Opinion ID: 1285745
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Deborah Slaughter Murder

Text: In March 1994, Debra Slaughter lived alone in an apartment in Charlotte. On 12 March 1994, Slaughter's mother, Lovey Slaughter (Lovey), went to Slaughter's apartment to return a picture she had taken a few days before. Lovey had a key to the apartment and anticipated letting herself in because Slaughter was supposed to be at work. When Lovey arrived, she knocked on the door and got no response. She put the key into the lock and discovered the door was not locked. As Lovey walked through the door, she saw Slaughter's body lying on the floor. Lovey called 911. Officer Ronnie Chambers of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department entered Slaughter's apartment and found a purse with its contents scattered on the floor. Chambers then noticed Slaughter's body lying on the floor faceup. There was white fabric in Slaughter's mouth and a towel around her neck. Chambers also observed several puncture wounds in Slaughter's chest. On 14 March 1994, Dr. Sullivan performed an autopsy on Slaughter's body. During the external examination, he observed a ligature around Slaughter's neck and a sock balled up and stuffed into her mouth, holding her mouth open. The evidence of strangulation included the ligature around Slaughter's neck and hemorrhages in the conjunctiva. The ligature was comprised of two towels, the inner towel encircled around the neck, and the outer towel tied tightly in a single knot. Dr. Sullivan also observed blunt-trauma injuries, including abrasions of the skin of the face and a single scalp contusion. Additionally, Dr. Sullivan observed sharp-trauma injuries caused by thirty-eight stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. Three of the stab wounds caused injury to the heart, and twelve of the stab wounds caused injury to the left lung; each of these stab wounds could have been fatal. Stab wounds also caused injury to the liver and stomach. Dr. Sullivan opined that Slaughter's death was caused by multiple stab wounds, with strangulation as a contributing factor in the death. Defendant confessed that he went to Slaughter's apartment to use drugs with her. Defendant realized that Slaughter had some money when she said she could not buy any drugs because she had to make her money last until the next week. Defendant asked Slaughter to get him something to drink. As Slaughter turned around, defendant put a towel he brought with him around Slaughter's neck and tightened it. Slaughter fell to her knees. Defendant stated that Slaughter then realized that defendant was the one who had killed two other girls in nearby apartments. Defendant told Slaughter to remove her clothes and to perform oral sex on him. Defendant remembered Slaughter saying, I don't do that; you might as well go ahead and kill me. Defendant tightened the towel and asked if she wanted to change her mind. Slaughter stated that she would not perform oral sex on defendant. Defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with Slaughter. Afterwards, defendant told Slaughter to put her clothes on. Defendant, knowing Slaughter carried a knife in her purse at all times, asked Slaughter to empty the contents of her purse onto the floor, which she did. Defendant kicked the knife away and then told Slaughter to open the wallet and give him everything in it. As Slaughter did this, defendant grabbed the knife. Slaughter handed defendant forty dollars from the wallet. Slaughter hit defendant and screamed for the police. Defendant then tightened the towel around Slaughter's neck until she fell to the floor and started kicking. Defendant tightened the towel more and tried to sit on top of Slaughter's legs to keep Slaughter from alerting the neighbor downstairs. Defendant went to the bathroom to retrieve another towel, which he tied with the first around Slaughter's neck. Defendant stabbed Slaughter with the knife from her purse approximately twenty times in the abdomen. Defendant then washed the knife clean and wiped his fingerprints from it and placed it back with the contents of Slaughter's purse on the floor. Defendant left Slaughter's apartment to purchase crack cocaine. He returned to Slaughter's apartment to smoke the crack cocaine. When he left the second time, defendant took a coat, a baseball hat, and a butcher knife from Slaughter's apartment. Defendant threw all three items away after leaving the apartment. The State also introduced evidence regarding the investigation which led to defendant's arrest. Following the Henderson murder on 9 March 1994, which was discovered prior to the Baucom murder, investigators noticed similarities between the Henderson murder and the Mack murder. Both victims were black females, there was no forced entry in either case, and there was a ligature used in both cases. On 10 March 1994, investigators held a meeting to discuss similar cases involving strangulation. During this meeting, investigators learned that another victim, Baucom, had been discovered in the same apartment complex as Henderson. The Baucom murder exhibited characteristics similar to the Mack and Henderson cases. Defendant became a suspect in these crimes when investigators asked victims' family members and friends for the names of persons the victims might have allowed into their apartments. Defendant's name was on the list. On 11 March 1994, after Baucom's vehicle was recovered, police compared a palm print lifted from Baucom's vehicle to defendant's prints and found a match. Investigators then began an extensive search for defendant based on an outstanding warrant for his arrest on a larceny charge. On 12 March 1994, during the search for defendant, investigators learned that Slaughter had been discovered in her apartment. The Slaughter case exhibited characteristics similar to the Mack, Henderson, and Baucom cases. Between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. on 12 March 1994, defendant was arrested on the outstanding order for arrest. During questioning, after defendant had been advised of his Miranda rights, investigators told defendant of the evidence connecting defendant to the crimes, including photos of defendant attempting to use Mack's ATM card at teller machines and the matching palm print from Baucom's car. Defendant confessed to the murders of Love, Hawk, Spain, Jumper, Stinson, Mack, Baucom, Henderson, and Slaughter. Defendant did not testify at trial but presented evidence from three expert witnesses. Further facts necessary to the discussion of the issues raised by defendant will be presented as needed.