Dr. John Baxter Hamilton It took only about two hours for the jury to reach a guilty verdict and Hamilton was sentenced to life without parole. He died in October 2021, according to information obtained from a different source. He used to lavish his wife with expensive gifts and lavish vacations. OKLAHOMA CITY, January 8, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Abortionist John B. Hamilton, 53, was sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his wife Susan on. As is routine in domestic murders, the detectives would take a look at the spouse -- John Hamilton, himself. Her husband was arrested that day and later charged with her murder. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. On February 14, 2001, the residents of Oklahoma City bore witness to a terrifying murder when Susan Hamilton was found strangled and beaten to death on her bathroom floor. By then there'd been that neighbor's tip about problems in the Hamilton marriage. the victim told them the defendant smothered her. They'd learned that second surgery, originally scheduled for 9 am, hadn't actually gotten underway until 9:40. He was talking on the phone. "We talked in You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Her husband, John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of murder, and is serving a life sentence. The defense also hired a respected crime scene investigator, Tom Bevel, as an expert witness. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. clinic two days a week. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Investigators though, weren't ruling anything out -- especially not after finding a Valentine's Day card, from her to him, opened that day. John, the good doctor, was simply trying to counsel her. Wes Lane: This had a lot of dots to connect. When he met Susan in 1985, they were both divorced with four children between them. I think that that just goes to I think probably in my heart I knew she was dead. It was never on any abortion protesters. Shibley and Horton told the One year later, a battered body is found tossed into a canyon, the eyes and genitals gouged. Prosecutors claim Susan Hamilton's flesh and blood found inside John Hamilton's car came from the clothes and the blunt instrument. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The palm goes on the center of the chest, on the sternum. Please send somebody quick. . This account has been disabled. The way that we are taught to do CPR, we interlock our hands. Jurors have spent two days hearing testimony and looking at photographs of the bloody crime scene and injuries the victim suffered. "He tried to get the key in the ignition, but he couldn't because he was shaking so much," Martin said. Was he trying to cover up earlier injuries? No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. trips. His attorneys have claimed that police had improper contact with Bevel, who is a former police officer, during the trial. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? There were things done that were dangerous. "He said, 'You know how The email does not appear to be a valid email address. John Hamilton, 53, is on trial in the Valentine's Day slaying of his wife at their Wes Lane: She was talking leaving him. Philadelphian Melvin Sheppard, and William F. Hamilton set a world record in this race. Rob Nigh: Either Tom Bevel lied to the defense about what his testimony would be or defense counsel took a risk that should never be taken. The doctor and his wife built an envious lifestyle for themselves. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. It was never anywhere else. 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Still, there was the doctor's seemingly solid alibi. But that Wednesday morning, John arrived home from the hospital, and found a horrific scene: Susan, lying beaten and strangled on their bathroom floor. Wes Lane: So somebody would have had to come in, get enraged, surprised her, and thrown her to the ground, and done the rest. It was never on anyone that, there were calls that were made to Susan that scared her that weren't brought out. John Hamilton, a prominent doctor in Oklahoma City, showered his wife with gifts, starting with a Porsche he gave her the day they married. What motive? Prosecutors Allege Murder Between Surgeries. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. "Someone said there is a fine line between love and hate, and that man crossed it," Lane said in his opening statement in the first-degree murder trial for Hamilton, an Oklahoma City gynecologist, obstetrician and abortionist. He left in a hurry, obviously, the first time that he was at the house. Randy Scott: He has time to get back by the house 'cause their-- their house is very close to in between the two hospitals. "The police said, 'There's my man. Blood that then transferred from his hands and clothes to the car. Instead, he says, he came home between surgeries that morning to pick up his datebook and was horrified to find his wife lying on the bathroom floor in a pool of blood. Dennis Murphy: Had there been a fling? John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. Dick Horton: I think the best way to describe her is a woman that always wanted to be a mother, was proud to be a mother. "You could have heard a pin drop," remembers Lane. And it was there they noticed something else odd. Horton: Anybody that you ask, nobody that I know that knew John Hamilton would say that he had the capability of doing it. A crowd lined up to attend the proceedings -- loyal patients, former employees, and fellow physicians -- all standing behind the doctor. Susan Johnston: I said, "Susan, I don't think it's true. Please. Hamilton, 62, was an Oklahoma City obstetrician, gynecologist and abortionist. When Susan's ex-husband learned of her murder -- and the domestic melodrama about the cell phone log -- he thought he knew right away what had happened. By 9:30, he was scrubbing up for the operation -- a complicated removal of a tumor. Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services But suspicion began to point closer to home. I gave her her Valentine's card. He was acting bizarre. her daughter was taking sides Tom Bevel: I was hired-- either the-- the next day, or within two days at least-- of-- of the actual crime-- by the defense. Defense attorneys say the victim's blood and flesh got in the car when Hamilton realized after calling 911 his car was blocking the drive for emergency vehicles. He was banging his head into the screen. Tom Bevel, a veteran of almost three decades with the Oklahoma City P.D. Ever. They have got DNA, fingerprints, lab reports that haven't even been looked at yet. Dennis Murphy: So these things that you say are kind of like out of focus- moving the car, there was the other thing -- the business about moving her jewelry, hiding it in her drawer? Every avenue was checked. Two years after their first date, they married at a local country club. Whoever this woman was, there were way too many calls to and from her. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Now he would be able to tell his side of the story. There was an error deleting this problem. A panicked Hamilton told the operator that he was attempting to perform CPR on her. I mean, trying to set fire to his clinic. What made John show his dark side? And, Bradbury says, he didn't see any signs that the doctor had even attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. John Hamilton: Right. John Hamilton: Oh, sure. John R. Hamilton Jr. John Ray Hamilton, Jr., 72, passed away at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo on Friday, January 6, 2023. Knowing that they were about to put his patient under anesthesia, Hamilton returned to the clinic, performed the surgery, and then came back home to finish cleaning up, Lane said. Defense attorney Mack Martin told jurors in his opening statement, "John and Susan Hamilton were head over heels in love with each other. Try again later. So yes, I went and tried to move the car. was her doctor and gave her The state of Oklahoma would charge Dr. John Hamilton with just loving his wife to death. tears.". And there wasn't an objection. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton is on trial for killing his wife. "They have still got all kinds of scientific and technical evidence that has to be evaluated and reviewed, Martin said. Now, courtoom lawyers like to talk about Perry Mason moments when a trial is electrified by unexpected testimony, but it hardly ever happens. John Hamilton, a prominent Oklahoma City gynecologist, has been in jail without bail since Feb. 14. Detective Teresa Sterling: He's supposed to be there. "She said, 'I'm scared and I've never felt brain to figure that out," Horton testified. He said the blood got on the steering wheel when he stopped doing CPR for a moment to move his car before the emergency vehicles arrived. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. Khi gp Susan vo nm 1985, c hai ly hn v c 4 a con . The attacker poured cleaning solution in the drain in an attempt to prevent investigators finding blood in the shower, the investigator said. He was scraping his knuckles on the screen, mesh screen in the police car. On Valentines Day 2001, John Hamilton murdered his wife Susan. They found a disturbing scene that didn't suit a moneyed neighborhood. Susan Johnston: Susan had noticed that John was getting a lot of cell calls. Coffey testified that the defendant, also a friend, called her almost daily that last week, talking about the couple's problems. Home; Memorials; Cemeteries; Famous; Contribute; Register; Sign In; . 2023 www.oklahoman.com. Skip to main content. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. Jewels. We're going to vigorously, steadfastly and as carefully and conscientiously as possible defend this case to the very end. But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. And that wasn't all. The defense says the scratches could have been made by a number of objects besides fingernails. And they've got a lady under anesthesia without the doctor, and that is just unheard of. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. And I don't think they-- believed it. Dick Horton: She calls us and says, "I found the jewelry in her underwear.". Aguirre said he was calling her 10 or more times a day. Oops, something didn't work. He said he'd gotten Susan's blood on him from performing CPR. Karen Reisig: I personally don't believe a physician could do-- a surgery, go commit a brutal crime of murder. The major one is that I've lost the love of my life. I mean, because it was out there in view, I guess. And both John and Susan had received threatening phone calls that week. And I looked at the defense table which was over to my left. Then came Valentine's Day 2001. Oklahoma City police Sgt. It doesn't always happen that way. they thought the Hamiltons had You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. The doctor, according to the prosecution's version, now had to cover up his frenzy by going back to perform his second surgery as though nothing had happened. John Hamilton had been imprisoned since 2001 on suspicion of murdering his wife. her mother, Horton testified in the first- Steve Jimerson: She was very strongly pro-choice, and-- and very outspoken about it, about the right of women. Now, keep in mind, John Hamilton was a doctor who performed abortions. Hamilton had told the 911 operator he was performing CPR. neighbor. There's no tracks that ran out through the creek bed and behind. He is accused of beating and choking to death his wife, Susan, 55, at their Quail Creek home on Valentine's Day. It was over by 8, and afterwards, John stopped by the hospital, where he had another procedure scheduled for later that morning. In the week before she was wanted to talk to someone," They had regularly scheduled luncheon dates and worked His defense team argued that there was no direct evidence that Hamilton was the murderer, noting that no murder weapon was ever found. The defense's expert was saying that Dr. John Hamilton most likely created those blood stains by bashing in his wife's skull. Officers say they can account for all the bloody footprints inside the house, but there is no evidence showing how the person got outside. But eventually, she said, "Yes, I'll go.". Why do you do that? Because Dr. John Hamilton was late. "He (Hamilton) was really clinging to the defense lines that the blood result was not the way it was interpreted, Dennis Murphy, a "Dateline NBC reporter, told The Oklahoman on Wednesday. The prosecutor told the jury he envisioned the murder this way: the doctor coming back mid-morning after his first surgery, trying to patch things up with his wife who, majorly, wasn't buying it. Bevel and prosecutors have denied those allegations. The medical examiner released a preliminary cause of death Friday. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. would put together a novel theory of just what happened between husband and wife, something maybe grimly fitting for Valentine's Day. Aguirre testified John Baxter Hamilton. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. Spruill said she probably grabbed at the necktie with both of her hands. "The evidence will be she was just as much in love with him.". "He said he was wracking his loyal patients, former employees and fellow physicians, all standing behind the doctor. talked to Susan Johnston, a Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Time for a new episode! been upset because she suspected her All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The case now landed in the hands of Wes Lane, the district attorney who would try Dr. John Hamilton for murder. That high society doctor was Dr. John Hamilton -- an OB/GYN who in addition to his regular practice, ran an abortion clinic -- a role that in conservative Oklahoma, would bring him some. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. "Blood spatter is not an exact science, and Bevel had gone over to the dark side on him. upset about the incident because Susan Hamilton thought Dennis Murphy: You thought that the second operation was gonna be backed up? John and Susan Hamilton had the seemingly perfect marriage. Neighbors told police that in the weeks before the killing the Hamiltons had been having marital problems. John Hamilton: I was frantic. But for John Hamilton, the fight wasn't over. He did not think it could have come from giving CPR. Dennis Murphy: A lot of people don't get that. Dick: They had to find the stripper. "When he saw that this incredible woman was looking like she was leaving him, he lost it. Dick Horton, sometimes worried for his ex's safety. she tried to act strong at first. Contact supportservices@okmedicalboard.org for more information. Investigators had plenty of theories to work with. Her naked body was discovered by her husband, John. One of their arguments was that Tom Bevel should never have been allowed to testify. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The card had been found inside john's Jaguar. In that card, Susan had written a message alluding to the couple's flare-up just days before: Susan ballistic over suspicions that he was having a fling with a stripper. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80157405/susan-hamilton. She had been strangled with two of his ties, and her head had been smashed so badly that parts of her brain were exposed. The expert, though, was certain that whoever was wearing that left shoe that day was present when Susan Hamilton was being bludgeoned to death. "There is a science to blood spatters," Lane said. I do not think that John's havin' an affair. Supervised and trained employees in office duties, computer programs, and phone dialog. He says he did He was so kind, and you never heard him raise his voice or anything like that. "Ultimately, you take an oath to tell the truth and that overrides any allegiance I may have to any client," he said. It was about that bloody shirt taken from the doctor. The Hamiltons' 14-year marriage apparently had been in trouble for some time before the slaying. Two neckties were knotted about her throat. Verify and try again. David Bradbury: The way that this woman had been beaten, I mean, her face was swollen, her face was bloody. And that's what happened here. They claim the defendant took from the house his bloody clothes and the blunt instrument used to beat the victim after she was strangled with a man's necktie and her face repeatedly smashed into a tile floor. Believing that Susan Hamilton's threat of divorce was enough to make the doctor snap, prosecutors developed a theory that the couple had argued that morning after exchanging the cards and the doctor killed his wife. Ross Gardner: This was a relatively contained crime scene. At around 8:30, he bumped into his former medical partner, Dr. Karen Reisig. Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. Theo , Hamilton l bc s sn ph khoa ti nng thnh ph Oklahoma. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton loved his wife to death, District Attorney Wes Lane told an Oklahoma County jury Thursday. Watching. The prosecutor refused to release additional information about the slaying that took place at 3056 Brush Creek Road. By the time the prosecutor had wrapped up his case, he'd laid out a theory of what happened -- that the doctor had used the neckties to pull his wife down from to the ground, then bashed her head in with that murder weapon never found. pic.twitter.com/9VBREeKO87, The Spooky Hour (@SpookyHour) February 15, 2021. the bathroom floor. Which means if John Hamilton didn't do it, you'd have to believe whoever did arrived right as he was leaving, or had been waiting inside all along. What's more, only days before the murder, another anti-abortion group had applied for a permit to stage a protest in front of Hamiltons house. a good marriage, even though John Hamilton: Right. Yeah, I'm going to hang up so I can continue. By 10:45, he was on his way home again, which is when he says he discovered Susan in a pool of blood. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The investigator testified he thought the killer first took a shower and then let the water run for an extended period of time. "I don't just snap," he said. John Hamilton: It was a shock to everybody. We have set your language to And you know, start her day off right before she got busy with her meeting. Bevel, an expert on blood spatter pattern analysis, testified that the blood found on the doctor was consistent with his account of trying to save his wife. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. In fact, she even told her best friend Sharry, "I don't believe John had an affair." There is a problem with your email/password. In addition to delivering babies, John Hamilton performed abortions at his clinic, and Susan worked there too. When police arrived, they observed Hamilton doing chest compressions on . It's a vivid picture. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Aguirre, the topless dancer, Vandalizing his home. A lot of the blood on his clothing could be explained by his attempt to administer CPR. "You have to with what has happened in this country.". And what do robbers take? Tom Bevel: In order to say that, you have to have the murder weapon. For example, John Baxter Hamilton, the most prolific abortionist in Oklahoma City, crushed his wife's skull with a blunt object, then returned to his abortion mill to do more abortions. Not necessarily a killer's shoe, countered the defense expert, but the shoe of Dr. Hamilton as he gave his wife CPR. John Hamilton, a prominent Oklahoma City gynecologist, has been in jail Please, hurry. Tom Bevel: In my examination, I found additional blood that was not talked about anywhere, on the inside of the right cuff. And the only explanation of that event is the wounding to Mrs. Hamilton. They'd been suspicious earlier, back at the house when he scratched his hands against the cage in the police car. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections) Dr. John Hamilton placed the initial 911 call after his wife was strangled and beaten to death in Oklahoma on Valentine's Day 2001. Link in bio. They had been living a privileged life with their four children, and John was known in those days for being a romantic man toward his wife. Around 8:50 a.m., he said, he was beeped because he was late for another procedure. As a Finnish lawyer, Simon Ekpa has made a name for himself in the legal profession. He was only at home for a few minutes, because at 9 am his pager went off, the hospital calling him to get back for a second surgery. doctors. Have a good day. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Susan Shibley Hamilton I found on Findagrave.com. Investigators had to interpret the blood evidence left behind. However, the dark day arrived in their family on Valentines Day 2001, when he claimed Susan was in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. So he runs by that house. How did they get there from the bathroom? Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? "I think John was so astounded that he had her that he had such a wonderful, perfect almost perfect wife, in his opinion," said Shary Coffey, Susan's best friend. so alone in my life,'" Horton said. "The prosecution will present one theory," Martin said. Dennis Murphy: And that you can almost envision whatever that murder weapon is, the-- the bludgeon coming right down on poor Susan's head causing the blood spatter. On Valentine's Day morning, Susan Hamilton had been strangled and brutally beaten in her bathroom. But because it was Valentine's Day, I wanted to give Susan her first Valentine's card. "I think that in and of itself caused the conviction," said Clark Brewster, an attorney who is preparing Hamilton's appeal. At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. Retha Chamberlain, Special Judge Russell Hall's court clerk, said the process to complete the paperwork would delay the appearance until then. On Feb. 14, 2001, he phoned 911 to report finding his wife in the master bathroom of their Quail Creek home. The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. He was sentenced to life without parole. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. And here's the thing about that timeline: John had to have left the house by 9:20 to make it back to the hospital by 9:30, when he was seen scrubbing up for surgery. But he never had a chance to do that -- or to tell the cops that the killer had gotten the jewels -- that's because he was put in the back of the police car and never got back inside the house again. Two months before her death, they fought over the defendant giving his son money without Susan Hamilton knowing about it. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Did you understand what she was saying in it? Oops, we were unable to send the email. 2023 www.oklahoman.com. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. No affidavit was filed with the formal charges because John Hamilton is in custody. Investigators have a word for rage crimes: "overkill." Or maybe more likely, an anti-abortion zealot targeting the doctor and his wife? This is a carousel with slides. She said he paid her $100 and $80 for the dances that cost $20 each. John Hamilton: Yes, I'm trying. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Dennis Murphy: There were people that thought this guy was being sandbagged, railroaded. And Susan's getting ready you know, trying to get dressed. Before Susan Hamilton died, Coffey said, the victim had changed her mind and thought that her husband was not having an affair. at times she insinuated it was too Dr. Hamilton had a more simple explanation for being late. "She loved him. Dick Horton heard the story firsthand from the friend. AGE 40s John Hamilton Norman, OK View Full Report Used To Live In Relatives According to another source, he will be released from prison on Valentines Day 2021. All rights reserved. Things weren't nearly as bad as they portrayed them to be. John would have been devastated.". John Hamilton: I still believed that the system would work. 0 cemeteries found in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA. Danyelle shares three haunting love stories that end in tragedy. But not pretty doctor's wives in Oklahoma City. With that revelation, the defense expert became the star witness for the trials prosecution. Aguirre said the defendant If convicted, he could be Then the prosecutor rose for his cross-examination. felt deceived.". Susan demanded to see John's cell phone bill, and when she got a hold of it her worst fears seemed to be realized. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. And then she decides to eliminate her competition. Try again later. Susan Johnston: She was upset and angry with John. A final report will not be completed for several weeks. Susan Hamilton, 55, had discovered on her husband's telephone bills He told the jury he loved his wife and tried to save her. Year should not be greater than current year. A bloody crime scene, a rumored affair, and inappropriate responses led police to arrest John Baxter Hamilton, one of Oklahoma City's most well-known abortionists, hours after his wife was slain on Valentine's Day. "You could tell she was crying. In particular, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. On this day, Valentine's Day, in 2001, abortionist John Baxter Hamilton bludgeoned his wife, Susan, to death in their Oklahoma home. The group had faxed Hamilton a "wanted" poster the same week as the murder, and the doctor told Primetime he and his wife had both received threatening phone calls the week she was killed.