OK - Five Bever family members slain in their Broken Arrow home, 22 July 2015 *Guilty*

[0101ABA]

One of two brothers charged in the grisly slayings of five family members in their Broken Arrow home attempted to commit suicide while incarcerated in the Tulsa Jail, according to records.

Robert Bever attempted to hang himself by tying a sheet around his neck and sleeping boat, propping the boat against the toilet to allow his head to hang freely, a jail incident report states. A sleeping boat is a large plastic canoe-shaped tray inmates who don't have a bed can sleep in.

The report indicates that Bever, 19, was found by a detention officer during a security check. The attempted suicide took place about 12:15 p.m. June 17 in the medical unit, which has segregated cells.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crim...cle_81ea99bc-e9f5-5ee8-855b-740760c10727.html

 

[cvaldez1975]

if you are referring to the post I think you are, I dont really think the poster was demonizing the parents for being religious and or homeschooling. they just said they think is probably family politics/dynamics, and that sounds perfectly plausible. not because of religion or homeschooling, just because families can have different dynamics.

I know this post is old but I just saw it.

In recent cases where teens have murdered their family the motive is just as mind blowing as the murders themselves. The 18 year old didn't do this by himself and the 16 year old was involved.

I think the negativity against home schooling is unwarranted. I know many who have been home schooled who live very normal lives and even attended high schools and belong to other sports activities. Most of them scored much higher on their tests than those going to a public school. A lot of reasons for home schooling now is due to the public school systems having so much violence and bullying in them. Plus drugs and alcohol are also easy to get.

I will not besmirch these parents who are victims and also their small children. Lately I have seen teens murdering for the most stupid of reasons such as believing if everyone else is dead in their family they can get the house and money and live as they please. Or because the parent/s took away one of their materialistic toys such as computer, video games or X-box. They also have murdered their parents and siblings because they didn't want to do chores or have any responsibilities whatsoever. Or they didn't get their way about something they wanted to do.

Just because these parents home schooled their children does not make them bad parents. It is dismaying to me to see some implying it must have been something the parents did to cause this as if to say the parents brought this on themselves. UGH! Well what about the young children that they murdered and attempted to murder?

Personally, I don't care what their motive was and I hope each one gets the harshest punishment allowed by law. The 18 year old could have left home and there was nothing the parents could do about it. Instead he stayed so he could slaughter them all along with his 16 year old brother.

Now I have no doubt because they have silenced the parents by murdering them they will try to demonize them. My hope is the survivor will be able to tell the truth. How horrible it must feel to know your own brothers tried their best to kill you. It takes a cold unfeeling heart to murder small innocent children who are your very own siblings.

I have seen many interviews over the years of teen murderers who wiped out their entire family and they don't have one bit of remorse. In fact most tell the interviewer that they don't even think about the victims anymore.

Does OK have the death penalty for the 18 year old is of legal age?

I saw a drastic change in the 18 year olds mug shot. I wonder if he was into drugs. He no longer looks healthy like he did in his prior FB photo.

IMO

 

[cvaldez1975]

I noticed the females were stabbed many more times.

Something Oedipal was going on, something dark, sanguinary, primal.

 

[Curious Me]

One of two brothers charged in the grisly slayings of five family members in their Broken Arrow home attempted to commit suicide while incarcerated in the Tulsa Jail, according to records.

Robert Bever attempted to hang himself by tying a sheet around his neck and sleeping boat, propping the boat against the toilet to allow his head to hang freely, a jail incident report states. A sleeping boat is a large plastic canoe-shaped tray inmates who don't have a bed can sleep in.

The report indicates that Bever, 19, was found by a detention officer during a security check. The attempted suicide took place about 12:15 p.m. June 17 in the medical unit, which has segregated cells.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crim...cle_81ea99bc-e9f5-5ee8-855b-740760c10727.html

The older one tried to commit suicide. I guess life looked brighter when he had plans to be a famous mass killer. He's an orphan, ya know, with a bleak future ahead.

 

[American Noir]

The older one tried to commit suicide. I guess life looked brighter when he had plans to be a famous mass killer. He's an orphan, ya know, with a bleak future ahead.

Or a ploy for sympathy or attention...maybe setting up an insanity plea?

 

[chissus]

The older one tried to commit suicide. I guess life looked brighter when he had plans to be a famous mass killer. He's an orphan, ya know, with a bleak future ahead.

I want to believe he is consumed with self hatred and guilt for what he did. I hope he gets life.

 

[American Noir]

District court arraignment has been postponed from today until Sept. 7th:

[FONT=&quot]The district court arraignment for Robert and Michael Bever, at which they will announce how they plead to five counts of first-degree murder and a count of assault and battery with intent to kill, was scheduled for Monday but is now set for Sept. 7....[/FONT][FONT=&quot]This marks the second time the defense teams have asked for the arraignment to be postponed as they seek information that could dissuade a jury or judge from imposing — or prosecutors from seeking — the maximum punishment....[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Part of the reason the defense has needed additional time is because information about the Bevers has been difficult to obtain, since the family seemed to have mostly kept to itself, Chief Public Defender Rob Nigh, who is representing Michael Bever, confirmed Friday.[/FONT]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagel...cle_11bec40b-eb50-5e46-ada0-9765698f4634.html

Are they looking for evidence to support allegations of abuse?

 

[danielkk]

I don't get the special treatment for the Bevers boys by disallowing family members to show reactions to testimony, etc. In every murder trial throughout history there have been spectators who have shown emotion based on evidence displayed and testimony elicited. In fact, jury members are instructed multiple times that their job is to focus only on the evidence and not be swayed by their or others' emotions. Shows how much faith the Bevers' attorneys have in the justice system to do its job and in the good people of Oklahoma to do theirs.

 

[Curious Me]

I don't feel strongly that the older brother should get the death penalty as maximum punishment anyways. I'm okay with them both getting life or life with parole.

Bending over backwards to give them any lighter sentences while making excuses why they had to kill, kill, kill will probably irk me.

MOO, whatever abuse information that is presented still isn't going to justify to me the evil of their actions in the killing of their siblings and plans to kill the general population.

:cow:


Broken Arrow brothers' arraignment delayed again as defense builds case against possible death penalty
Posted: Saturday, July 9, 2016 12:00 am | Updated: 11:24 am, Mon Jul 11, 2016
http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagel...cle_11bec40b-eb50-5e46-ada0-9765698f4634.html

If prosecutors don’t pursue the death penalty, the maximum punishment for both brothers if they are convicted would be to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

The lesser punishment if they are convicted of first-degree murder is to be granted the option of being released on parole after serving 85 percent of a life sentence, which is typically calculated at 45 years.

Kunzweiler said his decision on whether to pursue the death penalty will be announced before the arraignment.

“I’m holding back on making that decision because the defense has requested an opportunity to present to me and my death penalty review team information they say they have that they believe would be important for me to take into consideration before we make a decision,” Kunzweiler told the Tulsa World on Friday. “So I am respecting their desire to give me that information, and apparently they’ve had some difficulty gathering that information to present to me.”

Part of the reason the defense has needed additional time is because information about the Bevers has been difficult to obtain, since the family seemed to have mostly kept to itself,...

 

[InLiberataRegina]

I noticed the females were stabbed many more times.

Yes, noticed that as well. New to this case so just catching up. While the father had a few stab wounds to his head, in the autopsy reports I noticed the mother had numerous stabs to the scalp, ears, cheeks, forehead and around and under the eyes. To me that goes beyond the pale of simply killing to be famous and shows an intense rage at and deep hatred for his mother more than the others. That's scary considering how highly she spoke of her family on reddit.

Also, as far as the female victims being stabbed more, I wonder if it had anything to do with his inability to express his sexuality? I'm not wording that right, but what I mean is that this was an 18 year old male that went through puberty in this weird, isolated environment where he couldn't explore or act on the hormones raging through his body. Not only could he do no regular socializing, he couldn't talk to girls, or kiss or date, so I'm sure that added to his frustration and maybe is why the females, even the five year old, got the worst of it? Not sure, just trying to piece this all together.

 

[Curious Me]

This news article is one of the longer ones that explains some of the details of what went on during the murders and what plans were made for later.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_f5a8437d-ccf3-580b-bb56-591cc0add077.html

I'm not convinced the parents were all that strict or abusive, but I do think Robert had deep issues and resentments because he didn't fit in, maybe blaming it on home schooling and family isolation. Remember he had that job for awhile. I don't know, but the parents sound like average parents from what I gather in the below quote. Robert had some grandiose ideas about himself, even from the interview with a coworker, and perhaps resented that his mother made light of them?

...and that he and Michael began stockpiling body armor and knives.

She told Cothran that she expressed concern about their weapons collection to their mother, but she, according to Cothran, "marked it up to 'That's just what boys do.'"

Detectives said Robert Bever worked at a Broken Arrow call center long enough to save enough money to buy the equipment and had about $1,300 left over.

The mother "said it was for attention," Cothran told Assistant District Attorney Sarah McAmis. "The dad complained that the kids were wasting their money."

I suspect their Mother fought hard and it took more to kill her than they planned.

"Robert said (to Michael) that the plan didn't go like it was supposed to," Bentz said. "Everyone didn't die like they were supposed to. He said (the attack) was 'harder than they thought."

This was really how cold they were going about the planning of the slaughter of their own family. It's beyond sick and chilling!

Bentz said Robert Bever told him the brothers planned to go to a Wal-Mart after the stabbings to buy eight containers, which would be used to store their family members' bodies in their attic after they dismembered them.

Bentz testified that Robert Bever lamented that the plan didn't go as it was supposed to and 'everyone didn't die like they were supposed to.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3459696/Hearing-set-2-accused-killing-Oklahoma-family.html

 

[Curious Me]

Yes, noticed that as well. New to this case so just catching up. While the father had a few stab wounds to his head, in the autopsy reports I noticed the mother had numerous stabs to the scalp, ears, cheeks, forehead and around and under the eyes. To me that goes beyond the pale of simply killing to be famous and shows an intense rage at and deep hatred for his mother more than the others. That's scary considering how highly she spoke of her family on reddit.

Also, as far as the female victims being stabbed more, I wonder if it had anything to do with his inability to express his sexuality? I'm not wording that right, but what I mean is that this was an 18 year old male that went through puberty in this weird, isolated environment where he couldn't explore or act on the hormones raging through his body. Not only could he do no regular socializing, he couldn't talk to girls, or kiss or date, so I'm sure that added to his frustration and maybe is why the females, even the five year old, got the worst of it? Not sure, just trying to piece this all together.

I do know what you're saying, and it's possible the isolation was a factor in poor self-esteem, etc.,

But that's why I don't think going for the DP for Robert will be successful because there's going to be a few jurors who sympathize with some "isolated upbringing story". From comments under news articles, I can tell the public is waiting for some horrible parenting story and some jurors will eat it up as the excuse why the boys had to kill the whole family including the little siblings. I'm just saying I don't think he'll get the DP.

 

[al66pine]

I read that these teens want to kill more ppl after their family, but, but, but... positively sickening.
From detective Russell's & Bentz' testimony at prelim hearings:

".... intended to take their parents' GMC Yukon and drive to Washington state, Russell said. ....planned to attack around midnight because they knew most of the family, ... would be asleep.
"They intended to go on a mass-killing spree," Russell said, adding that the siblings discussed their plans "nightly." "They wanted a Wikipedia page. They wanted media coverage."
Bentz said the older brother told him he was able to order firearms and ammunition online by lying about his age and that he knew he could do so because there "wouldn't be any checks" by the websites he used.
.... gun shop employee [told] Robert Bever a shotgun and two Glock pistols were ready for pickup, and he intended to retrieve them the day after the stabbings, Bentz said.
While traveling ...brothers planned to kill five people each while stopping at various "highly populated" locations such as restaurants or malls, Bentz testified. He said they intended to use Molotov cocktails to ensure that they wouldn't be followed from crime scenes." bbm

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/happening-now-bever-brothers-in-court-for-hearing-on-broken/article_f5a8437d-ccf3-580b-bb56-591cc0add077.html. Feb 24, 2016


Wiki page? Yes, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broken_Arrow_killings but not w their names as title. It's "Broken Arrow killings."

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

how absolutely horrific.

 

[Curious Me]

Found it and bringing it forward. I found this glimpse of how a co-worker saw Robert interesting. If only he used his job money to move out.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/loca...cle_65537a21-ce64-5a48-a90a-8e63eea6ec67.html

A former co-worker of Robert Bever’s at MicahTek, a Broken Arrow-based call center near the family’s home, described the 18-year-old on Monday as being quiet and “odd” and that he had an “inflated” sense of self. He would always walk to and from work — about 20 minutes each way, said the co-worker, who did not want to be identified.

She said he disliked home schooling and told her that his family, unlike him, was “very religious.”

“He was so sure he would have gone to Harvard or Yale had he not been home-schooled,” said the co-worker, who left the company last year. “He thought he had so much potential that wasn’t being reached. He definitely thought of himself as extremely intelligent.”

Robert Bever, she said, once told her that she was his only friend, and he would routinely say he did not want more friends because he did not like other people.

She said he never spoke badly about his siblings but instead shared stories at work about his youngest sister and how close he was to his brother Michael.

“I noticed his (Facebook) friends were either family or people he met from gaming online,” the former co-worker said, adding that he was almost always on the Internet. “He said (his family) was all close because they were in the house all the time.”

 

[HoneyWest]

Here's a local news article about Robert (the older brother). He apparently attempted suicide in his cell but was found in time.

http://http://m.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewatch/robert-bever-attempted-to-hang-himself-in-tulsa-jail-cell/article_81ea99bc-e9f5-5ee8-855b-740760c10727.html?mode=jqm

 

[Curious Me]

Yep. We talked about it further up thread. He was examined after and found uninjured, and moved to suicide watch. I have doubts because he knew when they did their rounds to check the cells.

Plus, it's not very nice to leave little brother to face the aftermath of their crimes alone. MOO, Robert strikes me as hungry for drama and notoriety at all costs...and that was a large part of their outrageous plans to become serial killers. Bad plans and bad choices, and they're really stuck now. I still struggle to understand why it had to come to this massacre of family.

When the killings took place he said something like it was harder to kill them than expected. Now, he finds out, it's harder to end even his own life having to live trapped under further isolation and supervision, even harder now to escape.

 

[HoneyWest]

Oops, I didn't see it had already been posted. I don't believe it was a serious attempt because yes, he knew when he'd be checked on and how is he going to experience all his fame if he's dead? It doesn't make sense.

Regarding his statements that killing them was harder than expected, I believe he meant that he and his brother were surprised it took so much effort with Victoria (1st victim, sister who survived) and their mother, April (2nd victim). They cut Victoria's throat and she was able to yell for her mother. (Sorry for being graphic) So one of them had to continue attacking Victoria as the other began attacking April in the hallway. Victoria fought just to get away and briefly did get out of the house (only to be dragged back in); April fought hard, biting, etc. After that is when the two of them attacked the other victims one by one and I think they found it a little easier to kill them. Oh, this is so awful to type.

 

[HoneyWest]

http://www.newson6.com/story/33040982/robert-bever-pleads-guilty-to-five-counts-of-first-degree-murder

Robert Bever pleaded guity to five counts of 1st degree murder and one count of assault w/intent to kill. He received five life sentenced without parole.

Michael Bever's attorney filed several motions trying to get his charges dropped. It seems he's still fighting the notion that his client should be tried as an adult instead of juvenile.

I have to say this was a surprise. It seemed that Robert's attorney was gearing up for a big trial, but I guess they made a deal for no death penalty.

 

[HoneyWest]

Now it seems Michael's motions have all been denied and the judge entered a plea of not guilty for him. His trial date is June 2017.