The Lillelid murders refers to a criminal case in Greeneville, Tennessee, United States in 1997. A Norwegian-Honduran-American family of Jehovah's Witnesses were carjacked and then shot; three of the four were killed. Six young people were convicted and sentenced for the crime.[1]
Norwegian Vidar Lillelid (age 34), his American wife Delfina (28), their daughter Tabitha (6) and son Peter (2) were shot on a deserted road in Tennessee on 6 April 1997. Vidar and Delfina were found dead, while Tabitha died after being transported to the hospital. Peter, who was found lying in a ditch, was the only survivor. He had been shot once in the torso and once through the eye. As a result of the shooting, he was left blind in one eye and permanently disabled.[2]
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Vidar Lillelid grew up in Bergen, Norway. He moved in 1985 to the USA, where he married Delfina Zelaya in 1989. They met through their common involvement in Jehovah's Witnesses. She was born in New Jersey, USA by parents from Honduras.
Six young people—Natasha Wallen Cornett, 18; Edward Dean Mullins, 19; Joseph Lance Risner, 20; Crystal R. Sturgill, 18; Jason Blake Bryant, 14; and Karen R. Howell, 17—were arrested two days after the killings. The six individuals were taken into custody in Arizona after trying to cross the Mexican border in the van which they had stolen from the Lillelid family.[2] All of the perpetrators had difficult childhoods and lived on the edge of the law.[1] In addition to that references were made by prosecutors at trial to rumors that they were involved with occultism and Satanism, however no evidence was presented and this omission was cited in Ms. Cornett's unsuccessful 2002 appeal of her conviction.[3]
Witnesses observed the youths in conversation with the Lillelid family at a rest area picnic spot. From there, they forced the family to drive them away from the rest area and to a more remote location. After the family had been shot and left for dead, the six abandoned their original vehicle and left in the Lillelid's van.[4]
Their trial was completed in March 1998. The six youths were sentenced to prison for life with no chance for parole.[5] The judge applied the same aggravating circumstances for all. However, it was not exactly decided which of them had the main blame for the killings. Per court testimony it was established that the youngest, Jason Bryant, had fired shots, but the judge opined another undetermined member of the group might also have done so.[1]
Soon after Peter Lillelid's medical condition stabilized at the end of April 1997, a custody battle began between his maternal grandmother Lydia Selaya of Miami, Florida, USA and his father's sister Randi Heier of Sweden. Citing Randi's pledge to raise Peter in the faith and teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses as the deciding factor, local Judge Fred McDonald awarded her custody of Peter on July 1, 1997.[6]
Peter has since been raised in Sweden by his Aunt Randi Heier and her family.[7]
As of 2007 at the age of about twelve years, he still had trouble walking because of the injuries.[7]