Bessie Whyman, 84-year old, Robbed, Raped, Tortured, and Stabbed to Death

[Mitsuki]

The Orange County District Attorney's office announced today that Anthony Darnell Wade, 25, of Los Angeles, has been charged with murdering 84-year-old Bessie Whyman with the intention of stealing her car after allegedly breaking into her home, raping, torturing and stabbing her.

Charged with one felony count of elder abuse and one felony count of murder with special circumstances including murder during the commission of rape, torture, robbery, and burglary, Wade will be eligible for the death penalty, according to the OCDA. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at the Central Jail in Santa Ana on Tuesday.

According to the OCDA account of the crime:

At approximately 12 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2010, Wade is accused of walking through an Anaheim neighborhood on Paradise Road and looking in windows with the intention of finding a vulnerable victim from whom he could steal a car. The defendant is accused of breaking into the home of 84-year-old widow Bessie Whyman through a broken window after seeing the victim sleeping in a bedroom.

Wade is accused of raping Whyman, tying her up by her hands and feet, and punching and kicking the victim. He is accused of torturing and murdering her by repeatedly stabbing her with a kitchen knife. Wade is accused of then taking a blanket and covering the victim, leaving her body in the living room. He is accused of ransacking the victim's home and stealing her purse and car before fleeing the scene and driving to San Bernardino.

Once in San Bernardino, the defendant is accused of being in possession of Whyman's stolen credit cards at a Food 4 Less store. Wade is accused of getting into a physical altercation with an employee after becoming angry that the staff would not accept the card with the name "Bessie Whyman" on it. Staff pepper-sprayed the defendant and called the police.

Anaheim Police previously disclosed the office was contacted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department about checking on Whyman, who lived alone in the 2400 block of east Paradise Road. No one answered the door for officers at the Anaheim home Sunday morning. After finding an open door, police went inside and discovered Whyman's corpse.

Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez called the attack on the elderly woman "brutal."

Source: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/a-clockwork-orange/84-year-old-woman-oc-homicide/

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/orangecounty/obituary.aspx?n=bessie-mae-whyman&pid=138560183

This is just horrible...I never knew Mrs. Whyman but she's a close friend of my husband's family. She doesn't live far from us and I've heard great things about her from my husband and father-in-law, so it's unfortunate that I never got to meet her. She was like a second mother to my father-in-law since she took care of him when he was 4 or 5, and the same goes to my husband when he was around that age as well, so this was extremely devastating for us. I heard about her death almost a week ago but I never knew she was raped or what happened in details...

It's really sad because it's been rough for her for the past 11 years. Her son Mark (who was my husband's god-father and father-in-law's best friend) died almost 11 years ago due to a white water rafting accident. Boat flipped over and got trapped under the boat. Then her husband passed away 3 years ago. So she had it tough in life, but she always went out and was very giving to people. She had such a great heart and was referred to as 'the life of the party'.

My husband just got back from the funeral service and I'd like to share this poem that she wrote...

Afterglow

I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one
I'd like to leave an afterglow of smiles
when life is done
I'd like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
and bright sunny days
I'd like the tears of those who grieve
to dry before the sun,
Of happy memories that I leave
when life is done
​

 

[Bambi]

Its always really sad when someone you know dies when they are not meant to, especially in this manner. its disgusting that someone can do this to another person. Although I cant understand what its like to have someone taken from you before their time in such a violent manner, I can understand what its like to have someone taken from you before their time and my sympathies are with your family

It's a heinous crime and whatever sentence gets handed to him will never be enough

 

[Linnaete]

Gosh, Mits, I just don't know what to say. Reading the details of what this bastard did to Bessie Whyman was bad enough, then reading about her connection to you has just amplified the horrific magnitude of the event.

So the attack was described as "brutal" by Rick Martinez. I wouldn't call it "brutal" at all. "Brutal" doesn't even come anywhere close to it. It was completely barbaric, inhumane, animal like. She was a defenseless old woman, living alone as it seemed to have been. What sort of sick person would believe that a car and credit card would be justifiable reasons for doing things like that to anyone- let alone an old woman.

Seeing the moments of sadness she had to live through and then facing last moments so degrading and vicious, I just can't imagine the state of grief her family had been, and your husband's family as well, Mits. I hope this sick bastard realises the gravity of the whole situation when he is led to his own death. I can't help but feel that a simple lethal injection wouldn't provide justice at all if he remains unrepentent, but at least one more vicious animal will never touch anyone else ever again.

Mits, my heart goes out to your husband's family and family members of Bessie. The poem itself seems rather poignant in a way.

 

[Mitsuki]

That it is...

Actually my husband just informed me that I did get introduced to her at a Christmas party back in 2005. I thought she looked familiar when I saw her picture in the news last week...I just didn't remember her or what was said between us. So she has met my daughter too when she was about a year old.

Mits. I hope this sick bastard realises the gravity of the whole situation when he is led to his own death. I can't help but feel that a simple lethal injection wouldn't provide justice at all if he remains unrepentent, but at least one more vicious animal will never touch anyone else ever again.

That's what I thought as well...

 

[The Witch]

It's heartbreaking to find out that someone is capable of doing this sort of thing. My deepest condolences to the family and friends.

That poem was sad but beautiful.

Mits. I hope this sick bastard realises the gravity of the whole situation when he is led to his own death. I can't help but feel that a simple lethal injection wouldn't provide justice at all if he remains unrepentent, but at least one more vicious animal will never touch anyone else ever again.

I'm usually against death penalty but this monster deserves all the rage and hatred the jury and judge will reign down upon him--and more.

People like this murderer should be taken out of this world. Or at least locked up so they can't harm others.

 

[SapphireStar]

Sorry, forgive me for this ...

Sick, twisted fucking bastard. He needs to be raped himself, beaten and left for dead. Then its up to the prison guards what they do. What a sick bastard, how dare he do something to someone who did him or no one else any fucking harm. He has taken a loved soul from this world because he cant control his fucked up sick urges. I hope to God he rots for what he has done, HOW DARE HE?!!?!? This has upset me, Im sorry Mitsuki hunni and for your husband. My familys thoughts and prayers are with you both and for poor Mrs Whyman and her family. His family however ... Im sorry for you even being related by blood to a vile, disgusted, fucked up dog like this. He was not human the moment he had the thought to do this to a human being. Rot you piece of shit off my fucking shoe. Is the death penalty still in affect? After he gets whats coming to him, he'll wish it was ...



R.I.P Bessie Whyman, I bet you were such a beautiful soul <3

 

[Shu]

I can't believe I'm just getting to this. I don't understand the logic behind the human brain at this point. Was it for humiliation? Because it seems beyond understanding at this point.

These are the times in which putting this person in jail might provoke other prisoners to kill him. I don't know if it would be altogether karma.. but seriously this is very disturbing. If this could happen.. so could pretty much anything imaginable.

 

[Black Butler]

I can't believe I'm just getting to this. I don't understand the logic behind the human brain at this point. Was it for humiliation?

Thats called crazy people,omg an old person doesnt deserve that at all,I feel so bad,those kind of things go in my head.The district were this happened must have a lot of crime and weak service,just sad! I never heard or seen something like this in Canada,neither Italy.

 

[Rydia]

I'm so sorry Mitsuki I can't believe someone would do that to anyone. Bessie sounded like a wonderful woman.


What honestly motivated someone to do that?