Brandi Worley
Brandi Worley (born November 10, 1986)[1] is a woman from Darlington, Indiana who murdered her two children on November 17, 2016.
Brandi Worley | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 10, 1986 |
| Nationality | American |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated at Indiana Women's Prison |
| Spouse(s) | Jason Worley
(m. 2009; div. 2017) |
| Children | Tyler Daniel Clinton Worley (2009–2016) Charlee Rose Jean Worley (2013–2016) |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Penalty | 120 years |
| Details | |
| Victims | Tyler and Charlee Worley |
| Date | November 17, 2016 |
| Location(s) | Darlington, Indiana |
| Weapon | Combat Knife |
Background
The victims were Tyler Daniel Clinton Worley (born 2009) and Charlee Rose Jean Worley (born 2013).[2] Tyler attended the first grade at Sugar Creek Elementary School in Montgomery County, Indiana.[3][4] Charlee was enrolled in the Willson Early Learning Center preschool in Crawfordsville.[5][6] He was 7 years old, and she was 3 years old.[7]
Brandi married a software engineer,[3] Jason Worley, in August 2009,[8] two years after their engagement.[9]
Shannon Hall of the Journal & Courier wrote that, according to Jason, "The two discussed separating in the past [...] but they stayed together despite some friction."[9] On November 15, 2016, Jason Worley requested a divorce due to her infidelity.[10] Brandi Worley's attorney stated that no prior child abuse had occurred.[3]
Murder
After coming home from the dance performance for their daughter, Brandi Worley went to the Walmart in Crawfordsville, IN under the pretense of needing to buy pipe cleaners for a school project for their son, Tyler.[7] According to Joseph Buser, a prosecutor in the Montgomery County government, Brandi Worley bought the murder weapon,[3] a Kabar combat knife,[7] at a Walmart on November 16. Coming home, she initially placed the knife in Tyler's bedroom.[10] She told Jason that he could sleep on the couch, but he declined, preferring the basement to their bed or couch.
As Jason slept in the basement of their residence,[11] Brandi lured Tyler to Charlee's bedroom, stating there would be a sleepover there.[3] She fatally stabbed the children in their necks, and then stabbed herself in her own neck.[7] Brandi murdered her son before murdering her daughter.[3] The daughter woke to hear the repeated stabbings to her brother and asked, "What are you doing?" In response, Brandi told her to "go back to sleep." She then repeatedly stabbed her daughter. Finally Brandi called 9-1-1 to report the murders.[11] She stated she had taken "a lot of Benadryl".[10] She was calm and emotionless during the 911 call. She told the 911 dispatcher that she had already called her mother and that her mother was on her way over. Her mother had not yet realized the events that had taken place.
The 9-1-1 dispatcher, initially hoping or believing the call was not legitimate, asked Brandi Worley's mother, who was the victims' grandmother, to check on the welfare of the children.[12] After the mother-in-law found the children dead, her screams caused Jason to rise out of bed. Brandi told Jason "Now you can't take the kids from me."[7] Police arrived around 4:30 A.M.[7]
Autopsies were conducted at Terre Haute Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana.[13]
Aftermath
Brandi Worley initially was admitted to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis to treat her self-inflicted injuries.[7]
The funeral of the victims was held at the Darlington Community Center on November 22, 2016, and they were buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Darlington.[5] A vigil was held at Congregational Christian Church, also in Darlington, on November 18, 2016.[13]
YouTuber Philip DeFranco assisted Jason Worley after the father of the victims contacted him on Reddit. DeFranco asked his viewers to contribute to a GoFundMe account to pay for Jason Worley's immediate cost of living and the funeral of the children.[14]
In March 2017 the divorce initiated by Jason Worley became final.[9]
Legal proceedings and sentence
Brandi Worley was placed in the Montgomery County Jail in Crawfordsville while she awaited trial.[11]
Originally Brandi Worley pleaded not guilty and had a trial scheduled.[15] In January 2018, Brandi Worley pleaded guilty to murder.[11] On March 19, 2018, Judge Harry Siamas of the Montgomery Circuit Court sentenced Brandi Worley to 65 years for murdering Charlee and 55 years for murdering Tyler, giving her a consecutive total of 120 years in prison. Jason Worley stated "All I care is to never see [Brandi Worley] again. Out of sight and out of mind."[3]
As of March 2018 Brandi Worley, now in the Indiana Department of Corrections, is located in the Rockville Correctional Facility in Parke County, Indiana.[10][16]
As of August 2019 Brandi Worley is in Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis, Indiana.
References
- "Offender Data": "Brandi Worley, Date of Birth,11/10/1986"
- 16133610_1480700364.3481_updates.jpg. From: "Tyler & Charlee Worley Fund," the GoFundMe referred to in "YouTube star DeFranco plugs Worley fundraiser"
- Hedrick, Nick (2018-03-09). "Judge sentences Worley in the stabbing deaths of her two young children". Journal Review. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Home. Sugar Creek Elementary School. Retrieved on August 2, 2018. "Sugar Creek Elementary [...] 4702 East 300 North Crawfordsville, IN 47933"
- "Tyler Worley and Charlee Worley". Journal Review. 2016-11-20. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
She liked to go to story time at the library and was enrolled at Willson preschool[...]
- "Willson Early Learning Center." Caring for Montgomery County, Indiana . Children's Bureau, Inc. Retrieved on August 2, 2018.
- Paul, Joseph; Holly V. Hays (2016-11-18). "'I just wanted to die with them': Mother charged with murder of 2 children". Journal & Courier. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Davis, Chris (2016-11-18). "Children Stabbed to Death in Darlington, Mother Under Arrest". WIBC. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Hall, Shannon (2018-03-19). "Darlington mom sentenced to 120 years for murdering her children". Journal & Courier. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Bonvillian, Crystal (2018-03-23). "Mom who killed kids after husband asked for divorce gets 120 years in prison". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- "Indiana mother pleads guilty to fatally stabbing her two children in 2016." Fox 59. January 19, 2018. Retrieved on June 30, 2018.
- Eaton, Lindsey (2016-11-30). "Dispatcher speaks about 911 call from Montgomery County mom who confessed to fatally stabbing kids". WXIN (Fox 59). Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Longnecker, Emily (2016-11-18). "UPDATE: Montgomery County coroner releases autopsy results for children stabbed by mother". WTHR. Retrieved 2019-08-20.
- Hedrick, Nick (2016-12-01). "YouTube star DeFranco plugs Worley fundraiser". Journal Review. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- Fischer, Jordan (2016-11-29). "LISTEN: 911 call from Darlington double murder of Tyler and Charlee Worley". WRTV (RTV 6, The Indy Channel). Retrieved 2018-06-30.
- "Brandi Worley." Indiana Department of Corrections. Retrieved on June 30, 2018.
External links
- "FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: Montgomery County Sheriff discusses double homicide." at WRTV (RTV6 The Indy Channel) by Sheriff of Montgomery County, Indiana Mark Casteel.
- Pelton, Mike; Katie Cox (2016-11-17). "Family releases statement following deaths of Tyler and Charlee Worley". WRTV (The Indy Channel). Retrieved 2018-06-30.
Tyler, age 7, was a student at Sugar Creek Elementary and Charlee, age 3, was not yet enrolled.