Posted on 03/24/2004 6:04:29 PM PST by chance33_98
Teen Blames Lesbian Lover For Grandmother's Murder
Granddaughter Reportedly Admits To Lighting Body Afire
POSTED: 8:27 pm EST March 24, 2004 UPDATED: 8:38 pm EST March 24, 2004
A teen accused of murdering her grandmother and setting her body on fire testifies Wednesday that her lesbian lover was responsible for the crime.
Larketa Collier gave a tearful testimony in court as she recounted the details of her grandmother's murder on Sept. 17 at the home where they lived on Hampshire Street on Detroit's east side, Local 4 reported.
The 16-year-old Finney High School student said her lover Sharon Patterson suggested killing Bertha Atkins because of her disapproval of their relationship.
Atkins reportedly told Patterson, 17, to leave the home on that day.
Collier (pictured, left) said she didn't take Patterson's threat seriously until she heard screams coming from the other room.
"I heard a little bit of screaming, but I didn't know what it was," Collier said.
Collier said she witnessed Patterson beating her grandmother with a claw hammer.
"She swung at her a few times before I got to her. Then I ran up to her, I grabbed by the waist … (and we were) wrestling on the floor for a little while," Collier said.
The teen testified that Patterson was also the one who suggested setting the house on fire to conceal the crime, but Collier admitted to pouring gasoline over her grandmother and lighting her body with a match, the station reported.
She claims she panicked when she realized her mother would be home soon.
"I was scared and nervous. I didn't want Sharon to go to jail. I didn't want nothing to happen to her. And I didn't want my mom to come home and see her like that," Collier said.
The 64-year-old woman's body was found by firefighters in the burned-out home.
Dr. Cheryl Lowe of the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said an autopsy proved that Atkins' was beaten and burned.
"There was a claw hammer that was wedged in her face. Specifically, it pierced through her upper lip and her tongue," said Lowe.
Collier said that after the killing, Patterson (pictured, right) convinced her to go see the movie "Jeepers Creepers" to take their mind off of what happened, the station reported.
Police say Collier's testimony Wednesday contradicted a statement she made to them in September that the two had planned the murder together.
Collier turned up the volume on a radio in the home to prevent anyone from hearing her grandmother screaming, according to police.
A verdict for Patterson was sealed and is scheduled to be announced sometime Thursday.
The two teens were charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and arson.
If convicted, they both face a mandatory life sentence.
So simply disapproving of a homosexual relationship warrants you being killed.
My my. Wonder where that little seed got planted?
Oh and isn't this a hate crime?
Have pity, she's an orphan.
Oh I see. I suppose it is to much to hope that I will have the chance to tolerate seeing these two tolerent people executed isn't it?
Well, grannie's a stiff for starters.
That's some pretty serious hammer weilding for such a young girl.She has the stomach to smack an old lady in the face hard enough to lodge a hammer there?! Far out!
"Collier said that after the killing, Patterson (pictured, right) convinced her to go see the movie "Jeepers Creepers" to take their mind off of what happened, the station reported."
Catching a flick to take your mind off wasting granny with a hammer then torching her?!!
Trully mindless violence.Demonic.
I'm surprised the Detroit police were able to pick up on that clue.
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