MURDER OF SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY IN WICHITA FALLS TX

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November 18 1981Berghahn v. State, 696 S.W.2d 943 | Casetext Search + Citator- Gregory Alan Poore, a seven year old boy was walking home from school just like he did every day but this day he got sidetracked and was not home when he should have been. His mother Jill Berghahn, was at work and began to worry about Gregory. She called her husband and Gregory's step father Arthur Henry Berghahn asking if he had seen the boy. They called police and Arthur then went out looking for Gregory taking the usual route he took everyday on his way home. In a field Gregory had to cross to get home Arthur found him playing. Arthur asked Gregory why he did not go straight home? Gregory said because he was playing, Arthur slapped Gregory across the face, grabbed the boys shirt and began dragging him down the road. Gregory pulled away and started to run away. Arthur ran after him and found a long piece of sheet metal lying in the field. Arthur stated he was attempting to hit the boy across the back with the piece of metal but when he swung Gregory quickly turned to face him and the piece of sharp metal sliced the boys throat. Realizing his step son was fatally injured he left the boy lying in the field and returned home. He did not tell anyone anything about the incident. Several hundred citizens joined police in a seventeen hour search for the boy and eventually found Gregory's body. An autopsy revealed Gregory's throat was sliced severing his carotid artery and trachea. Arthur Berghahn was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to 99 years.