The Lillelid murders refers to a criminal case in Greene County,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
, where three members of the Lillelid family were
murdered
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
on April 6, 1997. Vidar Lillelid (aged 34), Delfina Lillelid (aged 28), and their daughter Tabitha (aged 6), and son Peter (aged 2) were shot on a deserted rural road near Baileyton during a
carjacking
Carjacking is a robbery in which the item taken over is a motor vehicle.Michael Cherbonneau, "Carjacking," in ''Encyclopedia of Social Problems'', Vol. 1 (SAGE, 2008: ed. Vincent N. Parrillo), pp. 110-11. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is ...
committed by a group of youths. Vidar and Delfina were found dead at the scene, while Tabitha died after being transported to the hospital. Peter survived, but, as a result of the shooting, was left with
disabilities
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...
. Six young people from
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...
, including two minors, were convicted of felony murder for the deaths of Vidar, Delfina, and Tabitha Lillelid, with all six perpetrators receiving three
life sentences
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...
, and an additional sentence of 25 years each for the
attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions.
Canada
Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seven ...
of Peter Lillelid.
Background
Vidar Lillelid grew up in
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, and in 1985 moved to
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
. In 1989, Lillelid married Delfina Zelaya, a first-generation Honduran-American from
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
, whom he had met through their common involvement in the
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved ...
denomination.. By 1997, the Lillelids had two children: 6-year-old daughter Tabitha (1990-1997) and 2-year-old son Peter (b.1995).
Murders
On April 6, 1997, six young people, ages 14 to 20, from Pikeville,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...
—Jason Bryant, Natasha Cornett, Dean Mullins, Joseph Risner, Crystal Sturgill, and Karen Howell—were travelling to
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...
. Shortly after leaving Pikeville, they realized that Risner's car would not likely last the distance to New Orleans, and they discussed the possibility of stealing a car from a parking lot or a dealership. The group was armed with two guns: a 9mm and a
.25 caliber
.25 caliber may refer to the following firearms cartridges:
Pistol cartridges
.25 in (6.5 mm)
See also
* 6 mm caliber
References
{{Set index article
Pistol and rifle cartridges ...
pistol. Eyewitnesses observed six youths at a
rest stop
A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway servi ...
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...
, in conversation with the Lillelid family, who were returning from a religious convention.
Vidar Lillelid, carrying his son Peter, had approached Cornett and Howell to discuss his religious views, before Risner and Bryant joined the conversation. At some point, Risner displayed one of the guns and said, "I hate to do you this way, but we are going to have to take you with us for your van." As he then directed the Lillelid family into
their van, Vidar pleaded with the group, offering his keys and wallet in exchange for permission to remain at the rest stop, but Risner refused.
Vidar Lillelid drove the van while Risner, holding the gun on him, sat in the passenger seat. Risner, Bryant, Howell, and Cornett were in the van with the
Lillelids, while Mullins and Sturgill followed in Risner's car. In an attempt to calm her children, Delfina Lillelid began to sing; Bryant purportedly ordered her to stop. Risner directed the Lillelids first to the interstate and then to a secluded road at the next exit, Payne Hollow Lane, near
Greeneville
Greeneville is a town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, and it is the second oldest town ...
. The Lillelids were then lined up against a
ditch
A ditch is a small to moderate divot created to channel water. A ditch can be used for drainage, to drain water from low-lying areas, alongside roadways or fields, or to channel water from a more distant source for plant irrigation. Ditches a ...
along the road, where they were shot. Checking the bodies, Bryant stated, "They're still fucking alive," and shot them again.
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to t ...
, but left the restaurant when a group of police officers arrived. Deciding to abandon their plan to travel to New Orleans, they instead drove toward
Mexico
Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...
. When they reached the border, they were initially denied admittance because they did not have the proper forms of identification, but eventually found a way into the country. While in Mexico, Bryant was shot in the hand and leg, and the group was stopped by the Mexican police. When they claimed they were lost, the officers ordered the group out of the van and conducted a search, finding a knife, as well as a photo album belonging to the Lillelid family. They ordered the group to re-enter the United States, where American border patrol officers searched them and subsequently took them to an
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...
jail. At the time of their arrest, two days after the murders, several of them had personal items belonging to the Lillelids in their possession.
Investigation
Autopsy
Dr. Cleland Blake, a
forensic pathologist
Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases ...
, testified that Vidar Lillelid received a total of six gunshot wounds, one to
the right side of his head and five to his chest. The first shot entered his right eye, traveled through his
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called church (building), churches), Hindui ...
, and exited in front of his right ear. While he could not be certain, it was Dr. Blake's opinion that this shot was fired from a 9mm handgun and would have caused a loss of
consciousness
Consciousness, at its simplest, is sentience and awareness of internal and external existence. However, the lack of definitions has led to millennia of analyses, explanations and debates by philosophers, theologians, linguisticians, and scien ...
. The victim then fell to the ground and was shot three times in the upper right side of his chest. The wounds were described as consistent with those from a 9mm, and that the three gunshot wounds to the chest were deliberately fired to form the shape of an
equilateral triangle
In geometry, an equilateral triangle is a triangle in which all three sides have the same length. In the familiar Euclidean geometry, an equilateral triangle is also equiangular; that is, all three internal angles are also congruent to each oth ...
, with the victim lying on his back at the time. A gunshot wound just below Mr. Lillelid's
nipple
The nipple is a raised region of tissue on the surface of the breast from which, in females, milk leaves the breast through the lactiferous ducts to feed an infant. The milk can flow through the nipple passively or it can be ejected by smooth ...
was consistent with a .25 caliber weapon, and a final 9mm gunshot wound was located just beneath it. There was a "graze laceration" on the victim's right
forearm
The forearm is the region of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist. The term forearm is used in anatomy to distinguish it from the arm, a word which is most often used to describe the entire appendage of the upper limb, but which in ...
where a bullet skimmed across the surface. There were postmortem superficial abrasions to the back of the victim's legs. Vidar Lillelid most likely died within a few minutes of the initial gunshot to his right eye.
Delfina Lillelid was shot eight times, and all eight bullets were recovered; six were from a 9mm and two were from a .25 caliber weapon. The first of the 9mm shots shattered a bone in her left arm; the second shot, also from a 9mm, shattered the
femur
The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates wit ...
in her left thigh. Dr. Blake testified that these shots would not have killed her, but would have caused severe pain, leaving the victim unable to stand. Mrs. Lillelid was shot an additional six times while on her back, with the first three shots striking the left side of her
abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the tors ...
. It was Dr. Blake's opinion that these shots were fired to form a triangular pattern, similar to the injuries inflicted on Mr. Lillelid. The three shots pierced her
stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow organ in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and many other animals, including several invertebrates. The stomach has a dilated structure and functions as a vital organ in the digestive system. The stomach i ...
, leaving a four- to five-inch tear, and traveled through her
pancreas
The pancreas is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine gland, i.e. it has both an en ...
,
spleen
The spleen is an organ found in almost all vertebrates. Similar in structure to a large lymph node, it acts primarily as a blood filter. The word spleen comes .
, left
kidney
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; bloo ...
, and left adrenal gland.
A final 9mm entry wound was located at the mid-section of Mrs. Lillelid's abdomen just above her navel and was recovered from her spine. There was a .25 caliber gunshot wound under her left armpit where the bullet entered, coming to a stop in the skin on the back of her left shoulder. Another shot caused a wound to Mrs. Lillelid's left side, and the bullet was recovered from the center of her
liver
The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it ...
. She also suffered abrasions on her right
calf
Calf most often refers to:
* Calf (animal), the young of domestic cattle.
* Calf (leg), in humans (and other primates), the back portion of the lower leg
Calf or calves may also refer to:
Biology and animal byproducts
*Veal, meat from calves
...
. Mrs. Lillelid's wounds were not immediately fatal, and she could have been conscious for as long as 25 minutes, including while her body was driven over by the van.
Six-year-old Tabitha Lillelid was shot once in the head with a small caliber weapon, with the bullet entering the left side of her skull, traveling downward, and exiting behind her right ear. The wound caused immediate brain death. Her organs continued to function through the use of
life support
Life support comprises the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and emergency medical technicians are generally certified to perform basic ...
until her uncle, who had been named her custodian, gave permission for the donation of several of her internal organs. Physicians harvested her
heart
The heart is a muscular organ found in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon diox ...
, liver,
gallbladder
In vertebrates, the gallbladder, also known as the cholecyst, is a small hollow organ where bile is stored and concentrated before it is released into the small intestine. In humans, the pear-shaped gallbladder lies beneath the liver, althoug ...
, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, and adrenal glands. Tabitha Lillelid was pronounced dead one day after the shooting.
Peter Lillelid
Two-year-old Peter Lillelid was shot twice with a small caliber weapon.
One shot entered behind his right ear and exited near his right eye. A second
gunshot penetrated his back and exited through his chest. He was
transported to the pediatric intensive care unit at the University of Tennessee Memorial Hospital in
Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state ...
by a Lifestar helicopter, where he was listed in critical condition. Peter required vigorous
resuscitation
Resuscitation is the process of correcting physiological disorders (such as lack of breathing or heartbeat) in an acutely ill patient. It is an important part of intensive care medicine, anesthesiology, trauma surgery and emergency medicine. ...
, having sustained a contusion to his right lung with some
residual bleeding in his right chest cavity. Eleven days after the shootings, doctors removed his damaged eye. He remained in the hospital for 17 days before being transferred to a rehabilitation center in Knoxville. Peter ultimately survived.
Perpetrators
All six of the perpetrators were from Kentucky, were known to have had troubled backgrounds, struggled academically or with
substance abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...
, and—with the exception of Bryant—had attended
Betsy Layne High School
Betsy Layne High School (BLHS) is a secondary school located in Betsy Layne, Floyd County, Kentucky
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,942. Its county seat is Prestons ...
.
Natasha Cornett
Natasha Wallen Cornett, 18, was born in Betsy Layne, Kentucky. She was the product of an affair and grew up in poverty. Cornett had been a polite and good student until
sixth grade
Sixth grade (or grade six in some regions) is the sixth year of schooling. Students are typically 11–12 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs. Different terms and numbers are used in other parts of the world. It is commonly the firs ...
, when her academic performance declined. She left school before completing
ninth grade
Ninth grade, freshman year, or grade 9 is the ninth year of school education in some school systems. Ninth grade is often the first school year of high school in the United States, or the last year of middle/junior high school. In some countrie ...
, and had no history of employment except babysitting. Cornett started using alcohol and illegal drugs, including heroin,
ecstasy
Ecstasy may refer to:
* Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness
* Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria
* Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand outside o ...
, and
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
. At the age of 14, she was arrested for
forgery
Forgery is a white-collar crime that generally refers to the false making or material alteration of a legal instrument with the specific intent to defraud anyone (other than themself). Tampering with a certain legal instrument may be forbi ...
due to the theft of a box of
checks
Check or cheque, may refer to:
Places
* Check, Virginia
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Check'' (film), a 2021 Indian Telugu-language film
* ''The Checks'' (episode), a 1996 TV episode of ''Seinfeld''
Games and sports
* Check (chess), a thr ...
, and sentenced by the
juvenile court
A juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes that are committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern legal s ...
to one year of
probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration.
In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences ( alternatives to incarceration), suc ...
. Cornett was arrested a second time for assaulting her mother, Madonna Wallen, and threatening to kill her with a knife, but her mother dismissed the charges. On her 17th birthday, she married Steve Cornett, but the marriage ended after only ten months.
Dean Mullins
Edward Dean Mullins, 19, was born in 1978 in Harold, Kentucky. He had left school in 1996 during his
twelfth grade
Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year Thirteen, Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between ...
criminal record
A criminal record, police record, or colloquially RAP sheet (Record of Arrests and Prosecutions) is a record of a person's criminal history. The information included in a criminal record and the existence of a criminal record varies between coun ...
, and had been employed at a grocery store in Pikeville, Kentucky, in 1993 and 1994. Mullins' family and friends stated that his behavior worsened after becoming involved with Natasha Cornett, whom he had planned to marry.
Joseph Risner
Joseph Lance Risner, 20, was born on October 13, 1976 in Hazard, Kentucky. He never met his biological father, and adopted his stepfather's last name. His family lived in
Columbia
Columbia may refer to:
* Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America
Places North America Natural features
* Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...
, Kentucky, but moved to Georgia where he started
fourth grade
Fourth grade (also called grade four, equivalent to Year 5 in England and Wales, and Year 4 in Australia) is a year of Elementary education in some countries. In North America, the fourth grade is the fifth school year of elementary school. St ...
. Risner was described as a good student with a good work ethic until the separation of his mother and stepfather, which affected him emotionally. He and his mother moved back to Kentucky, where he had history of
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in variou ...
, alcohol, and LSD usage, and he claimed he had sexual relationships with two of his babysitters when he was 12 years old. Risner declined academically, failing
seventh grade
Seventh grade (or grade seven) is a year or level of education. The seventh grade is the eighth school year, the second or third year of middle school, and the first year of junior high school. Students are around 13-14 years old in this stage of ...
and eighth grade, before his grades improved in
tenth grade
Tenth grade or grade 10 (called Year Eleven in England and Wales, and sophomore year in the US) is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten or the tenth year after the first introductory year upon entering compulsory schooling. In many parts of ...
, which he completed at Betsy Layne High School, where he met the other perpetrators, including his girlfriend Karen Howell. Risner joined the
US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, c ...
in June 1995 but received an administrative discharge after testing positive for marijuana. He earned a GED on May 29, 1996, and was accepted at Mayo Regional Technology Center in September 1996. Risner was the eldest of the group.
Crystal Sturgill
Crystal Rena Sturgill, 18, was born on March 13, 1979 in Harold, Kentucky. Her mother, Teen Blackburn, refused
to divulge the name of her father, and his name does not appear on her
birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a person. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensui ...
. She was in her
senior year Senior Year may refer to:
* Senior (education), the final year in high school or college
* ''Senior Year'' (2010 film), the 2010 film by Filipino director Jerrold Tarog
* ''Senior Year'' (2022 film), a film starring Rebel Wilson
* The Lockheed U-2 ...
at Betsy Layne High School and also attended Floyd County Technical School in Drift, where records indicate she had been a slightly above-average student. Sturgill's academic performance declined in
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
, which she blamed on drugs and alcohol. However, she performed well on
standardized tests
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a predete ...
, including a total score of 28 on her ACT, and had applied for admission to several
colleges
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a University system, constituent part of one. A college may be a academic degree, degree-awarding Tertiary education, tertiary educational institution, a part of a coll ...
. She worked in the Betsy Layne Elementary School daycare as part of a co-op program, where her supervisors believed Sturgill was a capable child caregiver, and she received very high marks. Sturgill had no prior criminal history as either a juvenile or an adult, but had been suspended from school several times. Observers commented on the amount of emotional neglect Sturgill suffered in her home, and in December 1996, she accused her stepfather of repeated
sexual abuse
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...
. After the accusations, Sturgill moved in with her aunt in
Prestonsburg
Prestonsburg is a small home rule-class city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Kentucky, United States. It is in the eastern part of the state in the valley of the Big Sandy River. The population was 3,255 at the time of the 2010 censu ...
and began attending
Prestonsburg High School
Prestonsburg High School, located in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, is one of three public high schools in the Floyd County School District of eastern Kentucky
Athletics
Prestonsburg High is a member of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (K ...
in January 1997, but soon had to move out. She lived in approximately thirteen different places from the time she made the allegations in December until the shootings occurred in April. Sturgill was good friends with Edward Mullins, and was critical of his relationship with Natasha Cornett.
She had no history of violence nor a criminal record before April 1997.
Jason Bryant
Jason Blake Bryant, 14, was born July 18, 1982 in Hellier, Kentucky, had an IQ of 85, and the emotional and
social skills of an eleven-year-old. He had a history of alcohol and drug abuse, beginning as early as age three, and was in eighth grade at Millard High School in Pike County, Kentucky. He had met Natasha Cornett in Pikeville, Kentucky, a month before the murders. Bryant was the youngest of the group, and was a
legal minor
In law, a minor is someone under a certain age, usually the age of majority, which demarcates an underage individual from legal adulthood. The age of majority depends upon Jurisdiction (area), jurisdiction and application, but it is commonly 18 ...
at the time.
Karen Howell
Karen R. Howell, 17, was born on September 25, 1979 in
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
. Her family moved to Kentucky when she was three years old, and her early childhood was characterized by severely violent fights between her parents, until they divorced when she was nine years old. She was recorded as having a borderline retarded IQ of 78. Howell claimed that she had been sexually abused between the ages of five and ten by her paternal uncle and a cousin, and described herself as fearful of relationships. By the age of 13, she began the practice of self-mutilation. Howell lived with her mother until she was 14, and the relationship was stormy, as the two often fought. Howell had a history of resistance to rules and regulations, dysfunction in school, illegal drug usage, runaway behavior, and an interest in
witchcraft
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have u ...
. The latter pursuit began with her use of a Ouija Board and "
automatic writing
Automatic writing, also called psychography, is a claimed psychic ability allowing a person to produce written words without consciously writing. Practitioners engage in automatic writing by holding a writing instrument and allowing alleged spir ...
", evidence of which her
mother found, thereafter bringing in ministers who attempted to "cast out demons” from her daughter. Howell claimed that she had created "love spells" to
get two boys to date her, and that she hears voices.
She moved in with her father briefly after her first semester of high school, although her father had rarely communicated with her. After Howell dropped out of school, she moved back in with her father and continued to earn her GED. By her early teens, she began abusing various drugs, particularly LSD. She claimed to have had a bad trip where she "half-heartedly" tried to chew her friend's arm off, but otherwise had no history of violence nor a criminal record prior to the murders. Howell reported that she had attempted
suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...
four times in the past, twice by cutting her wrists and twice by overdosing on drugs. She had met Natasha Cornett and her boyfriend Joseph Risner at school. Howell was a minor at the time of the crime, and was saving up to buy a car by babysitting full-time.Case of State of Tennessee v. Howell, et al. opinion filed February 29, 2000.
Howell was assigned David Leonard as her public defender. Leonard had never before worked a murder case.
Plea Bargain/Sentencing Hearing
During the sentencing hearing, Natasha Cornett said her first attorney coached her to say she was the "Daughter of
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an entity in the Abrahamic religions that seduces humans into sin or falsehoo ...
". District Attorney Berkeley Bell considered the Satanic angle a distraction (although he utilized occult experts during his investigation) and was relieved when Cornett's first attorney was replaced by the presiding judge.''Six'' a documentary film about the Lilleid murders and Natasha Cornett by forensic psychologist Helen Smith. References were made by witnesses and prosecutors at trial to rumors that the six were involved with
occultism
The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...
and Satanism; however, no evidence of such involvement was presented. This omission was cited in Ms. Cornett's unsuccessful 2002 appeal of her conviction.
D.A. Bell has said in interviews that Bryant was the only one he could prove was a shooter, but he felt it wouldn't be just unless he convicted all six of murder. So before jury selection was completed, a plea bargain was drawn up in which the death penalty was taken off the table if the six pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. However, the D.A. stipulated that ''all'' six defendants had to accept the deal and do so within a very short time period, or the death penalty would be pursued. Karen Howell has stated for the record that she "wanted to fight it in court, even though I was not subject to the death penalty. But they were threatening to kill everyone if I didn't sign it. So I just caved in to the pressure."
All six defendants signed, and in March 1998, they were convicted of felony murder as participants in a felony kidnapping and carjacking that resulted in three murders (three life sentences each) and an attempted murder (25 years each). The six youths were each sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The judge applied the same aggravated circumstances for all. However, it was not determined which of them had the main blame for the killings. Court testimony by the other defendants was that the youngest, Jason Bryant, had fired the shots, but the judge opined that another undetermined member of the group might also have done so.
Jason Bryant admitted to Officer Deb Mackey in Arizona that he had shot Vidar Lillelid. But Officer Mackey's testimony was not allowed, as Bryant had not been read his rights before he made the admission (A.P. 7/18/1997). He later changed his story, saying Mullins and Risner did the shooting.
Aftermath
Soon after Peter Lillelid's medical condition stabilized at the end of April 1997, a custody battle began between his maternal grandmother, Lydia Selaya, in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at th ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...
, and his paternal aunt, Randi Heier, in Sweden. Citing Randi's pledge to raise Peter in the faith and teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses as the deciding factor, local Judge Fred McDonald awarded her custody of Peter on July 1, 1997.Town of Greenville TN Website Lillelid Murder Archive Peter has since been raised in Sweden in the Stockholm area by his Aunt Randi Heier and her family. As of 2007 at the age of about twelve years, he still had trouble walking because of the injuries. By 2017, Peter had finished his IT education and was looking for work. In 2020, Peter moved back to the United States to pursue a career in technology, and has since been married. He lives with his wife, Caitlyn, in Connecticut and visit friends in Knoxville fairly often.
On August 24, 2001, Natasha Cornett and
death row
Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution ( ...
strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and is one of two main ways that hangin ...
Jones to death with a shoelace after Pike and Jones were placed in a holding cell with Cornett during a fire alarm. Although the Department of Corrections believed that Cornett was involved, investigators found insufficient evidence to charge her with helping Pike, who was subsequently found guilty of attempted murder.
District Attorney Berkeley Bell has stated in several interviews that the six youths had planned a "killing spree" inspired by the popular film, "Natural Born Killers." Considering that the killing began and ended with the Lillelid family at Payne Hollow Road, this theory is highly unlikely. Bell also insists that the bodies were "arranged in the shape of a cross," a statement refuted by Sheriff David Davenport, who investigated the scene. In his opinion, the teens "were just trying to get the hell out of there", and did not try to arrange the bodies in any manner (see "The Scarred Heart" by Dr. Helen Smith, page 120).