Angry father allegedly stabs toddler son to death

Canton Repository ^

[sonsofliberty2000]

Tuesday, April 29, 2003 By JAN H. KENNEDY and TIM BOTOS Repository staff writers

CANTON — His father, in a fit of anger, stabbed him multiple times in the back of his head, neck and torso late Sunday, police said.

The victim was only 21⁄2 years old.

Nine hours later, Robert T. Luke left his dead son and drove to police headquarters and turned himself in.

“He said he was very angry,” said Capt. James Myers, head of the detective bureau. “We’re trying to find out why.”

Justin Daniel Luke was found on a bed in a second-floor apartment at 940 Shorb Ave. NW, Myers said. Luke, 23, whose last known address was on Parkhill Place NE, was charged Monday with aggravated murder.

Stark County Coroner James Pritchard said an autopsy Monday afternoon showed the boy had been stabbed multiple times. He would not give an exact number.

“Let’s just say many, many times,” he said. “My preliminary ruling is it is a homicide.”

Blood spatters on a wall by the bed indicate the stabbing happened on the bed where the child was found.

Myers gave the following account of the murder after questioning the father:

Robert Luke was watching his son while the boy’s mother, Tanya Lynn Beavers, 25, went out. Luke told detectives he stabbed the boy sometime after 11 p.m. Sunday after becoming angry about the child’s mother being out so late. Police would not comment about the mother’s whereabouts.

“He waited until morning, then got in his truck and drove downtown, parked it and walked to police headquarters,” Myers said. “He walked up to a car with two officers who had just come in at the end of their shift.”

That was at about 7:40 a.m. The officers, Joey Gordon and Vicki Sellers, called the dispatchers, who contacted Myers and Sgt. Greg Boudreaux, who came out of the police station and took custody of Luke.

“He appeared to be aware of where he was and what he was doing when we talked with him,” Myers said.

Myers said he believed the toddler was found on his bed. The mother still had not come home when police went to the house Monday morning.

Luke told police he used a double-bladed knife, described by Myers as a Wasp knife, to kill his son. He had the knife in a sheath when he was arrested.

“He said he carried it for protection,” Myers said.

Pritchard believes two weapons may have been used in the killing.

“We found a knife at the scene that

was used,” he said. “It was a large butcher knife, approximately 8 inches long, counting the

handle, with serrated edges.”

Pritchard said he hadn’t seen the knife Myers took from Luke, and he will conduct tests

to determine if that knife could have made some of the cuts.

“It appears all of the wounds were made at the same time,” he said.

Robert Luke was taken to Aultman for treatment of a couple of self-inflicted wounds to his left forearm, Myers said. The wounds appeared to be fresh cuts, but Myers would not speculate why Luke did it.

Myers would not confirm that a statement Luke made to police was a confession. Luke will be arraigned in Canton Municipal Court this morning.

Luke’s criminal history includes charges for littering, disorderly conduct, underage drinking (twice) and domestic violence.

In the latter, in February 2000, he pulled Beavers’ hair, pushed her and attempted to punch her, according to Canton Municipal Court records.

The two were living together at the time on Parkhill Place NE.

Luke jumped from a second-floor window on Harmony Place NE in an effort to avoid being arrested.

Beavers was previously married and had a child from that marriage. Myers said only the boy and his mother were living at the apartment. She divorced in April 2000.

[TaxRelief]

Sometimes these self-centered pigs, who don't recognize the value of human life, kill their own kids to (a) stop the other parent from winning or (b) stop the other parent from having something that makes them happy.

[Hodar]

“He said he was very angry,” said Capt. James Myers, head of the detective bureau. “We’re trying to find out why.”

Why does it matter 'why' the man was angry. He stabbed a child to death. Is a good enough excuse for being angry justify the murder of a child?

[friendly]

Ivy League "philosopher" and "ethics" instructor Dr. Peter Singer believes no crime was done. Infanticide is a parents' right, simply a form of post-natal abortion.

[netmilsmom]

Oh my!
What could that baby have done to deserve this?

[TheBattman]

I believe the Lord has a special Lake of Fire waiting for this monster.

I do wonder, though, why the mother stayed with the this creep even after he assaulted her previously. Either way, this child did not deserve to take the punishment for his mother's "crimes" - staying out late and living with such an abuseive monster.

[ConstitutionalConservative]

"Oh my!
What could that baby have done to deserve this?"




Nothing at all!!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Souns like an abortion outside the womb. Where's the outrage from Planned Parenthood?

[marvlus]

What's with "allegedly"? The bastard confessed to the killing of his son.

[ChemistCat]

I think Planned Parenthood thinks cases like this prove their point. :-(

[ought-six]

How was this lunatic able to get hold of a knife? What about the background check? The waiting period? Did he get the knife at a knife show? Was it a straw purchase? Knives are assault weapons, don't you know! If it saves just one child's life, ban knives now! Even plastic and rubber lookalikes. Oh, the humanity!

[biblewonk]

How was this lunatic able to get hold of a knife? What about the background check? The waiting period? Did he get the knife at a knife show? Was it a straw purchase? Knives are assault weapons, don't you know! If it saves just one child's life, ban knives now! Even plastic and rubber lookalikes. Oh, the humanity!

Doesn't this ever seem unappropriate?

[Lunatic Fringe]

The reason they need to the "Why" is because you must prove method, motive, and opportunity when building amurder case.

[lizbet]

This is a result of the men being taught that women are theirs for the taking and women being taught that life is cheap, I can have another baby to replace this one if s/he dies... Just a lack of respect all around... Evolution wins again!

[MEG33]

You don't have to prove motive although it helps with the jury.

[Centurion2000]

String him up. There's no excuse for this.

Of course the general population of the prison he's going to will kill him as well.

[ChemistCat]

I know exactly what you mean.

And the "just a late term abortion" remarks have the same effect on me. It's very Hillary, isn't it.

[JonathansMommie]

There are just some people that should not be parents.

[Orlando]

Where's the mother, still out partying with other men. ?
---

Here's what happen (I think) This man got divorce from this
women in 2000, The man had to pay child support, and could not get a job, and had nowhere to live, so he moved back with women to be babysitter for mom on the weekends, so mommy
can go to parties for days..The man said to himself *&^* this ! Kills son. In the inner city,, this is happening more & more...same story, sad !

[Ciexyz]

Hope the creep gets what he deserves from his fellow prison inmates.