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Broken Arrow murders

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The Broken Arrow murders, otherwise known as the Bever family massacre, was a familicide and mass stabbing that occurred on July 22, 2015, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The perpetrators, Robert and Michael Bever, murdered their parents and 3 siblings.[2] It was the deadliest crime and mass murder in the city of Broken Arrow, until a murder-suicide in October 2022 which killed 8 people.[3]

Broken Arrow murders
Map of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
LocationBroken Arrow, Oklahoma, U.S.
Coordinates35°58′10.32″N 95°47′28.08″W / 35.9695333°N 95.7911333°W / 35.9695333; -95.7911333
DateJuly 22, 2015; 9 years ago (2015-07-22)
_targetParents and siblings
Attack type
Mass stabbing, mass murder, familicide, pedicide
WeaponsKnives
Deaths5
Injured1
PerpetratorsRobert and Michael Bever[1]
Motive
  • Desire for fame and to outdo historical mass murders
  • Plans to perpetrate a mass shooting after murdering their family
VerdictRobert:
Pleaded guilty
Michael:
Guilty on all counts
ConvictionsFirst-degree murder (5 counts), assault with intent to kill
SentenceRobert:
Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole
Michael:
Five consecutive life sentences without[a] the possibility of parole, plus 28 years

Daniel Bever (age 12) called 9-1-1, saving the lives of his sisters Autumn (2) and Crystal (13) by alerting authorities. Crystal, one of the two survivors, identified two of her older brothers, 18-year-old Robert and 16-year-old Michael, as the assailants. The brothers were subsequently arrested and charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with intent to murder.[1][4][5][6] The perpetrators were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Perpetrators

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Robert and Michael Bever
BornRobert Davis Bever
(1996-09-17) September 17, 1996 (age 28)
Michael John Bever
(1998-11-04) November 4, 1998 (age 26)
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States (both)
Other namesThe Bever brothers Killer siblings
Alma materHomeschooled (both)
Occupation(s)Robert : former employee at MicahTek, Inc.
Motiveacquiring notoriety and infamy, thrill killing
Conviction(s)First-degree murder (5 counts), assault with intent to kill
Criminal penaltyRobert:
Six consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole
Michael:
Five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 28 years
Details
VictimsParents and siblings
DateJuly 22, 2015
Location(s)709 Magnolia Ct, Broken Arrow, OK 74011
_target(s)Parents and siblings Other people
Killed5 (total); 3 by Robert and 2 by Michael
WeaponsKnives
Date apprehended
July 23, 2015

Robert Davis Bever (born September 17, 1996) and Michael John Bever (born November 4, 1998) were American homeschool students who are currently serving life sentences for murdering their parents and three siblings on July 22, 2015.

Background

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Neighbors said the Bever parents homeschooled their children and kept them from interacting with neighbors or other children.[7][8][9] The family's lifestyle was reported to be so inconspicuous that some neighbors found out the full names of the entire family for the first time when the medical examiner released them. Neighbors also reported strange and unsettling behavior by Robert and Michael.[10]

Defense attorneys stated that David Bever was physically and verbally abusive toward his children, according to Crystal's testimony.[11] Robert claimed that both of his parents were abusive to him and the other siblings. He said his parents would often talk about people they hated and would refer to the biblical Armageddon as "a retribution thing for everything they hated about the world".[12][13]

Robert confessed to committing the familicide. He claimed that he and his brother planned the act for some time and intended to commit a shooting spree outside the family, hoping it would rival and even outdo both the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and the 2012 Aurora theater shooting.[14][15][16][17] Robert later confessed that he and his brother planned to dismember the bodies of their family, place them in storage bins, and hide them in the attic of their home. He also stated that they planned to steal the family car, shoot and kill five random people each at multiple locations, and eventually achieve a body count of at least fifty people.[11][18] Robert also stated that he admired serial killers, hoped to strike in locations outside of Oklahoma, and wanted to achieve a body count of up to 500 people or more.[12] Robert talked about a plan to make two videos – one showing the bodies that they believed would only be seen by police and prosecutors, as well as another version without the bodies that could be posted online.[18]

Acquiring weaponry

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Detectives said they found a hatchet, knife, darts and a surgical blade inside the Bever family home. Detectives also recovered wireless cameras, a bulletproof vest, a neck protector, a black mask and shin guards, along with computers and cellphones. A detective said Robert told him he got a job at a religious call center to earn money to buy knives, body armor, helmets, bullets and guns. He said they ordered body armor and collected knives for months. Robert told them he found out he could order guns and get them delivered to a gun shop. He said he ordered ammunition to be delivered to their home the day after their family was killed.[11]

The massacre

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At around 11:30 p.m. on July 22, 2015,[19] police were alerted to 709 Magnolia Court[20] by a 9-1-1 phone call made by 12-year-old Daniel Bever, who stated his brother was attacking the family.[14] Screaming, commotion, and a male voice were heard in the background before the line went dead. Dispatchers tracked the address by searching the number. After a failed attempt to contact the father, David Bever, they dispatched officers to the scene.[20]

When police arrived, they saw blood around the porch of the house. They knocked on the door, heard a faint voice calling for help, and forced their way into the house, where they found 13-year-old Crystal Bever, bleeding from multiple stab wounds. After pulling her out from the house,[20] the officers found Daniel Bever and four others, who were all dead.[19][21] Two-year-old Autumn Bever was found alive and unharmed with Crystal inside the house. It was believed that one of the brothers responsible for the killings lured out the victims by pretending that he himself was under attack.[11]

Crystal survived the killings but was critically injured from her wounds. She identified two of her brothers as the assailants, saying they lured her to a bedroom before slitting her throat and stabbing her in the stomach and arms. She underwent surgery at a nearby hospital and was listed as being in serious but stable condition. The surviving children were placed in state custody.

The parents, as well as three children, were all found stabbed to death. Knives, hatchets, and other bladed weapons were found at the scene, along with protective gear.[1][6][21][22][12] Law enforcement officials said that at least some of the weapons found were used in the killings.[23]

Victims

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Five people were killed in the familicide, and one was injured. A medical examiner determined that the common cause of death was "multiple sharp force injuries". Autopsies revealed the victims died between the late hours of July 22 and the early hours of July 23. The victims were identified as:[6][22][24]

Killed

  • David Bever, 54 (father; killed by at least 28 stab wounds to the torso, face, neck, and left arm and hand)
  • April Bever, 45 (mother; killed by blunt-force trauma and more than 48 wounds to the head, neck, torso, and arms and hands)
  • Daniel Bever, 12 (brother; killed by 21 stab wounds to the back, shoulder, and chest)
  • Christopher Bever, 10 (brother; killed by 21 stab wounds to the back, chest, shoulder, and lower leg)
  • Victoria Bever, 5 (sister; killed by 23 stab wounds to both sides of the neck, her chest, back, and upper arm)

Injured

  • Crystal Bever, 13 (sister; injured by a slit throat and stab wounds to the stomach and arms)[12]

Aftermath

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The two killers fled the scene through the back door of the house when police arrived and headed into a wooded area behind the property. They were apprehended quickly at 12:18 AM with the use of a K9 unit and arrested without incident. The suspects were identified as 18-year-old Robert Bever, the oldest son of David and April Bever, and his 16-year-old brother, Michael Bever; the pair were found hiding beneath a bush.[1] Robert was armed with a knife at the time of his arrest.[20]

One of the brothers "spontaneously uttered" that plans for the killings were stored on a flash drive inside the home. This flash drive was later retrieved by police when they searched the home for a second time.[25] They also recovered computer equipment and video surveillance cameras, which they believed recorded the murders as they were located near where three of the victims' bodies were found.[26] It was later determined that the brothers planned to make two videos, one depicting the bodies of their family that would be shown to investigators and prosecutors, the other without the bodies that could be posted online.[18] The brothers were charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with intent to kill. On July 25, authorities announced that Michael Bever would be charged as an adult.[5][27][28]

A conviction of first-degree murder in Oklahoma carries the punishment of life imprisonment or the death penalty. However, the Tulsa County District Attorney stated that Michael Bever would be exempt from a death sentence since he was under the age of 16 at the time of the murders.[29]

Michael Bever's attorney argued against the constitutionality of the decision to try his client as an adult, stating that his client would die in prison and that it was the same as the death penalty. He argued Michael should be rehabilitated instead of imprisoned if he was physically and emotionally abused at home, although no evidence indicated any abuse occurring in the Bever home.[30]

Investigators looked into a shipment of boxes containing a total of 3,000 rounds of ammunition that was believed to have been delivered on July 23.[21][16] They also began investigating social media accounts belonging to Robert Bever.[31]

On July 6, 2016, it was reported that Robert Bever had attempted suicide by hanging with a bed sheet. Tulsa County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Casey Roebuck said the suicide attempt, occurring earlier that year on June 17, was discovered by a detention officer during a routine security check. Medical staff cut him down and checked him, determining he was uninjured. He was then moved to suicide watch.[32]

Bever family home

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The family's home and site of the killings, 709 Magnolia Court, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, had sat vacant since crime scene investigators and cleaners finished the forensic investigation of the murders. In many rooms, the walls have been ripped down to the studs because so much of the home was declared a biohazard after the murders. Local real estate agents have stated that the house also lost tremendous value after the killings due to the stigma that comes with living in a home with a violent past. It was believed the bank would have to sell the house for far less than what was owed by the family at the time of the murders. Because of the ominous appearance of the house, and similarities in the stories, some, including neighbors, had dubbed it "Broken Arrow's Amityville Horror House".

The house had an ominous dark roof that dominated the front of the structure. After the killings, it became a center for dark tourism by ghost hunters, urban legend seekers, teenagers, trespassers, and vandals.[33]

In mid-February 2017, Broken Arrow's city council announced a plan to raise money through the Tulsa Community Foundation for the acquisition of the Bever family home. They hoped that enough money could be raised to purchase the house from the Bevers' mortgage holder and lending company, its then owner. If enough funds were raised, it was planned to tear the house down and, in its place, create a memorial park and garden titled "The Bever Family-First Responders Memorial Park".[34][35][36] The house was destroyed in a fire on March 18, 2017.[37]

On March 27, 2019, Reflection Park was dedicated in an official ceremony. A path meanders through a knoll of grass where the Bever house once stood.[38]

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The brothers were arraigned in court on August 3. They pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them. A preliminary hearing was set for October 28.[39][40] The date was later changed to October 9,[41] and later to January 22, 2016.[42] It was changed again to February 23, 2016.[43]

On August 5, Tulsa County Judge Bill Musseman ruled that documents concerning the case be made public. They were released the next day, redacted to protect the victims' identities and sensitive information.[20]

Robert Bever eventually pleaded guilty to all counts and was given five life sentences without the possibility of parole, along with an additional life term, on September 7, 2016.[44][45]

Michael Bever's trial began on April 16, 2018.[46] He was found guilty on May 9.[47][48] On August 9, 2018, he was given five life sentences without[a] the possibility of parole.[49][50][51]

On July 15, 2019, Robert Bever tried to attack two prison officers at Joseph Harp Correctional Center.[52] An incident report states the attack took place around 4:36 p.m. in the prison dayroom.[53][54][55][56] On November 17, 2020, Robert Bever was sentenced to three more life terms (bringing his total amount to nine).[57]

Robert is currently housed in the Joseph Harp Correctional Center and Michael is in the Lexington Correctional Center (both correctional centers are in Lexington, Oklahoma).[58]

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The 911 call made by 12-year-old Daniel Bever was released to the public on February 19, 2020, after a FOIA request was made regarding the Broken Arrow murders.[59]

This case has been featured in several television programs including the true crime series Dateline on Oxygen TV which aired a documentary called "Killer Siblings: Bever".[60]

HLN's true crime show Lies, Crimes & Video aired an episode about the case on February 28, 2021.[61]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b With the possibility of parole after 225 years, but this would be at an age when it is guaranteed he would be dead.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jones, Vicent; Corey, Samantha (July 25, 2015). "Girl, 13, who survived Broken Arrow stabbings named brothers as assailants in quintuple homicide". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  2. ^ Smith, Alexander (July 23, 2015). "Five Found Dead in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Two Teen Relatives Detained". NBC News.
  3. ^ "Broken Arrow family of 8 shot ahead of fire, according to Medical Examiner". Fox 23. October 28, 2022.
  4. ^ "Broken Arrow police name suspect in quintuple homicide". fox23.com. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Clark, Richard (July 31, 2015). "Five Murder Charges Filed Against Brothers In Broken Arrow Family Killings". News On 6. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "Broken Arrow killings: Autopsy reports reveal Bever parents stabbed dozens of times". Tulsa World. October 13, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "Latest: 2 dead identified as parents; adult son is suspect". New Jersey Herald. July 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  8. ^ "Police Release Names of Parents, Suspect in Broken Arrow Murders". ktul.com. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  9. ^ "Tulsa suburb struggles to cope with horrors found in home". MSN. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  10. ^ Juozapavicius, Justin (August 1, 2015). "Oklahoma suburb searching for answers after fatal stabbings". Associated Press. Retrieved August 1, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c d "Oklahoma teen 'laughed' while describing killing five family members as part of brothers' gruesome mass murder plan". The New York Daily News. February 23, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d Fullbright, Lori (February 23, 2016). "Testimony: BA Murder Suspect Robert Bever Wanted To Kill 100+ People". News On 6. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
  13. ^ "Robert Bever breaks down in tears on witness stand in younger brother's murder trial, says they acted together but 'in (Their) own ways'". May 4, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "Young boy victim to brutal family murder may have saved lives with 911 call". WGN-TV. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  15. ^ "Who is Robert Bever?". KTUL. July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  16. ^ a b Wagner, Meg (July 29, 2015). "Oklahoma teens accused of killing parents, siblings wanted to be more famous than Columbine shooters: report". The New York Daily News. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  17. ^ "Oklahoma brothers accused in family murder reportedly planned more attacks". Fox News Channel. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  18. ^ a b c "Cops: Brothers killed family as part of mass murder plot; wanted fame". CBS News. Associated Press. February 24, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "Oklahoma girl, 13, reportedly named brothers as assailants who fatally stabbed parents, 3 siblings". Fox News Channel. July 25, 2015. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  20. ^ a b c d e "Documents, 911 call notes from Broken Arrow quintuple homicide released". KJRH. August 6, 2015. Archived from the original on August 9, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  21. ^ a b c "Ammunition delivery possibly tied to Broken Arrow killings". fox23. July 25, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  22. ^ a b "Police in Oklahoma say motive unclear in 5 fatal stabbings". Yahoo! News. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  23. ^ "Teen brothers allegedly used knives, hatchet to kill parents, siblings". WTVR-TV. July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  24. ^ "ME's Office Releases Additional Victims' Names In Broken Arrow Quintuple Murder". KOTV-DT. July 27, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  25. ^ "Search warrant in Broken Arrow Bever family homicide points to killing plan on thumb drive in house". KJRH. August 6, 2015. Archived from the original on August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  26. ^ Cantrell, Rebecca (August 21, 2015). "Broken Arrow family's murder may have been recorded, cameras found near murder scene". KFOR. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  27. ^ Juozapavicius, Justin (July 25, 2015). "Oklahoma 16-year-old to be charged as adult in stabbings". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  28. ^ "Prosecutor: 16-year-old will be charged as adult in stabbing deaths of parents and 3 siblings". U.S. News & World Report. July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  29. ^ "Brothers Charged With 5 Counts of Murder in Stabbing Deaths". ABC News. July 31, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  30. ^ Fullbright, Lori (January 21, 2016). "Appeals Court: Younger Bever Brother To Be Tried As Adult". News On 6. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  31. ^ "Broken Arrow police scour social media for clues to family stabbings motive". The Guardian. July 25, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  32. ^ Jones, Corey (July 6, 2016). "Robert Bever attempted to hang himself in Tulsa Jail cell". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  33. ^ "Fundraising effort seeks to turn site of Bever murders into memorial park, garden". Tulsa World. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  34. ^ "Fundraising effort seeks to turn site of Bever murders into memorial park, garden". Tulsa World. February 25, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  35. ^ "Broken Arrow official hopes to demolish Bever home, create a park". KFOR. February 23, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  36. ^ Slanchik, Amy. "Memorial To Replace Bever Family's Broken Arrow Home". Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  37. ^ Griffin, David. "Vacant Bever Family Home Destroyed By Fire". newson6.com.
  38. ^ "Broken Arrow city officials dedicate Reflection Park after Bever killings". Tulsa World. March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  39. ^ Hulstine, Russell (July 27, 2015). "Court Date Set For Teen In Broken Arrow Quintuple Murder". News On 6. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  40. ^ Maune, Tess (August 3, 2015). "Bever Brothers Plead Not Guilty In Murders Of Broken Arrow Family". News On 6. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  41. ^ Vincent, Samantha (August 12, 2015). "Preliminary hearing date set for brothers in Broken Arrow quintuple homicide". Tulsa World. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  42. ^ "Judge rules 16-year-old accused of killing family will be tried as adult". KFOR. October 12, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  43. ^ Vicent, Samantha (January 13, 2016). "Broken Arrow killings: Preliminary hearing rescheduled for Bever brothers". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  44. ^ "Robert Bever Pleads Guilty, Sentenced To Life For 2015 Killing Of Parents, 3 Siblings". KGOU. September 8, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  45. ^ "Robert Bever pleads guilty to family's 2015 murders, sentenced to life in prison". KTUL. September 7, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  46. ^ "The Latest: Trial starts for teen in family's deaths". Associated Press. April 16, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  47. ^ "Michael Bever, Okla. teen, guilty of fatally stabbing parents, 3 younger siblings". CBS News. May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  48. ^ "Jury finds Michael Bever guilty on all charges". KJRH. May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  49. ^ "The Latest: Life with parole for son in fatal stabbings". Yahoo. August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  50. ^ Ristau, Reece. "Michael Bever gets five consecutive life sentences in slayings of five family members". Tulsa World. Tulsa, Oklahoma. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  51. ^ "Oklahoma teen who killed parents, siblings gets life in prison". Reuters. August 9, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  52. ^ "Man who fatally stabbed family tried to attack prison staff". Associated Press. July 17, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  53. ^ Schlotthauer, Kelsy (July 17, 2019). "Robert Bever attempts to attack prison staff with 8-inch long 'sharpened instrument,' DOC reports". Tulsa World.
  54. ^ "Robert Bever accused of assault on staff at correctional center". KJRH. July 17, 2019.
  55. ^ Griffin, David. "Robert Bever Tries To Attack Prison Staff With 'Sharpened Instrument,' Report States". news9.com.
  56. ^ "Man who fatally stabbed family tried to attack prison staff". KOCO. Associated Press. July 17, 2019.
  57. ^ "Robert Bever Sentenced to Additional Life Sentences for Prison Assault". Public Radio Tulsa. November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  58. ^ "Ok Offender Search". okoffender.doc.ok.gov.
  59. ^ "Broken Arrow killings 911 calls (obtained via FOIA request)". Based Skeletor via Youtube. February 19, 2020.
  60. ^ "Killing Siblings:Bever". ImdB. November 17, 2019.
  61. ^ "Summer Night Massacre". HLN via Youtube. February 22, 2021.
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