| Revision as of 02:51, 17 June 2015 editMlaffs (talk | contribs)Administrators363,893 editsm WPCleaner v1.34 - Repaired 1 link to disambiguation page - (You can help) - KVAL← Previous edit | Revision as of 10:36, 22 June 2015 edit undoLatios (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,095 edits →Investigation: Fix and improve citationsTags: nowiki added Visual editNext edit → | ||
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| The investigation initially centered on Sung Koo Kim, who was named as "]" in the disappearance. Kim was later dropped as a suspect, but received an 11-year prison sentence for multiple counts of burglary and theft of women's personal property in ], crimes uncovered while he was being investigated for the Wilberger disappearance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sung Koo Kim gets nearly six years for underwear thefts| work=KATU.com | url=http://www.katu.com/news/3651561.html|accessdate=2007-04-13}}</ref> He was released in December 2012 after serving about 7 years. | The investigation initially centered on Sung Koo Kim, who was named as "]" in the disappearance. Kim was later dropped as a suspect, but received an 11-year prison sentence for multiple counts of burglary and theft of women's personal property in ], crimes uncovered while he was being investigated for the Wilberger disappearance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sung Koo Kim gets nearly six years for underwear thefts| work=KATU.com | url=http://www.katu.com/news/3651561.html|accessdate=2007-04-13}}</ref> He was released in December 2012 after serving about 7 years. | ||
| On November 30, 2004, a ] student was beaten and ]d, before escaping and identifying Joel Patrick Courtney as her abuser. On September 12, 2007, Courtney pleaded guilty to the beating and rape of the 22-year-old University of New Mexico foreign exchange student. Courtney's ] called for a prison sentence of up to 18 years, plus five to 20 years on ].<ref>{{ |
On November 30, 2004, a ] student was beaten and ]d, before escaping and identifying Joel Patrick Courtney as her abuser. On September 12, 2007, Courtney pleaded guilty to the beating and rape of the 22-year-old University of New Mexico foreign exchange student. Courtney's ] called for a prison sentence of up to 18 years, plus five to 20 years on ].<ref>{{Cite web|title = DA: 'His intent was that no one ever find her'|url = http://www.kval.com/news/local/60012167.html|accessdate = 2015-06-22|date = September 21, 2009|website = KVAL.com}}</ref> Courtney would also need to register as a ].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Man Charged in Wilberger Case Pleads Guilty in N.M. Assault Case|url = http://www.ksl.com/?sid=1793669|website = www.ksl.com|accessdate = 2015-06-22|date = 12 September 2009|publisher = ]}}</ref> Police eventually linked Courtney, a native of ], to the disappearance of Wilberger and in August 2005 he was charged on 19 counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping, ], rape and ].<ref>{{cite web | title=Joel Patrick Courtney, serial killer & rapist | url=http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/joel_courtney/1.html | accessdate=March 8, 2006}}</ref>{{dead link|date=May 2015}} Court documents released in 2008 revealed details showing that Courtney was in Corvallis when Wilberger disappeared and that the green van he was driving was spotted by several people, including an OSU employee who identified him from a photo lineup.<ref>{{cite news | ||
| |title = Suspect's van seen in Corvallis|first = William|last = McCall|work = Deseret News|date = 19 April 2008|url = http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695271843/Suspects-van-seen-in-Corvallis.html|access-date = 22 June 2015|publisher = ]}}</ref> Officials said that Wilberger's DNA was found inside the van, along with her hair.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Slain BYU student's Ore. mother grateful case over|url = http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/09/22/slain_byu_students_ore_mother_grateful_case_over/|newspaper = Boston.com|date = September 22, 2009|access-date = 2015-06-22|first = William|last = McCall}}</ref> | |||
| |title= Suspect's van seen in Corvallis | |||
| |first=William | |||
| |last=McCall | |||
| |work=Deseret News | |||
| |date=19 April 2008 | |||
| |url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695271843,00.html | |||
| }}</ref> Officials said that Wilberger's DNA was found inside the van, along with her hair.<ref></ref>{{dead link|date=May 2015}} | |||
| Courtney was ] to ] for the Wilberger case on April 8, 2008.<ref name="kval.com">{{cite news | Courtney was ] to ] for the Wilberger case on April 8, 2008.<ref name="kval.com">{{cite news | ||
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| |author= | |author= | ||
| |url=http://www.kval.com/news/local/17403709.html | |url=http://www.kval.com/news/local/17403709.html | ||
| }}</ref> He was scheduled for his first appearance on April 9, 2008 at the Benton County Courthouse,<ref>http://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/documents/courtney4-8-08.pdf</ref> facing 14 counts including aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping and single counts of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse in connection with Wilberger's disappearance. Charges were filed despite the absence of the body of the alleged victim at the time; the prosecutor in the case announced that he would seek the ].<ref>{{cite news | }}</ref> He was scheduled for his first appearance on April 9, 2008 at the Benton County Courthouse,<ref>http://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/documents/courtney4-8-08.pdf<nowiki/>{{Dead link|date = June 2015}}</ref> facing 14 counts including aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping and single counts of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse in connection with Wilberger's disappearance. Charges were filed despite the absence of the body of the alleged victim at the time; the prosecutor in the case announced that he would seek the ].<ref>{{cite news | ||
| |title= Effort begins to extradite Wilberger murder suspect | |title = Effort begins to extradite Wilberger murder suspect|publisher = Associated Press|date = 12 December 2007|author = |url = http://www.katu.com/news/12446241.html|newspaper = ]}}</ref> | ||
| |publisher=] | |||
| |date=12 December 2007 | |||
| |author=Associated Press | |||
| |url=http://www.katu.com/news/12446241.html | |||
| }}</ref> | |||
| The ] briefly considered Courtney a suspect in two to three disappearances under investigation but have since eliminated him as a suspect.<ref>{{cite news | The ] briefly considered Courtney a suspect in two to three disappearances under investigation but have since eliminated him as a suspect.<ref>{{cite news | ||
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| |last=Frazier | |last=Frazier | ||
| |url=http://www.katu.com/news/3643546.html | |url=http://www.katu.com/news/3643546.html | ||
| }}</ref> The case was covered several times on the television program '']''.<ref> |
}}</ref> The case was covered several times on the television program '']''.<ref>{{Cite web|title = AMW {{!}} Missing Persons {{!}} Brooke Wilberger {{!}} Case|url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026002230/http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/case.cfm?id=27071|date = September 21, 2009|accessdate = 2015-06-22}}</ref> | ||
| ==Conviction== | ==Conviction== | ||
Revision as of 10:36, 22 June 2015
| Brooke Wilberger | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Brooke Carol Wilberger February 20, 1985 Fresno, California, USA |
| Died | May 25, 2004(2004-05-25) (aged 19) Corvallis, Oregon, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Missing person and murder victim |
| Parent(s) | Greg and Cammy Wilberger |
Brooke Carol Wilberger (February 20, 1985 – May 25, 2004) was a student from the state of Oregon who was abducted and later murdered. Her disappearance was covered by the national media, and hers was one of the most publicized murder investigations in Oregon history.
Biography
Wilberger was born in Fresno, California on February 20, 1985 to Greg and Cammy Wilberger. She had three sisters and two brothers. Described as a devout Mormon, Wilberger was a graduate of Elmira High School near Eugene, Oregon. She had just completed her freshman year at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah at the time of her abduction. During that time, her boyfriend, Justin Blake, was serving as a Mormon missionary in Venezuela.
Abduction
Wilberger was abducted from Corvallis, Oregon on the morning of May 24, 2004 by Joel Patrick Courtney. He drove her into the woods outside of town. He returned to town to buy food while he still had Brooke bound in his van. He kept her alive throughout the night before raping her the next morning. He bludgeoned her to death when she tried to fight off the rape. At the time of her disappearance she was on summer break, visiting and working for one of her sisters in Corvallis. She was last seen cleaning lamp posts in the parking lot of the Oak Park Apartments on the edge of the Oregon State University campus, which her sister and brother-in-law managed.
When Wilberger disappeared, the police began investigating immediately – against normal procedure, which would typically allow a few days in case the person vanished by their own choice. The Wilbergers' church organized a search by citizens of Corvallis.
Wilberger's remains were found on September 21, 2009, more than five years after she disappeared. The man accused of her murder, Joel Courtney, revealed the location of her remains as part of a plea agreement to avoid the death penalty. He pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, the only crime subject to capital punishment in Oregon, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Investigation
The investigation initially centered on Sung Koo Kim, who was named as "person of interest" in the disappearance. Kim was later dropped as a suspect, but received an 11-year prison sentence for multiple counts of burglary and theft of women's personal property in Yamhill County, Oregon, crimes uncovered while he was being investigated for the Wilberger disappearance. He was released in December 2012 after serving about 7 years.
On November 30, 2004, a University of New Mexico student was beaten and raped, before escaping and identifying Joel Patrick Courtney as her abuser. On September 12, 2007, Courtney pleaded guilty to the beating and rape of the 22-year-old University of New Mexico foreign exchange student. Courtney's plea agreement called for a prison sentence of up to 18 years, plus five to 20 years on parole. Courtney would also need to register as a sex offender. Police eventually linked Courtney, a native of Beaverton, Oregon, to the disappearance of Wilberger and in August 2005 he was charged on 19 counts of aggravated murder, kidnapping, sexual abuse, rape and sodomy. Court documents released in 2008 revealed details showing that Courtney was in Corvallis when Wilberger disappeared and that the green van he was driving was spotted by several people, including an OSU employee who identified him from a photo lineup. Officials said that Wilberger's DNA was found inside the van, along with her hair.
Courtney was extradited to Benton County, Oregon for the Wilberger case on April 8, 2008. He was scheduled for his first appearance on April 9, 2008 at the Benton County Courthouse, facing 14 counts including aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping and single counts of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse in connection with Wilberger's disappearance. Charges were filed despite the absence of the body of the alleged victim at the time; the prosecutor in the case announced that he would seek the death penalty.
The FBI briefly considered Courtney a suspect in two to three disappearances under investigation but have since eliminated him as a suspect. The case was covered several times on the television program America's Most Wanted.
Conviction
Courtney's attorneys worked towards a trial, as well as towards a speedier resolution. The trial was set for February 1, 2010. He was expected to be charged in connection with the unrelated kidnapping, attempted sexual assault, attempted rape, attempted sodomy and attempted murder of two Oregon State University students, the same day Wilberger went missing.
On September 21, 2009 Joel Patrick Courtney pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Wilberger's death. The deal spared Courtney from the death penalty, in exchange for providing information about the location of Wilberger's body. In addition, the deal also called for Courtney to be imprisoned in his home state, New Mexico, instead of Oregon where the crime was committed.
The Benton County District Attorney announced the recovery of Wilberger's body (without specifics or its location) in a press conference the day of Courtney's confession. Wilberger's remains were found on private property in Benton County in the Oregon Coast Range.
References
- ^ Moran, Jack (September 22, 2009). "Killer's guilty plea brings family closure". Eugene Register-Guard. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- ^ "Brooke Wilberger's remains found in coastal range, killer sentenced to life in prison". Salem, Oregon: Statesman Journal. September 21, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Authorities Charge Man With Murder". America's Most Wanted. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
- Schabner, Dean; Sarah Netter (September 21, 2009). "Brooke Wilberger found: Killer gives location of remains to avoid death penalty". ABC News.
- ^ Hunter, Donna (August 14, 2008). "Vanished: Two coeds, two horrifying mysteries". 20/20. ABC News.
- "Suspect Charged With Murder Of Brooke Wilberger". KUTV.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
- Netter, Sarah. "Brooke Wilberger Found: Killer Gives Location of Remains to Avoid Death Penalty". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
- "Sung Koo Kim gets nearly six years for underwear thefts". KATU.com. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
- "DA: 'His intent was that no one ever find her'". KVAL.com. September 21, 2009. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
- "Man Charged in Wilberger Case Pleads Guilty in N.M. Assault Case". www.ksl.com. Associated Press. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
- "Joel Patrick Courtney, serial killer & rapist". Retrieved March 8, 2006.
- McCall, William (19 April 2008). "Suspect's van seen in Corvallis". Deseret News. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- McCall, William (September 22, 2009). "Slain BYU student's Ore. mother grateful case over". Boston.com. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
- ^ "Joel Courtney back in Oregon". KVAL-TV. 8 April 2008.
- http://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/documents/courtney4-8-08.pdf
- "Effort begins to extradite Wilberger murder suspect". KATU. Associated Press. 12 December 2007.
- Frazier, Joseph B. (23 February 2006). "FBI drops Joel Courtney as suspect in two cases". KATU.
- "AMW | Missing Persons | Brooke Wilberger | Case". September 21, 2009. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
- Booth, Michael (September 5, 2009). "Courtney headed for trial". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Retrieved 2009-09-22.
- Beck, Rachel (22 September 2009). "Wilberger's remains recovered; Courtney pleads guilty to murder". Corvallis Gazette-Times.
- Rosu-Urdes, Sabina (September 22, 2009). "BREAKING NEWS: Press Conference - Brooke Wilberger's Remains Found". KEZI.
- 1985 births
- Corvallis, Oregon
- American murder victims
- American Latter Day Saints
- People from Fresno, California
- Murdered students
- People murdered in Oregon
- Brigham Young University alumni
- 2004 deaths
- People from Lane County, Oregon
- 2004 murders in the United States
- 2004 in Oregon
- Deaths by person
- Deaths by beating in the United States
- Kidnappings in the United States
- Rapes in the United States