Saturday, March 31, 2007

Strip club killer's sister blames parents and teachers

I don't suppose this will come as any big surprise, but Richard Lee Tabler, who was convicted last week for murdering two people connected with a Killeen, Texas, strip club, had a bad childhood. And you can blame his parents and teachers for the deaths of the four people whom he brutally murdered in November 2004.
At least that is what his sister told the jury which holds the power of life and death over her brother:

"I'd say some of it's my parents for not being there to notice signs and get him help," Kristina Martinez said in court Thursday during the punishment phase of her brother’s trial. "I also feel the responsibility was his teachers. He's there most of the day and they didn't get him the help he needed. I definitely don’t think it's Richard’s fault he is the way he is."

Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday.
The other person charged in connection with the strip club murders, 2004 East Newton High School graduate Timothy Doan Payne, is scheduled to stand trial May 21. Authorities have indicated they will not seek the death penalty.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess when you get desperate, there are plenty of people to blame. Perhaps she should have thought of the family doctor, or the postman who delivered the mail late one day. How stupid to blame anyone but the person himself. He made the choice, no one did it for him.

Anonymous said...

You should read all the other facts along with this before you post a comment. I don't particularly like the way this original post was written either. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Oh poor me, oh poor pitiful me. — Linda Rondstat
It's been a while since I was in school, but I don't remember any teachers telling me to go out and kill strippers and club owners. I guess Texas schools are different.