VA - Youth Pastor kills family on Thanksgiving, Chester, 24 Nov 2017

[mom2tee]

New information from Andrew Buthorn's family. He had taken a job in Winchester and had moved there. He was only visiting over Thanksgiving.

http://wtvr.com/2017/11/29/andrew-buthorn-obit/

Andrew and Candy stayed with Candy's family in Chester for about two weeks, Nancy said, until Andrew got a job at a nursing home in Winchester.
She said he drove back to Chester to spend Thanksgiving with Candy. He called his family back in Washington that day.
"He said it was great... he was helping out at the home and said he painted the fence," Nancy said.

Andrew's mother said she knew nothing about the accused killer, and her son told her he thought Candy's family was great. Nancy said the family has gotten to know Candy's biological father since the tragedy and she "adores" him.

 

[neesaki]

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_60544796-3ac1-536c-85f9-a0ab364754b8.html

“Why am I in two different courts?” Gattis, who appeared by video from Riverside Regional Jail where he is being held without bond, asked the judge during his second arraignment.

Because two of the victims were family members, those cases were heard in domestic relations court, while the case involving Buthorn was in General District Court. They will likely be combined if the charges are certified by a grand jury and brought up to Circuit Court."

How audacious of him, who the hell does he think he is?! :stormingmad:

 

[SarahW]

No sign of trouble, tension or disagreement. What the hell happened.

 

[SarahW]

I don't think so. She had been on really good terms with both her mother and her step-father, at least prior to the move east from Oregon. According to one friend she never had a bad word of any kind for her step-father. There is a family pic including Gattis on her facebook page, with the effusive caption "I love my family!" - if tension or strife or dislike were part of the dynamic, it wouldn't have been too hard to just have a pic of Mom and brother.

 

[SarahW]

My understanding is that they were getting ready to move out to Arizona for their traveling physical therapist gig.

 

[SarahW]

it does seem as though, from reports, that he felt relief and even satisfaction. All the same, he's on suicide watch, so he may or may not have expressed a desire to end his own life if he could.

This guy is known to have temper problems in the past. The 2012 incident (where he hit a delivery driver in the face with a paper just delivered) he told the judge was related to him being on edge, waiting for results of a medical test undertaken after a preliminary test had worrisome results.

This is semi-wild speculation, but it is possible he has some deteriorating medical condition contributing to hostility and aggression. For example, some diabetics can exhibit very remarkable personality changes when blood sugar dips. There is literature on its association with domestic violence. It's late on Thanksgiving, (national carb-loading challenge day) when he goes after his family. He also told a judge his medical expenses run about 300 dollars a month, which suggests ongoing treatment for a chronic condition. That's a fairly typical figure for a diabetic with decent insurance. Of course that could also just be a payment plan for some past medical treatment, or any number of other conditions.

He had anger problems when he drank, judging by his curse and abuse/drunk in public conviction - it could be he fell off the wagon and took some kind of irrational affront to normal family tensions or situations.

 

[Niner]

Going to put this one on my list! I see he is due back in court on January 30th.

:judge:

 

[LietKynes]

Marking my spot.... Hoping for justice for precious lives brutally ended !!!!!!!

 

[Niner]

:bump: up for today's hearing:

Tuesday, January 30th:
*Prelim Hearing – VA – Jeanett L. Gattis (58) (wife), Candice L. Kunze (30) (step-daughter) & Andrew E. Buthorn (36) (BF of step-dau) (Nov. 23, 2017) – Christopher R. Gattis (58) – charged with 3 counts of 1st degree murder & 3 counts of use of firearm in commission of a felony. Held w/o bond; on suicide watch. First court appearance was 11/20.

 

[Yvettea]

:bump: up for today's hearing:

Tuesday, January 30th:
*Prelim Hearing – VA – Jeanett L. Gattis (58) (wife), Candice L. Kunze (30) (step-daughter) & Andrew E. Buthorn (36) (BF of step-dau) (Nov. 23, 2017) – Christopher R. Gattis (58) – charged with 3 counts of 1st degree murder & 3 counts of use of firearm in commission of a felony. Held w/o bond; on suicide watch. First court appearance was 11/20.

The case in criminal court has been continued to April 11, 2018.

 

[Niner]

Thank you Han! Do you have link to that maybe?

TIA! :wave:

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, April 11th:
*Prelim Hearing – VA – Jeanett L. Gattis (58) (wife), Candice L. Kunze (30) (step-daughter) & Andrew E. Buthorn (36) (BF of step-dau) (Nov. 23, 2017) – Christopher R. Gattis (58) charged with 3 counts of 1st degree murder & 3 counts of use of firearm in commission of a felony. Held w/o bond; on suicide watch.

 

[Niner]

Looks like he was in court yesterday too.

Ex-youth minister admits killing 3, including wife, stepdaughter
http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_df7845b4-314e-534f-a16d-8a20bb36651c.html

......
The body of one of his alleged shooting victims was lying 3 feet in front of him in the yard, the officer testified Tuesday.

“I asked him what happened,” officer N.C. Frazier testified at Gattis’ preliminary hearing in Chesterfield County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Gattis replied, “He threatened me.”
[.....]
In a hearing to determine if there was probable cause that Gattis killed his wife, Jeanett L. Gattis, 58, and his stepdaughter, Candice L. Kunze, 30, defense attorney John Rockecharlie told the court, “My client admits he was the shooter.”

But Rockecharlie said Gattis advised that “he did it because they were ganging up on him.”
[.....]
Because two of the victims were family members, those cases were heard Tuesday in domestic relations court. The case involving Buthorn is scheduled to be heard Wednesday (4/11) in Chesterfield General District Court.

At the end of Tuesday’s (4/10) proceeding, Judge J. David Rigler found there was probable cause that Gattis fatally shot his wife and stepdaughter and certified two counts each of first-degree murder and felony use of a firearm to a Chesterfield Circuit Court grand jury. The panel will consider indictments against Gattis on May 21.

 

[Niner]

Weird that they would have 2 different trials for this! :dunno:

 

[Niner]

Audio evidence (LE body camera) reveals he confessed to the killings. Said "They were ganging up on me!" Waived his right to prelim hearing in General Circuit Court; defense is going for self-defense. Both cases go to the Chesterfield Grand Jury on May21st.

 

[Niner]

Since we will be shut down on the 21st, thought I'd post this now.

Monday, May 21st:
*Grand Jury Indictment Hearing for both cases – VA – Jeanett L. Gattis (58) (wife) & Candice L. Kunze (30) (step-daughter) (Nov. 23, 2017) - Christopher R. Gattis (58) charged (4/10/18) with with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & 2 counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Case tried in Chesterfield County Juvenile & Domestic Relations court. Had hearing on April 10th, next hearing Chesterfield Grand Jury on May 21st.
and victim: Andrew E. Buthorn (36) (BF of step-dau) (Nov. 23, 2017) – Gattis charged (4/10/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder & 1 count of use of firearm in commission of a felony. Held w/o bond; on suicide watch. Had hearing on April 11th. This case will be heard in the Chesterfield General District Court. Back in court May 21st.
Audio evidence (LE body camera) reveals he confessed to the killings. Said "They were ganging up on me!" Waived his right to prelim hearing in General Circuit Court; defense is going for self-defense. Both cases go to the Chesterfield Grand Jury on May21st.

 

[AmberCox1]

Since we will be shut down on the 21st, thought I'd post this now.

Monday, May 21st:
*Grand Jury Indictment Hearing for both cases – VA – Jeanett L. Gattis (58) (wife) & Candice L. Kunze (30) (step-daughter) (Nov. 23, 2017) - Christopher R. Gattis (58) charged (4/10/18) with with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & 2 counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Case tried in Chesterfield County Juvenile & Domestic Relations court. Had hearing on April 10th, next hearing Chesterfield Grand Jury on May 21st.
and victim: Andrew E. Buthorn (36) (BF of step-dau) (Nov. 23, 2017) – Gattis charged (4/10/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder & 1 count of use of firearm in commission of a felony. Held w/o bond; on suicide watch. Had hearing on April 11th. This case will be heard in the Chesterfield General District Court. Back in court May 21st.
Audio evidence (LE body camera) reveals he confessed to the killings. Said "They were ganging up on me!" Waived his right to prelim hearing in General Circuit Court; defense is going for self-defense. Both cases go to the Chesterfield Grand Jury on May21st.

I don't believe it was self defense. No one was armed but him.

Sent from my LGL58VL using Tapatalk

 

[Niner]

Anyone see any updates on this case? I can't get into the court site!

It is Chesterfield General District court for Andrew Buthorn and his wife Jeanett & sdaughter Candice will be tried in Chesterfield Juvenile & Domestic Relations Couts.

TIA!

 

[SeesSeas]

Anyone see any updates on this case? I can't get into the court site!

It is Chesterfield General District court for Andrew Buthorn and his wife Jeanett & sdaughter Candice will be tried in Chesterfield Juvenile & Domestic Relations Couts.

TIA!

On the court website, it appears that all 6 cases (3 murder / 3 firearm) have a grand jury indictment by True Bill dated 5/21/2018.
Odd that I couldn't find a news media update about this.

Virginia Court Case Information
Chesterfield County Circuit - Criminal Division
Case Details
Case Number:CR18F00975-01
Filed:04/12/2018
Commenced by:Indictment
Locality:COMMONWEALTH OF VA
Defendant:GATTIS, CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND
Sex:Male
Race:White Caucasian (Non-Hispanic)
DOB:07/28/****
Address:CHESTER, VA 23831
Charge:MURDER-FIRST DEGREE
Code Section:18.2-32
Charge Type:Felony
Class:2
Offense Date:11/23/2017
Arrest Date:11/24/2017

Hearings
# Date Time Type Room Plea Duration Jury Result
1 05/21/2018 9:00AM Grand Jury True Bill
2 06/25/2018 9:00AM Suppress 4 1 hour(s)

 

[Niner]

Thank you again for getting me these dates SeesSeas!

Very much appreciated!


ETA: Does that mean the 6 cases will ALL be in the Chesterfield General District Court?