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Subscribe to RSSA registered sex offender suspected of killing his mother, stepfather and girlfriend climbed a Mississippi cellphone tower before plunging about 300 feet to his death, according to a report.
The Sun Herald said that Anthony Garrett, 41, was convicted of sexual battery in 1985 and 1988.
The triple homicide occurred Saturday in Bay St. Louis, which is along the Gulf Coast.
Garrett died Saturday night as authorities tried to talk him down from the tower in nearby Waveland. The Sun Herald said police weren't sure whether Garrett jumped or fell.
One witness told the Sun Herald that the man who climbed the tower had yelled: "I killed my family."
Authorities identified the murder victims as Garrett's stepfather Wilton Bernard Jr., his mother Jeanie Bernard and girlfriend Kathleen Deese, The Associated Press reported.
No motive has disclosed in the killings.
The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
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This is the face of mental illness that goes untreated. What an awful tragedy all around.
You know nothing about this man yet claim he was mentally ill. Is everyone who commits murder mentally ill? What would you do to him; have him talk about the origin of his problems and take pills? I got news for ya. People get out of jail sometimes and do the same thing.
You know nothing about this man yet claim he was mentally ill.>>>
I gather you think is this the behavior of someone who has no form of mental illness. Believe what you wish.
mcb,
I agree! Mental illness is not an excuse, but I'm willing to bet it was a factor. Usually is!
"Mental illness is not an excuse"
Agreed, it isn't an excuse, but, as you point out,Jo_An, it is a suspected reason.
I am sick of murderers getting off by claiming mental illness. More often than not it is an act orchestrated by a slick defense attorney to try and get his client off. In addition, there are a lot of people out there with mental illness that do not go around murdering people. Even the murderers who are mentally ill are often ill because they refuse to take their medication that would help keep them stable. The courts say you can not forcibly medicate someone, so what do you do when they go off their medication and are therefor a threat to society. The law also says you can not lock them up in a mental hospital indefinitely. They take their medication long enough to get released from the mental hospital and then stop taking it again. Then they are once again a threat to murder another person. If you murder someone, regardless of the reason, you should not be allowed back out in society again. As for this guy, at least he saved the state the cost of a trial.
He may have been a heinous murderer, but at least he had the decency to spare the taxpayers the expense of trying him and incarcerating him.
Can you hear me noooooooooooooow?
I'd say his "mental illness" was treated very quickly with his abrupt stop
This really worked out well for everyone.
Posting to these threads could be mental illness.
JSinSD,
I wouldn't suggest a murderer should "get off" by "claiming mental illness"...
What I am saying, and it sounds like mcb "may be saying" as well, is
mental illness is often left untreated in our society, for many reasons,
and one of the results is "murder"....
believe me, there are plenty of other "results" that affect society as well,
but murder is most extreme.
So anyone who commits murder is automatically deemed "mentally ill"? If so, how do you define metnal illness then?
Criminals rarely, if ever (except on TV) "get off" or even get less harsh treatment due to mental illness--and often get worse treatment (since they are seen as more incorrigible and less sympathetic). There's a good reason MI rates in prisons are astronomical. Some is the result of incarceration (including making existing MI worse) but plenty is there before the criminal justice system gets involved.
No one said "anyone who commits murder is automatically deemed mentally ill".
My point is, more needs to be done to help the "mentally ill" BEFORE it results in MURDER!
Then why are we bringing up mental illness in this case?
If he was so mentally ill, what happened that he became calculated enough that he killed his family? He knew what he was doing, and knew he'd go back to jail for it.
The article didn't mention mental illness per se, but one could say his frame of mind was a little less than normal at least
Would anyone in that was mentally stable commit such horrific acts? My wife counseled sex offenders in a penal institution for 25 years. Yes, they have severe personality disorders to do the kind of things that they do to others---and they are mentally ill. The guy was convicted 2 times in 3 years for child molestation and the continued to sentence short and release.
"Why are we mentioning mental illness?" Gee because mentally competent persons don't involve themselves with sexual battery, Don't murder their families and don't jump to their death from water towers.
How flipping dumb is (anyone) who can't see that is person is crazy? Psychology/Psychiatry are obviously not "hard sciences", and have not really had a sound record of achievements. Do you need these "pseudo scientists" to tell you this coo-coo bird was thinking impaired?
Hello?
If he was convicted of sexual battery and possibly killed his mother, why would he NOT be in prison? Or is this cell tower on prison grounds? Just wondering...
Of course his mind was not normal. He was a pervert. That means evil. Good for him. Saved the taxpayers from having to pay to treat his "mental illness". Too bad all of them don't do the same thing.
How about guilty by reason of insanity? Either we should rehabilitate with all the stops pulled and do it right, or declare the person an animal to be held in a cage for the rest of its life without ever seeing the light of day again. A small cage with no toilet, shower, bed, TV or radio, with straw for bedding like any animal gets. Washed down weekly, cage and occupant, with a fire hose manned by those being rehabed so they know what awaits them if they decide to take up permanent residence by offending again. Keeping animals in cages they never leave would be a lot cheaper and could help pay the costs of real rehabilitation. Get serious, you forfeit your human dignity and respect when you ignore someone else's. The way we treat most criminals is inhumane and giving them a fair shot at staying out jail, while making the punishment for returning a powerful deterrent is a much better balance than not giving them much chance at all. Put the money where it can do some good. Right now, they are all treated like animals... unless they are rich.
Hummmmmmmmm .. This begs the question ... What is "Mentally Ill?"
Regardless ... he choose to punish himself for his acknowledged crime ... I think he made the right choice ...
You people are going to strain something with all this jumping to conclusions.
Yes, to all of us "normal" people someone accused of killing their family must be mentally ill.
Someone convicted twice 25 years ago (not not since) must be a pervert.
Blog away folks. Blog away.
We could help the situation a lot if we provided universal daycare and started informal education there. Our best teachers should be with the youngest students to help them get a good start and recognize talent early. We are wasting a huge resource by letting our kids go too long without being evaluated by people who can see their potential. A much more diverse system of education would let everybody get a lot more out of life. Everyone has a talent for something and it should be recognized and developed. If we weren't so enthralled with our entertainment, we might have time and money to produce a generation of really talented people which could build on itself and continue to produce even better ones. But go figure, we elected a drinking buddy president, or at least got him close enough to steal the election.
Too bad he didn't jump off the tower BEFORE he decided to murder 3 people!
Splat!
Geronimo!
I want to thank the police officers involved in talking him down, excellent work, great job.
moonbeamracer
"Regardless ... he choose to punish himself for his acknowledged crime"
That's where you and I will have to disagree. He obviously had been to prison on the previous charges and decided he preferred to die rather than go back. He chose not to suffer and take the easy way out. What kind of punishment is that?
You see what jumping to conclusion did for this guy..?
Yup Sandungo - permanent solution to temporary problem
Good
Well I am glad we don't have to pay for this sorry SOB to be in prison. On the mental illness debate, do you people think there is only one form of mental illness, there are many, many different forms of mental illness and rarely do any of them,except extreme forms of schizophrenia,lead to murder. Unless of course you consider, greed, jealousy, self righteousness, etc. to be mental illness, because these definitely can lead to murder. Are sexual predators mentally ill? Maybe,but I think they are more like a rabid animal and should just be put down and not grouped with people that have a legitimate illness that can be treated.
So be it!!!
By jumping from that cell tower, I guess you could say he significantly increased his coverage area.
He chose a cell with 5 bars.
WTF-why there's a funeral
Good. Saves us a lot of money and hassle with a trial, housing, appeals and then executing him later.
He took the easy way out. Now he can't be punished.
Burning in Hell isn't punishment?
"Burning in Hell isn't punishment?"
You bring up a mythical land of fire and brimstone and your name is tryreality. How ironic!
Cool huh?
There-in lies the problem. Weak people believe they are going to a fairyland when they die. So no matter what they do, they will live forever.
You want to join up Tumbleweed?
Tax savings!!! If more followed his example, it would help the economy!
If you actually knew anything about theology, you would know that there's only one unpardonable sin, and murder isn't it. As much as you'd like, YOU can't send anyone to hell, even if hell actually exists.
ArizonaTumbleweed, he is being punished. Of that I am certain. He will be punished for all eternity.
Not likely. I suggest you read the First Chapter of Romans, and the Book of Romans in general.
The term " Efficacious Grace " applies to Christians. Unless he openly rejects Christ, he's saved by Christ's unselfish act.
Christians are the worst at interpreting their own Bible.
Janine, ONLY God knows. You certainly don't!
If you think plunging 300 ft to your death is easy, everyone would be doing it. The guy was a scumbag. Sex offender and murderer.
You know what happened to this guy when he hit the ground... only that to him.. lights went out. Thats it.. no eternity or fiery places. Nothing. Just, the lights went out.. he died. Oh and he saved the tax payers money...
NectarineRecordsInc.
No atheist trying to tell Christians how to interpret the Bible is the worst or funniest.
Efficacious Grace is a Calvinist based interpretation, not everyone follows this line of doctrine
But you are right that a lot of Christians have never taken the time to allow God to help them "understand" what they are reading.
The only way to know for sure if one will be judged is to just go ahead and die. But by then I doubt you'll care. Until then we shouldn't pretend we know what's best for everyone else and force your belief or lack of on others as if you know 100%.
In the meantime, as sad as it is his suicide frees up the cost of court and jail cell.
nothing better than executing yourself for such inhumane acts
take a life off the planet by murder
expect to be taken off the planet
any other sentence is the easy way out
I bet this really ticks off the "for profit" Prison System.
More people should emulate his taking himself to task over his actions. I don't want those people to be punished or rehabilitated, I just don't want those people to be. Period
Yet another reason to kill sex offenders. They cannot be rehabilitated and when they are released back into society, they continue to ruin lives. Glad this scum is dead.
Good for him. He just saved the taxpayers the expense of a trial and the cost of supporting him in the prison system for possibly the next 40 years. Now if we could just get others of his kind to follow suit think how much good the expense of their incarcerations could be better spent elsewhere in the community.
It would have been tragic only if he landed on someone.
I also think it is trajic for the people who have to scrape him off the terra firma.
WTF-why there's formaldehyde
It is tragic because of the people he killed beforehand.
Now if we could just get more rapists, murderers, gangbangers and the like to follow his example.
Good riddance (Him, not his family)
I have to wonder if shouting, "JUMP! JUMP!!" actually qualifies as an attempt to "talk someone down."
Whatever works. LOL
Too bad he waited until AFTER he murdered three people and molested countless (there's always more than the ones they are caught for) others.
One less idiot we have to support in prison for life.
he's dead!...sniff....sniff
I like the tax savings of not having to jail him. More criminals should follow his example.
At least he had the decency to save the tax payers some money by jumping..............
Love it. All child molesters, rapists, murders and drug dealers should off themselves this way. No point in sending them to jail where it will cost thousands of taxpayer dollars to keep them alive, warm and fed. That is money that can feed the homeless and starving children in OUR country, not in booblabooblastan.
All of these "people" who commit these crimes against children, animals, etc should be executed. No need to waste money on the drugs to "inject them humanely" spend $50 on a good rope that can be recycled over and over.
Average inmate cost per year = $25,000 (I think was the approx cost a couple of years ago)
Cost of a rope = $50
Total dollars saved = $24,950
Now that's a pretty good return on a $50 investment.
And we are not taking a "life" or killing another human being. When they commit the crimes they do there forfeit the status as a human being. We would be simply taking out the trash.
Does that include the Marijuana dealers? Legalize it and tax it now.
Mike - I'm all for that. You're a genius!! :)
Guillotine, the gift that keeps on giving.
WTF-why there's forstall
The best way is to bring back the electric chair and set it at a lower votage and dont put a hood over his or her head. Then let each family member have a turn at pulling the lever and see the agony in their face and listen to them scream! Then they can draw straws to see who gives the fatal zap! All you IDIOTS who are so concerned about the feelings of those SCUMBAGS are lowlife A$$HOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How about we give the rapists, murderers, druggies and such an option. We'll donate 100K in your name to any charity you desire, if you kill yourself before your case goes to trial.
They will be remembered fondly by those they help, rather than being scorned for the rest of their lives.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Not a bad thought, Janine, though there would be the stigma of the donation being in the criminal's name, so when people look up company history they might run across it and be put off...but let's figure out how to fix that. I like it!
Nice, tidy way to clean up the gene pool slightly.
Did you "pray hard" to come up with that?
They talked him down... & he's down. Too bad it happened after 3 innmocent people were killed.
I am glad that his man can't harm anyone else. But in light of the preceeding charges and the current investigation it also makes me wonder where was the local PD about 30yrs ago when two (or three depending on who you ask) young women who frequented the same sleazy little bar all decided to apparently jump off the bridge within weeks of each other.
One of the girls was named Carla. I remember her well as she loaned me her velvet jacket to wear for a date just a day before she went missing. One of the other girls was nicknamed "little bit", the third girl's name I did not know as she was found dead in the bay while I was living out of town and I received the information second hand.
Suicides of troubled girls was the "official" story.
Kathy Stuart
Must be that new math? 30 years ago......????
That would make this guy 11? Maybe it's in the water?
1985 would make him 15
Is this 2000? 1985 would make him 27? I think 1985 was not his birth year though.
time line
If Garrett is 41 now appears he was born in 1971?
The "suicides" Kathy refers to 30 years ago would be 1982 making Garrett 11 or so.
Sexual battery charges in 1985 makes him 14 and 1988 makes him 17? Some rather serious charges for a minor. Depending on the jurisdiction that could be anything from copping a feel to reduced charges of rape. Of course MSNBC doesn't care what happened so long as they can make it sensational. That he killed 3 people wasn't enough but half assed research as usual makes a story.
Looks like the tax payers saved a bundle of $$$
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Good job Karma!!
Y'all are so ready to cry mental illness. Whatever happened to people just acting of their own angered accord and committing murder? Throwing himself off a tower would only mean he felt the reality of his actions. Stop trying to read too much into stuff. How many psychologists does it take to screw in a lightbulb
None, Silence. Psychologists are too big to screw in a lightbulb.
Sorry, crazy is crazy. What should people consider him? Bad day? Accident? Mistake? Oh, I'm in a pissy mood so I'll kill the family, but tomorrow I will return to my sex offender self?
Why are you so reluctant to "cry mental illness"? Make a case: This guy is sane and normal because......
Let's hear your wisdom.
He had a girlfriend?? WHO DATES a registered sex offender with repeat violations??
People who believe in redemption, people who are blindly in love, people who buy whatever line they are being sold and people who are also perverts.
Of course in my neighborhood we have 2 convicted "sex offenders" who were convicted for having sexual relations with a minor, in both cases the offenders were 19 and the minors were 17 at the time of the offense; in one case the "victim" and the "offender" are now 23 years married and have 4 children and a grandchild; they had to go to court to get his ban from being around children removed so he could live in his own home, take his children to school and attend school plays and events. In the other case the couple married, divorced and remain friendly (small towns, we all know everyones business). My mother wanted to press charges against my husband when we were dating because he turned 20 6 months after I turned 17 and she hated him. My uncle and father convinced her she would only ruin whatever relationship she and I might have; today my hubby and I have been together for 20 years and married for 15 of those years, had she pressed charges I would currently be married to a sex offender, but I can guarantee you that my husband is anything but; he has great respect for women and would sooner kill himself than harm any other living being especially children. His only mistake was to be 19 and fall in love with a 16 year old who has a birthday exactly 6 months (to the day) before his meaning that for half the year we are 3 years apart and for half the year we are 4 years apart.
My point is, MSNBC says this guy was a 2 time sex offender, they do not say what the offense was and it may not be in anyway related to his current crimes. MSNBC is fabulous for adding in just enough tidbits of information to sensationalize a story when it just isn't quite interesting enough otherwise. Besides, if his last offense was really in 1988 that was 24 years ago; if he was a serious offender he either just got out of jail (girlfriend was prison groupie), or has reoffended and not been caught.
Of course throw in that he killed this girlfriend and his parents and I suspect he was an uncaught re-offender and his girlfriend was out of her mind.
It depends Ava. Maybe she just didn't know about his past. I doubt that sex offenders are openly telling people that they are. Even without knowing the circumstances, most people assumed that the offender did something terrible. Many times, they did. Other times it was a misunderstanding or a lie. I am not at all taking up for them. I hate people who hurt others for their own sick pleasure. I'm just saying, this could have been a situation where, she just didn't know.
Wow, what do you say after reading these comments? There are so many people still out there that believe, truely believe that a person cannot be saved, or rehabilitated? Wow, i just cant believe that so many people can hate their fellow man? Yes, they committed a crime, they do the time, there is generally no rehab given in prison, then they are released into society. Whose fault is it, really? All of ours! This whole society is at fault.
Since the beginning of time, there has been crime. Why? Society has always had the rich/poor mentality. As long as there are two, or in our case, three classes of society, there will always be crime! The poor man will always want what the better off's have! Even if it means stealing it.
We will never have a utopian society where everyone has what everyone else has! So, there will always be crime in all forms! According to some posters, we should have everyone kill themselves for stealing a candy bar, cause he was hungry. Everyone who commits a crime should kill themselves? Really? WOW! What a truely wonderful, caring society we live in!