Eastburn Family Murders

May 12, 1985. Fayetteville, North Carolina. A military family preparing to move from the USA to England made the difficult decision to sell the family dog. A man answers the ad and purchases Dixie. Just days later, a horrific discovery is made; Kathryn, Kara, and Erin Eastburn were found murdered in their home. Only 22 month Jana remained alive, though on the brink of death. Detectives moved quickly to track down the vicious killer. It wasn't long before they had a suspect. Not Gary Eastburn, the father and husband, but Timothy Hennis, another military man who had bought Dixie. Prosecuting Hennis would prove difficult as the evidence used against him either didn't match or was called into question. Was Hennis the murderer? Or did the authorities have the wrong guy?

 

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Sources

Kathryn Jean “Katie” Furnish Eastburn Find a Grave

At 3rd Trail, Sergeant Guilty of 1985 Triple Murder ABC News 4/8/2010

25 years later, widower recalls slain family The Seattle Times 4/25/2010

Survivor of Triple Murder Grapples With Guilt: ‘Why Didn’t He Kill Me?’ ABC News 9/16/2010

Three Trials For Murder The New Yorker 11/6/2011

An Execution Draws Closer The New Yorker 2/3/2012

Former Fort Bragg Soldier Again Appeals Conviction WWAY News 2/4/2014

Triple murder suspect goes from guilty to innocent and back to guilty CNN 7/18/2014

Master sergeant on death row files new petition Army Times 10/29/2014

United States v. Master Sergeant Timothy B. Hennis U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals 10/6/2016 (I didn’t read the entire opinion)

United States v. Timothy B. Hennis, Master Sergeant U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces 11/20/2017 (I didn’t read the entire opinion)

Appeal by former Fort Bragg soldier who murdered mother and 2 daughters was rejected in military court The Daily Tar Heel 12/5/2016

Military court denies Hennis request for additional support, but says Army could still provide funds The Fayetteville Observer 12/11/2017