On October 18th I read that David Grann said that the Chicago Tribune reporters, Steve Mills and Maurice Possley, tracked me down and interviewed me about my ex-husband and if he in fact confessed to me. He wrote that I firmly said that Willingham had never done so. I have never been formally interviewed by any reporters. Mills, Possley and Grann have all come to my home uninvited to ask me questions about my ex-husband. I told them all that I no longer believe that Todd was innocent, that he did murder my daughters and I did not want to talk about that which had to deal with him. I was asked why I didn’t believe that he was innocent and my response was, after reading statements, mainly Todd’s, that first of all, he gave conflicting stories of what happened the day of the fire and secondly after visiting with him on death row that he was guilty. I was asked what was said the day I visited with my ex-husband. I told them that I believed that was personal and would not respond to the question. I asked them repeatedly to leave my property.
He asked me if I remembered the last time we had gotten into a fight and he hit me. I told him yes when I was holding Amber. He asked if I remembered what I had told him that I was going to do after the first of the year. I said that I was going to divorce you. He said the night before the fire we got in to an argument and you had said it again that you were going to divorce me. I told him yes I did say that. He told me that he believed I was going to but he couldn't let that happen. Todd told me that it was stupid but it was like an obsession. He said if I didn't have my girls I couldn't leave him and that I could never have Amber or the twins with anyone else but him. He told me he was sorry and that he hoped that I could forgive him one day. He said once again I have no right to ask you for a life sentence but Stacy no one wants to die. He said he had a lot of people fighting for him and that he would die saying that he was innocent. I looked at Todd and I told him that you are right no one wants to die and neither did my three daughters. I stood up walked out and I never looked back.
Todd's final words never mentioned his daughters but yet I keep hearing what a loving father he was. Todd spent his last words expressing his love to his prison pen pal Gabby and then he addressed me. He told me repeatedly in obscenity-laced language that he hoped I would "rot in hell" and attempted to maneuver his hand, strapped at the wrist, into an obscene gesture.
Stacy Kuykendall, the ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham, offers her first detailed account of the 1991 fire that claimed the lives of her three daughters and led to Willingham’s execution in 2004. “Todd set our house on fire then stood outside and watched it burn,” Kuykendall asserts, saying she agrees with Gov. Rick Perry’s portrayal of her husband as “a monster.” Here is the full statement:
On October 18th I read that David Grann said that the Chicago Tribune reporters, Steve Mills and Maurice Possley, tracked me down and interviewed me about my ex-husband and if he in fact confessed to me. He wrote that I firmly said that Willingham had never done so. I have never been formally interviewed by any reporters. Mills, Possley and Grann have all come to my home uninvited to ask me questions about my ex-husband. I told them all that I no longer believe that Todd was innocent, that he did murder my daughters and I did not want to talk about that which had to deal with him. I was asked why I didn’t believe that he was innocent and my response was, after reading statements, mainly Todd’s, that first of all, he gave conflicting stories of what happened the day of the fire and secondly after visiting with him on death row that he was guilty. I was asked what was said the day I visited with my ex-husband. I told them that I believed that was personal and would not respond to the question. I asked them repeatedly to leave my property.
On December 23rd, 1991 I was taken to the hospital and told that my three daughters had died in a house fire. Cameron Todd Willingham, the girls’ father, was at the hospital alive. When I saw Todd after having been told about my daughters, the first thing I asked him was if he could tell me why I was just told that my babies were dead and he was still alive. Todd just looked at me and had nothing to say. I left the room and returned to my oldest daughter and later that evening I returned to the hospital where Todd had been admitted. When I got to Todd’s room he told me that he heard Amber, our two-year old, yelling, “Daddy, Daddy”, he got up, put his pants on, told the two-year old to get out of the house, then said he went into the twins room, got down on his hands and knees feeling around on the floor for the babies. He even told me that he thought at one time he had found one of the twins but that it was a teddy bear instead.
Todd said that the fire was so bad that he got out of the room and made his way to the front door. He said that the front door was on fire so he had to kick and keep kicking the door down so he could get out of the house. Todd’s feet were not burnt at all. This was the first story that Todd told us about that day. That night I remember sitting in his room looking out the window and him telling me not to worry that we could get my tubes untied and have more children. I couldn’t believe what he had just said to me. I had my doubts about what Todd was saying about what happened that day. After Todd was arrested and told his family that he didn’t do this, I had to believe that he was telling us the truth. I was 21, just lost all my children and now everyone expected me to believe that their father did this.
In another statement Todd told he woke by hearing Amber yelling, “Daddy, Daddy”, realized the house was on fire, told Amber, a two-year old, to get out of the house. He went to the twins room, got on the floor and tried to feel for the babies. He said he was unable to find them so his made his way out of the room and to the front door but only this time in his story the door wasn’t on fire so he was able to just open the door and walk right out of it. Amber didn’t get out of the house when Todd told her to. She was only two. I can’t think of many two-year olds that would know how to get out of a burning house. Before Todd was executed he confessed to his family that he never went into the twins room at all to try and save them, that he had lied about it. Actually, he stood outside of our home as the house engulfed in flames knowing his three daughters were inside.
When Todd told me that he wasn’t going to testify on his own behalf I could not believe it. How could someone say he is innocent and not testify on his own behalf? I kept thinking he should have been up on that stand screaming that he was innocent. Todd and his family were satisfied with the lawyers that he had during the trial. He spent eight months with both lawyers before they went to trial. He didn’t call his trial a joke until after he was found guilty.
Twelve years after Todd was sent to death row I went to visit with him. I believe it was two weeks before his execution. There were no harsh words said between us, neither one of us blasted the other. We sat across from each other in a very calm manner.
At first, there was just small talk between us. Todd said after twelve years it seemed hard for him to say anything. I told him that I would start by asking him a few questions and then he could do the same. I asked him to tell me what happened the day of the fire, he responded with, “I woke up by Amber’s voice yelling, Daddy, Daddy, got up, told her to get out of the house and then went into the girls’ room, got on the floor to search for the twins, it became way to hot so I got out of the room and headed to the front door and exited the house.”
I then asked Todd if he remembered what he had told me while in county jail before his trial. I reminded him that he had already told me that he never attempted to go into the girl’s room and try to save them, that he actually got out of bed, told a two-year old to get out of the house and then walked out the front door. I asked him why wouldn’t an innocent man testify on his on behalf? Todd said it was because he told different stories about what happened that day and once you have said it you can’t take it back. Todd told me several times about the Board of Pardons and Paroles which reviews applications for clemency. He told me that he didn’t feel that he had any rights to ask me to write a letter on his behalf to the Board but could I just think about it and I told him that I would.
He stated that he believed since I was the mother of the girls and if I were to ask them to give him a life sentence instead of execution that he may get it. He gave me the name of his lawyer so I could contact him with the information on what I would have to do. We talked about his execution. He told me that he had blocked it so no one could witness it. I told Todd that I had also blocked his execution. Todd did cry a few times during our visit he said it was hard for him to see me and sit across from me. I just let Todd talk and I listened. I think we both knew at this point it may be the last time we ever would speak to each other again.
He told me he was sorry for everything he had ever done to me. He told me that he did know that I loved the girls more than life itself. He then talked about the board of pardons and paroles again and he told me if he could get a life sentence instead that he promised me that he would never get out of prison. I told him once more that I would think about it. We talked some more and then he asked me what time it was. I didn't have a watch so he told me to ask the lady sitting next to me. I did and told him the time. Todd said that they would be coming for me in ten minutes that our time was up. He seemed to be a bit nervous and put his head down and started to cry again.
He asked me if I remembered the last time we had gotten into a fight and he hit me. I told him yes when I was holding Amber. He asked if I remembered what I had told him that I was going to do after the first of the year. I said that I was going to divorce you. He said the night before the fire we got in to an argument and you had said it again that you were going to divorce me. I told him yes I did say that. He told me that he believed I was going to but he couldn't let that happen. Todd told me that it was stupid but it was like an obsession. He said if I didn't have my girls I couldn't leave him and that I could never have Amber or the twins with anyone else but him. He told me he was sorry and that he hoped that I could forgive him one day. He said once again I have no right to ask you for a life sentence but Stacy no one wants to die. He said he had a lot of people fighting for him and that he would die saying that he was innocent. I looked at Todd and I told him that you are right no one wants to die and neither did my three daughters. I stood up walked out and I never looked back.
I did witness Cameron Todd Willingham's execution. Todd set our house on fire then stood outside and watched it burn. He knew our three daughters were inside this home taking there last breath. He watched them die. I felt like the only thing that I could do is watch their murderer die. I wasn't there for closure. My closure was when he told me what he had done. I stood on the behalf of my three daughters. Todd's final words never mentioned his daughters but yet I keep hearing what a loving father he was. Todd spent his last words expressing his love to his prison pen pal Gabby and then he addressed me. He told me repeatedly in obscenity-laced language that he hoped I would "rot in hell" and attempted to maneuver his hand, strapped at the wrist, into an obscene gesture.
For all of this to be brought up again has been extremely painful for me and my family. How many more times do we have to see in detail that burned house were my daughter died! I have carried this pain for 18 years now and will for the rest of my life. I can say that I am a very strong women but having to listen to this every day again is starting to take its toll on me. I pray daily for my babies to have some peace and my family to stop being harassed.
Governor Rick Perry called Cameron Todd Willingham a "monster" and indeed he was. Nightline ran story titled "A Life Cut Too Short." There were three life's cut too short and their names are Amber Louise, Karmon Diane and Kameron Marie.
Odd, though, isn't it - that she would wait this long to speak? To admit this last minute confession? Every bit as odd as a father standing outside his house as his children burned inside. Oddest of all is Rick's last minute shake up of the commission though. If the case is so cut and dry, why postpone the findings?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous . . . It's not odd at all if you had been the one victimized all those years by a "monster." You obviously have not ever undergone that kind of trauma. What is odd is that people continue to defend him. As the mother implied: who is thinking about those young lives? Shame on you.
ReplyDeleteRick is conservative and Kay is D.C. liberal--nuff said! I, for one, am tired of RINO's and no longer call myself a Republican. I am a member of the Right Wing Extremist group--a conservative!!
ReplyDeleteMonster or not, he was convicted using evidence that was found by neutral reviewers to be unscientific and unable to withstand critical scrutiny--as well as by the testimony in his sentencing phase of a psychiatrist who was soon after kicked out of the APA for his lack of objectivity concerning capital cases. But what's a little science and professional ethics to Republicans? Just a distraction, really...
ReplyDeleteThat a piece (just a piece) fo the evidence does not stand up to the test of time does not make the man innocent. Monsters rarely publically express guilt. Its kinda their trademark.
ReplyDeleteI know who wasn't thinking of those young lives- the high quality Corsicanna neighbors who barked at Willingham to run back in and save his babies. The man had just escaped a fire. I love the testimony of these people - claiming there was no flame - only smoke and yet Willingham sat there in shock! Every person on that front lawn should be ashamed of themselves. Nobody made an effort to run in and help. And the only one who's actions make sense is the father.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I think he was innocent. He seems too simple to have concocted such a plan.
To the person who wonders why would she speak-out now? How about because despicable people are parading her deceased daughters around like political parade floats in an disgusting attempt to emotionalize an election?
ReplyDeleteTo the person who thinks "neutral reviewers" matter in circumstances like these...what about the courts of competent jurisdiction where evidence from BOTH sides must withstand challenge under clearly defined rules heavily skewed toward the defendant?
To the person who thinks The Monster is too simple...how sophisticated does one have to be to set a house ablaze? How sophisticated does one have to be to lie? You can 'think' he was innocent all you want, but the fact is that he is, was, and always will be guilty as determied by a jury of his peers.
All of the comments here in defense of Perry rely on speculation about the inner workings of a person's mind and on hard-core beliefs that any evidence contradicting one's own emotions must result from the source of all evil, the Liberal Media. In other words, the defense of an utterly indefensible actions of the governor of Texas depends on a delusional system, not on anything having to do with this particular case, least of all on the external, observable evidence itself. The exculpatory evidence in the Willinham case is external and observable. This really is a case of a scientific mentality versus a "faith"-based mob mentality.
ReplyDeleteThe mob won in this case. But that is not enough for them. They must bury the evidence by maligning the evidence-bearers. Fascinating.
Amen, alanrichard. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis case seems to be all about Cameron (Todd) Willingham and him alone, how innocent he was and the majorly flawed and scientifically outdated investigation.
ReplyDeleteFrom recent reports it appears that to date no fire has ever been able to be arson because we did not have the necessary science to irrefutably determine so, but we do now and everything that points towards arson can now scientifically be proven to not necesarily be arson, which means Willingham must be innocent (!!)
How on earth does that make sense ?
When asked how did the fire start if it was not (necessarily) arson, the new scientists said they didn't know as "that evidence was destroyed" or "no longer available"
HUH ????
The evidence from whatever cause of the fire was exactly the same evidence the new scientists looked at.
There weren't two seperate lots of fires that swept through the house - one accidental and one arson - it was one and the same fire.
Speaking of Junk Science"