Father Charged In Kids' Shooting
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Father Charged In Kids' Shooting
March 9, 1999
Reuters
(DURHAM) -- After more than three weeks of investigating, Durham police
arrested a father in the shooting of his two children. Ricardo
Crutchfield is
charged with first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon. He is
being
held in the Durham County jail without bond. Six-year-old Briana
Crutchfield
died from her wounds, her nine-year-old brother, Ricardo, survived the
shooting
that happened in their father's home. Ricardo Crutchfield was discovered
an
hour after the shootings were reported to police. He was found in a
crawl space
under his home with two gunshot wounds to the chest. He told authorities
he had
been the victim of an attack. Crutchfield faces his first court
appearance
today.
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The following appears courtesy of today's Associated Press news wire:
March 10, 1999
Father denied bond, sent to Central Prison for treatment
DURHAM (AP) -- A man charged with killing his 6-year-old daughter and
trying to
kill his 9-year-old son last month will be held at Central Prison in
Raleigh
for now so he can receive treatment for gunshot wounds.
Eric M. Crutchfield, 35, was denied bond Tuesday during his first
appearance in
Durham County District Court. Crutchfield surrendered to police Monday
and was
charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to
kill,
inflicting serious injury. A probable cause hearing was scheduled for
March 26.
Police said they believe Crutchfield shot Briana Renee Crutchfield and
Ricardo
Montese Crutchfield and then fired two bullets into his own chest.
Briana died;
Ricardo is recovering at home. The father was discovered after the
shooting in
a crawl space under his Durham apartment.
Crutchfield did not enter a formal plea during the court appearance but
his
attorney later said Crutchfield is innocent and will vigorously fight
the
charges against him. Crutchfield has repeatedly told authorities he and
the
children were attacked.
Prosecutors did not object to Crutchfield lawyer's request asking that
his
client be moved from the Durham County Jail to Central Prison so he can
continue receiving medical care at the prison hospital. He was taken to
the
prison after the hearing.
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The following appears courtesy of the 3/9/99 online edition of The
WRAL-TV,
local Raleigh-Durham North Carolina TV station web site:
Durham Father Charged in Childrens' Shooting
DURHAM (WRAL) -- Monday, after three weeks of investigation, Durham
police
arrested Ricardo "Eric" Crutchfield Sr. in the shooting of his two
children,
one fatally, on Feb. 15.
He is charged with first degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon
and is
being held at the Durham County jail without bond.
Briana Crutchfield, 6, died of her wounds. Her brother, 9-year-old
Ricardo
Crutchfield Jr, survived the shooting, which occurred in their father's
home.
After the father turned himself in, his attorney, Ann Loflin, said
"everything
I know about the case of what he said to police was that he is not
guilty."
While the news is tough for the family, the police chief says things
should be
easier for the public.
"It will in fact give some relief to the community. We never felt good
about
any aspect of the case. We've lost an innocent child's life, but we are
confident that we have the right suspect. The community can rest more
comfortably to know that it was not a stranger to stranger homicide,"
said
Chief Teresa Chambers.
Crutchfield and the children's mother were estranged and lived
separately.
Their father was discovered an hour after the shootings were reported to
police. He was in a crawl space under his home and had two gunshot
wounds to
his chest. Crutchfield told police he had been a victim of an attack.
Police say the mother called to ask about picking up the kids, and the
boy told
her he had been beaten and that his sister was bleeding. The mother
rushed over
and found her two children shot in an upstairs bedroom.
After several days in a local hospital, Ricardo Jr went home in a
wheelchair.
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The following appears courtesy of the 3/10/99 online edition of The
WNCN-TV,
local Raleigh-Durham NBC-TV affiliate station web site:
Father charged in children’s shootings
Eric Crutchfield made his first appearance in court Tuesday. The judge
did not
allow bond.
DURHAM, March 10 – Police charged Eric Crutchfield Monday with the
murder of
his six-year-old daughter and the shooting of his nine-year-old son.
A police dog found Crutchfield, 35, found under his home three weeks
ago, shot
twice in the stomach. His children, Briana, 5, and Ricardo, 9, were
found in
the house – Briana was dead, Ricardo had been shot in the back.
The children has just finished the weekend visiting their father.
When
they failed to meet their mother Monday morning, she called her
ex-husband’s
home and spoke to Ricardo, who told her he had been hurt.
Pam Beasley initially did not suspect her ex-husband in the
shootings, and
police did not apprehend him, but did say he had not been eliminated as
a
suspect.
Police admitted Monday there was no big breakthrough in the case,
just
that it took a few week to be sure they had the right suspect.
Ricardo Crutchfield, 9, was shot in the back and his still recovering
from
his injuries. Crutchfield arrived at the magistrate’s office Monday with
his
father, to turn himself in. His attorney says he plans to plead not
guilty.
The arrest comes as a relief to neighbors.
“We are confident that we have the right suspect,” said police
chief
Teresa Chanbers. “The community can rest more comfortably knowing it was
not a
stranger to stranger homicide.”