Man Charged With Killing 4 in Ky.
Repo...@virgin.net
Man Charged With Killing 4 in Ky.
By STEVE BAILEY
GREENVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A man accused of killing his parents and two
neighbors
was being held without bond while police tried to determine a motive
behind the
crimes.
Police said Terry Todd Wedding, 27, shot and killed his mother; police
officer
Joey Vincent, also a pastor and Wedding's first cousin; and Vincent's
wife. He
used a baseball bat to bludgeon his father to death, police said.
Wedding pleaded innocent Monday to four counts of murder and one count
of theft
for allegedly taking $1,200 from his parents' home. A preliminary
hearing was
scheduled July 7.
Police said Vincent, 29, and his 22-year-old pregnant wife, Amy, were
killed
early Sunday morning in the driveway of their home, which is adjacent to
the
home of Wedding and his parents. The Vincents' 3-year-old daughter was
found
inside unharmed.
Police said Wedding killed his parents, Manville Todd Wedding, 59, and
Beverly
W. Wedding, 56, late Saturday or early Sunday in an open field about a
mile
from the family home in Depoy.
``Right now, we're working on a motive,'' state police spokesman Bryan
Pitney
said. ``We're trying to nail down anything that may be more obvious to
those in
the community.''
Officer Richard Morris said Vincent was one of two officers who recently
used
force when taking Wedding into custody for psychiatric treatment at a
state
hospital. Morris declined further comment. Pitney also declined comment.
In downtown Greenville, a city of about 4,500 people, flags flew at
half-staff
and large blue ribbons hung in honor of the victims from the doors of
all the
businesses on Main Street, including the Harbin Memorial Library.
``I think everyone's just in shock,'' said library employee Sandra
Galyen.
``You hear something like that about such good people and you just don't
believe it. You know deep down it's the truth but your mind just won't
let you
believe it.''
AP-NY-06-29-99
--------------------------------------------------------------
The following two news articles both appear courtesy of today's
Reuters news
wire:
Kentucky man charged in four murders
GREENVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - A 27-year-old man was charged with four
counts of
murder Monday after he allegedly killed his parents, a policeman and the
officer's pregnant wife in an angry rampage over being put into a mental
hospital.
Terry Wedding was charged with four counts of murder during a brief
appearance
in Muhlenberg County District Court and was ordered held without bond.
He also
was charged with one count of theft for allegedly stealing money from
his
parents.
Police said they responded to a report of gunshots in the community of
Depoy,
Kentucky, on Sunday and found officer Joey Vincent, 29, and his wife,
Amy, 22,
who was four months pregnant, dead in the driveway of their home.
Officer
Vincent was Wedding's cousin.
The bodies of Wedding's parents, Manville, 59, and Beverly, 56, were
found in a
field about a mile from their home in Depoy. Police said the couple were
slain
Saturday night.
Police sources said Wedding's parents had previously gotten a court
order to
have their son's mental state evaluated. Vincent had taken Wedding to
the
hospital, and Wedding allegedly embarked on the killing rampage after
his
release.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Bryan Pitney said state mental health
records
were confidential, but he did not discount the information. Pitney would
not
say what weapon was used in the killings.
17:31 06-29-99
-------------------------------------------------------------
Search For Answers Continues
June 29, 1999
Reuters
(GREENVILLE) -- Kentucky State Police are still trying to answer the
question
"why" following Sunday's killing rampage in Muhlenberg County. Police
say 27-
year-old Terry Wedding killed his parents, a Greenville police officer,
and the
officer's pregnant wife. In addition to being a police officer, victim
Joey
Vincent was a pastor at a local church. Fellow officers say they feel
like
they've lost members of their families. Wedding entered a plea of
not-guilty
during a court appearance yesterday. He'll be back in court next month.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The following two news articles both appear courtesy of the 6/29/99
online
edition of The Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper
Tuesday, June 29, 1999
Release came days before killings
Slaying suspect was at mental hospital
By CHRIS POYNTER, The Courier-Journal
GREENVILLE, Ky. -- A man released Wednesday from a state psychiatric
hospital
has been charged with killing his parents -- who had him committed for
treatment -- as well as his neighbor, a police officer who took him to
the
hospital. Terry Wedding, 27, also is charged with fatally shooting the
police
officer's pregnant wife.
This weekend's four slayings have outraged relatives, who said Wedding
was
diagnosed with a bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder 15 months ago
and had
been under psychiatric care but stopped taking his medication two weeks
ago.
Wedding, who was hospitalized June 15, should not have been released
after just
one week at Western State Hospital, Adele Wimberly, his grandmother,
said last
night in an interview.
Wimberly's daughter -- Terry Wedding's mother -- was among the four
killed.
"We blame Western State," said Wimberly, who was holding a tissue and
weeping.
"We don't understand."
Western State officials have refused to comment, citing patient
confidentiality.
The deaths stunned the small town of about 4,700 and left people who
knew the
four victims grieving.
Wedding, wearing a bright orange jail suit, appeared yesterday in
Muhlenberg
District Court, where he pleaded innocent to four murder charges in the
deaths
of Joey Vincent, 29, his wife, Amy Vincent, 22, and Wedding's parents,
Todd
Wedding, 59, and Beverly Wedding, 56. Wedding also faces one count of
theft,
for allegedly stealing $1,200 in cash from his mother.
Joey Vincent, a Greenville city police officer and local minister, was a
cousin
of Terry Wedding; their mothers were sisters.
In court yesterday, Terry Wedding stared straight ahead through his
silver-rimmed glasses and said nothing as 10 police officers stood
behind him,
some wearing black ribbons across their badges in memory of Joey
Vincent.
A public defender was appointed for Wedding, and a pretrial hearing was
set for
July 7.
More details emerged yesterday -- including the fact that Wedding's
parents had
had their son committed earlier this month to Western State, a
psychiatric
hospital in Hopkinsville. Joey Vincent had helped a deputy sheriff serve
a
mental-health warrant on Wedding June 15, Muhlenberg County Sheriff
Jerry
Mayhugh said yesterday. Wedding resisted and threatened Vincent, the
sheriff
said.
Terry wedding's mother took out the warrant to commit her son after she
grew
concerned about his refusal to take his medicine, Wimberly said. "Terry
was
angry all the time he was up there (at Western State) and he didn't want
to see
any of the family," Wimberly said.
Wimberly said she blames Western State officials for his release from
the
hospital, but also blames her grandson. Wimberly said there had been a
hearing
on whether to release him, but she didn't attend it.
"I kind of feel hard towards Terry, and that's awful for a grandmother
to say,"
Wimberly said.
Wedding lived with his parents on Wimberly Lane near Depoy in rural
Muhlenberg
County, according to police records. The Vincents lived just down the
gravel
road.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Joey Vincent was a minister
at New
Cypress Baptist Church. His wife was about four months pregnant.
Sometime Saturday, Wedding allegedly killed his father by bludgeoning
him with
a baseball bat, according to his arrest warrant. He shot his mother
while she
was in a Dodge pickup truck, the warrant said.
Later, he drove their bodies in two different vehicles to a field three
miles
from the home and dumped them, according to an affidavit with a police
search
warrant. He then returned home and apparently tried to wash away
evidence from
another vehicle, a Dodge Intrepid, the affidavit said. It wasn't clear
from
police records what role the Intrepid allegedly played in the homicides.
However, according to the affidavit, the interior of the vehicle was
wet. Then,
about 6 a.m. Sunday, Wedding allegedly shot Joey and Amy Vincent in the
driveway of their gray mobile home, police and the arrest warrant said.
Amy
Vincent's brother, Derek Hembrick, who was staying with the Vincents,
heard the
shots and called 911, according to police records. Hembrick told police
he
looked outside and saw Wedding shoot Joey Vincent, and that Wedding had
a rifle
or a shotgun.
Wedding then took the Vincents' 3-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, to his
home, the
search-warrant affidavit said. He did not harm the girl and surrendered
when
police arrived.
State police believe two weapons that were concealed behind the
fireplace in
the Wedding home were used in the slayings, according to the affidavit.
The
document does not say what type of weapons they were. Also, Wedding told
authorities that another weapon used in the killings was in the trunk of
a Geo
Prizm at the Wedding house, the affidavit said.
Amy Vincent had recently told her co-workers at John and Sue's
Restaurant in
Depoy that she feared Wedding because her husband had helped detain him.
John
Hobgood, who owns the restaurant, said he and Joey Vincent had discussed
the
situation last week, but that Vincent did not think he was in imminent
danger.
State police declined to discuss Wedding's mental health or the reason
his
parents tried to have him committed. Steve Wiggins, the director of
Western
State Hospital, also declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality
laws.
Mayhugh, the sheriff, said Vincent and a deputy sheriff had to use
handcuffs to
restrain Wedding before taking him to the hospital. "There was a small
altercation," Mayhugh said. "He resisted right away."
The sheriff said Wedding apparently threatened Vincent and other law
enforcement. "But we have this with the mentally ill all the time," he
said.
"It's common, quite common."
Mayhugh said Wedding "was a real nice guy after we got him settled
down."
The sheriff said that officials at the hospital agreed that Wedding
needed to
be committed, at least temporarily. Under state law, a person may be
held for
up to 72 hours. At that time, a hearing is held to determine if there is
reason
to keep the patient longer.
Since records in mental-health cases are private, the circumstances of
Wedding's release couldn't be determined.
Court and police records showed that Wedding had faced charges for minor
offenses several times in the past.
According to police records, Wedding was charged with fourth-degree
assault in
1993 in Hopkins County. However, the charge was dismissed. In 1996, he
was
cited for failing to show a vehicle insurance card. It, too, was
dismissed.
Also in 1996, Wedding pleaded guilty to improperly displaying vehicle
registration tags. He paid $67.50 in fines and court costs.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, June 29, 1999
Four victims remembered fondly by community, their relatives
Two couples were neighbors as well as close relatives
By CHRIS POYNTER and JAMES MALONE, The Courier-Journal
DEPOY, Ky. -- Bound by close family ties, the four victims of last
weekend's
killing spree in rural Muhlenberg County lived next to one another on a
gravel
road bearing the family name.
Joey Vincent and his wife, Amy, were well known in the small community.
He bore
the unusual dual roles of policeman and minister and wanted to train to
become
a chaplain. Amy Vincent was a popular waitress at a busy local
restaurant that
serves home-cooked food.
"She was always joking and loving on everybody," said Michelle Noe, a
co-worker.
Amy Vincent, 22, was four months pregnant with the couple's second
child. John
Hobgood, who owns the restaurant, said she was a generous woman -- a
group of
people collecting money for cancer research recently stopped in and Amy
Vincent
gave them half of her $20 in tips that night.
Joey Vincent, 29, a pastor at New Cypress Baptist Church at Graham, had
been a
Greenville police officer for eight years. Friends said he had wanted to
be a
minister even while he was attending Graham High School, which has since
consolidated with other county schools.
Mark Curry, a Greenville City Council member, called the deaths "a great
loss."
"I'm horrified that something like this could happen. You feel safe in a
small
county like this, and then something like this happens," he said.
The slayings are the worst local crime since the brutal abduction and
murder of
Sarah Hansen, a popular honor student and cheerleader, in 1997. Hansen's
attacker, a sex offender, has been convicted and sentenced to death.
Curry said the entire police force liked Vincent. "He was laid-back and
easygoing and he had just gone back to full-time work," Curry said. "He
was
very good in his job. We never had a minute's trouble with him."
Greenville's flags were at half-staff yesterday, and city police
officers had a
black band stretched across their badges. Several officers came to the
courtroom to see Terry Wedding, who has been charged with murdering
Vincent and
the three others.
Wedding was Vincent's first cousin and lived next door with his parents,
Todd
and Beverly Wedding, who also were slain.
The Weddings had been married about 40 years, said Adele Wimberly,
Beverly
Wedding's mother.
"Beverly was a really likable person, a lovable person, and she never
had a
care in the world," Wimberly said last night as she sat in the
breeze-way of
her house with friends and family.
Beverly Wedding, 56, had worked for 15 years as a district circulation
manager
for The Evansville Courier newspaper. Todd Wedding, 59, Beverly's
husband,
helped her deliver the Sunday newspaper.
She was looking forward to retiring.
"She wanted to retire last year, but they wouldn't let her," Adele
Wimberly
said. "I said, 'Beverly, don't be such a good hand and maybe they'll get
rid of
you.' "
Funeral arrangements for the four victims were incomplete yesterday at
Gary's
Funeral Home in Greenville.