Jack Reeves

Jack Wayne Reeves
Born 20 June 1940 (aged 76)
Texas, United States
Occupation Retired Army
Criminal charge Murder
Criminal penalty 134 years imprisonment
Criminal status In prison
Conviction(s) Murder

Jack Wayne Reeves was born in 1940.[1] He is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for murdering his second and fourth wife.

Early life

Reeves was born on June 20, 1940.[1] He retired from the army in 1985.[2]

First Wife

Reeves first got married when he was 18, to a 15 year old,[3] in 1960 the marriage was annulled.[4][5]

Manslaughter

In 1967, whilst stationed in Italy, Reeves killed a man, and served four months in prison for manslaughter.[6]

Second Wife

Reeves was married to his second wife Sharon for 18 years. They had two sons: Ricky and Randall. In 1977 Sharon pursued an extra-martial relationship with John Behneman. She filed for divorce in February 1978. On July 20, 1978, a week after divorcing Reeves she died of a gun-shot wound.[7] Originally it was believed the fatal gun-shot wound had been self-inflicted, and she had pulled the trigger with her toe. However the case was re-examined in 1994, and it was established she had been murdered. The prosecution demonstrated in court how difficult it would have been for her to shoot herself.[8] A blood spatter expert concluded that Sharon had been wearing a bra and underwear at the time of her death, but when her body was found, she was completely naked.[9] She was 34.[10]

Third Wife

Myong Reeves drowned in Lake Whitney in 1986.[11] Her sister was puzzled about her death, knowing her sister had a strong aversion to water, and she had bruises on her face.[9] After his sister-in-law requested an autopsy Jack had Myong cremated.[12]

Fourth Wife

Reeves' met his fourth wife Emilita, through a mail-order bride service, when she was 18;[7] at the age of 46, Reeves was 28 years her senior. Emilita was reportedly reluctant to marry him, but felt obligated due to the monthly payments he sent to her family.[9] When Emilita became pregnant, he sent her back to her family in the Philippines, as he refused to believe he was the father, (but later changed his mind when she sent him a photograph of their son). She disappeared shortly after telling friends she intended to divorce Reeves. Emilita was last alive October 11, 1994.[2] She was later found in a shallow grave, near the lake where Myong had drowned 8 years previously.

Investigation and arrest

Emilita's friend reported her missing. The police became suspicious when they found out Reeves had two dead wives.[7] The police noticed that every time one of his wives died, they were planning to leave him, and had complained to their friends about being mistreated by Reeves.[13] He was arrested on March 21, 1995, for the murder of Sharon, his bail was set at $500,000.[14]

Trial

He was convicted in 1996 of murdering Sharon Reeves in 1978 and received a 35-year prison sentence. He was later convicted of murdering Emilita, and was sentenced to an additional 99 years. Reeves appealed against both convictions; his appeals were rejected.[15][16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Jack Wayne Reeves | Texas Prison Inmates | The Texas Tribune". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  2. 1 2 "REEVES v. STATE | 969 S.W.2d 471 (1998) | Leagle.com". Leagle. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  3. ↑ "TEXAN LEAVES A TRAIL OF DEAD OR MISSING WIVES". DeseretNews.com. 1996-01-07. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  4. ↑ PRODIS, JULIA (1996-01-07). "Deaths of Three Wives Casting Suspicion on 'Luckless' Widower". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  5. ↑ "TEXAN LEAVES A TRAIL OF DEAD OR MISSING WIVES". DeseretNews.com. 1996-01-07. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  6. ↑ "TEXAN LEAVES A TRAIL OF DEAD OR MISSING WIVES". DeseretNews.com. 1996-01-07. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  7. 1 2 3 "Man Is Convicted, Again, of Killing a Wife". The New York Times. 1996-08-20. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  8. ↑ "Man Guilty In Wife's Death, Originally Ruled Suicide". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  9. 1 2 3 writer, Julia Prodis , Associated Press. "Man leaves trail of dead wives". southcoasttoday.com. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  10. ↑ "Attorney Blasts Witness". tribunedigital-sunsentinel. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  11. ↑ "Wife's Death Ruled Murder Man Married Four Times, Two Wives Are Dead, One Is Missing". Spokesman.com. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  12. ↑ Press, From Associated (1996-02-04). "Texan Who 'Lost' Three Wives Guilty of Murder". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  13. ↑ "Star-News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  14. ↑ "3rd Wife Disappears - Man Charged With 1st's Death". tribunedigital-orlandosentinel. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  15. ↑ "Reeves v. State, 969 S.W.2d 471 – CourtListener.com". CourtListener. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  16. ↑ "Jack Wayne Reeves v. The State of Texas--Appeal from 52nd District Court of Coryell County". Justia Law. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
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