Today we’re going to talk about something pretty heavy: killers under the age of 18. We’re going to take a look at some of the most notorious cases in recent history, including the killer’s name, state, year, what they did, and what their sentence was. So, if you’re ready to dive into this topic, let’s get started!
First up, we have Jasmine Richardson from Alberta, Canada, who was just 12 years old in 2006 when she and her boyfriend, 23-year-old Jeremy Steinke, brutally murdered her parents and younger brother. The motive behind the murders was the couple’s disapproval of Jasmine’s parents not letting her see Steinke. The murders were gruesome, with Jasmine stabbing her brother to death and Steinke slitting the throats of her parents. The couple was eventually caught, and Jasmine was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed for a youth offender in Canada. Steinke, who was an adult at the time, received three life sentences.
Next, we have Joshua Phillips from Florida, who was just 14 years old in 1998 when he killed his 8-year-old neighbor, Maddie Clifton. Phillips had accidentally hit Maddie with a baseball while playing, and when she came to his house looking for her ball, he invited her in and killed her. He hid her body under his bed for a week before his mother found it. Phillips was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Moving on to the infamous case of Mary Bell from England, who was just 11 years old in 1968 when she killed two young boys. Mary was a troubled child who had a history of cruelty towards animals and had previously attempted to harm other children. She strangled and killed two boys, aged 3 and 4, and left notes at the crime scene, claiming responsibility for the murders. Mary was eventually caught and was found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, due to her age and troubled background. She was sentenced to life in prison but was released at the age of 23.
Another case that shocked the world was the Slender Man stabbing in Wisconsin in 2014. Two 12-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, lured their friend, Payton Leutner, into the woods and stabbed her 19 times in an attempt to appease the fictional character Slender Man, whom they believed to be real. Payton miraculously survived the attack, and both girls were charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Morgan and Anissa were both found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and were ordered to spend time in a mental institution.
Moving on to a case from Japan, we have the Kobe child murders, which occurred in 1997. 14-year-old Sakakibara Seito, who was known as “The Kobe Demon,” killed two younger children, aged 10 and 11, and injured several others. He left a note at the scene, claiming responsibility for the murders and saying that he felt “happy” after committing them. Sakakibara was caught and sentenced to indefinite detention, which means he could be held for up to 20 years.
Another case that made headlines was the murder of 15-year-old Kaytlynn Cargill from Texas in 2017. 16-year-old suspect, a boy whose name hasn’t been released due to being a minor, was accused of killing Kaytlynn after she rejected his sexual advances. Her body was found in a landfill four days after she went missing. The suspect was charged with capital murder, and his case is still ongoing.
Lastly, we have the case of Lionel Tate from Florida, who was just 12 years old in 1999 when he killed 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick. Tate was playing with Tiffany when he accidentally caused fatal injuries to her, but he claimed that he was imitating professional wrestling moves he had seen on TV. Tate was charged as an adult with first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, after years of appeals and public outcry, Tate’s sentence was eventually overturned, and he was released on probation in 2004.
These cases are just a few of the many examples of killers under the age of 18. It’s important to note that each case is unique, and there are often complex underlying factors that contribute to these heinous acts of violence. While some of these killers received harsh sentences, others received more lenient treatment due to their age and other mitigating circumstances.
The cases of killers under the age of 18 are undoubtedly tragic and heartbreaking. These individuals, who are often still children themselves, have committed unspeakable acts of violence that have left lasting scars on the families and communities involved. It’s crucial that we continue to address the underlying issues that contribute to such behavior and work towards preventing future tragedies from occurring. Thank you for joining me on this difficult but important topic.
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