David Hendricks
Encyclopedia
David Hendricks is an American
businessman convicted of killing his wife and three children in 1984 but acquitted in a retrial in 1991.
branch of the Plymouth Brethren
, a conservative Christian
sect
. He ran a business in Bloomington, Illinois
, selling a back-brace he had patented.
On November 7, 1983, while Hendricks was out of state on a business trip, his wife and three children were found murdered in their home. An axe
and a butcher's knife
were the murder weapons.
, about 150 miles away from Bloomington — and he was found guilty. Doubts were raised as to his guilt, however, due to the prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence and anti-religious bias.
Among other factors, the prosecution attempted to link the murders to Hendricks's belief that divorce
was a sin
. The prosecution argued that since Hendricks did not believe in divorce, his only way out of his marriage was to kill his wife and children.
Although two weapons were found and the blood spatters pointed to two perpetrators, the prosecution argued for Hendricks's sole guilt and his lawyers missed some key pieces of evidence (one was the proposed order of killings). There were also some clear signs of bungled evidence, such as the containers of the children's stomach contents (one of the children's "stomach content" vials contained food that she disliked).
Despite the inconsistencies and the prosecution's circumstantial case, Hendricks was found guilty and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences. He served seven years in Menard Correctional Center
in Illinois. He remarried while in prison.
In 1991, he was acquitted and released after a retrial at the McLean County
Law and Justice Center in Bloomington.
He and his second wife have since divorced. Hendricks is believed to live in Florida
and owns his own business again.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman convicted of killing his wife and three children in 1984 but acquitted in a retrial in 1991.
Life
Hendricks was a member of the ExclusiveExclusive Brethren
The Exclusive Brethren are a subset of the Christian evangelical movement generally described as the Plymouth Brethren. They are distinguished from the Open Brethren from whom they separated in 1848....
branch of the Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
, a conservative Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
. He ran a business in Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, selling a back-brace he had patented.
On November 7, 1983, while Hendricks was out of state on a business trip, his wife and three children were found murdered in their home. An axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
and a butcher's knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
were the murder weapons.
Trial
Hendricks was tried the following year — the trial was moved to Rockford, IllinoisRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, about 150 miles away from Bloomington — and he was found guilty. Doubts were raised as to his guilt, however, due to the prosecution's reliance on circumstantial evidence and anti-religious bias.
Among other factors, the prosecution attempted to link the murders to Hendricks's belief that divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
was a sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
. The prosecution argued that since Hendricks did not believe in divorce, his only way out of his marriage was to kill his wife and children.
Although two weapons were found and the blood spatters pointed to two perpetrators, the prosecution argued for Hendricks's sole guilt and his lawyers missed some key pieces of evidence (one was the proposed order of killings). There were also some clear signs of bungled evidence, such as the containers of the children's stomach contents (one of the children's "stomach content" vials contained food that she disliked).
Despite the inconsistencies and the prosecution's circumstantial case, Hendricks was found guilty and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences. He served seven years in Menard Correctional Center
Menard Correctional Center
Menard Correctional Center, known prior to 1970 as Southern Illinois Penitentiary, is located in the town of Chester in Randolph County, Illinois. It is a state prison housing maximum-security and high medium-security adult males.The average daily population as of 2007 is 3,410. Menard Correctional...
in Illinois. He remarried while in prison.
In 1991, he was acquitted and released after a retrial at the McLean County
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
Law and Justice Center in Bloomington.
He and his second wife have since divorced. Hendricks is believed to live in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and owns his own business again.
In popular culture
- Steve Vogel, "Reasonable Doubt", St. Martin's True Crime Classics, 1992. ISBN 0312929080
- Jenifer Snyder Sachs, "Time of Death", Heinemann (2002), ISBN-10: 0434008990 ISBN-13: 978-0434008995
See also
- Roger PanesRoger PanesRoger Panes , was a member of the Exclusive branch of the Plymouth Brethren. In 1974 he killed his wife and three children with an axe before hanging himself.- Life :...
- Brethren member who killed his wife and three children with an axe in 1974.