Airline pilot charged with triple-murder while at Louisville airport, was arrested Saturday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. "Everyone in town knew what was going on while I was at work every day," Martin said. Scripps Company. On the ground, investigators spotted a. What district does Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde represent? Griffiths also said a laptop computer that was used by an investigator to obtain cell phone evidence was corrupted. An arraignment has been set for May 22. The authorities theorized that Christian murdered Calvin to stop him from testifying in his court-martial, effectively ending his 30-year Army career. "And the other thing he had done for me was he had gotten me out of this bigamist relationship. Yet he was finally indicted in May 2019 whiel he was working as a pilot at PSA Airlines - a subsidiary of American Airlines. Both sides deliver their closing arguments, The jury finds Martin guilty on all charges, The defendant takes the stand and denies he killed his neighbors, Martin breaks down talking about his fianc, Defense firearms expert testified the bullets that killed CP were likely not fired from the defendants Glock, A deputy who responded to the domestic call made by the defendant and Joan Harmon did not arrest Martin because he saw no evidence of violence, Defs daughter takes the witness stand to testify that her stepmother threatened to destroy her dad after he said he wanted a divorce. Yet he claims that after they split, Harmon accused him of rape, sodomy, child abuse, child molestation, and stealing a military computer. "He was my star defense witness," he said. Matt is Calvins son. Martin, who served in the Army between 1986 and 2016, had been accused by his ex-wife Joan Harmon of physical and sexual abuse and mishandling classified military materials, Daily Mail reports. PEMBROKE, Ky. (WTVF) Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear announced today that a Christian County grand jury has indicted a man in connection with a 2015 triple murder. In April of 2016, he was interviewed by WSMV, and said he had no concern he would be held responsible for the murders because he actually needed Calvin Phillips to testify for him in an upcoming court-martial he was facing in which his ex-wife, Joan Harmon, had accused him of physical and sexual abuse and mishandling classified military materials. 443 South Main Street, which belongs to Calvin & Pam Phillips. The Kentucky Attorney General's office took over the case in 2017 after the Phillips' son, Matt Phillips, went to then-Attorney General Andy Beshear and expressed fear that the. Meanwhile, Martin has become a cause clbre among mens rights groups and others who believe he is being railroaded by the state of Kentucky after being the target of a Pentagon sexual assault witch hunt based on frivolous accusations. Griffiths told The Courier Journal in a statement that "we disagree with the verdict, but we understand the jury did their best with the information they had.". Defense lawyer Tom Griffiths puts one of the lead investigators on the spot about his missteps in the case, specifically: Misleading grand jury testimony about cellphone evidence, Matt Phillips, son of victims Pam and Cal Phillips, gives emotional testimony describing how he learned about his parents death. On November 18, 2015, they were both brutally murdered. You can watch our full episode, "The Evil That Watches, now. State firearms experts cant match the bullet fragments recovered from the victims to the defendants guns. Hilton said she and her husband have a 12-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter who referred to their grandfather as "Poppy," and she said the family has continued to meet with therapists to process the grief over Dansereau's death. At the bottom of the steps they found a mans body -- beaten and bullet-riddled. It would take more than three years to make an arrest, three years to untangle a tale of a neighborhood torn apart. A jury found Christian Richard Martin guilty of all charges against him stemming from the 2015 killings, including three counts of murder. As the sentencing phase began Thursday morning in the Hardin County courtroom, John Phillips took the stand to talk about his first-born son"Cal"and how his death was "the most devastating thing" to ever happen to thefamily. Christian Martin was indicted in the slayings of his neighbors in Kentucky. Ill fight for her, for my father, and Ed until the end of time because they would have for me.". Phillips told private investigators hired by Martin that he thought the pilot had stolen an Army laptop. Jun 4, 2021 0 The second day of the 2015 Pembroke triple murder trial took place Friday as the prosecution called three more witnesses to testify before the jury. Pamela Phillips, 58, and. The family of Calvin and Pamela Phillips have long contested that Martin didn't have a motive to kill the couple. According to the attorney general, Christian Martin has been indicted on three counts of murder, one count of arson, one count of attempted arson, burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. Insurance Broker In an interview with CNN, Matt Phillips said his father was killed before he could testify in a court-martial trial against Martin, CBS News reported. Martin allegedly broke into the Phillips' home in Pembroke, Kentucky, on Nov. 18, 2015, and fatally shot Calvin Phillips with a .45 caliber pistol, according to an indictment unsealed on Monday. Outside the house they found blood in the grass and a gun near a neighbors house. "I hope this is a day that brings some justice to these families," Beshear said. When police went to talk to that neighbor, they found the backdoor was wide open, the television blaring and an empty holster in a chair like hed rushed out suddenly. His defense team argues the grand jury indicted him based on misleading testimony from an investigator about the cellphone tower evidence. So police drove there to see if anyone was home. The bodies of Phillips' wife, Pamela, and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau, were found in a burned up car owned by Mrs. Phillips a few miles away in a corn field. 306 likes. "So his family and I believe he is 100 percent innocent.". The court-martial eventually found Martin guilty of one count of mishandling classified information and assault on a child under the age of 16. Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Police were called out to a field on the edge of Pembroke, Kentucky. "Everyone in town knew what was going on while I was at work every day," Martin said. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and was discharged after 30 years of military service. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Phillips family claimed his comments about the victim being his star witness were absurd.. We found 24 records for Matt Phillips in Hodgenville, Trenton and 14 other cities in Kentucky. His arrest came one day after a grand jury in Christian County, Kentucky, indicted him on three counts of murder, one count of arson, one count of attempted arson, two counts of burglary and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. This woman had basically been milking me for eight years, and I didnt know it. On Monday, Phillips sat down with WAVE 3 News to talk about what life was like after his parents, and their neighbor, Ed Dancerau, were murdered. DA Whaley asked the judge to dismiss the motion because Lt. Smith did not provide false testimony. "Weve been on a national display since earlyJune, and I believe you all have lived up to your oath as jurors," Atkins said. The charred remains of Pamela Phillips and Dansereau were found in a burnt car in a field in Pembroke. Martin also claimed she was married to another man during their union. That same day, he allegedly shot and killed Pamela Phillips and Dansereau with a .22 caliber firearm, according to the indictment. Now that this matter has been closed for good, though, lets find out more about the couple, along with the nitty-gritty details of the case, shall we? Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? AN EX-ARMY pilot was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering three neighbors - one of whom he claimed had an affair with his bigamist ex-wife and was testifying in his child rape court-martial trial. Calvin Phillips was found fatally shot at his home in Pembroke, Kentucky, Attorney General Andy Beshear said Saturday. The forensic analysis reportedly shows the casing was fired from a .45 caliber Glock belonging to Martin. Now I'm thinking jury selection starts on 6/1 changing my notes! The former pilot was found guilty on three counts of murder, two counts of 1st-degree burglary, arson, criminal attempt to commit arson, and three counts of tampering with evidence. While they were helping her, they found discs labeled secret operation and a photograph of alleged abuse of Martins step-son. Prosecutors said that the murders happened two weeks before Calvin Phillips was scheduled to testify in a military court-martial trial, in which Martin, who served in the Army from 1986 to 2016, faced multiple charges. Is there an active shooter in Surprise, Arizona. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. PSA Airlines pilot Christian Richard Martin, 51, was arrested Saturday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and charged with three counts of murder, one of arson, one of attempted arson, burglary in the first degree and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. PEMBROKE, Ky. After finding Christian Kit Martin guilty of all charges, a jury recommended a sentence of life without the benefit of probation or parole. Background: Ex-airline pilot finally goes on trial in gruesome Kentucky triple murder. And so I owed him for that really," Martin said in the interview. The second best result is Matthew Victor Phillips age 30s in Elsmere, KY. Matthew is related to Brittany Marie Wells and Vickie Lynn Phillips as well as 3 additional people. Martin had served in the Army Reserve from 1986 to 1990, on active duty from 1990 to 1993, in the Army National Guard from 1993 to 2005 and on active duty again from 2005 until he was dismissed in August 2016. Matt Phillips is on Facebook. Police obtained a search warrant and found a man lying on the floor dead with gunshot wounds to his chest. He's an honest man. The Kentucky attorney general's office took over the case in 2017 after the Phillips' son Matt contacted it saying he feared the murder investigation had stalled. Martin and Harmon had their marriage voided about three years before the November 2015 murders, after he had learned Harmon was actually married to another man. Calvin Phillips, 59, was shot to death in the cellar of his home in Pembroke, Kentucky, on November 18, 2015. Good morning, just getting around to the start of this trial. Kit has given his life to public service and has sacrificed his self for his fellow man," Spencer told WTVD. "My parents died for this court-martial," the Phillips' son, Matt Phillips, said Monday. (Christian County Jail). No evidence has been presented to support Martin's claims. Martin, who hadtakenthe stand to defend himselfearlier this weekduring the eighth day of the trial, was seen shakinghis head following the verdict. It was a day that would forever change a tiny southern town: November 19th, 2015. On Monday, Beshear said although he couldn't elaborate on what led to the arrest, he believes "this will be a very compelling case.". Jurors convicted Martin this week after seven hours of deliberation following a two-week trial. "His spirit wasinfectious, and his spirit made everyone feel like they were loved," Hilton said of Dansereau. "My father was a federal witness. Hes charged with three counts of murder, as well as arson, burglary and tampering with evidence. 2023 Court TV Media LLC, part of The E.W. Tucker Richardson, who defended Martin in during the court-martial said in a statement that when Martin was first suspected of the murders in 2015, "it was believed that Calvin Phillips, one of the victims, was going to be a prosecution witness against Kit, thus establishing a motive. During Thursday's sentencing, Christian Circuit Judge John L. Atkins read off the jury's unanimous verdict and its recommendedmaximum sentence of life inprison without the possibility of parole. Woman seriously injured after semi overturns; all lanes blocked on I-64 West to I-264 East, Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala announced celebrity guest list, Spencer County High School student dies in crash, Operation Return Home canceled for missing teen girls, KSP: Marion County man charged with child sexual exploitation offenses, 2-month-old retriever puppies arrive at Ky. Humane Society after being found in ditch, Louisville man looks to attend his 84th Kentucky Derby. "I think that notion of this star witness thing is absurd, Calvin Phillip's sister, Diana Phillips, told WSMV in 2017. Martin fatally shot three of his neighbors, Edward Dansereau and married couple Calvin and Pamela Phillips on Nov. 18, 2015, Cameron said. At the ages of 59 and 57, respectively, Calvin Cal Lee and Pamela Pam J. Phillips were residing in a historic home in Pembroke, where theyd built a good life for themselves. In an opening statementthismonth,Whaleysaid Martin had the motive to kill Calvin Phillipsbecause a conviction in the court martial could have ended his 30-year militarycareer. Calvin Phillips was found shot to death at his home in Pembroke, Kentucky, on or around November 18, 2015, and the bodies of his wife Pamela Phillips and their neighbor Edward Dansereau. However, that happened anyway when he was found guilty of mishandling classified military information and assault. She also said prosecutors wouldshow that a shell casing found five months after the crime was conclusively shown to have been fired from a .45-caliber handgun found in a safe in Martins home across the street. The jury also began deliberating over Martin's sentence, with it not immediately known when a final punishment could be handed down. NBCs Dateline: The Evil That Watches is an episode that explores a triple homicide in Pembroke, Kentucky, that left the small town bewildered to its core. After what was done to my parentsThey were executed and so, to know that he was still walking around every day is excruciating, Phillips said. Martin is scheduled to be arraigned on May 22 at the Christian County Justice Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The court-martial found Martin guilty of two counts of mishandling classified information and assault on a child under the age of 16, an Army statement said. Prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty, according to court documents. But Phillips also told investigators that Harmon had never said she or her children were abused by Martin. His trial was originally scheduled to happen in Christian County, but pre-trial publicity prompted a judge to order it be held over 100 miles away in Kentucky's Hardin County. This was an attack not only on my family but on the entire justice system.". Griffiths cited Rogers vs. Commonwealth that allowed for a defendants right to present a defense to trump whether scientific evidence should be introduced at trial. Whaley, an assistant attorney general, also told the jurythat the victim's family later foundMartins dog tags on a shelf in their historic home. Martin said he considered Phillips an asset in his case. They interviewed Phillips, who said he thought Martin had stolen an Army laptop, according to Martin and tapes of the interviews obtained by WSMV. Martin is being held without bond in Christian County. "Im devastated," Matt Phillips said in a statement to ABC News. The indictment comes from events that occurred either on or around November 18, 2015, when Calvin Phillips was found shot to death in his Pembroke home. All rights reserved. He was dismissed from the Army and received 90 days in jail. "I am grateful to our special prosecutors, Barbara Whaley and Alex Garcia, as well as the Kentucky State Police and the Christian County Sheriffs Office for their work in this case," Cameron added. Doug Moore, Matins defense attorney, spoke at length with Court TV about plans to appeal the ruling. ", 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. One of the murder victims was Calvin Phillips, a married man involved in an extramarital sexual affair with Major Martin's dangerous, bigamist, convicted felon, lying and conniving ex-wife; Joan Harmon-Guerra. He claimed that he had not been jealous of her affair with Calvin Phillips as it had gotten me out of this huge mess.. During closing arguments, Griffiths showed the dog tags to the jury and called it "the most ridiculous piece of evidence I've ever seen in my life.". On November 18, 2015, they were both brutally murdered. "My private investigator went through all the allegations with him and just went down the whole line and just refuted everything. Martin and Harmon had split and their marriage was voided three years before the murders after he allegedly found out she already had a husband. He is accused of murdering his neighbors, married couple Calvin and Pamela Phillips, and Edward Dansereau. Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. Court info from 5/22/19 thru 2/25/21 reference post #93 here: 5/21/21 Update: During Fridays evidentiary hearing in Christian County Circuit Court, she testified that she & her nephew Matt were at the South Main Street home in April 2016 doing general cleaning & maintenance. This was an attack not only on my family but on the entire justice system," he said. In a statement, relatives said they were "haunted by what was done to them and haunted further that someone was still free to do as they wish, beyond the civility of mankind or laws of our nation.". Griffiths suggested the dog tags and the other damning evidence the shell casing and military ID which mysteriously were missed by police who scoured the home must have been planted there, possibly by Martins angry ex-wife, who had vowed to ruin him. Eventually, once everything asserted above got combined with the physical evidence found in the Phillips home, which further linked Christian to the matter, he was arrested on May 11, 2019. ", "However, based upon our investigation, the truth of the matter was that Mr. Phillips was going to help Kits defense," Richardson said. With the new box of evidence - was wondering. if there might be a court date before jury selection on 5/31/21. A contractor who remodeled the defendants house testified he saw Joan Harmon with a gun that looked like a Glock tucked in her waistband. Goosehead Insurance - Matthew Phillips, Pikeville, Kentucky. LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Matt Phillips hopes to finally see justice in his parents heinous murder as a pilot and former Army Major was taken off a flight in handcuffs at the Louisvilles Muhammad Ali International Airport. During an exclusive interview with Court TV, Martin still maintains his innocence. Phillips "had gotten me out of this huge mess. At Martins penalty phase sentencing on September 2, 2021, the judge ruled for the jurys recommendation, sentencing Martin to life in prison without parole. The case attracted nationalattention when Martin, a former Army major who flew for American Airlines, was handcuffed at the airline gate as he was about to take off May 11, 2019. Police were able to trace the car to an address in Pembroke. No, Martin told a reporter, I have no worries about that.. In November 2015, while most people in the area were preparing for Thanksgiving, two families, unfortunately, had to plan funerals instead. Christian Martin was arrested at Louisville Airport in connection to a 2015 triple murder case. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Judge John Atkins asked both attorneys to submit a brief with a ruling to follow before trial. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Christian "Kit" Martin, 52, is. I received this article this morning, but unfortunately can't access it over here - even in Outline. Police were called out to a field on the edge of Pembroke, Kentucky. "I just call her the ex-bigamist," Martin said in the 2016 interview. Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. So his family and I believe he is 100 percent innocent. Investigators say it was the family that provided them with a spent shell casing from the couples home, that according to grand jury testimony, transformed Martin from a person of interest to a suspect. Diana Phillips is the sister of Calvin Phillips, who was found shot in his Pembroke home in November 2015. The pair was even looking forward to celebrating yet another anniversary, but sadly, they never got the chance. That candidate, Andy Beshear, is now Kentuckys governor, and the case is being tried by the Office of Attorney General Daniel Cameron, best known for his handling of the police-involved shooting death of Breonna Taylor. A formal sentencing hearing is scheduled Sept. 2 in Hopkinsville, with Martin to remain in the custody until then. After all, it incorporates aspects of alleged cruelty and sexual abuse, a possible love triangle, and a man hoping to save his reputation by all means possible. "And the concept of home, where you go for Thanksgiving or for Christmasor just to go home, this concept of home has been taken. "And the other thing he had done for me was he had gotten me out of this bigamist relationship. Special prosecutors Barbara Whaley and Alex Garcia told the jury that Martin killed Calvin Phillips because hewas about to testifyinMartinsmilitary court-martial trial on multiple charges. Martins attorney, assistant public advocate Tom Griffiths, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley objected to admitting the polygraph results since they are generally inadmissible at trial. Also at issue are the results of polygraph tests given to both Diana & Matt Phillips about finding the shell casing. Calvin Phillips, 59, was found dead in his Pembroke, Kentucky, home on Nov.19, and the remains of Dansereau and Pamela Phillips, 58, were discovered in a burned vehicle in a field. The jury heard conflictingaccountsof the crime, which went unsolved for years. They tried to get her to a battered womens shelter and as far as citizens go thats the best, somebody needed help and they responded, Phillips said. Christian Martin said in 2016 that one of his alleged victims was supposed to be his "star defense witness" in his court-martial. Calvin and Pamela Phillips were murdered in 2015. Christian was their neighbor across the street and a then-Army Major awaiting a court-martial on several charges.
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