GUILTY NC - Twins Samantha & Tessara Crespi, 5, stabbed to death, Charlotte, 20 Jan 2006

[Lucy's mom]

I read the interview online. I was appalled that the wife stuck by him. Those poor girls never had a chance considering they had not one but two parents disloyal to them. If this was my husband, I can't even say what I would do to him!

 

[Salem]

Did anyone see this profiled on 20/20 Friday night?

I was appalled by the wife still sticking by him. I heard her say on national television that her husband is the REAL victim here, not her two little girls. :furious: :furious: I know my jaw dropped when she said that.

Yes, I do believe in mental illness. I am one that has sympathy for Andrea Yates. However, I do not believe this man is mentally ill. I think he struggles with depression and was not truthful with his doctors and therapists. I don't know what happened for him to kill his twin daughters, but I don't believe his defense.

He cried on the interview. For himself and his wife. NOT ONCE for his daughters. I was so angry after watching this. :furious: :furious:

Even Andrea's husband left her. How could you live with someone that murdered anyone, let alone your children? (unless it was true self-defense).

Not me, no way, no how. They would go to prison or the mental hospital and I would probably be scared the rest of my life that they might get out!

Salem

 

[curious1]

I have not watched the 20/20, but you have to keep in mind there is a lot editing done even on the crime shows. I live in Charlotte and have spoken with people who knew the family. I am usually the first person to say 'off with their heads', but this guy has said that he is right where he deserves to be for the rest of his life and will not fight it. How many are there in jail that say 'well I wasn't right, but I am now that my meds are fixed and I should get a second chance'? He is not saying that. In other interviews I have seen locally he does accept responsilbity and does seem truly remorseful, but he always says he is where he deserves to be. As for his wife, I have spoken with those who have seen her grief first hand and she is admired for how strong she has been and how she still grieves, but realizes that she has to go on and make a life for her remaing childern. IIRC the 2 oldest already lost their mother to cancer when they were younger. Like I said I am usually the first one demanding their head on a silver platter, but this one does make me stop and pause.

 

[curious1]

He is not awaiting trial he pled guilty to 2 counts of murder and was given 2 life sentences to be served back to back. So there was no trial



I have questions though, he & she claim that he was ill and it was a psychotic episode so if that is the case then why did he plead not guilty by reason of insanity like every other that kills their children......I mean even Andrea Yates got off.



I am actually glad he didn't because I think that is just a BS excuse but it's funny to me that they claim that but yet pleaded guilty to the crimes

They do still say that had his meds been correct, this may have never happened, but he has said he is right where he belongs. He accepts that he did this horrible thing and should be punished. It shows that he was capable of at least one honorable act. Too bad he didn't go one better and kill himself instead.

 

[lisag]

Even if he truely has/had a mental illness, I personally could not stand by him if he were my husband.. Thje pain of losing my babies at HIS hands would be too much for me.

 

[curious1]

I wonder if with the older kids having already lost their mother to cancer if she doesn't feel an obligation to keep their father in their life so she is just doing the best she can.

 

[SewingDeb]

Me too Lisa. If I ever got to a place where I could forgive him, I still don't think I could visit him.

 

[southcitymom]

I am humbled and awestruck by the Wife's forgiveness of the Husband. She is truly a beacon in a dark world.

 

[SewingDeb]

Could you do it, SCM?

 

[southcitymom]

Could you do it, SCM?

That's a good question, SewingDeb. I have put sonme real thought into it. I think I could - I know it is what I would have to strive towards to stay true to my spiritual beliefs which are enormously important to me. For me, genuine forgiveness is a poweful karmic act of healing which reaches far beyond the confines of some decades on Earth.

That said, none of us truly knows what we would do in such a situation. I know that if my husband killed my sons tomorrow, I would not just stop loving him and cut all contact. He is an amazing father and loves them utterly. So I guess - so much of this depends on what comes before.

This woman is, IMHO, a role model for me. At the same time, I would pass no judgment at all on any woman in this situation who walked away and never looked back.

 

[mcnama]

This story saddens me very much. I am choosing not to comment on the validity on the argument that he is "psychotic" however I will reiterate that he was not diagnosed or treated for bi-polar disorder until he was sent to prison and to have that disorder and not be treated is dangerous considering the manic episodes that occur. If he was already depressed, being bi-polar made it that much worse.

Despite the fact that he suffers from mental disorders, he still is fully aware of the fact that what he did was wrong and has readily admitted it. That along with the fact he had been having these dark, horrible thoughts and didn't report them to his therapist makes me think he knew that day was coming...he knew he'd do something horrible to his family and chose not to take preventative measures early on. He argues that his reasoning for not doing so was because he feared his children would be taken away from him.....well, now they are gone for good and there is no bringing them back. So sad.

Also, what I fail to comprehend is how his wife can stand by him after what he has done. Even if he was a certified schizophrenic, I don't think I could ever forgive someone for murdering my children. And if I could find it in the depths of my heart to forgive, I would never be able to stay with the person or even communicate with them on a regular basis. I would be to devastated over the loss of my children and would feel it was a betrayal to them in doing so. But that's just me, I don't think that is something I could ever get over.

 

[harleysnana]

Forgive and Forget….
Being a Christian I would forgive him…. and then I would forget him.
Plain and simple.

 

[Malapoo]

http://www.crespifamilyhope.com/ourstory.html

 

[Belinda]

What a strange, strange story. I honestly don't know what to think. Is this medication psychosis a real possibility here? I have indeed heard of it before, but I personally think there would have been a lot of strange behavior before the murders if this were the true cause. He had been on these medications, it appears, over a period of years. Possibly on and off. I find it a little difficult to believe he would have a sudden psychotic reaction to a medication he had been on for some time. So, I have my doubts. Is it possible that believing this is the only way the mother can cope?

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Mother Forgives husband For Stabbing Twin Daughters To Death

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...y-Prozac-reveals-shes-fighting-free-jail.html

 

[carbuff]

What a strange, strange story. I honestly don't know what to think. Is this medication psychosis a real possibility here? I have indeed heard of it before, but I personally think there would have been a lot of strange behavior before the murders if this were the true cause. He had been on these medications, it appears, over a period of years. Possibly on and off. I find it a little difficult to believe he would have a sudden psychotic reaction to a medication he had been on for some time. So, I have my doubts. Is it possible that believing this is the only way the mother can cope?

No, it can happen that way. My friend was nearly murdered by her kind, gentle, loving husband who had a reaction like that to his OCD meds. Apparently the long-term exposure is part of what causes it. He's okay now, thank goodness, but it was scary.

 

[mikeysmommom]

Never would I forgive him, I would have wanted him to get the death penalty.