Phillips said he found the computer when he was helping Harmon clear her stuff out of Martin's house. All Rights Reserved. Works at Gipe Auto Color, Inc. October 31, 2018 - Present. "My father was a federal witness. The forensic analysis reportedly shows the casing was fired from a .45 caliber Glock belonging to Martin. You are using an out of date browser. Calvin and Pamela Phillips were murdered in 2015. She then accused him of rape, sodomy, child abuse, child molestation, and stealing a military computer, Martin said. The jury heard conflictingaccountsof the crime, which went unsolved for years. "We believe that he is innocent of these charges and hope that the truth will come out.. Martin, an American Airlines pilot, was arrested Saturday at the Louisville International Airport as he was getting ready to board the plane. However, she says Lt. Smith gave a volume of other additional evidence to the grand jury in addition to the cell tower records, most importantly a shell casing found at the murder scene., 4/29/21 Update: Defense attorneys are still waiting for evidentiary reports from prosecutors & police. 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. A car was smoldering and inside were the unidentified remains of two people. 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. Martin had hired private investigators to help him build a defense. And I was like, Im golden.". 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. I received this article this morning, but unfortunately can't access it over here - even in Outline. Background: Ex-airline pilot finally goes on trial in gruesome Kentucky triple murder. Calvin Phillips, 59, was shot to death in the cellar of his home in Pembroke, Kentucky, on November 18, 2015. 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. Medical Examiner testifies Calvin Phillips died of multiple gunshot wounds, A Forensic pathologist for the State examined the burned remains of Pam Phillips and Ed Dansereau and concluded they died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds, Blood, Hair and swabs taken found the crime scenes could not be linked to the defendant, A friend was on the phone with Pam when she heard her make a startled scream. We found 24 records for Matt Phillips in Hodgenville, Trenton and 14 other cities in Kentucky. The family of Calvin and Pamela Phillips have long contested that Martin didn't have a motive to kill the couple. That same day, he allegedly shot and killed Pamela Phillips and Dansereau with a .22 caliber firearm, according to the indictment. When asked by WSMV in April 2016 who would have killed the Phillips and Dansereau, Martin suggested Phillips had dealings in a brothel and had been using drugs. With this, he was found guilty as charged and sentenced to life in prison without parole on September 2, 2021. Phillips said he found the computer when he was helping Harmon clear her stuff out of Martin's house. Unsettled by the call she went to her house to check found no sign of Pam but noticed her car had been moved, Defendants fianc, and her children take the witness to alibi their stepdad, Several of friends of the Phillips testify they expressed fear that Martin would kill them, Prosecutors lay out timeline of defendants whereabouts on Nov. 18, Judge permits Joan Harmon and her son Justin Elijah to invoke 5, Detective who processed crime scene collects cell phone belonging to murder victim Pam Phillips. "The families and the Pembroke community have endured a profound loss. Martin said he considered Phillips an asset in his case. After the murders, he also moved from Christian County, Kentucky, and was most recently living in North Carolina, as prosecutors came across no evidence that could initially tie him to the deaths. "If the jury had known that the person who claimed to find the shell casing did not pass the police polygraph, they would have reached a different verdict. A formal sentencing hearing is scheduled Sept. 2 in Hopkinsville, with Martin to remain in the custody until then. Friends and Family of Cal & Pam Phillips. I had moved on.". In the end, the jury did not believe the defense nor Martin's denial of killing the three neighbors. 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. He was punitively dismissed from the Army, forfeited all pay and allowances and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. "My parents died for this court-martial," Matt Phillips said in 2019. Police were called out to a field on the edge of Pembroke, Kentucky. Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. "My father was a federal witness. 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. "Everyone in town knew what was going on while I was at work every day," Martin said. His defense team argues the grand jury indicted him based on misleading testimony from an investigator about the cellphone tower evidence. "He was my star defense witness," Martin said. He was dismissed from the Army and received 90 days in jail. "I think that notion of this star witness thing is absurd, Calvin Phillip's sister, Diana Phillips, told WSMV in 2017. The three victims would be identified as: Calvin Phillips, age 58 - he was the victim found in the home "Everyone in town knew what was going on while I was at work every day," Martin said. Calvin was found shot in his home, and his wife. From the outside, it seemed like they were a picture-perfect family. A car was smoldering - and inside were the unidentified remains of two people. 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. But Martin said he wasn't jealous. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Martin was living in North Carolina at the time of the indictment, having moved there after the murders. The fiance of a commercial pilot charged in a cold-case triple murder in Kentucky is speaking out, saying he's "100 percent innocent.". 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. 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. Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley objected to admitting the polygraph results since they are generally inadmissible at trial. Calvin and Pamela Phillips' son, Matt Philips, told CNN his father helped build an Army case against Martin, who had served for 30 years. Also at issue are the results of polygraph tests given to both Diana & Matt Phillips about finding the shell casing. May, 2016 was convicted of 2 counts of mishandling classified materials & 2 count of assault on a child; sentenced to 6 months in jail & discharged from the military. And I was like, Im golden.". "Instead … the jury acted with misplaced blame disguised as justice.". And he said he would present forensic proof that the bullets that killed the victims did not come from his clients gun. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and was discharged after 30 years of military service. Martin is being held at the Christian County Detention Center without bond and is due to be arraigned May 22. Around 3 search warrants were executed on his property and vehicles over the years, and investigators also asked him to provide DNA samples for forensic analysis. Ill fight for her, for my father, and Ed until the end of time because they would have for me.". "We have no idea what prompted this indictment after all these years, but we feel that justice will prevail and Kit Martin will walk away an exonerated man.". "I just call her the ex-bigamist," Martin said in the 2016 interview. PREVIOUS STORY >> American Airlines pilot arrested at Louisville airport, charged in 2015 triple homicide. Calvin was an Army veteran and Pam served at a local bank after spending roughly 10 years as a stay-at-home mom for their one and only child, Matt Phillips. 3. 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. "Weve been on a national display since earlyJune, and I believe you all have lived up to your oath as jurors," Atkins said. The case was based on accusations of sexual abuse from Martins estranged wife and that he allegedly mishandled classified military information. "My private investigator went through all the allegations with him and just went down the whole line and just refuted everything. Griffiths also said a laptop computer that was used by an investigator to obtain cell phone evidence was corrupted. Airline pilot charged with triple-murder while at Louisville airport, was arrested Saturday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Attorney General Beshear accepted a request to appoint a special prosecutor to take over the case after he met with the family's son, Matt, nearly two years ago. Martin, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held on a $3 million bond pending his June 1 trial in Elizabethtown, where the case has been moved on a change of venue. At the trial, three witnesses also testified that Calvin and Pamela were afraid for their lives in the months preceding their deaths because they believed that Christian was out to get them to keep his reputation as a friendly, family man intact. 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. 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. During an exclusive interview with Court TV, Martin still maintains his innocence. Phillips told private investigators hired by Martin that he thought the pilot had stolen an Army laptop. Christian Richard Martin, 53, faces between 20 years and life behind bars for fatally shooting Edward Dansereau and married couple Calvin and Pamela Phillips nearly six years ago. "If you were lucky enough to form any kind of relationship with him, it meant he loved you. In November 2015, while most people in the area were preparing for Thanksgiving, two families, unfortunately, had to plan funerals instead. Jury selection starts on. Yet he was finally indicted in May 2019 whiel he was working as a pilot at PSA Airlines - a subsidiary of American Airlines. In that meeting, the son said he was worried the case had stalled. 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. Martin said in the April 2016 interview with WSMV that he suspected Harmon had been involved in a long-term affair with Calvin Phillips. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 30s Matt James Phillips Hodgenville, KY Aliases Matthew James Phillips View Full Report Addresses In 2016, Kit Martin told Nashvilles NBC affiliate WSMV Television that he wasnt concerned about being charged in the murders. 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 investigation had gone cold. Martin was arrested at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on May 10, 2019, the same day a Christian County grand jury indicted him on 10 counts. Several attempts to reach Harmon for comment were unsuccessful. "His spirit wasinfectious, and his spirit made everyone feel like they were loved," Hilton said of Dansereau. In fact, he was grateful to Phillips. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. The suspect, a pilot and former Army Major, was taken off a flight in handcuffs at the Louisvilles Muhammad Ali International Airport. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. He was arrested the following day, just as he was about to fly as the first officer on a flight from Louisville to Charlotte, North Carolina. What had happened here? A Christian County circuit court judge has ordered that he be held without bond. In November of 2015, three people were murdered in Pembroke, Kentucky: Calvin Phillips, his wife, Pam Phillips and a neighbor Ed Dansereau. That computer has since been sent to the FBI Crime Lab in Quantico, Virginia & the defense has been assured a report will be made available by next week. The bodies of Mr. Phillips' wife, Pamela, and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau, were found a few miles away in a corn field in a burned up car owned by Mrs. Phillips. He said in an interview with WSMV in April 2016 that Calvin Phillips had a long-term affair with his ex-wife that was known to everyone in town.. The killings happened just two weeks before the scheduled court martial. 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. He says his family didnt know Martin had become a pilot with American Airlines. >>>WATCH FULL TRIAL ON DEMAND: KY v. CHRISTIAN MARTIN. "I hope this is a day that brings some justice to these families," Beshear said. Airline pilot charged with triple-murder while at Louisville airport, when he was arrested on May 11, 2019, as he prepared to fly as first officer on a flight from Louisville to Charlotte, North Carolina, Martin maintained that he had no motive to kill Calvin Phillips, said in an April 2016 interview with NBC affiliate WSMV. His trial is scheduled to begin in Hardin County on June 2 after being moved out of Christian County last August due to pretrial publicity. While they were helping her, they found discs labeled secret operation and a photograph of alleged abuse of Martins step-son. IE 11 is not supported. 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 Kit Martin is accused of murdering Edward Dansereau and married couple Calvin and Pamela Phillips on November 18, 2015. It was a day that would forever change a tiny southern town: November 19th, 2015. Martin was booked in Christian County and held without bond. He was punitively dismissed from the Army, forfeited all pay and allowances and was sentenced to be confined for 90 days. An arraignment has been set for May 22. Matt is Calvin's son. On November 20, 2015, the SWAT team, local police officials, and military personnel swarmed and searched Christian Kit Richard Martins home in connection to the triple homicide. 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. Which Republicans voted against Juneteenth? "He was my star defense witness," he said. 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? 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. 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. At one point, Martin used a handkerchief to wipe away tears as the defense described how he tried to helpother inmates with their cases while locked up. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Christian Martin was found guilty of the murder of three neighbors on Wednesday, Calvin and Pamela Phillips were murdered in 2015, Neighbor Edward Dansereau, 63, was also murdered, Martin in court as he was convicted of the three murders on Wednesday, Ex-Army pilot guilty of killing neighbor who was having sex with his ex and 2 others to stop child rape court-martial, Americans will spend more than five years of their lives doing tasks they hate, study finds, Man finds creepy 'hidden room' in his house he never knew existed leaving viewers puzzled, Princess Diana once revealed decent men are put off by me because of all the baggage. He was still wearing his pilots uniform when he was booked. ABC station WTVD-TV in Durham, North Carolina, interview with NBC affiliate station WSMV-TV in Louisville, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Police were able to trace the car to an address in Pembroke. They also claim Martin was targeted by an attorney general seeking to bolster his tough-on-crime credentials as part of his gubernatorial campaign. The prosecution claimed thatDansereauand Phillipswife were collateral damage. 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. Jurors convicted Martin this week after seven hours of deliberation following a two-week trial. 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. Next is jury selection on. 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. But Phillips also told investigators that Harmon had never said she or her children were abused by Martin. After a two week trial, a jury found Christian Richard Martin guilty of all charges against him, including three counts of murder, one count of arson in the first degree, one count of attempted arson, two counts of burglary in the first degree, and three counts of tampering with physical evidence, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced. Calvin's wife, Pamela Phillips, 58, and their neighbor, Edward Dansereau, 63, were also found in a nearby cornfield inside her burned-out car the next day. Background: Ex-airline pilot finally goes on trial in gruesome Kentucky triple murder Calvin Phillips, 59, was found dead in his Pembroke home on Nov. 19, and the remains of Dansereau, 63,. Detectives identified two of the victims as husband and wife, Cal and Pam Phillips, who are remembered by loved ones as kind and fun-loving. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 at Pembroke Baptist Church . 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. "My mom was incredibly kind. However, defense Griffiths indicated that either one of both failed the polygraph & that those tests should be allowed for him to present a defense for his client. Reach Louisville Courier Journal reporter on Twitter: @adwolfson. "You never dream or ever think something like this would happen to your family," John Phillips said, calling it a "nightmare.". 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. "He was my star defense witness," he said. Nonetheless, the Army veteran never conceded what he would say on the stands when the time came. 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.". Martin's ex-wife, Joan Harmon, and her son invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying in the case. Harmon told WSMV in 2016 that she never had an affair with Phillips, and while she admitted to pleading guilty to bigamy, she did so because she couldnt afford an attorney. The bodies of Pamela Phillips and Dansereau were found in Calvin Phillips' car, which had been set on fire in a cornfield a few miles away from the couple's home, he said. Philips had told private investigators he found the laptop when he helped Harmon move out. The following day, while detectives found Calvins remains in their shared home on South Main Street, Pamelas body was recovered from her burnt-out vehicle a few miles away, near a cornfield. Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. "Im devastated," Matt Phillips said in a statement to ABC News. He was just sitting out there," Martin told WSMV. But Phillips also told investigators that Harmon had never said she or her children were abused by Martin. 2023 Court TV Media LLC, part of The E.W. The indictment stems from events that occurred on or about November 18, 2015, in which Calvin Phillips was found shot to death in his home located in Pembroke, Kentucky. She alerted Matt, who testified it was a spent 45 caliber shell casing. In a 2016 interview with NBC affiliate station WSMV-TV in Louisville, Martin claimed Calvin Phillips was having an affair with his then-wife but denied any involvement in the murders. "I just call her the ex-bigamist," Martin said in the 2016 interview. 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. Select this result to view Matthew Victor Phillips's phone number, address, and more. On Saturday, Martin was arrested at the Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, taken off an airplane full of passengers just as it was about to take off on a flight, authorities said. She had accused Christian of sexually and physically abusing her and her children. As per records, Christians now-ex-wife, Joan, was supposedly having an affair with Calvin, and she also had problems with Christian. All rights reserved. Calvin was an Army veteran and Pam served at a local bank after spending roughly 10 years as a stay-at-home mom for their one and only child, Matt Phillips. Calvin Phillips, 59, was found shot to death Nov. 18, 2015, in his home in Pembroke, a town of about 900 residents that is 10 miles southeast of Hopkinsville. He was scheduled to testify before the court-martial on behalf of both Martin and the military, according to WSMV. So his family and I believe he is 100 percent innocent. The third result is Matthew Wade Phillips age 30s in Dry Ridge, KY. Christian Martin was arrested at Louisville Airport in connection to a 2015 triple murder case. 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. "I think that notion of this star witness thing is absurd, Calvin Phillip's sister, Diana Phillips, told WSMV in 2017. Calvin Phillips was found fatally shot at his home in Pembroke, Kentucky, Attorney General Andy Beshear said Saturday. From there, Christian was taken into custody for questioning and released days later by the government. A restaurant manager where Joan Harmon worked testified she was happy excited about the murders. The triple-slayings occurred just weeks before Calvin Phillips was scheduled to testify in Martins military court-martial. Phillips "had gotten me out of this huge mess. From last month: Martin allegedly put the bodies of Dansereau and Pamela Phillips in a car and drove into a cornfield several miles from their neighborhood and set the vehicle on fire with the victims' bodies inside, according to the indictment. Martins attorney, assistant public advocate Tom Griffiths, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
10wt Fly Rod Shootout,
Haydn String Quartet, Op 76, No 3 Analysis,
Carroll County 1000 Acre Lake Fishing Report,
Articles M
