GUILTY VA - Austin King, 56, murdered, Norfolk, 21 March 2013

[raysgirl1126]

I haven't posted on here in awhile and I hope I'm not breaking any rules discussing this. A good friend of my families daughter has been charged with murder. She has sworn over and over again to her parents that she is innocent and she was being physically abused by her boyfriend who is also charged. I thought maybe someone here might have some words of advice for her parents, they are devastated.

Norfolk prosecutor details case in killing of tool vendor
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/06/norfolk-prosecutor-details-case-killing-tool-vendor

Two arrested in tool truck driver death
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/two-arrested-in-york-co-homicide

 

[lizzybeth]

In the article it states that Rubio followed Harvey in her own vehicle while he drove the truck (in order to dispose of the truck and body). That was her opportunity to leave the situation and report it. Why didn't she?

 

[raysgirl1126]

I personally don't know her. I know her parents. And she told them she was scared that he would kill her. She said he had hurt her physically before and told her if she told anyone or ran he would kill her, she said she was scared for her life.

 

[michmi]

In terms of advice for her parents, I seriously would offer this - they should not spend their life savings or put up their house or any other future-damaging thing to help her. It really isn't likely that she's "innocent".

And possibly therapy to help them endure this time in their lives and remain together.

 

[AlwaysShocked]

Really the only thing the parents can do at this point is to assist her in obtaining a lawyer. And I am with the poster above, I would not mortgage my house for this.

 

[nao]

That girl/woman Kasey Rubio looks so tired and broken. I really do understand and have lots of empathy. In relationships of violence what can happen is - you just give up, you accept you have no control, you don't think or even bother to make your own choices.

But the parents can do nothing but love and emotionally support her. If the parents start morgaging and get too emotionally involved, the parents will be sacrificing themselves much the same as their daughter did. The parents might want to talk with a violence shelter councillor or something similar-so they can understand the twisted logic of living with violence. jmo

 

[mysteriew]

Tell her parents it is possible that she does feel innocent, even though she did commit the crime. If she acted out of fear, she wouldn't feel the responsibility that she might have felt if she hadn't been afraid.

What the articles are not saying is the relationship between Rubio and Harvey. From what you have said I take it there was an intimate relationship?

Parents should do some reading about battered women. And Stockholm syndrome in battered women. Also why women don't leave abusive relationships.

Every woman is different and only she will be able to tell them why she made the decisions she did. But it may take her years before she will be free enough of relationship to say why. To admit any mistakes she made, or to even see where she had other choices. But my guess is that at the time she didn't see any other choices she had for herself. (There were other choices, but she just couldn't see them for herself.)

If your relationship is close enough to them you might begin some of the research for them. Then later they might find it therapeutic to do the research themselves. Here is a place to start, but there is a lot of info online

The National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women (NCDBW)
http://www.ncdbw.org/

NCADV
http://www.ncadv.org/

They may also want to speak to their local Domestic Violence association.

Good luck.

 

[txsvicki]

The man had been in tool business for years and probably knew this couple who were in the auto business. It was planned and they may have known he could identify them. This wasn't a spur of the moment thing. Maybe her young age and claims of abuse will help her get some mercy but it sounds like premeditated murder.

 

[Sonya610]

I haven't posted on here in awhile and I hope I'm not breaking any rules discussing this. A good friend of my families daughter has been charged with murder. She has sworn over and over again to her parents that she is innocent and she was being physically abused by her boyfriend who is also charged.

Yeah if she had any brains she would have kept her mouth SHUT when she spoke to the police, but she apparently doesn't have any brains. Obviously if she had brains she never would have gotten talked into this horrendous crime by a "boyfriend". Save the stories about abuse, she took up with the guy.

Meanwhile her parents happily went along when she started dating this (assuming they knew what their 19 year old daughter was doing, and they likely did, 19 year olds can't stop talking about boyfriends). Don't tell me he doesn't have any priors, he surely does! But they were open minded. Great. They can be "open minded and accepting" while their daughter spends several years in prison.

No sympathy. Best case scenario he gets life and she gets at least 20 years, the gene pool doesn't need either of them contributing.

Her parents can't deal with the fact that their daughter participated in this murder, actually tied the victims feet up and watched him bludgeoned to death while she happily assisted, her parents are clinging to the notion that she had no choice and was "forced". Yeah right.

 

[SuziQ]

The advice for the parents getting help for themselves is sound. I hope for their sake they go this route.

 

[rosetattoo]

I think they deserve sympathy. Their daughter isn't completely innocent, but isn't as culpable as her significantly older, abusive boyfriend. I would tell them to help her find a good lawyer (without bankrupting themselves to pay). The prosecution may be willing to agree to a plea deal in exchange for her testimony. I think pleading guilty to a lesser charge may help her take responsibility and move on, probably after some jail time. She also needs counseling to help her figure out why she got herself into that situation and didn't get herself out of it.

 

[txsvicki]

How long has she been with this older guy? just two years ago she was still a minor and something might have been done to keep him away. If the relationship is fairly new then it's not that long to get totally brainwashed. I'm thinking of a few abduction victims who were tortured and abused for years and finally got away to save someone else. I'm afraid abuse may not help her but young age and still being a teen might, a little.

 

[LadyL]

She's clearly not innocent so perhaps she needs to stop saying that to her already stressed parents. She could say instead, "yes I'm guilty but he made me do it" if that is indeed true but she needs to own up to the fact that she helped murder someone.

I agree with the advice to the parents not to mortgage their house or take out a loan. It won't help her because a free legal aid lawyer could represent her and still end up with the same plea deal.

Tell her parents they will come through this, even though right now it feels like the end of the world. Tell them to reach out to support groups in their area for parents in this kind of situation. They will need guidance to navigate through the system if they have no experience with it.

 

[Tonya421]

I'm sure her parents are in a world of hurt right now and they have my sympathy.
I agree with the other posters who advised them to absolutely do not financially drown themselves in her pleas of innocence. If she actually pleads innocent in front of a judge, I don't see any sympathy coming her way. Because she has already admitted her involvement, I can't imagine a judge or jury shrugging off that involvement.
I understand being afraid of a spouse. I went through that when I was her age and was in love with a punk who was nothing but trouble. But, she tied this man up and then followed her lover in a different vehicle to dispose of the body. Did she not have a cell phone? If so, she could have called 911 and told them what happened and the direction they were heading to. It would not have saved this man, but possibly his family would've had the chance to have an open casket funeral.
I cannot imagine a family's pain losing their loved one and knowing that he was killed for tools and and maybe some money

 

[Paintr]

http://wtkr.com/2013/03/22/breaking-burned-body-found-in-car-in-york-co/


UPDATE: York County drops charges against two accused in death of man found in burning truck


An older article but it states...

Although the body was found in York County inside of a burning truck, officials say they’ve determined that the murder did not occur there. Harvey and Rubio will face charges in York County later, but authorities are allowing Norfolk to handle the serious charges right now. ...
.....


Rubio and Harvey are facing charges in Norfolk of second-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and grand larceny. They were also charged in York County with first-degree murder, abduction and arson. A spokesperson with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Norfolk says they will not ultimately be charged with murder in both York County and Norfolk. Right now, it’s a matter of determining jurisdiction.

Her folks could ruin the rest of their lives trying to pay for her legal troubles. She needs a good lawyer and a sympathetic jury. They really need to find a good support network/group to help them get through this. I wish her parents strength. :rose:

 

[Mrs G Norris]

I personally don't know her. I know her parents. And she told them she was scared that he would kill her. She said he had hurt her physically before and told her if she told anyone or ran he would kill her, she said she was scared for her life.

My advice would be for everyone to stay away from commenting on all forms of social media, (not you my dear here), but there are many pitfalls on Facebook for instance. Anything said online will stay around forever, and could cause issues for all sides, there are many people out there who may be well meaning even, but may inadvertently cause unnecessary complications to an already difficult situation.

Keep it to personal discussions, and if someone does say something online, don't feel the need to go in and address it, or try and change anybody's mind. I have seen this pitfall play itself out time and time again, and it always ends in hurt feelings, and misconceptions.

Prayers to you and yours, it's a very difficult situation to be in.

 

[21merc7]

I agree with what everyone here is advising.

Much sympathy to ALL families involved. What a mess. I hope the families can get some peace and understanding, therapy or just family support.

Do tell the family not to post anywhere about it, not to email about it, no internet anything about it. No written anything, including on paper. Just don't. Just say "no comment" or "I can't comment."

Do tell the family that the young lady is going to get jail time. Do not spend money they don't have hoping otherwise. If any attorney tells them she will not, the attorney is lying and taking them for the $$$. She can have a Court-appointed attorney do the same job as any other at this point. She would be best advised to take a plea offer if one is given since she has admitted to some of her role. The time she is spending in jail now may go toward her ultimate sentence.

 

[mysteriew]

They may be approached by media at some point. Best to decide now what they will say if approached by media.

The classiest response I ever saw from a defendant's family went something like this.

"All I know about the case is what I read in the media, and I have no response to that. He/she is innocent until the trial. When we get together we talk about family things, and I leave the legal case to the attorneys."

(I do agree with others that they shouldn't be discussing the case online. I will even take it one step further, don't read about it. It will only bring heartbreak and in the long run won't matter. What will matter is court.)

Also agree that Mom and Dad shouldn't get too financially involved in the case. Their job is to offer her emotional support, and maybe advice if it is requested. With this history the prosecution may be agreeable to a plea deal in return for her testimony against him. (If not then she will have to take her chances with a defense that she was coerced. And you see how that is going over by the thread here.) That would be her best bet. When she serves her time, she will need a place to come home to. If they mortgage their home, they may not have a home left to offer her.

The parents may be asked to testify at some point, either in the defense phase or the sentencing phase. All they need to do is to testify honestly. Their testimony will be more believable if they are honest.

 

[TheDuchess]

IMO she should look to her attorney for advice on perhaps working out a deal where she testifies against the man in exchange for a lighter sentence. It is obvious that this man is the "ring leader" so to speak. However, she did do several active things in the perpetration of the crime.

What would this woman have done had they not been caught? Continue the relationship? Go to the police? Enjoy the spoils of the job? These are some good, hard questions the parents should ask. It sounds to me that this woman has no remorse. It's sad, because she obviously has a loving and caring family.

 

[Kip]

... Meanwhile her parents happily went along when she started dating this (assuming they knew what their 19 year old daughter was doing, and they likely did, 19 year olds can't stop talking about boyfriends). Don't tell me he doesn't have any priors, he surely does! But they were open minded. Great. They can be "open minded and accepting" while their daughter spends several years in prison. ....

The parents may have tried to steer her away from this guy. I have a niece in a similar situation. For years, her parents tried various ways to get her away from her no-good boyfriend. As have her cousins, aunts and uncles. I don't know if any of us would be surprised if she ended up in a situation like the one on this thread. But short of kidnapping her and holding her against her will, what can we do? Two weeks before my brother died of cancer and we were talking about his niece's situation, he said he'd have to kill the BF - that was the only way remaining to get his daughter away from this guy. The only good thing about my niece's situation is that they haven't procreated.

I agree with others' comments here to not mortgage the house, to stay off social media, and stay away from the press (or only issue short prepared statements). I feel for the parents (though not as much as for the victim and his family). I can't imagine finding out that your child did something like this.