Valentine’s Day often brings images of flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt declarations of love. It’s a day celebrated worldwide, with billions spent on tokens of affection. But behind the rosy facade, this day has a darker, more complex history. Sometimes, the intensity of emotion associated with Valentine’s Day can take a horrifying turn. This list explores ten instances where the day of love tragically transformed into a day of murder.
10. John Hamilton
On Valentine’s Day 2001, respected OB-GYN John Hamilton reported finding his wife, Susan, murdered in their home. She had been brutally strangled and beaten. Initially, investigators considered a link to an anti-abortion group. However, suspicion soon fell on Hamilton himself, especially after learning Susan had been considering a divorce.
A key piece of evidence came from blood spatter expert Tom Bevel. He testified that the blood patterns on Hamilton’s shirt suggested he was the perpetrator, not someone who found the body. Prosecutors also revealed a potential affair Hamilton was having with a topless dancer. Despite Hamilton’s claims that the blood was from performing CPR, the jury convicted him of murder in just two hours. He received a sentence of life in prison without parole.
9. Gibson Paul
A breakup turned deadly on Valentine’s evening in 2011. Gibson Paul’s ex-girlfriend, Tomicka Peterson, was leaving the apartment they once shared with friends when Paul opened fire on their vehicle. The car contained Peterson, another female passenger, a female driver, and a three-year-old child.
The other female passenger suffered a graze wound, but Tomicka Peterson was hit five times and died at the scene. Paul initially represented himself in court before requesting a public defender. While prosecutors first considered the death penalty, they ultimately did not pursue it. Paul was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, plus an additional 35 years for the murder.
8. Amanda Michelle Naylor McClure
A disturbing love triangle culminated in murder on Valentine’s Day 2019. Amanda Michelle Naylor McClure, her boyfriend John Thomas McGuire, and her biological father, Larry McClure, were at the center of this grim tale. Amanda, adopted as a child, had recently reconnected with Larry and her sister, Anna Choudhary.
In February, Larry and Anna brought Amanda and McGuire to Larry’s West Virginia home. What started as a seemingly normal visit turned sinister. After about a week, Larry, Amanda, and Anna conspired to kill McGuire. On February 14th, McGuire was attacked with a wine bottle, injected with methamphetamines, and strangled. The trio tortured him for two days before burying his body in the backyard. Days later, they exhumed, dismembered, and reburied his remains. His body wasn’t found until September 2019. In a bizarre turn, Amanda and her father married about three weeks after the murder. All three were charged, with Amanda and Anna receiving 40-year sentences, and Larry sentenced to life without mercy.
7. Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius, the “Blade Runner,” made history at the 2012 Summer Olympics as the first amputee runner to compete. Less than a year later, on February 14, 2013, he made headlines for a very different reason. Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, through a locked bathroom door in his home.
Pistorius claimed he believed an intruder was in the house and fired in an attempt to protect Steenkamp, not realizing she was the one in the bathroom. He was initially sentenced to six years in prison in 2016. However, this was appealed, and in 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 15 years, deeming the original sentence “too lenient.” Pistorius has since been considered for parole.
6. James Carter II
In January 2009, Tiana Notice obtained a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, James Carter II. Despite her requests for police to enforce it after Carter repeatedly contacted her, little was done. On Valentine’s Day 2009, Carter violated the order again. He ambushed Notice outside her apartment, stabbing her 20 times. She died from her injuries two hours later.
Carter was sentenced in 2012 to 60 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after 25 years. He chose not to attend his sentencing hearing. Notice’s family established a foundation in her memory to raise awareness about domestic violence and advocate for stricter domestic violence laws.
5. DeMarcus Little
Anitra Gunn, a senior at Fort Valley State University, disappeared on Valentine’s Day 2020. Concern grew when friends and family couldn’t reach her the following day, prompting a search. Her body was discovered four days later in a wooded area. An autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide, likely by strangulation, occurring sometime on February 14th.
Gunn’s boyfriend, Demarcus Little, quickly became the prime suspect. He was initially arrested on vandalism charges related to an incident Gunn had reported on February 5th involving slashed tires and a broken window. Later, Little was charged with malice murder for her strangulation. As of early 2022, the case was still awaiting trial.
4. Nathan Leuthold
Former missionary Nathan Leuthold was sentenced to 80 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Denise, on February 14, 2013. Prosecutors argued that Leuthold attempted to stage the scene as a burglary gone wrong. However, an unusually tidy crime scene and his strange behavior quickly pointed suspicion toward him.
The prosecution alleged Leuthold planned to kill his wife to be with Aina Dobilaite, a 21-year-old Lithuanian exchange student they were hosting. The state’s attorney described the murder as a “Valentine’s Day present” for Dobilaite, citing internet searches Leuthold made, such as how to silence a .40 caliber Glock, as evidence of premeditation. Both Leuthold and Dobilaite denied any romantic involvement.
3. Stacey Schoeck
On Valentine’s Day 2010, Richard Schoeck went to a park to meet his wife, Stacey, to exchange gifts. When Stacey arrived, she found Richard shot dead near his truck. What initially appeared to be a random act of violence was revealed three months later to be a murder-for-hire scheme.
Stacey Schoeck had paid personal trainer Reginald Coleman $10,000 to kill her husband. Both Coleman and Stacey Schoeck received life sentences for their roles in the murder. Lynitra Ross, a co-worker who introduced Stacey to Coleman, was also given a life sentence for her part in the plot.
2. Anthony Williams and Kareem Brock
February 14, 1996, saw Anthony Williams and Kareem Brock disguise themselves in women’s clothing to rob a 7-Eleven. During the robbery, Sara Keynejad, a 19-year-old woman who was six months pregnant and waiting for her husband, was shot. She later died at a university medical center.
The murder of Keynejad and her unborn child remained unsolved for over two decades. However, on July 23, 2020, a breakthrough led to Williams and Brock being formally charged with Keynejad’s murder and manslaughter for the death of her unborn child. Reports indicated that a girlfriend at the time had identified them.
1. Glen McCurley
In 1974, high-school senior Carla Walker was abducted from her boyfriend’s car following a Valentine’s Day dance. Her boyfriend was assaulted and knocked unconscious. Carla’s body was found in a ditch three days later. She had endured two days of torture before her death. Despite persons of interest being identified, no charges were filed, and the case went cold.
Decades later, in 2020, advancements in DNA technology brought new life to the case. Investigators were able to build a full DNA profile from evidence, which previously only yielded a partial match. This new profile matched Glen McCurley, one of the original persons of interest. McCurley, then 77, was charged with capital murder. During his trial, he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. Carla Walker’s family expressed hope for justice and also stated they had forgiven McCurley.
These stories serve as a stark reminder that even on a day dedicated to love, darkness can prevail. The contrast between the expected joy of Valentine’s Day and the grim reality of these crimes is truly unsettling. While love is a powerful and beautiful emotion, these cases show how it can sometimes be twisted or become a motive for heinous acts.
What are your thoughts on these tragic Valentine’s Day cases? Share your reflections in the comments below.
