GUILTY AZ - Matthew Vandergriff, 6 wks, tortured to death, Bullhead City, 15 June 2010

[LCoastMom]

Snipped from ^^^ Link:

Another hearing is set for Tuesday to argue a motion to allow Cornell to visit with his client in person. Also to be argued is another motion to allow Vandergriff to have contact with his daughter.

BBM - Are they freaking joking?

Matthew - Gift from GOD - How could they?

 

[2goldfish]

I'm thrilled to see there may be death penalty involved. I dont usually support the DP and in fact never did til I heard of those horrible sloop people (ethan stacey case) but I sure wont be shedding any tears over the DP here.

 

[lonetraveler]

Someone please help me understand why the prosecutor is not seeking the death penalty for the "egg donor". This and the "sperm donor" should get an automatic death sentence for their evil actions. Skip the trial, just get it done.

 

[Valleyboy]

Death penalty is too good for these slime balls.

 

[belimom]

I found this comment from a poster on another site that provided some consolation:

"The baby remained in intensive care for 3 month where he died. Those last three months alive were sadly, baby's best months. He wasn't assaulted or starved during that time and was held and comforted before finally dying, and likely gently kissed good-bye before he passed."

I don't know if this has been cleared up but I think whoever posted that on the other board was confused:

Born on May 5, 2010, Matthew died on June 16, 2010. Barely one month old, Matthew was raped to death. By his mother and his father.

http://pysih.com/2010/11/23/jonathan-edward-vandergriff-and-staci-lynn-barbosa/

(ETA: I've never heard of pysih.com, but saw it mentioned by TexasMist above and had to go check it out...)

 

[belimom]

From the same link I quoted above, it says that the uncle was just a teenager who stopped by to see his sister (the mom?). He knew nothing about babies but knew so something was wrong - so that's when he called Zac. I know Zac has gotten a lot of praise, but I think Uncle Mac deserves some as well.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Early on, FOX News in Phoenix reported that little Matthew was brought into the hospital on March 15, and spent three months in intensive care before dying. That was incorrect, and led to the confusing comment in one of the posts. That story has since been corrected. Someone on another site had copied and pasted the incorrect, initial story, and commented on it, and I copied the comment in my post.

The media is so often wrong on many stories. So much sloppy reporting and failure to double-check the facts.

 

[MorenoI]

Vandergriff no longer faces death penalty

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2011/04/21/news/local/doc4dafe0eec79df519417829.txt

WTH???

McPhillips said he took the death penalty off the table because of the struggling financial situation facing the county and the state.

Vandergriff is being held in county jail on a $500,000 bond and Barbosa is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Vandergriff and Barbosa both deserve the death penalty!!! JMO

 

[Whisperer]

What's really bad is when you have to come face to face with this sort of puke. This is what ended my career. We had one that did this to a three month old baby. She survived and by the age of 13 had over 27 surgeries for internal repair. I cannot tell you how sick I was to have to sit across from the monster.

For those curious, it has been 20 yrs and the possibility of him getting out is very good. He was sentenced to 25 years. He also molested (2) two yr olds prior but since he was under the age of 18, they sealed the record. Because the last baby survived, he was given 25 but in Mental Health inside of a prison, that leaves you eligible for half-time.

Staff at this point, no doubt, had public pressure to keep him. If it weren't for that, he would be back on the streets. It will be interesting to see what happens when his time is served. I shudder to think. This is something that stays inside your head and makes it difficult to digest. I will never get over this sort of putrid behavior by a human being...of which I refused to believe he was.

At this point in my life, I do not think it is good for people to know about this kind of crime. I have seen the reaction and it is gutteral, at best. I am so sorry for all of you who have come to know the extent that a human can go to for selfish sick pleasure. Sick is not enough. You will find this equally difficult but there are staff that corrected people saying "He is a human being"...after he was called a monster.

 

[LCoastMom]

Vandergriff no longer faces death penalty

http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2011/04/21/news/local/doc4dafe0eec79df519417829.txt

WTH???

McPhillips said he took the death penalty off the table because of the struggling financial situation facing the county and the state.

Vandergriff is being held in county jail on a $500,000 bond and Barbosa is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Vandergriff and Barbosa both deserve the death penalty!!! JMO

It is too costly for the county to have two death penalty cases at the same time. Prosecutors will still seek the death penalty against Darrell Bryant Ketchner, 52, who is charged with the murder of 18-year-old Ariel Allison and the attack of her mother, Jennifer Allison on July 4, 2009, at their Kingman home.

:banghead: :banghead: Yes, times are tough all over - disgusting to know they have put a price tag on the head of a one month old baby.

 

[believe09]

I say we take up a collection.

 

[tlcya]

I am sitting here bawling. I would like to know what the magic number was. What was the figure at which it would have been tried as a death penalty case - if it weren't so much more than that. That figure is the value that has been placed on that poor infant's wretched little life.

I am sitting here bawling because I cannot conceive of this. I am so sorry little guy. So so sorry. Even in death you are not valued as you should have been.

ETA the article says $60,000 dollars spent thus far on prosecuting Matthew's death. That was the point where they decided they couldn't go through with the rest of prosecuting the DP. So the child was not worth anything but a sex toy in his five weeks of life and now the county has valued him at something less than $60,000.

Again Matthew, so sorry.

 

[MorenoI]

I am sitting here bawling. I would like to know what the magic number was. What was the figure at which it would have been tried as a death penalty case - if it weren't so much more than that. That figure is the value that has been placed on that poor infant's wretched little life.

I am sitting here bawling because I cannot conceive of this. I am so sorry little guy. So so sorry. Even in death you are not valued as you should have been.

ETA the article says $60,000 dollars spent thus far on prosecuting Matthew's death. That was the point where they decided they couldn't go through with the rest of prosecuting the DP. So the child was not worth anything but a sex toy in his five weeks of life and now the county has valued him at something less than $60,000.

Again Matthew, so sorry.

I know how you feel, I feel sick to my stomach just thinking of this sick horrible disgusting man, using this precious baby as he wished! When are children going to be considered priceless?!?

These prosecutors makes me just as sick as Vandergriff!!! JMO

 

[2goldfish]

I just randomly found out that they took the DP off the table in this case, I missed the updates somehow...I am so upset, this is so unfair.

 

[2goldfish]

I cannot find anything about this case! no updates at all no matter where I search, the old media links are now disabled, has this child been completely erased??

 

[JeannieC]

After Caylee and Zahra I can believe anything.

Rest in peace Matthew, Caylee, and Zahra.

 

[mermaid55]

8/14/2011 6:01:00 AM
Attorney refuses to leave case
Cornell dumped when county stopped pursuing death penalty

KINGMAN - Mohave Superior Court Judge Steve Conn said during a hearing Wednesday that he was "appalled" that it had been five months since a Bullhead City man accused of killing his infant son had last been in court.

http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=797&ArticleID=46223

 

[pinkfly]

This is such a horrific case. I get that the judge is appalled at the case sitting at a standstill. But if an attorney is probono and still wants to stay on after it is no longer a death penalty case I just don’t see what the problem is here. I guess this attorney thinks this is his ticket ride the JBaez gravy train. I hope things happen soon and they are both found guilty. RIP little one month old Matthew.

 

[Columbo]

8/14/2011 6:01:00 AM
Attorney refuses to leave case
Cornell dumped when county stopped pursuing death penalty

KINGMAN - Mohave Superior Court Judge Steve Conn said during a hearing Wednesday that he was "appalled" that it had been five months since a Bullhead City man accused of killing his infant son had last been in court.

http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=797&ArticleID=46223

Does anyone else think this article downplays the extent of the abuse to poor little Matthew? It's so much worse than "shaken baby syndrome"...

 

[OneLostGrl]

omg.. just omg