PA - Michael, 50, & Cathryn Borden, 50, shot to death, 13 Nov 2005

[dancingdaisy]

Anyone heard anything new on this case?

 

[Hbgchick]

Unfortunately not. David Ludwig's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday. You can get the most information on the boards here - there are also links to newspaper articles about the case:

http://talkback.lancasteronline.com/index.php?showforum=43

 

[mysteriew]

Prosecutors charged a man already accused of shooting to death his 14-year-old girlfriend's parents with a firearms violation and sexual assault charge Friday.

David Ludwig, 18, said little as he signed a court document waiving his preliminary hearing, meaning the charges against him for the Nov. 14 shooting deaths of Michael and Cathryn Borden were forwarded to county court.

Also Friday, prosecutors dropped the kidnapping charge, but he still also faces one count of reckless endangerment.

Charging documents concerning the new allegations were not immediately available, but Lancaster District Attorney Don Totaro planned to comment after the proceeding concluded.

His formal arraignment in Lancaster County Common Pleas Court was scheduled for Jan. 25.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-12162005-585288.html

At that news conference on Nov. 15, Totaro gave a brief announcement about David Ludwig, a Lititz teen accused of killing his 14-year-old girlfriend's parents last month.

With a polite "no comment," Totaro batted down questions seeking details surrounding the double slayings that captured national attention.

Since that news conference, he's refused to take calls from the media, save for a few newspaper reporters in Lancaster, and only when it didn't involve the facts of the case.

There's a chance the public will learn more if Ludwig asks a district judge to hold a preliminary hearing.

One is scheduled for 9 a.m. today, but Ludwig could waive the hearing. The public may not hear all the facts unless this case goes to trial.
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1134728410276070.xml&coll=1

 

[kathrynr448]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1413254

Article says Kara exonerated by Ludwig's statements.

 

[newtv]

well now that the girl has been exonerated I will take my moment to say shame on all those who were so quick to condemn her as a and a killer..

They now know she was seen running away from the scene scared like she saw a ghost..not toward the murderer..those who felt riteous without cause should learn something from this but i know that wont happen.

in fact where are all of u-nothing to say when the truth comes forward-god..its not news that makes u smack your lips with glee i guess.

added-and this has been a long time for them to investigate her-they would have detained her had they a scintilla of reason to- u can be sure they looked hard for such evidence and couldnt find it..

 

[Linda7NJ]

well now that the girl has been exonerated I will take my moment to say shame on all those who were so quick to condemn her as a and a killer..

They now know she was seen running away from the scene scared like she saw a ghost..not toward the murderer..those who felt riteous without cause should learn something from this but i know that wont happen.

in fact where are all of u-nothing to say when the truth comes forward-god..its not news that makes u smack your lips with glee i guess.

added-and this has been a long time for them to investigate her-they would have detained her had they a scintilla of reason to- u can be sure they looked hard for such evidence and couldn't find it..

Unable to smack my lips with glee? What the hell does that mean? It's a tragic story no matter how you look at it. A young man threw his life away and became a double murderer at the blink of an eye. I find it frightening and baffling!

I may have missed it, but where did you learn that she didn't go with him willingly? Sorry, she may not have committed any crime, but she will never be a candidate for daughter of the year either.

I think it's a pathetic story of two immature young people that had no business dating in the first place!

 

[newtv]

Unable to smack my lips with glee? What the hell does that mean? It's a tragic story no matter how you look at it. A young man threw his life away and became a double murderer at the blink of an eye. I find it frightening and baffling!

I may have missed it, but where did you learn that she didn't go with him willingly? Sorry, she may not have committed any crime, but she will never be a candidate for daughter of the year either.

I think it's a pathetic story of two immature young people that had no business dating in the first place!

she was completely exonerated-that should be enough for all of you who could not delight enuf in her alleged involvement
and she is no less a candidate for daughter of the year then your kids-you judge her on things every kid does- her choices went terribly wrong and thats the only difference-
so many people cant say enuf when there is a potential fall for someone- she is 14 years old..and a group of folks here burned her at the steak
you blow smoke at me when u focus on it being a tragedy as if I dont know that..i am not talking about the tragedy that is obvious - I am talking about the riteous people on this thread (just read)..who are in their glee when they can burn someone on the stake without even knowing the truth- and we do not know she went voluntarily-i doubt it if she was exonerated..
its just so amusing how people try to focus on what isnt said in a post they dont like..
the title of the thread is not the issue here- the content is- read the content of the thread here and it should be obvious what I am referring to.
Its not been reported by LE that she went willingly-and what is that anyhow? She got in the car as she was running from the scene not toward the car- if I saw someone shoot my parents and they were now beside me in their car I would get in too- who knows if she saved her life by saying lets go start a new life (if in fact she ever said that)..
give me a break-if u want to understand what I am talking about u will- if u want to pretend not to understand then go for it.

 

[Linda7NJ]

GRACE: Now they`re starting a new life, all right, Brett, but not exactly the one they planned.

Everyone, again, just in. This is the commonwealth`s answer to the defendant`s motion for production, inspection, preservation of state`s evidence. That is referring to clothing, gunshot rounds, photos, fingerprints, documents, you name it. This is the state`s response back to the defense request, and in it, as Brett Lovelace just told you, disturbing information.

Go ahead, Brett. It`s my understanding that when he left the home, he went looking for her?

LOVELACE: He did. She ran out of the house before he did. She had a chance to see him shoot her mother. She continued to flee out of the house. He exits the house, doesn`t see her right away. He goes to the Volkswagen, gets in it, drives approximately 15 feet and then sees her running down the road toward him, flags him down, and then gets into the vehicle...

GRACE: Wait, wait, wait...

LOVELACE: ... and they make off...

GRACE: ... wait, wait! That was not clear to me in this document. Are you telling me this girl basically chased after him and flagged him down to get in the car, after he`d just shot the father, I believe, in the back of the head, and the mother seated in a chair with a blanket over her legs?

LOVELACE: You`re exactly right.

GRACE: She flagged him down to go with him?

LOVELACE: You`re exactly right, Nancy. She did.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0511/21/ng.01.html

I would hope no child of mine would do this.

When I or anyone else SPECULATES on a crime we are entitled to our opinions. It's not like children killing their parents is unheard of.

Knock yourself out criticizing other peoples opinions if it makes you feel better.

My opinion of her stands until I learn she didn't go willingly. Everything I have read thus far says she went willingly.

 

[mysteriew]

I would hope no child of mine would do this.

I am like you. I would hope no child of mine would ever run off with my murderer. But the discussion was the degree of culpability. Both Kara and David denied that she was aware of, or participated in any planning of the murders. And LE was also unable to document that she participated.
Did she make horrible choices afterward? Absolutely! But what 14 yo in a crisis situation doesn't occasionally make bad decisions.
And Newtv, I believe she did go with David willingly. She indicated to investigators soon after their capture that she went willingly. Both Kara and David seemed to have the same story on that.
She will live with that split second decision for the rest of her life. When she gets engaged later, marries, and her parents aren't there with her. When her first child is born. When she needs parental advice. Not to mention the social stigma and questions she will have for a long time. Even meeting new people, there is that inevitable question about who her parents are, and what happened to them.
But the decision to leave with her murderer wasn't a criminal act. Except maybe delinquency for running, and I think they may have trouble making that case since it was a time of crisis for her, and her legal guardian's were dead.

 

[deanws]

she was completely exonerated-that should be enough for all of you who could not delight enuf in her alleged involvement
and she is no less a candidate for daughter of the year then your kids-you judge her on things every kid does- her choices went terribly wrong and thats the only difference-
so many people cant say enuf when there is a potential fall for someone- she is 14 years old..and a group of folks here burned her at the steak
you blow smoke at me when u focus on it being a tragedy as if I dont know that..i am not talking about the tragedy that is obvious - I am talking about the riteous people on this thread (just read)..who are in their glee when they can burn someone on the stake without even knowing the truth- and we do not know she went voluntarily-i doubt it if she was exonerated..
its just so amusing how people try to focus on what isnt said in a post they dont like..
the title of the thread is not the issue here- the content is- read the content of the thread here and it should be obvious what I am referring to.
Its not been reported by LE that she went willingly-and what is that anyhow? She got in the car as she was running from the scene not toward the car- if I saw someone shoot my parents and they were now beside me in their car I would get in too- who knows if she saved her life by saying lets go start a new life (if in fact she ever said that)..
give me a break-if u want to understand what I am talking about u will- if u want to pretend not to understand then go for it.

No, going with him after she saw him shoot her mother says that she approved of his actions. The boy is probably protecting her because he thinks he loves her. Of course she is going to say she was not involved. In the end, when this kid sees how his life is going to be, he will point to her and admit she was involved. They were in it together, and in the end, YOU will eat your words.

 

[spclk]

LANCASTER, Pa. — A man who killed his 14-year-old girlfriend's parents last fall and then fled the state with the girl pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

David G. Ludwig, 19, admitted killing Michael F. and Cathryn L. Borden inside their home in Lititz on Nov. 13 following an argument over his relationship with their daughter, Kara Beth Borden.
After making the plea deal, Ludwig was immediately sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for the murder charges, plus 9 1/2 to 19 years on the other charges.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,199468,00.html

I have always felt that there was more to this story than ever got out. I suppose justice was served here.

 

[bakerprune64]

And she went with him willingly and is not being charged with anything? Was she in fear of her life? I might be confused:waitasec:

 

[cathieq]

Such a tragic case. So many lives ruined. No taking it back or starting over. He came away with one thing - his life. For that he should be thankful.

 

[bykerladi]

Wow. This happened in my area and there was nothing on the news about it. Sad.


If I remember correctly, they weren't going to charge her with anything because she was a minor and under his "influence". Or something stupid like that.

 

[TisHerself]

Really she was not charged with anything?

 

[dancingdaisy]

I was just wandering about this case a few days ago.

 

[Bobbisangel]

Really she was not charged with anything?

I didn't think that he would get the death penalty. Did he have a trial or did he pled guilty and was just sentenced?

I think that little gal should have been charged with something and at least been tried and sent to juvy prison until she is 21 yrs. She went with him because that is what she wanted to do. She has left her sister and brothers orphans. I wonder how they feel about her.

 

[TisHerself]

I didn't think that he would get the death penalty. Did he have a trial or did he pled guilty and was just sentenced?

I think that little gal should have been charged with something and at least been tried and sent to juvy prison until she is 21 yrs. She went with him because that is what she wanted to do. She has left her sister and brothers orphans. I wonder how they feel about her.

I totally agree with you, I also think there is something very sinister about that little girl.

 

[cathieq]

A little more info at this link (plus comments from the public):
http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/23420

 

[2sisters]

I'm pretty sure this little girl will one day grow up, if she hasn't already and really realize what she did and that will probably be punishment enough. I know it isn't the same as justice being served but I'd rather spend time in jail than live with the guilt she will live with.