Sheriff's deputy Robert Rosenkranz
escorts Timothy Wayne Shepherd from
the courtroom Monday. Although bail
was set at $250,000, Shepherd remains
jailed in the death of Tynesha Stewart.
BRETT COOMER: CHRONICLE
Posted on 03/27/2007 1:31:02 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative
The man accused of strangling his ex-girlfriend, dismembering her body and burning it up on two barbecue grills should stay in jail for his own safety because of public outrage, his lawyer said Monday.
Chip Lewis said Harris County sheriff's officials have told him that Timothy Wayne Shepherd's life might be in danger if he were released on bail.
"There's no specific threat or specific person," Lewis said. "It's just common sense, given the vitriol in the community. It's a dangerous environment."
Shepherd, 27, is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail after being charged with murder in the death of 19-year-old Tynesha Stewart.
The Spring resident, an unemployed former pizza-delivery driver, again wore a yellow County Jail jumpsuit in court Monday, indicating that he remains under a suicide watch after trying to hang himself last week.
Lewis said sheriff's officials also have assured him that Shepherd would not have contact with other prisoners in the immediate future.
Several members of Shepherd's family attended the brief hearing and said they were praying for the victim's family.
"Our hearts go out to this family. We can feel their pain. We can feel their sorrow," said the Rev. Tommie C. Phillips, associate minister at Green Meadow Missionary Baptist Church.
He said he was speaking on behalf of grandmother Shirley Shepherd, who attends the church.
Timothy Shepherd was charged Wednesday after investigators said he confessed to choking Stewart, a Texas A&M University student, during an argument about her involvement with another man. Stewart, who was home on spring break, was last seen March 15 as she and Shepherd left her mother's apartment in Humble.
Plans were under way to search a Harris County landfill after investigators said Shepherd told them he had put Stewart's body in a trash bin. The search was called off, however, after Sheriff Tommy Thomas said investigators had determined that Shepherd dismembered the body and burned the parts on the patio at his northwest Harris County apartment.
At Monday's hearing, aunt Janice Shepherd said the suspect "lost it" as a teenager after learning that his stepfather was not his biological father.
"I told him, 'You're going to snap. You're going to explode.' And he couldn't handle it," she said.
She said he found his own birth certificate identifying his biological father as her brother, Robert Miller Shepherd, who died in 1979.
Residents of the Spring neighborhood where Shepherd grew up said last week that he comes from a good family.
His mother, a pharmacist, and stepfather, who works for Dr Pepper, moved to a new home elsewhere in Spring just weeks ago.
They have been married since Shepherd was 2.
Sheriff's deputy Robert Rosenkranz
escorts Timothy Wayne Shepherd from
the courtroom Monday. Although bail
was set at $250,000, Shepherd remains
jailed in the death of Tynesha Stewart.
BRETT COOMER: CHRONICLE
His only defense:
"My middle name is Wayne therefore I could not help myself."
Why do the real freaks have the middle name "Wayne"?
I would not name a kid Wayne even if someone gave me a million dollars.
Mark my words, this Wayne or the next Wayne will use the "Wayne Defense" in court.
It will work in California, but not in Texas.
Its a law
Civil Code 43, section 8,paragraph 7:
" All murderers, potential murderers, or child molestors shall bare the name Wayne or Bob as their middle name: ie:Blank Wayne Blank . Signed and dated this day, October 24 ,1952"
http://www.freakonomics.com/blog/2006/09/28/the-next-time-your-daughter-brings-home-a-new-boyfriend-be-sure-to-ask-his-middle-name/
Eric Wayne Kelley — sex charges
Nathan Wayne Green — kidnapping and beating, homicide
Ronald Wayne Spencer, Jr. — triple homicide
David Wayne Rhodes — 10 years for practicing nursing without a license
Larry Wayne King — homicide
Paul Wayne Mitchell — Theft
Michael Wayne Hills — theft
Jeremy Wayne Hopkins — homicide
Garry Wayne Carriker — knowingly having unprotected sex when HIV positive
Bruce Wayne Potts — homicide
Joshua Wayne Jones — assault of officer
Billy Wayne Sinclair — homicide
Billy Wayne Boyer — assault
Billy Wayne Miller — attempted murder and robbery
Kenneth Wayne Downs — sex assault
Jerry Wayne Lucas — attempted homicide
Tony Wayne Swinnie — aggravated assault of grandmother in front of her grandchildren, robbery
Larry Wayne Dacy — home invasion
Richard Wayne Miles — police standoff
Charles Wayne Thomas — homicide
And, funnily enough, they didn't even mention this one:
John Wayne Gacy
On another topic: How in the world could they only set the bond at $250k for this monster?
And this is a problem because ....?
Too bad the loser didn't succeed.
I'm not sure that it helps if it is a first name, rather than a middle name. Don't forget Wayne Bertram Williams, a mass murderer in Atlanta.
The Curse of Wayne strikes again.
Folks, DO NOT EVER give your sons the middle name "Wayne". It's just seriously bad juju.
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