Vincent Stopher was sentenced to death by the State of Kentucky for the murder of a police officer. According to court documents Deputy Sheriff Gregory Hans went to the home of Vincent and a struggle ensued where Stopher would disarm the victim and fatally shoot him. Vincent Stopher was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ?
DEATH SENTENCE
Parole Eligibility Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Location:
Kentucky State Penitentiary
Age:
48
Race:
White
Gender:
M
Eye Color:
Green
Hair Color:
Brown
Height:
6′ 01″
Weight:
200
Vincent Stopher More News
Stopher was sentenced to death on March 23, 1998 in Jefferson County. On March 10, 1997 in Jefferson County, Deputy Sheriff Gregory Hans was dispatched to the home of Vincent and Kathleen Becker. A struggle occurred whereby Stopher obtained Hans’ 9mm pistol and shot Deputy Sheriff Hans.
Vincent Stopher Other News
On March 10, 1997, Deputy Hans responded to a call made to the Louisville Police Department concerning a disturbance at Appellant’s home. When Deputy Hans arrived at the location, Appellant approached the police cruiser and began striking Hans. Deputy Hans attempted to defend himself but Appellant pinned him to the seat of the cruiser with the result that Deputy Hans’ left hand and arm were trapped beneath his body. Appellant unholstered Deputy Hans’ handgun, pressed the barrel of the gun into Hans’ face, and pulled the trigger. Immediately thereafter, Appellant got out of the police cruiser and pointed the gun at a witness, Steve Porter. Porter, afraid he was about to be shot, dropped to his knees and raised his hands. Appellant pulled the trigger, however, the gun jammed and would not fire. At this time, other officers arrived on the scene and apprehended Appellant. Witnesses stated that Appellant was enraged and shouted that he hoped the officer had died. Four officers were required to wrestle Appellant to the ground and handcuff him. While the officers were struggling with Appellant, he grabbed another officer’s weapon and attempted to fire it.
Following an extensive and highly publicized trial, Appellant was found guilty of intentional murder and was sentenced to death.
David Sanders was sentenced to death by the State of Kentucky for a double murder during a robbery. According to court documents David Sanders would shoot and kill the two vicitms, Jim Brandenburg and Wayne Hatch, during a grocery store robbery.
Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ?
DEATH SENTENCE
Parole Eligibility Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Location:
Kentucky State Penitentiary
Age:
60
Race:
White
Gender:
M
Eye Color:
Green
Hair Color:
Brown
Height:
6′ 0 “
Weight:
231
David Sanders More News
Sanders was sentenced to death on June 5, 1987 in Madison County for the murders of Jim Brandenburg and Wayne Hatch on January 28, 1987 in Madison County, Kentucky, during a grocery store robbery.
David Sanders Other News
On January 28, 1987, David Sanders walked into Boone Variety Store to buy a few items and to use the phone. He called his parents to find out if he needed to help his father work on a barn that day—he did—then called his wife to let her know that he would be helping his father and spending the night with his parents. Finished with his business in the store, he walked outside to his truck, retrieved two guns, and reentered the store. He shot and killed the proprietor, James Brandenburg, and a customer, Wayne Hatch. Sanders killed both men with a single shot to the back of the head. Sanders got in his truck and went home, tossing some of Hatch’s items out of the window and off of a bridge along the way.
On January 31, Kentucky State Police Detectives Skip Benton and Robert Stephens, along with Madison County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Smith, drove to Flemingsburg, Kentucky, to question Sanders—the first of several police interrogations. They interrogated David Sanders about the Madison County murders and a similar shooting that occurred a few weeks before in Lincoln County. Sanders steadfastly denied killing Brandenburg and Hatch or having any part in the Lincoln County shooting. Sanders admitted that he did drive to Madison County that afternoon and showed Detective Benton where he parked the day of the murders. Later that day, Detective Benton had Sanders’ truck taken to the state police post in Madison County to be searched for evidence.
On February 2, David Sanders and his wife called the Kentucky State Police to see when the truck would be released. Detective Benton told them that it could be released to someone whose name was on the Bill of Sale. Sanders went to retrieve the truck that evening. Upon Sanders’ arrival at the state police post, Detective Benton Mirandized him and, along with Stephens and Smith, interrogated him again. They arrested Sanders between 8:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. that night and put him in the drunk tank.
Before long, David Sanders began to break down. He started hitting his head against the wall and would later report that he wanted to kill himself. He finally told one of the jailors to find Detective Benton. When Benton arrived early the next morning, Sanders confessed to killing Brandenburg and Hatch. Sanders also admitted to the Lincoln County shooting.
A grand jury indicted David Sanders on two charges of capital murder and two charges of first-degree robbery. Sanders retained Kevin Charters as defense counsel. Two weeks after his arrest, Sanders asked for psychiatric help; so the court sent him to the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center (“KCPC”) for evaluation. Though Sanders requested treatment for his neurological health, the court directed KCPC to also evaluate whether Sanders was competent to stand trial and whether he had been insane when he committed the murders. After a forty-day evaluation by a team of psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, the KCPC concluded that Sanders was competent to stand trial and was not insane at the time of the murders. In late May, a week before Sanders’ trial, he secured the pro bono services of Dr. Stuart Cooke, a clinical psychologist. Dr. Cooke spent an afternoon evaluating Sanders and concluded that Sanders was insane when he shot Brandenburg and Hatch.
Sanders’ trial took place during the first week of June 1987. He offered insanity as his sole defense. During the Commonwealth’s case-in-chief, Detective Benton testified about his interrogations of Sanders, including Sanders’ inconsistent stories and confession. He also testified about the similarities between the Lincoln County and Madison County shootings. A firearms examiner testified that the bullet removed from Brandenburg and the bullet removed from the Lincoln County victim, Ethel Rankin, were fired from the same gun—a gun Sanders admitted he borrowed from his brother.
The Commonwealth called Sanders’ wife to testify. She detailed Sanders’ actions the morning of the shooting, recounted some of his past, and declared that he was a good father to her two children. She insisted that he would not hurt anyone and said that their marriage had been happy. She also described two incidents where Sanders hit her—she said that she provoked him and that he felt awful for doing it.
Sanders testified in his own defense. He admitted that he killed Brandenburg and Hatch and shot Rankin. He recounted the events of both shootings, testifying that he felt like he was watching himself commit the crimes from outside his own body.
Dr. Cooke also testified for the defense. Dr. Cooke concluded that Sanders had a depersonalization disorder—a disorder where a person feels like he has lost control over his own body. He believed that this illness prevented Sanders from conforming his conduct to the law.
In rebuttal, the Commonwealth presented testimony from Dr. Candace Walker, the clinical psychologist who led the KCPC evaluation team. She described the evaluation and presented the team’s findings. Though Sanders had some type of personality disorder, Walker concluded, he was not insane. She said that the team considered but quickly rejected Dr. Cooke’s diagnosis. Throughout the KCPC’s extensive evaluation, Walker’s team could not find evidence of psychosis or the type of mental illness that would prevent Sanders from understanding the criminality of his conduct. In Walker’s opinion, Sanders showed no remorse and was motivated by a desire for money.
The jury found Sanders guilty on both counts of murder and on both counts of robbery. The penalty phase of trial was short; the Commonwealth moved and the court agreed to incorporate all of the guilt-phase evidence into the sentencing phase. Sanders presented a total of about ten minutes of mitigation testimony from four witnesses. Sanders also took the stand himself. He cried throughout his eight-minute statement, stated he did not understand what happened or why, and blamed the KCPC for not giving him the help he needed. After the close of evidence and arguments, the jury found two aggravating circumstances supporting a death sentence: (1) the murders were committed during the course of a robbery, and (2) the murders were intentional and resulted in multiple deaths. The jury recommended and the court imposed a sentence of death.
Brian Moore was sentenced to death by the State of Kentucky for the kidnapping, robbery and murder of an elderly man. According to court documents Brian Moore would kidnapped the victim as he was walking back to his vehicle, the 79 year old man would rob the victim before killing him. Brian Moore would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.
Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ?
DEATH SENTENCE
Parole Eligibility Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Location:
Kentucky State Reformatory
Age:
63
Race:
White
Gender:
M
Eye Color:
Brown
Hair Color:
Brown
Height:
5′ 10″
Weight:
358
Brian Moore More News
Moore was sentenced to death on November 29, 1984 in Jefferson County for kidnapping, robbery and the murder of 79 year old Virgil Harris on August 10, 1979 in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Harris was returning to his car from a grocery store parking lot when he was abducted, driven to a wooded area of Jefferson County and killed.
Brian Moore Other News
The proof introduced by the Commonwealth showed that the decedent, Virgil Harris, was a 77 year-old man who owned and operated an ice cream shop located on Seventh Street in Louisville. He had a regular daily routine which consisted of arriving at the store at 8:30 a. m., going to the bank at about 10:00 a. m., and then to the A&P grocery store. On August 10, 1979, Harris left his store at 11:20 a. m., driving his 1978 maroon Buick. He went to the Liberty National Bank in Shively where he made a deposit and picked up several rolls of coins. After leaving the bank, he purchased bananas at the A&P.
Shortly before noon, an eyewitness in the A&P parking lot saw a young man answering the description of appellant standing near the door of a maroon car, pointing a gun at the driver, an “older” man. Later in the day, appellant was seen driving a maroon Buick. He told a witness that the car belonged to his uncle and that he (appellant) was going to take over the payments.
Lynn Thompson and Kenny Blair, friends of appellant, lived together in an apartment on Shady Villa Drive in Louisville. Appellant spent the night with them on August 8 and 9. Thompson testified that on the afternoon of August 10, Moore came to the apartment carrying a paper sack which contained a money bag, a gun, a clip, several rolls of coins, and some bananas. Appellant stated to her that he had just robbed a “place” of $250.00. He later told Blair that he had followed a man to his car and demanded his money. The man gave appellant the money and then pulled a mask from appellant’s face. Appellant told Blair that he wasn’t going to let the man live and testify against him, and that he drove the man to the Jefferson Hill Road where he shot and killed him.
Following this conversation with appellant, Blair, who was seeking probation for a recent felony conviction, called his attorney, Murray Turner, and informed him that he had some information about a murder. Turner contacted Judy Feldkamp, an assistant Commonwealth’s attorney, and sought a “deal” whereby the Commonwealth would recommend probation for Blair in return for his testifying about the murder.
*430 The police discovered Virgil Harris’ car in the parking lot at the Shady Villa Apartment, and found that appellant had the car keys in his possession. He also was wearing Harris’ wristwatch. Blair took the police to the scene of the murder, claiming that appellant had taken him there. A battery of scientific tests introduced by the Commonwealth showed that appellant had recently fired a gun, that he had soil on his trousers which was similar to that at the crime scene, and that appellant’s fingerprints were in Harris’ car and on the coin wrappers. Following appellant’s arrest, he made a verbal confession. Evidence of the confession was admitted by the trial judge following a suppression hearing.
Appellant denied that he was guilty and claimed that Kenny Blair was the culprit. There was evidence that appellant was a regular drug user, and he claimed that he was “high” on the day of the crimes. Appellant denied having fired a gun and stated that he had lent the gun to Blair. He admitted driving Harris’ car, but stated that Blair had stolen it and that he had borrowed it from Blair. He denied having made the confession to the police. A witness for appellant, James Lofton, who was a prisoner in the Jefferson County Jail, testified that Blair had told him (while both were incarcerated) that he himself had robbed and killed Harris and that he was setting appellant up for Harris’ murder.
Appellant has raised thirty alleged errors with respect to both the guilt and the sentencing phases of the trial. While we have examined all points raised, we will discuss only those which have any substance. We have found those not discussed to be without merit.
William Meece was sentenced to death by the State of Kentucky for a triple murder. According to court documents William Meece would he shot Joseph and Elizabeth Wellnitz and their son, Dennis Wellnitz, while breaking into their home. William Meece would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.
Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ?
DEATH SENTENCE
Parole Eligibility Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Location:
Kentucky State Penitentiary
Age:
48
Race:
White
Gender:
M
Eye Color:
Hazel
Hair Color:
Brown
Height:
6′ 0 “
Weight:
291
William Meece More News
Meece was convicted of 3 counts of murder, burglary in the 1st degree, and robbery in the 1st degree. He was sentenced to death on November 9, 2006 in Warren County. On February 26, 2003, he shot Joseph and Elizabeth Wellnitz and their son, Dennis Wellnitz, in their home, in Columbia, Kentucky. Meece was originally indicted in Adair County, case 03-CR-00020. However, on June 30, 2006, a change of venue was entered and the case was moved to Warren County, case 06-CR-00656.
William Meece Other News
A woman who admitted plotting to kill her parents and brother in one of Adair County’s most notorious murders was found dead in her jail cell Wednesday.
The death of Meg Wellnitz Appleton is being investigated as a suicide, said Lisa Lamb, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Appleton was being held at the state’s prison for female offenders at Pewee Valley. Staff members found her about 7 a.m. Wednesday.
The Department of Corrections did not release details about the method of her death. State police are investigating.
Appleton pleaded guilty in 2005 in the murders of her adoptive parents, Joseph and Beth Wellnitz, and her brother Dennis Wellnitz.
Joseph Wellnitz, 50, was a well-known veterinarian; his wife, who was 40, helped in the clinic. Dennis Wellnitz, 20, was attending college.
An accomplice, William Harry Meece, was convicted of sneaking into the Wellnitz’s home outside Columbia and shooting all three victims more than once, reloading to finish off Dennis Wellnitz.
The murders happened in February 1993. State police doggedly pursued the case for a decade, finally getting a break when Meece’s ex-wife agreed to provide information.
Money was the motive in the crime. Appleton got $300,000 in insurance after her parents were killed, and Meece expected to get a share, the prosecutor said.
Meece had worked as a cab driver and landscaper in Lexington and had attended the University of Kentucky, where he and Appleton met.
Appleton was serving a sentence of at least 25 years without parole.
Meece claimed he had nothing to do with the killings. A jury convicted him in less than two hours, however, and the judge sent him to Death Row.
He continues to fight the conviction and sentence.
David Matthews was sentenced to death by the State of Kentucky for a double murder. According to court documents David Matthews shot to death his estranged wife and mother in law before robbing the house. David Matthews would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Minimum Expiration of Sentence Date (Good Time Release Date): ?
DEATH SENTENCE
Parole Eligibility Date:
Maximum Expiration of Sentence Date:
DEATH SENTENCE
Location:
Kentucky State Penitentiary
Age:
72
Race:
White
Gender:
M
Eye Color:
Green
Hair Color:
Brown
Height:
5′ 6 “
Weight:
205
David Matthews More News
Matthews was sentenced to death on November 11, 1982 in Jefferson County for the murders of Mary Matthews and Magdalene Cruse on June 29, 1981 in Louisville, Kentucky. Mary Matthews was his estranged wife and Magdalene Cruse was his mother-in-law. In the process of committing these crimes, he burglarized his wife’s home. He was tried and convicted on October 8, 1982.
David Matthews Other News
Matthews and his wife, Marlene, had been married for about two and a half years before the murders. During the last year their marriage had undergone repeated periods of separation, during which Matthews lived with his mother. These separations were marked by extreme hostility, and Marlene often swore out criminal warrants against her husband for harassment.
In the five week period immediately before the murders occurred, Marlene had procured two separate warrants against Matthews. The first charged him with sexual abuse of his step-daughter, Marlene’s six year old daughter. The second charged him with burglary by breaking into Marlene’s residence. Matthews had been arrested on the first warrant and released under a court order forbidding him further contact with Marlene. He was not served with the burglary warrant until after the crimes at issue had occurred.
During the early morning hours of June 29, 1981, the victims were murdered in separate rooms at the home occupied by Marlene and her daughter. The house was rented from Marlene’s family. Both victims were shot with a .22 caliber revolver fired from no more than eighteen inches away. Apparently Marlene died almost immediately. Marlene’s father, Lawrence Cruse, came over the next morning and discovered her mother still alive, but mortally wounded. She had been shot in the head. He also found his daughter who had been shot twice, once in the chest and once in the back. Cruse found the side door screen had been cut and the glass broken, and a pocketknife on the steps.
Appellant did not testify at trial. The evidence that he had broken into the house and that he was responsible for the shootings, however, was both overwhelming and uncontradicted. Defense counsel conceded from the outset of the trial that the appellant killed the two victims. His defense consisted of presenting evidence that he was acting under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance at the time, so that it was manslaughter, not murder.
To establish extreme emotional disturbance, appellant relied on the combined effect of testimony from a number of people about the long history of significant marital strife. Appellant also introduced testimony from a psychiatrist to show that, at the time of the homicides, he was suffering from an adjustment disorder, designated “a temporary emotional and behavioral disturbance” causing temporary impairment of judgment, poor self-control and diminished awareness.
In the account of the events on the night of the murder given by the appellant to the psychiatrist, the appellant said that he broke into his wife’s home at about 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. He found his mother-in-law in bed and shot her. She was left mortally wounded. He then went into the next room, had sexual relations one or two times with his wife, stayed with her until about 6:00 a.m., and shot and killed her. He shot his wife twice because he thought he had missed the first time.
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