The Girl in the Leaves
Page 21
“There isn’t a night that goes by that I get much sleep. My every waking moment is spent grieving the loss of my eleven-year-old son and pain for my thirteen-year-old daughter. She has lost her mother and brother, and I wish as her father, that I could take that loss away from her.
“Every morning when I wake up, I think it is just a bad dream that someone killed my son and kidnapped my daughter. And then a couple of minutes go by, and it really sets in that this isn’t a bad dream. This is reality. No more throwing a football with Kody. No more playing video games. No more baseball games. No more fishing trips, first car for graduation, college. What would his kids look like? We will never know.
“No more birthdays. A couple of weeks before this, I told him I would take him to a Cleveland Browns game. That’s not going happen now. How do I explain to his four-year-old half-brother, whom he looked up to, that Kody is never coming home. I have to say, ‘Son, he is in heaven with God.’
“Matthew Hoffman, you should totally be ashamed of what you did. But I do not believe you have a conscience or a heart. So with that, I hope you rot in hell, you sick bastard.”
All of these people expressed their grief, anger and hatred of Matthew Hoffman. But none more so than Larry Maynard and his family. That included the one survivor of the tragedy—Sarah.
THIRTY-TWO
“I’m Not Scared of You, Matthew”
Sarah wanted to read aloud to Matthew Hoffman a letter she had written. Some, however, thought it would be too stressful and painful for her to do, so instead, Prosecuting Attorney John Thatcher read it on her behalf. Sarah sat in a black dress next to her dad as the statement was read in the courtroom.
Her letter began, “This has changed my whole life, and my family’s life too.
“This is so sickening, Matthew, to know how you even had the guts to do this to this family. Stephanie was a great woman too. She watched Kody and me whenever my mom needed her to. All I’m thinking about is how sick and disgusting you are.
“I will never forget about Kody and my mom, Tina. I think Matthew is really stupid for killing the dog too. What could we have possibly done to you, Matthew, to be treated like this? There is no reason why. Matthew, when you kidnapped me, I kept asking if you killed my mom and my brother. And you said, ‘Don’t worry about it.’
“How could you possibly do this to a loving and caring family? Matthew, you must have been planning this for a really long time, because you have to have skills and time to do such a thing like this. I wonder if it even goes through your head, ‘Why did I do this? Now I’m going to prison for life.’
“My brother was only eleven years old and his name was Kody. My mom was thirty-two years old and her name was Tina Herrmann. My mom did a lot for Kody and me. I didn’t even get to say that I loved him one last time. I told my mom before I went to school that I loved her and for her to have a good day at work.
“I’m very, very thankful for the guys who worked so hard to find me. Matthew, I don’t know if you thought you were going to get away with this, but luckily didn’t. I think Matthew was purposefully trying to scare me and my family, but I’m not scared of you, Matthew. I’m going to stand up for myself and live my life.
“When this happened on November 10, 2010, all I was thinking about was if my family was okay and if I was going to be able to live. Especially when he was putting the ropes on me, and I said, ‘Oww, that hurts!’ He said, ‘I don’t care if your arms and legs turn purple.’
“When I went to my room, I was going to call the police, but Matthew got in there just in time. I was so scared when Kody and I walked into the house that day and there was a huge patch of blood by the front door. My reaction was ‘Oh My God!’
“Justice will never be served. I will never be able to get my mom and brother back until I see them in heaven. Kody will never ever see our family again. There is so much stress in my life right now, thinking that another idiot is going to kill me or something. Matthew, I want you to know that you will never be forgiven by me.
“Some memories of Kody: he was a left-handed pitcher and he was really good. A whole bunch of people always told him how good a player he was. In life, he wanted to be a helicopter pilot in the Coast Guard.
“Some memories of Mom: she always made sure we were happy, and she went out and did stuff with Kody and me, even though she didn’t have that much money. She always made sure we had heat in our house to stay warm, made sure we had food on our plates, nice clothes on, and that we had shoes on our feet. She was a really caring woman, and when someone needed help, she would take her time to go help them. I loved her as a mother even though there were times we didn’t get along. She loved dolphins and sunflowers. One thing she said to me, ‘Sarah, when I die, I want you to send me with the dolphins.’
“I will tell you a little about me. I played softball for three years. I was so good at it. I played in the outfield and I played on the All-star Team over the summer. I loved it. I’m almost fourteen. I enjoy my new school and the people there!!!”
Sarah’s last comment was meant as an “in-your-face” to Matthew Hoffman, a reiteration of her ealier theme that he had not destroyed her spirit and she was no longer afraid of him. And then she brought up the fact that where he was going, he was the one who now had to be afraid.
* * *
Judge Eyster read each and every count and had Matthew Hoffman declare how he pleaded on the count. To each count, Hoffman said “guilty” in a fairly strong voice until it came to the sexual assault count, when Hoffman’s voice could barely be heard. So the judge asked him once again how he pleaded. Hoffman this time said more loudly, “Guilty.”
Larry Maynard stated later, “It was apparent he didn’t want anyone to hear how he pled on that count. He didn’t want that on the record, where anyone in prison could see that he had sexually molested a thirteen-year-old girl. Prisoners hate pedophiles and Hoffman knew it.”
After all the pleas of guilty, Judge Eyster sentenced him to a life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hoffman was escorted out of the courtroom, and Larry Maynard recalled, “I was glad to get him out of my sight!”
After the sentencing, Larry Maynard had a few things to say to the media. He related, “It was good to get it all out in court. He [Matthew Hoffman] got what he deserved. Justice was served. We can’t let him know that the victims’ families will be scared. Violence will not be tolerated, and the local law enforcement did a great job.”
After Hoffman’s sentencing, Stephanie Sprang’s mother, Pat Cullins, and sister, Sherrie Baxter, both wrote letters to Prosecuting Attorney John Thatcher, praising the work of his office. And Stephen Thompson, Stephanie Sprang’s father, related, “I’m satisfied with what he got. He got what he deserved, and I’m satisfied with the results.” Still, he added, “We’ve tried to go through [a normal] Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it’s been very hard.”
THIRTY-THREE
“She Would Have Been the Star Witness”
Prosecutor John Thatcher held a press conference to wrap up the case and to let the media ask questions. He introduced his assistant prosecutors, Jennifer Springer and Chip McConville, as well as Sheriff David Barber and Special Agent Joe Dietz from BCI&I. Then Thatcher went over the basic synopsis of the case once more, from Hoffman entering Tina Herrmann’s home to the murders and kidnapping of Sarah Maynard. Thatcher also detailed the hunt for Sarah, her rescue, and the search for the three missing victims.
When it came to how and why the plea deal had been made with Matthew Hoffman, Thatcher said, “I take full responsibility for all the charges brought in this case. However, I thought it was right and fair to consult with the family members first. I told them of the offer and of dropping the death penalty if Matthew Hoffman would identify the location of the remains of Stephanie Sprang, Tina Herrmann and Kody Maynard.
“I decided that the justice needed in this case was, number one—within twenty-four hours all remains would be recovered. Hoffman would then plead guilty to all charges brought in the indictment.
“I told the family that after a week of searching, it was possible the bodies would never be found. There was only one person who knew where they were. I told the family members, ultimately it was my decision to make, but I think you have the right to know.
“I asked each and every one of them how they felt. It was their wish that they find their loved ones as soon as possible. Then we could find out what he did and when he did it.
“Helping these family members find their loved ones as soon as possible, is what we did. From what I’ve heard, we probably never would have found those bodies in a meaningful period of time and bring some kind of closure to these families.
“They [the family members] were able to watch their television sets as three hearses took the bodies of their loved ones away. They were able to have their calling hours and funeral services—not only the family members, but the whole community. Some day there might have been that opportunity years and years in the future. But the ability to do that now at least brought some closure to these people.
“After the bodies were recovered, there were other issues. The families wanted to know, why did he choose that house? There were a lot of speculations and fears. There was a speculation that Matthew Hoffman had accomplices. They wondered if family members had been stalked—particularly Sarah.
“And frankly, the investigation, as thorough as it was, couldn’t answer all the questions. Matthew Hoffman had to give those answers. So as part of the agreement, he had to make a full confession, which he did. He had to fill in the investigators with some of the missing parts that only he knew.”
While others in the community, like Larry Maynard, would still hang on to their convictions that Sarah, Tina or Stephanie had been stalked by Hoffman and then everything spun out of control from there, Thatcher said that he believed Hoffman did fill in those gaps, and that it was ultimately a burglary gone bad.
Thatcher continued, “There is no indication that [Hoffman] targeted those people or stalked those people. He murdered Tina and Stephanie because they surprised him. Unfortunately, Kody and Sarah came home, and as you know, he also murdered Kody.
“For whatever reason, he decided to spare Sarah. And thank God he did. Because if he hadn’t spared her life, I’m not sure we would have been able to solve this case. His intention was to remove the bodies from the home and to burn the house down and make his escape. I think he would have eventually been caught, but we wouldn’t have had the evidence at the crime scene that we were able to work with if he had decided not to spare Sarah’s life. Rescuing Sarah was the only ray of sunshine in this whole situation.
“Some people have questioned my decision to include a rape charge. My explanation for it is this—in addition to being a brutal murderer, Matthew Hoffman is also a sex offender. And even though he’ll never get out of prison, he will be classified as a sex offender in prison. That charge will be with him for the rest of his life. If anyone, who has had contact with the victim in this case, has any problem with that, shame on them. The victim in this case had nothing to do with putting herself in that situation. Obviously she was kidnapped and forced into that situation.
“A factor in this decision—I know that a change of venue was likely. That would have delayed a trial even longer. And at trial, the families would have to relive the situation all over again. It would have required the one living witness, Sarah, to testify in court. Now she is spared having to do that.
“I can’t express how grateful I am to the state-wide law enforcement community. This is the type of situation that will overwhelm any size county. There were officers who came down here with sick children at home, and two hours’ sleep, to investigate crime scenes.
“I’d like to thank everyone in our community and outside our community who came here, who hoped we would find these three missing people alive. At the time, we were all praying we would find these people alive. It didn’t turn out that way, but that doesn’t diminish anything that they did.”
Thatcher then threw the floor open to questions.
One reporter asked, “Was there one specific piece of evidence that led you to Hoffman?”
The response was, “Let me tell you a story that was a pretty amazing piece of detective work. There were a couple of items at the crime scene that didn’t look like they belonged there. There was a shopping bag with a couple of items in it, and we used the product code identity and tracked it to a specific store.” This was, of course, the Walmart store in Mount Vernon. “We saw an individual leave in a car, and were able to pull up a driver’s license photo matching that individual. It turned out to be Matthew Hoffman.”
A reporter wanted to know how Hoffman could have pulled off such a complex series of actions single-handedly, since so many cars were involved. Thatcher said that after the confession, Hoffman had had to answer the investigators’ questions. And the timeline he drew up about his activities matched what was believed to have been possible. There were no indications that anyone else was involved.
“How specific was [Hoffman] about where the bodies were?” another reporter asked.
“We didn’t want him out of jail. So the directions were specific enough that it didn’t take a lot of searching.”
When asked if he knew why Hoffman had spared Sarah, Thatcher responded, “I don’t think he gave any reason other than he said he just couldn’t kill her. I know that statement falls pretty flat under the circumstances. But whatever it was that prevented him from taking her life, thank God that it did.”
Thatcher also emphasized that if Matt Hoffman ever tried to appeal his sentencing, “then it would set the clock back to November 17, 2010, and I could ask for the death penalty once again. It would essentially be a breach of contract if he appeals the conviction and sentencing.”
A final question was, “How much did Sarah help you in this case?”
Thatcher answered, “A lot. It was the effort and strength on her part to be able to relive what had been happening to her. She knew that some of the things he told her weren’t true. If this case had gone to trial, she would have been the star witness. And I think she would have done a good job.”
THIRTY-FOUR
The Today Show
The Knox County Board of Commissioners drew up a resolution to ��Commend the Knox County Sheriff, Knox County Prosecutor and Knox County Public Defender regarding the horrific tragedy which recently befell Knox County.”
The resolution went on to state that the commissioners commended the investigation for rescuing Sarah Maynard and for the swift capture of Matthew Hoffman. The commissioners also commended “Sheriff Barber, Prosecutor John Thatcher and Public Defender Bruce Malek for enduring difficult press conferences before an audience of mass media. The dignity and respect that they displayed towards the victims and their families was both professional and compassionate.”
The resolution thanked Emergency Management Director Brian Hess for organizing and coordinating all the search efforts, and victims’ advocate Diana Oswalt for her efforts in counseling the family survivors. Last, the resolution thanked every citizen volunteer who helped in the search effort.
Even an attorney from Utica, Ohio, sent a letter to Prosecutor John Thatcher and Public Defender Bruce Malek, praising them for their common sense in the matter. The letter stated, “I’ve always said that there is more common sense in small towns than elsewhere and your handling of this case is a good example of
the application of some good old small town common sense. I surely understand that both of you were and may continue to be subjected to pressures and criticism from the public and other sources but at very least you can find comfort in knowing that you did the right thing in some very, very difficult circumstances.”
* * *
Some people call the time after these types of events a period of healing—but for Larry and Sarah, it was more a time of trying to come to grips with what had happened. With scars that ran deep and wide, they knew it was not going to be an easy task. Larry had nightmares almost every night, and they were usually the same. His children were missing and he didn’t know if they were cold or hungry. They were missing somewhere “out there,” but he didn’t know where the “there” was. He’d wake from his nightmares in a sweat, only to discover that reality was even worse than the nightmare.
As for Sarah, up until the sentencing, she would talk to her dad about what happened. Larry said, “She would always start at the beginning and go all the way through the story. It wouldn’t vary. She would never just talk about one part of it. It was always the full event from beginning to end. I would just let her go on in this manner for as long as she needed to. I knew that she had to handle things this way.
“Then after the sentencing of Matthew Hoffman, it was like turning off a faucet. She stopped talking about it altogether. It was as if she was determined to put it in the past. She didn’t want to waste any more energy on him. She focused on school and friends. She focused on her new family life in a new home.”
Larry continued to avoid calls from news reporters and television talk shows. Bit by bit the media frenzy that had surrounded his house dissipated. This, at least, was a relief for him and his family.