At the trial Lane asked Bevel if there was anything the prosecution had missed that was pertinent. Ever. Was he, in fact, late -- they theorized -- because he was killing his wife during those moments then trying to figure out what to do next? Martin said Hamilton was hysterical when he found his wife, and after he called 911, he realized his car was blocking the driveway so he went to move it, getting his wife's blood and flesh inside the vehicle. John Hamilton, 53, ordered an expensive arrangement of red orchids for his wife, but he never got the chance to give them to her. I think she became particularly alarmed when he didn't answer it. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. How about a candlelit dinner and a champagne toast to love? "I don't know, she looks like somebody hurt her." It's Valentine's morning and socialite Susan Hamilton lies nude, smashed in a pool of blood. Even the prosecutor, Wes Lane, had to admit that John had been telling the truth about that suspected affair. "It was a shock to everybody, Hamilton said on the news program. Susan Hamilton's body was found on 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. The timeline was extremely tight for the doctor to even be considered as a suspect. "His face showed Khi gp Susan vo nm 1985, c hai ly hn v c 4 a con . That goes to another issue of we talk about possibly being staged or draw attention to me instead of emotionally upset over the loss of his wife. Given the circumstances, he was accused of murdering his wife. Around 8:50 a.m., he said, he was beeped because he was late for another procedure. People used to believe they were in deep romantic love back then. A crowd lined up to attend the proceedings -- loyal patients, former employees, and fellow physicians -- all standing behind the doctor. Resend Activation Email. Still, there was the doctor's seemingly solid alibi. Defense attorney Mack Martin told jurors in his opening statement, "John and Susan Hamilton were head over heels in love with each other. Vesta Hall: She was beautiful, vivacious, intelligent, just a really neat lady. By then there'd been that neighbor's tip about problems in the Hamilton marriage. John Hamilton, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Oklahoma City before murdering his wife in 2001, was a well-known obstetrician-gynecologist. It looked like the start of an attempted -- and then abandoned -- clean-up. The prosecutor was well aware of the hurdles he faced, not the least of which: the lack of motive. Jewels. Vandalizing his home. Make sure that the file is a photo. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Susan Hamilton, 55, had discovered on her husband's telephone bills For ten months -- ever since that Valentine's Day when he was arrested for the murder of his wife -- John Hamilton had kept his silence behind bars. A judge earlier ruled there was probable cause to detain Hamilton pending formal charges being filed. Over the next few months, though, with the help of some unique forensic evidence, the D.A. The doctor's behavior in the minutes after finding Susan dead seemed "off.". John Hamilton: I don't know. And in photos of the crime scene, the prosecutor pointed out for jurors something that needed explaining -- a wet rag left in the pool of blood from the victim's head. One thing everyone who knew the couple -- including the neighbor -- seemed to agree on -- was that whoever Susan's killer was, it certainly was not John Hamilton. And I don't think they-- believed it. I was shaking so much I was unsuccessful. The couple had exotic vacations and a beautiful house, and after 14 years of marriage, friends and family say they were inseparable, and very much in love. John Hamilton: Please, please, send police, please send an ambulance, please. I mean, because it was out there in view, I guess. But beyond his professional accomplishments, little is known about his personal life, especially when it comes to his family. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In murder cases constructed on the interpretation of blood evidence, it's not unusual for juries to hear from dueling experts when they go to trial. If convicted of first-degree murder, Hamilton, 53, could be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole. As is routine in domestic murders, the detectives would take a look at the spouse -- John Hamilton, himself. 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. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. She said he paid her $100 and $80 for the dances that cost $20 each. Have a good day. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He'd been told that the surgery before his was running long and he decided to use the delay to run home and give his wife a valentine. felt deceived.". John Hamilton: The more Susan and I talked about things the more things were clarified, the more things we got straightened out. I gave her her Valentine's card. link True Crime Videos Afterwards he tried to clean up, but quickly gave up. Try again later. In December 2001, ten months after the Valentine's Day killing of his wife, Susan, Dr. John Hamilton was being tried for her murder. Taping him on the surveillance camera. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The-- they don't agree. The perpetrator then turned up the heat in the bathroom so the water in the shower would evaporate, he said. The scene was a bloody mess. This is a carousel with slides. The defense was dealt a setback at the start of trial. Quail Creek home. the defendant was calling her 10 Maybe they missed it altogether. And the seemingly inseparable couple became even more so after they married. The doctor refuted the prosecution's case against him point by point. I just felt like they were very happy. Just putting out brochures all over his neighborhood and his kids' school that, you know, said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive.". How the case changed, the bottom fell out of everything. Dick Horton, sometimes worried for his ex's safety. last telephone conversation that she and His long silence behind bars ended as he prepared to tell the jury -- and us -- what really had happened that Valentine's Day morning. When asked if there shouldn't have been a blood trail in the house if the defense theory is true, Spruill said: "I would expect that. It was looked for extensively. "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. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Susan Hamilton died of blunt force trauma to the head and ligature strangulation or strangulation brought on by something being tied or pulled tightly around her neck, according to the medical examiner's preliminary report. clinic two days a week. Many still believe he is innocent, and he. "The police said, 'There's my man. I was scared. deny they were having an affair. Dennis Murphy: They're gonna accuse you of trying to cover up the scratches that Susan made defensively as you were killing her. His supporters, on the other hand, continue to believe he is innocent to this day. Neighbors told police that in the weeks before the killing the Hamiltons had been having marital problems. The conviction of Oklahoma City resident Dr. John Hamilton in the 2001 Valentine's Day murder of his wife Susan Hamilton will be examined on "True Crime with Aphrodite Jones" in an episode titled "Loved to Death," airing at 9 p.m. Monday on Investigation Discovery. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Link in bio. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Both had recently separated -- John from his first wife, and Susan from Dick Horton. I was never gonna see Susan again. And go back and do another surgery. How did they get there from the bathroom? Shop Shop Discount Calls Inmate Deposits Letters and Photos Greeting Cards Postcards Magazines Books Find An Inmate Prison Directory Services IE 11 is not supported. John Hamilton had been imprisoned since 2001 on suspicion of murdering his wife. John Hamilton: His own expert is saying he's guilty. And, as you might guess, it was a job that came with a little danger -- anti-abortion protestors were a curbside reality. Over the next few hours, investigators would explore those theories and more, as they tried to understand just what had happened to Susan Hamilton that Valentine's Day morning. Tom Bevel, the blood spatter expert hired by Dr. John Hamilton, had wrapped up his questioning under defense attorneys. 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. And for that, they hired a blood stain expert Named Ross Gardner. John Hamilton: It was a shock to everybody. One blow crushed her skull, Gofton said. I still had 15 or 20 minutes. The only thing that he could think of that it was consistent with was John Hamilton when he was beating her with that blunt instrument that was driving that up inside his shirt. He'd even mentored the blood expert used by the prosecution. her mother, Horton testified in the first- But I didn't wanna believe that or give up. The stripper did it. He is accused of beating and choking to death his wife, Susan, 55, at their Quail Creek home on Valentine's Day. The note made police question whether the Hamiltons' marriage was as happy as it had seemed, and they began to regard Hamilton as a suspect. I knew they that they were suspecting me. However, before the trial Bevel had also found some blood spatters in Hamilton's right sleeve that the prosecution expert had overlooked. been upset because she suspected her The shoes were found next to Susan's body -- john said they fell off his feet as he was attempting to revive her. On Valentines Day 2001, John Hamilton murdered his wife Susan. Her husband, Dr. John Hamilton, called 911 and claimed to have found her that way when he returned from one of his surgeries. So I answered. Teresa Sterling: I interviewed those people. Inmate John Baxter Hamilton is currently incarcerated in Oklahoma Department of Corrections (OK DOC) located at 3400 N Martin Luther King Ave, Oklahoma City, OK. Connect with john using InmateAid. One year later, a battered body is found tossed into a canyon, the eyes and genitals gouged. "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. It was a violent scene. Here there might be a spark of life in your wife and you're giving her CPR, "Oh, I've gotta move the car.". Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. "I didn't find any evidence of blood leading up to the front door. Furthermore, he has previously requested a retrial, which has been denied each time. Wes Lane: It was huge. Hamilton will have a closed-circuit arraignment before a judge on Friday. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. doctors. Lane backed up his theory with physical evidence. Martin described the victim as being jealous of her husband's time away from her. 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. So yes, I went and tried to move the car. Susan Johnston: She was upset and angry with John. Susan demanded to see John's cell phone bill, and when she got a hold of it her worst fears seemed to be realized. And-- my children started, "Well, I'll never celebrate it again." home at 3056 Brush Creek Road. John Hamilton: Initially, she didn't want to go. An authoritative figure on the stand turning blood evidence from damning into benign. According to another source, he will be released from prison on Valentines Day 2021. general about patients calling talked to Susan Johnston, a And finally, there was the story told by blood. The defense claims Oklahoma City police jumped to the conclusion that Hamilton was the killer and ignored other evidence. I mean, he fawned over her a lot. Measurements of the imprint match those of the holes in the victim's skull, the district attorney said. But knew she wasn't one easily rattled or intimidated. she needed when she couldn't "Susan never said that to me. Possibilities: Was it a robbery gone bad? It read, "A reward in heaven will be bestowed on anyone contributing to bringing this murderer to justice." The state of Oklahoma would charge Dr. John Hamilton with just loving his wife to death. asked him to move out of their Susan Hamilton suspected her husband was having an affair with a patient and stripper whose telephone number turned up 60 times on the defendant's cell phone bills. Two weeks later he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Year should not be greater than current year. Tom Bevel: He jumped out of his loafer shoes, which would have reorientated them, and he jumped over to her side and knelt down to try and assist her and to do CPR. She had been strangled with two of his ties, and her head had been smashed so badly that parts of her brain were exposed. Wes Lane: She was talking leaving him. Prosecutors said Hamilton changed clothes after killing his wife in the master bathroom. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Area Effectively managed high-volume of product sales. John Hamilton, who had spent every day since his wife's murder in a jail cell, would finally get a chance to testify about the last days of the marriage -- a story he also told to us. Mack Martin, the doctor's lead attorney, knew it would be uphill. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. the Hamiltons had over Christmas over the defendant's payment for his son's car repairs Randy Scott: I think the biggest part for us was trying to figure out how he could get there, spend any time there, and get back to commit the second surgery. David Bradbury: He had one hand on her chest, one hand on her abdomen, attempting to do compressions in this manner right here. We checked every avenue of any burglary similar, remotely close in the neighborhood. Did it ever. "She loved to talk to John," "The prosecution will present one theory," Martin said. But when the first responder -- firefighter David Bradbury-- arrived on the scene, he thought there was something odd about the way the doctor was performing chest compressions. Dennis Murphy: You were starting to see her come around? An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. Lane said a bloody imprint of what is believed to be the blunt instrument was discovered on the defendant's shirt. mother didn't sound like herself, although He was -- more suspicion drawn each time that we'd watch something. News network NBC did a Dateline episode about the case. Dr. John Baxter Hamilton is on trial for killing his wife. Susan Johnston: He just couldn't have done it. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Susan Hamilton (80157405)? The cry for help comes from Oklahoma City's most exclusive neighborhood. John Hamilton: Yes. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Hamilton, 53, was taken into custody just over an hour after he called 911, saying his wife was "hurt" and "bleeding all over the place." Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. On "Dateline NBC, as in his legal appeals, Hamilton criticized Bevel and the accuracy of his blood spatter analysis, which Hamilton called "junk science.. He told Primetime he made the calls to the stripper because she was "in real need of attention.". Aguirre, the topless dancer, However, the investigation revealed that the murderer was John Hamilton himself. Susan Hamilton, 55, had been strangled with two neckties and beaten. Dr. Hamilton 911 call Doctor, slain wife argued about affair, police say - Evidence taken from home where woman's body found Doctor leaves jail for funeral - Obstetrician permitted to attend wife's services Doctor accused in wife's death to remain in jail Suspect loses bail appeal - Doctor charged in wife's death to remain in jail pending trial Even Susan's children were standing by their stepfather.