On this day, Sept. 1, in 1981, 15-year-old Eric Witte shot his father in Indiana, a killing that was initially ruled accidental until the boy’s grandmother was killed by a crossbow three years later. The death of volunteer firefighter Paul Witte, 43, was reinvestigated in 1984 after Elaine Witte, 74, was killed and parts of her body were dumped between Indiana and California.
Eric’s brother, Butch, 16, admitted that he shot his grandmother with a crossbow at the urging of his mother, Hilma Marie Witte, 37. Eric said he shot his father while he lay sleeping on the coach.
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The teenagers said their mother orchestrated the slayings for the victims’ savings and Social Security checks.
Eric received five years in prison, Butch 20 years, and Hilma Marie 90 years, which has been reduced to 40 years.
-Scott McCabe
