Erin Caffey
Teenager who orchestrated the murder of her family.
Erin Caffey was a 16-year-old American girl who organized the murder of her mother and two younger brothers in Alba, Texas, in 2008. Her father survived being shot five times. The case gained notoriety for its extreme violence and the involvement of a teenager in plotting the killings.
Quick Facts
- Crime date
- March 1, 2008
- Location
- Alba, Texas, United States
- Victims
- Penny Caffey
- Matthew Caffey (13)
- Tyler Caffey (8)
- Survivor
- Terry Caffey
- Sentence
- Two life sentences
- Parole eligibility
- Age 59
Facts from the source article.
Background
The Caffey family were devout Christians and members of the Miracle Faith Baptist Church, where Erin sang in the choir and her father Terry served as a youth pastor. They lived in Alba, Texas, a rural community of 492 people. The children had been homeschooled for three years using a Bible-based curriculum, partly because Erin had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Six weeks before the murders, they re-enrolled in public schools, with Erin attending Rains High School. In 2007, Erin met 18-year-old Charlie Wilkinson while working at Sonic. Their relationship progressed quickly; Wilkinson gave her his grandmother's engagement ring as a promise ring. Erin and Wilkinson then began planning the murders so they could remain together. An ex-boyfriend later stated that Erin had previously asked him to kill her family, which he refused, leading to their breakup.
Murders
In the early morning of March 1, 2008, Wilkinson and Charles Waid entered the Caffey home while Erin waited outside with Bobbi Johnson. Penny Caffey was shot and then stabbed with a samurai sword, nearly decapitating her. Matthew was shot in the head after screaming at Wilkinson. Tyler was repeatedly stabbed with the sword. Terry was shot five times and left for dead. The house was set on fire. Terry crawled to a neighbor's house over the course of an hour, motivated by a desire to identify Wilkinson to police. All four suspects were found that same day in a mobile home owned by Waid and were apprehended.
Legal proceedings and aftermath
All four defendants were charged with three counts of capital murder. Prosecutors stated they would not seek the death penalty for Erin. Though a minor, she was tried as an adult and held in Hopkins County Jail. On January 2, 2009, she accepted a plea deal and received two life sentences, making her eligible for parole at age 59. Wilkinson and Waid accepted plea agreements sparing them the death penalty and received life without parole. Johnson, who did not use a weapon, was sentenced to 40 years with parole eligibility after 20. Waid later expressed remorse. Terry Caffey described being suicidal after the event but credited God with helping him forgive those involved. He found a piece of paper stuck to a tree reading "You're sovereign; You're in control," which motivated him to forgive his daughter. When prosecutors sought the death penalty for Wilkinson and Waid, Terry stated that Jesus would have spared their lives and that their deaths would not bring back his family. He now ministers full time, has visited 600 public schools and 800 churches, and has remarried, having four children with his wife Karen.
In popular culture
The crime was featured on the television series Final Witness in 2012 and on Snapped: Killer Couples in 2020. Erin was interviewed by Piers Morgan for the documentary series Killer Women with Piers Morgan in 2016. Terry Caffey wrote a book titled Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man's Faith, and Shocked a Nation. The story also appeared on Dr. Phil in 2014, with Terry as a guest.
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