Skip to main content

THE HORRIBLE EXECUTION OF TERESA LEWIS FOR THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND.


Teresa Wilson Bean Lewis who became only the second woman executed by Virginia, when she was put to death in 2010, at the age of 41.

Teresa had first met Julian, a widower, in the Spring of 2000 at the Dan River Inc. fabric factory where they both worked. By June of that year, they were married and Teresa moved into Julian’s

trailer on five acres of land in Keeling, in rural Pittsylvania County, Virginia.Julian’s son, Jason, had died in an accident in December 2001 and his father had received his life insurance payout, a

sum in excess of $200,000, which he placed in an account that was only accessible by him. In August 2002, Julian's son Charles was required to report for National Guard duty so Julian made a

will and took out a $250,000 life insurance policy on him. Both only named Teresa as the secondary beneficiary. In other words, she would get nothing if Julian died and was survived by

Charles.

Sometime in the Fall of 2002 Teresa met Matthew Shallenberger in Walmart. She and Shallenberger soon became lovers and plotted the scheme to murder Julian, whom Teresa

claimed was an abusive alcoholic.


At around 3.15 a.m. on October 30, 2002, 51 year old Julian Lewis and his 25 year old son, Charles Lewis always known as C.J., were shot to death in Julian’s trailer home. C.J. was home on leave

from National Guard duty on this day. Teresa had left the door unlocked and then gone to bed with her husband. After the murders she waited for 45 minutes to call the police and removed Julian’s

wallet, sharing the money between Shallenberger and Fuller.

When the police arrived Julian was still alive and is reported to have said "My wife knows who done this to me." Teresa told the

officers that the killings had been the work of an intruder. The police noted that there was no sign of a forced entry nor any sign of grief from Teresa.

A week after the killings Teresa attempted to use a forged check to withdraw $50,000 from Julian’s account. Under questioning Teresa confessed that she had hired Matthew Shallenberger (then 22)

and Rodney Fuller to carry out the murders. 


She denied that the $250,000 life insurance payout on the husband and stepson was the motive. "My motive was to get rid of Julian because I was a

prisoner in my own home," she said. "I didn't care about the money."

As a result of her confession Shallenberger and Fuller were soon arrested.

In jail, awaiting trial, Teresa underwent a psychological examination which found her to be of low IQ (72) but competent to plead.


As the evidence against her was overwhelming her attorney advised her to plead guilty at her trial which she did in May 2003. She was formally sentenced on June 5, 2003 by Circuit Court Judge

Charles Strauss. Judge Strauss said Teresa had no motive but greed for the killings and was even more culpable than the two young men she hired and described her as “the head of the serpent”,

hence presumably why he gave her the death penalty.


Rodney Fuller, entered into a plea bargain to get a life sentence for testifying against Matthew Shallenberger, who also got life, but committed suicide in 2006. Teresa’s daughter, Christie Lynn

Bean, received a five year sentence for failing to report her mother's plans to kill Julian and C.J. and was also housed in the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in Troy, where her mother

was incarcerated, as Virginia does not have a female death row.


Virginia capital cases move at rather greater speed than those of most other states. Teresa spent just seven years in prison. where she behaved well and was a model inmate. Virginia law allows

the condemned inmate a choice between lethal injection and electrocution. Teresa, unsurprisingly chose the former.

There was a vigorous campaign to save Teresa. Partially this was based upon the fact that the actual shooters got life, partially upon her relatively low IQ and also because she was female. 


A petition with over 7,000 signatures was submitted to Governor Bob McDonnell.

In an interview a month prior to execution Teresa said she prayed and read her Bible and had nightmares about the murders. She thought of Julian and C.J. daily.


 "I wish I could give Kathy

Clifton (Julian’s daughter) the world and take away her hurt," she said. "I can't even imagine the pain she's been through all these years." Kathy told reporters that she wanted to see Teresa die

for arranging the murders of her father and brother. If she is put to death, "I will be there, I want to see it finished.” “I want justice for my father and brother.”

Teresa also said "I don't think it's fair for the triggermen to get life, and I got the death penalty."


On September 17, 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell, despite international pressure, refused clemency, stating: "Having carefully reviewed the petition for clemency, the judicial opinions in this

case, and other relevant materials, I find no compelling reason to set aside the sentence that was imposed by the Circuit Court and affirmed by all reviewing courts."

Teresa was moved from Fluvanna to the Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt for her execution, which was carried out at 9 p.m. on September 23, 2010.


About 8:50 p.m., Teresa’s lawyer, James E. Rocap III, and her spiritual adviser, the Rev. Julie Perry entered the witness room after visiting with her.

At 8:55 p.m., after the death warrant was read out by Chief Warden George M. Hinkle, the door to the execution chamber opened and Teresa entered wearing a light blue prison issue shirt and dark

blue pants.


 She was supported by corrections officers holding each arm. She appeared frightened and glanced around at the witnesses before being strapped to the gurney by five execution team

members, with heavy leather straps securing her ankles, legs, wrists and chest. At 8:58 pm a blue curtain was drawn, blocking the view from the witness room as catheters were inserted in each arm

and connected to IV lines. At 9 09 pm, the curtain opened and she was asked whether she had a last statement. Teresa asked if Kathy was present.


 "I want Kathy to know that I love her and I'm

very sorry." Kathy was in an adjacent witness room on the other side of a one way mirror. As the first of the three chemicals then began flowing, Teresa’s left foot moved as if she were

tapping it, but the movement quickly stopped. A guard lightly tapped her on the shoulder as she slipped into death. She was pronounced dead at 9:13 p.m. and the curtains were redrawn, blocking the view.

After the execution, her attorney, James Rocap III said: "Tonight the machinery of death in Virginia extinguished the childlike and loving spirit of Teresa Lewis." He is also quoted as saying "A good

and decent person is about to lose her life because of a system that is broken ... it is grossly unfair to impose the death sentence on her while Shallenberger and Fuller received life”.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

During World War II, millions of people were sent to concentration camps, including women.

During World War II, millions of people were sent to concentration camps, including women. Women in concentration camps were subjected to brutal treatment and often faced more severe conditions than their male counterparts. The conditions in the camps were inhumane, and women were often subjected to forced labor, starvation, and medical experiments.Women were treated differently in concentration camps than men. They were often separated from their families, forced to perform hard labor, and subjected to sexual abuse. Women who were pregnant were also subjected to harsh conditions and medical experimentation. Many women were killed, either as part of the genocide or because they were deemed too weak to continue working. One of the most notorious concentration camps where women were held was Auschwitz-Birkenau. There, women were subjected to forced labor, starvation, and medical experimentation. Many were killed in gas chambers or through other forms of execution. The camp was design

Holocaust Concentration Camps Liberated - Color Photos (Caution).

Holocaust Concentration Camps Liberated - Color Photos (Caution). Can you imagine coming across one of these death camps, or worse, having been held prisoner in one? Over 400,000 Americans died during World War II fighting Adolf Hitler and the other Axis powers. During the Allied victory in Europe concentration camps were liberated, which was a shocking sight for even for the most battle-hardened soldiers. Photojournalists documented what was found in these camps so that there would be visual evidence for the world to see what happened. The following images were all originally done in black and white but have recently been colorized by various individuals. The colorization process makes the images much more life-like. Caution, some of the images are graphic, particularly the latter ones.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani will not be stoned to death - for the time being

Iran's judiciary has said that the stoning sentence for a woman convicted of adultery will not be carried out – for now.  But the fate of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, which has generated huge international concern, remains uncertain. Malek Ajdar Sharifi, the senior judicial official in East Azerbaijan province, where the mother-of-two was convicted, told the Irna state news agency yesterday the sentence "will not be implemented for the time being." Ajdar Sharifi added that the sentence would still be carried out if the judiciary wanted, despite protests from the west. Mohammadi Ashtiani's crimes were "various and very serious" and not limited to adultery, he insisted. "Although the verdict is definitive and applicable, it has been halted due to humanitarian reservations and upon the order of the honourable judiciary chief." Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, was found guilty of having an "illicit relationship" with two men in 2006 but her lawyer and

The great execution

158 Years Ago This December The Largest Mass Hanging Execution in US History Occurred At The Hand of The Evil President Abraham Lincoln The execution was signed off by President Abraham Lincoln the day after Christmas  At 10:00 am on December 26th 1862, 38 innocent Natives of the Dakota Sioux prisoners were led to a large hanging scaffold specially constructed for their execution.  One Dakota sentenced to hang was given a reprieve at the last minute.  An estimated 4,000 spectators crammed the streets of Mankato Minnesota and surrounding land to witness this horrific event that was glorified by the US Government.   The native people were allowed reservations which was their own sovereign lands and nation; the United States has made agreements through treaty agreements that allowed the native people to utilize the land as their own.  After months of making these treaty agreements, the USA allowed hunters onto tribal lands where they were met with armed natives.  They were either removed

THE EXECUTION OF PAUL BLOBEL

The bodies were literally in layers.  A police shooter advanced by firing a submachine gun in the neck of each of the extended people. As soon as they were stripped naked, the Jews were brought in [Babi Yar]. They were channeled through two or three narrow passages, which led to the bottom of the ravine .   As soon as they arrived down, the Schutzpolizei agents grabbed them and forced them to lie down on the Jews already shot.  Everything happened very quickly.   The bodies were literally in layers.  A police shooter advanced by firing a submachine gun in the neck of each of the extended people.   The victims arrived so upset by the horrifying scene that they no longer had any willpower.   As soon as he had killed one, the shooter, walking on the body of the shot, proceeded to the next one, which in the meantime had stretched out on the ground, and shot him.   It went on like this, uninterruptedly, without any distinction between men, women and children.  The children stayed with their

In 1999 a female corpse with black objects on its feet was unearthed in Heilongjiang (China).

In 1999 a female corpse with black objects on its feet was unearthed in Heilongjiang (China). Experts revealed her tragic experience: was she buried alive? For more than 200 years, a woman's skin, muscles, and joints remained intact. This female body was in the coffin, with a distorted posture and open mouth. Although it has become a mummy, it is not difficult to see that its expression is in great pain. The mummy was about 164 cm, the whole body was black as coal, and the placenta was not removed from the mummy before dying. The placenta was attached to the buttocks. Looking closer, the left hand and foot are mutilated. According to the archaeological team, it was a young woman in her 25s from the mummy's face and bones. According to Chinese tradition, the person who dies before being buried is cleaned and straightened by the limbs. The Mystery of the Cause of Death: Did you die of chronic poisoning or difficult childbirth? When the female mummy was found, her skin was still y

Brought to the Scaffold": Pepys, Smith, and Voltaire on Public Executions

In early October of 1660, the diarist Samuel Pepys got up in the morning and headed out to Charing Cross to spend a pleasant day with friends and to see Major-general Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered; which was done there, he looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition. He was presently cut down, and his head and heart shown to the people, at which there was great shouts of joy.  It is said, that he said that he was sure to come shortly at the right hand of Christ to judge them that now had judged him; and that his wife do expect his coming again. Thus it was my chance to see the King beheaded at White Hall, and to see the first blood shed in revenge for the blood of the King at Charing Cross. From thence to my Lord’s, and took Captain Cuttance and Mr. Sheply to the Sun Tavern, and did give them some oysters. I think one of the hardest things for the 21st century to understand about earlier eras is how it was possible for perfectly normal people to go see a man ha

When The Judge Learned Their Secret, He Said Something That Made Them Cry Like Babies...

Their crimes were horrific. Two teenagers, Jacob Muzon (17) and Drake Campbell (18), were charged with murder, attempted murder, burglary, and armed robbery. They sat silently in court as the judge decided whether or not to grant bail.  However, it was not the judge’s decision that triggered an unexpected reaction, but the two teens who began to sob when they realized the seriousness of their situation. Just two of a five-man group, these two South Carolina teens were suspects in a grisly home invasion and murder in the quiet community of Huger. For one teen, trouble seemed to follow the family. Drake Campbell’s older brother, Kenneth, was also involved in the incident and had pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges only a year prior. To say these boys were trouble would be an understatement. In the days prior to the boys appearing in front of the judge, Jacob Muzon’s mother pleaded for mercy. His sister even spoke on his behalf, claiming that Jacob was her best friend and he had simply

Firing Squad to Gas Chamber: How Long Do Executions Take?

Utah brought back the firing squad this week as a backup execution method, with some proponents saying it’s the fastest and most humane way of killing condemned inmates in an era when lethal injections have dragged on as long as two hours. “It’s the only method we have in this country for which people are trained to kill,” said Fordham Law Professor Deborah Denno, an expert on capital punishment. “It appears the death is the quickest.” Last summer, a federal judge wrote in an opinion that firing squad should probably replace the needle as the U.S. execution method — even though he thought another was more foolproof. “The guillotine is probably best, but seems inconsistent with our national ethos,” Judge Alex Kozinski of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote. With states considering alternatives from the electric chair to the gas chamber, here’s a look at how long it takes to kill a condemned inmate with each method: Popularized during the French Revolution as a humane alternati

THE TERRIBLE EXECUTION OF CLIFFORD GODFREY WILLS FOR A CASE OF OVERKILL...

31 year old Clifford Wills had served in the army during World War II and after demob in 1945 worked as an electrician but was unemployed in 1948.   He was having an affair with a 32 year old married woman, Sylvina May Parry who lived with her husband 36 year old John and 14 year old son, Anthony, at 11 Wayfield Crescent in Pontnewdd, a suburb of Cwmbran, South Wales.  On Tuesday the 8th of June 1948, John Parry had gone off to his job as a furnace man at G.K.N. as usual.  He was on afternoon shift, working 2 p.m. - 10 p.m. and when he got home was surprised to find his wife was not there.  He went for a walk round the village in search of her but returned home without finding any trace. The following morning he reported her missing to Sgt. Daniel Plummer.  He then went home where he discovered Sylvina’s body hidden under the spare bed in the small box room.  He went and told Sgt. Plummer who then initiated a murder investigation.  A thorough search of the house revealed bloody footpri