Preamble:
In the early morning of November 15, 2004, a brutal and horrific murder occurred in a home in the small town of Delmar, New York, USA. The victims of this tragedy are none other than the Polks, who live here. Her husband, Peter Polk, has been killed, and her wife, Joan, is dying.
Bloodied and devastated in the situation, Joan barely supported the only remaining life, revealing a shocking news to the police who arrived - the murderer was their youngest son, 21-year-old college student Chris.
The tragedy took place in a peaceful and peaceful town, and suddenly broke the trajectory of the residents' lives. The Polks, who live in this town, are not locals, having moved here from Manhattan 10 years ago.
Peter Polk is a lawyer who has worked in the New York Intermediate Court for many years; His wife, Joan, is a child speech-language pathologist who often travels to see clients. The two moved here mainly to enjoy a quiet suburban life. There are many similar middle-class families living in this town, all of whom know each other well and have not heard of any crimes.
Residents have always had a good impression of the Polk family, and the couple is kind and warm-hearted, often taking the initiative to greet their neighbors. Their eldest son, Jonathan, is already serving in the Navy, and their younger son, Chris, is in college.
On weekdays, only two elderly people rely on each other with the family's golden retriever dog. So, when the news of this murder spread, the whole town felt extremely sorry for them, and couldn't believe that this warm family would suffer such a tragic end.
The police suspect Chris, but Joan flatly denies it
In the face of Joan's accusations, the police immediately launched an investigation and soon identified Chris as a major suspect. Chris denied the allegations, claiming to be in the school dormitory and having classmates testify. However, police confirmed through vehicle surveillance footage and cash receipts that Chris's vehicle was present on the highway near the scene of the crime. Coupled with Chris's previous serious conflicts with his father and clear motives, the police determined that Chris was the murderer in this case.
When the police investigated at the scene, they found that the cause of death of the elderly couple was a strong blow to the head with a blunt object. There was a large amount of blood splattered in the room, the skull was shattered, and the mandibles were displaced. This indicates that the killer carried out a continuous and intensive assault on the victim. The murder weapon must have been the bloodied axe in the bedroom. It is a miracle that the victim can survive in such a brutal murderous manner.
What shocked the police even more was that Joan was fatally injured and was already dying. But in the midst of blood and severe pain, she still managed to support and identify the murderer as her youngest son. A mother would choose to denounce her own flesh and blood at the moment of death, which fully shows how deep her hatred for the murderer is.
However, what puzzled the police was that during the court trial in 2005, Joan suddenly turned around, claiming that she couldn't remember the scene of the night of the crime and couldn't be sure that the murderer was her son Chris. She insisted that her son was innocent and that he should not be wronged. Jo Ann spends $250,000 bailing Chris on par, despite her severed eyeballs and broken jaw. This makes everyone have to face up to a question: is the evidence lying, or is mother's love clouding the truth?
Chris's childhood misfortune led to a deep hatred
In order to find the truth, it is necessary to delve into the past of this family. Chris's parents, Joan and Peter, have very different personalities, Peter is calm and introverted, serious and responsible, and Joan is lively and cheerful, focusing on parent-child communication. Unfortunately, Chris has been withdrawn since he was a child, and his interests are different from those of other children, so he is unable to socialize normally.
Chris has not been good at socializing with people since he was a child, and his personality is withdrawn and perverse. His interests and hobbies are different from ordinary people, and he is not good at playing normally with children of the same age. Although his family is well-off, he has no friends and can only immerse himself in his own world.
Joan and Peter are suspicious of their son's problem and take him to a psychiatrist. But the experts concluded that Chris did not have any obvious mental illness, but was withdrawn and needed more love from his parents and school.
Peter and Joan also had different ways of educating Chris. Joan spoiled Chris too much and tolerated all his temperamental mistakes, which instead made him develop a willful and perverse character.
And Peter, as the strict father of the family, often expresses incomprehension and disappointment with Chris's various behaviors. This led to a deep resentment of Chris towards his father from an early age, and his mother became his only spiritual sustenance.
Before the crime, Chris was in debt and stole his father's belongings
In 2003, as an adult, Chris entered the University of Rochester to study Xi business management. However, he still went his own way, often gambling and drinking outside of school, and making friends with some bad people. In order to gain the approval of these people, Chris often overlooked and ended up with tens of thousands of dollars in loan sharks and gambling debts.
In September 2004, Chris had no more sources of borrowing and began to collect his debts. In order to pay off his debts, Chris began stealing his father's belongings, Peter. He forged his father's signature and withdrew $31,000 in cash from his father's account. He lied that it was his father's living allowance for him. Soon the money was squandered by Chris, and the problem of debt still haunted him. The creditor's eyeliner is everywhere, and if you delay it any longer, you will only ask for trouble.
At this point, Chris had a terrible thought that if his parents died suddenly, he would be able to profit from their combined $1.1 million in life insurance and inheritance. So, he quietly asked for some information about his parents' posthumous assets, and at the same time boasted to friends that he would become a millionaire in the future. He began shopping around the school for chemicals that could make drugs and obscure license plates.
When Peter discovers the truth, he is killed by Chris
In October, Peter found out the truth about the theft of his account and immediately spoke to Chris, seriously accusing him of what he had done, and asking him to go home and talk to him in person. Chris learns that something is wrong, and his crimes have been revealed. He realizes that his stern father will send him to prison without mercy this time.
In the early hours of November 15, Chris drove back home, ready to go. He used a spare key and an anti-theft system code to enter the house. After confirming that his parents were asleep, he quietly went to the master bedroom, armed with an axe that had been prepared in advance. Before the sleeping Peter and Joan could react, Chris had already raised his axe and slashed at his parents' heads.
Chris coldly handles the scene and attempts to fake a robbery
After this frenzied massacre was over, Chris calmly handled the scene. He opened all the drawers in his home and flipped the contents to the ground, trying to create a case of a failed theft and robbery. He then cut the burglar nets on the windows, cut the phone lines, and drove back to campus.
The whole process is smooth and flawless. As a student from a middle-class family, Chris clearly knows everything about how to create fake robbery scenes. This suggests that the entire murder was the result of his careful planning and not a spur of the moment.
If it weren't for Peter's old friend Michael, who came to look for him and found out about the tragedy. The perfect murder devised by Chris could forever be an unsolved case. After the police arrived, under the identification of the dying Joan, they quickly identified Chris as a major suspect.
The mother's deep love for her son hindered the case
In 2005, the court sentenced Chris to 50 years in prison, citing evidence. However, Joan, who always believes in her son's innocence, does not hesitate to exhaust all her savings and appeal to clear Chris's name. Chris's girlfriend also testified in court that he had a bad personality and often lied. But Joan still firmly believes that Chris is her most beloved son, and it is impossible for him to commit such a heinous crime.
To this day, the case remains a mystery. Is it the evidence that is lying, or is it the mother's deep love for her son that blinds her, and if Chris is really innocent, who is responsible for this horrific tragedy? However, at least before the law, Chris has already been found guilty. The next 50 years in prison will be long and painful.
Epilogue:
When family affection is on the side before interests and the law, how much weight does it have left? The lesson of this case is that a parent's love for their children can be the whole world, but it must not lack rationality. The consequences of doting are still putting the cart before the horse.