trouble, huh? After all, only two people in the world knew what was really going on inside the Hamilton marriage. And that's what had happened to Susan Hamilton on that Valentine's Day morning. John Hamilton, 53, ordered an expensive arrangement of red orchids for his wife, but he never got the chance to give them to her. Retha Chamberlain, Special Judge Russell Hall's court clerk, said the process to complete the paperwork would delay the appearance until then. And you know, start her day off right before she got busy with her meeting. It looked like the start of an attempted -- and then abandoned -- clean-up. Dick Horton: I don't think there was any question she wore the pants. This is the shirt.". 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. "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. been beaten with a blunt instrument. 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. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. The doctor refuted the prosecution's case against him point by point. upset about the incident because Susan Hamilton thought Just the week before Susan was murdered, this wanted poster had been left for Dr. Hamilton. No affidavit was filed with the formal charges because John Hamilton is in custody. A neighbor was about to give the cops the dish. Investigators had plenty of theories to work with, but the suspect they brought into custody shocked everyone. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Dick Horton: Actually, we've turned it into a positive. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. And I looked at the defense table which was over to my left. without bail since Feb. 14. Prosecutors may finish calling their witnesses today. To the prosecutor, the Valentine's Day card John had received that morning lit the fuse for the violence that followed. He says he did much I love your mother and I Prosecutors claim the defendant had fingernail scratches on one of his shoulders when he was arrested. 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. If convicted, he could be Please send somebody quick. He was banging his head into the screen. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password.