Texas governor spares inmate
Patricia Whitaker
Kent and Patricia Whitaker and their two boys  had returned home the night of Dec. 10  2003  following a restaurant dinner to celebrate Bart Whitaker’s college graduation when  they  were confronted by a gunman wearing dark clothes and a ski mask.  Patricia Whitaker  and her 19-year-old son  Kevin  were killed.  Kent Whitaker  and Bart were wounded.
 Thomas Whitaker's  father   Kent Whitaker   said he loves his son and has forgiven him. (JON HERSKOVITZ/REUTERS)
Nearly two years later   Bart Whitaker  was arrested in Mexico after investigators determined  he  arranged the plot in hopes of collecting a family estate  he  believed was worth more than $1 million.
“I’m 100 percent guilty ”  Whitaker  testified at  his  trial in 2007. “I put the plan in motion.”
 Whitaker ’s father said he loves and has forgiven his son  calling him a changed person.
The gunman  Chris Brashear  pleaded guilty in 2007 to a murder charge and is serving life in prison. Steve Champagne  who drove Brashear from the  Whitaker  house the night of the shootings  took a 15-year prison term in exchange for testifying at  Whitaker ’s trial.
[TGT]had returned home the night of Dec. 10  2003  following a restaurant dinner to celebrate Bart Whitaker’s college graduation when  [TGT]  were confronted by a gunman wearing dark clothes and a ski mask.  [TGT]and [TGT] 19-year-old son  Kevin  were killed.  Kent Whitaker  and Bart were wounded.
 Thomas Whitaker's  father   Kent Whitaker   said he loves his son and has forgiven him. (JON HERSKOVITZ/REUTERS)
Nearly two years later   Bart Whitaker  was arrested in Mexico after investigators determined  he  arranged the plot in hopes of collecting a family estate  he  believed was worth more than $1 million.
“I’m 100 percent guilty ”  Whitaker  testified at  his  trial in 2007. “I put the plan in motion.”
 Whitaker ’s father said he loves and has forgiven his son  calling him a changed person.
The gunman  Chris Brashear  pleaded guilty in 2007 to a murder charge and is serving life in prison. Steve Champagne  who drove Brashear from the  Whitaker  house the night of the shootings  took a 15-year prison term in exchange for testifying at  Whitaker ’s trial.