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Revision as of 09:19, 13 December 2008 by Synchronism (talk | contribs) (Reverted unexplained removal of content (HG))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Luke Woodham | |
|---|---|
| File:LukeWoodham.jpg | |
| Status | Incarcerated |
| Occupation | Unemployed |
| Criminal charge | Murder, attempted murder |
| Penalty | Three consecutive life sentences and an additional 120 years |
Luke Woodham (born February 5, 1981) is a convicted American murderer, and a former resident of Pearl, Mississippi, United States. He instigated a school shooting at Pearl High School on October 1, 1997, which left three people dead, including his own mother, and seven injured. He is currently serving three life sentences with an additional 120 years.
Murder of Mother
On October 1 1997 Woodham, then 16, beat and stabbed his mother, Mary Woodham, to death. At his trial he said he could not remember killing his mother.
October 1: Shooting at Pearl High School
Woodham drove his mother's car to his high school. Wearing a long trenchcoat, he made no attempt to hide his rifle. When he entered the school, he walked toward Lydia Dew and shot Dew and Christina Menefee, his former girlfriend. Both girls died. Pearl High School Band director, Jeff Cannon, was standing 5 feet from Dew when she was fatally shot. He went on to wound 7 others before Joel Myrick, the assistant principal, retrieved a .45 pistol from the glove compartment of his truck and subdued Woodham while he was trying to drive off campus. The outraged educator demanded "Why did you shoot my kids?". Woodham replied "Life has wronged me, sir". Minutes before he started the shooting, he gave the following message to a friend:
"I am not insane, I am angry. I killed because people like me are mistreated every day. I did this to show society, push us and we will push back. ... All throughout my life, I was ridiculed, always beaten, always hated. Can you, society, truly blame me for what I do? Yes, you will. ... It was not a cry for attention, it was not a cry for help. It was a scream in sheer agony saying that if you can't pry your eyes open, if I can't do it through pacifism, if I can't show you through the displaying of intelligence, then I will do it with a bullet."
Satanism
During the trial, Woodham admitted to being a Psycopathic Satanist, and that he got the idea to commit the murders after his involvement in Satanism. According to Woodham, his friend Grant Boyette invited Woodham to join his Satanic group, known as "the Kroth." He told Woodham that he had "the potential to do something great." Boyette promised that he could either get his ex-girlfriend back or get even through black magic Woodham said.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (April 2008) |
The short play series "Above the Fold" by Topher Payne includes a play entitled "The Day Luke Woodham Killed All Those People". It was based on interviews the playwright conducted with Woodham's former co-workers at a local pizza parlor. The play was first produced by Process Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia in 2008.
References
- http://www.cnn.com/US/9710/02/miss.shooting.folo/
- Woodham Trial Archives
- Virginia Tech: Is the Scene of the Crime the Cause of the Crime?, 20-04-2007. Ames, Mark. AlterNet.
- CNN - Woodham testifies he was involved in satanism - June 11, 1998
External links
- Court TV Online - Mississippi vs Woodham
- Woodham Updates (Final conviction)
- CNN - Teen guilty in MIssissippi school-shooting
- Mississippi Department of Corrections file on Luke Woodham
Murder of Mother
On October 1 1997 Woodham, then 16, beat and stabbed his mother, Mary Woodham, to death. At his trial he said he could not remember killing his mother.
October 1: Shooting at Pearl High School
Woodham drove his mother's car to his high school. Wearing a long trenchcoat, he made no attempt to hide his rifle. When he entered the school, he walked toward Lydia Dew and shot Dew and Christina Menefee, his former girlfriend. Both girls died. Pearl High School Band director, Jeff Cannon, was standing 5 feet from Dew when she was fatally shot. He went on to wound 7 others before Joel Myrick, the assistant principal, retrieved a .45 pistol from the glove compartment of his truck and subdued Woodham while he was trying to drive off campus. The outraged educator demanded "Why did you shoot my kids?". Woodham replied "Life has wronged me, sir". Minutes before he started the shooting, he gave the following message to a friend:
"I am not insane, I am angry. I killed because people like me are mistreated every day. I did this to show society, push us and we will push back. ... All throughout my life, I was ridiculed, always beaten, always hated. Can you, society, truly blame me for what I do? Yes, you will. ... It was not a cry for attention, it was not a cry for help. It was a scream in sheer agony saying that if you can't pry your eyes open, if I can't do it through pacifism, if I can't show you through the displaying of intelligence, then I will do it with a bullet."
Satanism
During the trial, Woodham admitted to being a Psycopathic Satanist, and that he got the idea to commit the murders after his involvement in Satanism. According to Woodham, his friend Grant Boyette invited Woodham to join his Satanic group, known as "the Kroth." He told Woodham that he had "the potential to do something great." Boyette promised that he could either get his ex-girlfriend back or get even through black magic Woodham said.
Luke Woodham is nothing but a pussy faggot motherfucker if i was in prison with him I'd gauge his fucking eyes out and Slash his throat fucking repeatedly!!!! He was just a sad, depressed Faggot with nothing good in life who cares I honestly say he should have received the death penalty.
Trivia
| This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (April 2008) |
The short play series "Above the Fold" by Topher Payne includes a play entitled "The Day Luke Woodham Killed All Those People". It was based on interviews the playwright conducted with Woodham's former co-workers at a local pizza parlor. The play was first produced by Process Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia in 2008.
References
- http://www.cnn.com/US/9710/02/miss.shooting.folo/
- Woodham Trial Archives
- Virginia Tech: Is the Scene of the Crime the Cause of the Crime?, 20-04-2007. Ames, Mark. AlterNet.
- CNN - Woodham testifies he was involved in satanism - June 11, 1998
External links
- Court TV Online - Mississippi vs Woodham
- Woodham Updates (Final conviction)
- CNN - Teen guilty in MIssissippi school-shooting
- Mississippi Department of Corrections file on Luke Woodham
- Articles with trivia sections from April 2008
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Murder committed by minors
- Americans convicted of murder
- School killings in the United States
- American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
- Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Mississippi
- American spree killers
- People from Mississippi
- American murderers of children
- People convicted of murder by Mississippi