Since prosecutors decided beforehand not to seek the death penalty, the trial judge, Jason Cashon, immediately sentenced Routh to life in prison with no possibility of parole. He remains jailed in Erath County on $3 million bond. Routh later told his sister he wanted Kyles Ford pickup truck. Two years after Chad Littlefield and Chris Kyles death, Eddie Ray Routh was found guilty of first degree murder. Until that shocking moment, Kyles story had been one of legend if not controversy. But the way Kyle died is important, too. Routh would show off Kyle's items at an uncle's house and his sister's house, and also stop at Taco Bell for a burrito, Nash added. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in United States military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed in Texas. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. The Long case is set to go to trial on April 1. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. First Lady's tears for kindergarten helicopter crash victims: Olena Zelenska is horrified as she is told 18 Putin deploys air defence systems around Moscow amid fears of Ukrainian strikes on the capital. Chris picked up Eddie in his black truck. Prince Harry is dubbed 'a stupid boy' as growing number of ex-top brass criticise him for revealing his Charles's first royal RSVP! He also testified that Routh's psychotic symptoms could be attributed to drug and alcohol abuse. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [4], Routh was arraigned February 2, 2013, on two counts of capital murder, and was taken to the Erath County Jail for holding under a $3 million bond. Here is the rough timeline of what happened, as presented in court. After the teenager placed a shell in the bottom barrel, aimed and pulled the trigger, "the shotgun exploded, blowing William's left thumb off and permanently and severely injuring his left hand and thumb," the complaint states. This made him experience hallucinations, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts. YouTubeBradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper, which came out in 2014, more than a year after Chris Kyles death. While cops were at the murder scene where was Eddie Ray Routh? He enlisted in the U.S. Marines at the age of 18 in 2006 and was deployed as an armorer in 2007. Were so thrilled that we have the verdict that we have tonight, Kyles mother, Judy, told reporters. A funeral service for. At his sisters house, Routh announced that hed sold my soul for a truck. He added, We went up to the gun range. Helping hand: Kyle had taken Routh, who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, to the range as therapy, After the first kill, the others come easy. They say pictures of weapons, shell casings, and even the bodies of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. He believed that where most recruits failed in training was stalking the art of sneaking into a position without being seen. The Project star Carrie Bickmore has shocked Australia with the announcement . He was committed to helping his fellow servicemen.After returning to civilian life, he found ways to assist others. The case attracted national attention due to Kyle's fame as author of a bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, published in 2012. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The Texas sheriff who was known for investigating the murder of "American Sniper" Chris Kyle was discovered deceased from a gunshot to his head, apparently self-inflicted. I'm getting worried." Sometime between 4:40 and 4:50 p.m., a wilderness guide at Rough Creek, Justin Nabours, found Kyle and Littlefield, each dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Is inflation FINALLY on the way down? He went to his sister Laura Blevin's house and explained what he had done, before she dialled 911. Unfortunately, he discovered later, he hadnt hung up properly and she heard the entire battle. Routh allegedly turned his gun on both Chris and Littlefield and is now awaiting trial for capital murder. Tom Fox Pool/Getty ImagesEddie Ray Routh was found guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. When Taya Kyle took the stand Wednesday, she told jurors that her husband met Routh . He would learn how far ahead of targets he needed to aim if they were running or walking, and how to adjust for elevation or the wind. A funeral service for Littlefield, 35, was set for Friday in Midlothian. [5] Both Kyle and Littlefield were armed with .45-caliber M1911-style pistols when they were killed, but neither gun had been unholstered or fired, and the safety catches were still on. Tara Kyle cries on the stand during court inside the Erath County Donald R. Jones Justice Center during the murder trial for Eddie Ray Routh in Stephenville, Texas, Feb. 11, 2015. I would worry about him all the time. The pair took Routh to the shooting range for a therapeutic session, in a bid to help Routh's post-traumatic stress disorder. Before he left, We said, I love you, recalls Taya. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. My teammates made it possible., Theres an inaccurate stereotype of these guys, that they love war, says Taya. Continue your flu-free streak with these tips to stay healthy this flu season. He served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. Starring Bradley Cooper, it garnered good reviews, though it excluded the story of Chris Kyles death. Kick start your weekday mornings with news updates from Good Morning America (GMA) and Sundays with This Week with George Stephanopoulos. 1. It was a Chinese-made grenade and she had pulled out the pin just as a U.S. Marine foot patrol approached. But the legend came to an end last Saturday evening at a shooting range in his home state. His family worried that he was suicidal. He doubled back to his home to find police officers waiting, Nash said, before leading police on a chase that ended because an officer slammed a police vehicle into the truck. He says Routh instead led them on a chase. In June 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were left slaughtered in pools of their own blood, reportedly by the hands of Brown Simpson's former husband, O.J. As they neared their doom, Kyle texted Littlefield: This dude is straight up nuts.. Crime scene photos shown in court show Kyle lying on the dirt in front of an elevated deck from which rifles were fired at targets up to 1,000 yards away. I didnt want it to be the thing that was hanging over their heads for the very rest of their lives as the film that showed their father getting shot, Hall explained. He was buried on February 12, 2013, at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, after the funeral cortege journeyed from Midlothian to Austin, more than 200 miles (320km). "The guns and ammo were in control of Rough Creek Lodge all the way up until the time my client pulled trigger," Zook said. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world. Routh later was arrested near his house in Lancaster. VA clinicians believed Routh's psychotic symptoms were caused by alcohol abuse and offered inpatient treatment. These guys dont do it easily. As he told the Dallas Morning News in 2012, he wanted to "be a cowboy [or] be in the military." So Kyle tried life as a cowboy first. In 2006, he returned, this time to fight in Ramadi, now considered the countrys most dangerous city. As his reputation spread, other snipers openly wondered what his secret was. How Ivar The Boneless Became One Of History's Most Feared Vikings, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. As depicted in the films tense trailer, Kyle opened fire as ordered on a woman approaching a group of Marines with a hand grenade. Counting calories IS king when it comes to losing weight - NOT fasting, study finds. But Chris Kyle soon found a new calling: helping his fellow veterans adjust to civilian life. Justin Nabours, a nuclear contractor who previously worked at Rough Creek Lodge, discovered Kyle and Littlefield's bodies as he arrived to introduce a client's son to Kyle. [19], A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11, 2013. With a large red crusaders cross tattooed on one arm, he said his only regret about his work was that he hadnt killed more. His wife, Taya, similarly celebrated Rouths convicteion, writing on Facebook, God Bless the Jury And good people of Stephenville, Texas!!. In police video played in court, Eddie Routh answered \"Yes, sir\" to \"You know what you did today is wrong, right?\"SUBSCRIBE for the latest news and updates from ABC News http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=abcnews To read the full story and others, visit http://www.abcnews.com Watch more news stories from ABC News!More stories like this from ABC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEdigLsKZyA\u0026list=PLQOa26lW-uI85qLlvNmzHhUz6AneEGDi1More World News Tonight with David Muirs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2MD_zLDgdM\u0026list=PL5E6638EB9ECF2329To read the full story and others, visit http://www.abcnews.comFollow ABC News across the web!Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/abcnews Twitter: http://twitter.com/ABCInstagram: https://instagram.com/ABCNews/ Watch as criminal investigations unfold, and witness the technology that helps the real life crime scene investigations (CSI) bring criminals to justice. In September, Routh had been transported to a psychiatric hospital after he threatened to kill himself and his family, and he later told officers that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Lancaster police records show. [12] His trial was set to begin May 5, 2014, but was delayed to allow more time to comply with DNA testing requirements. Kyle later downplayed the long-range kill as a "really, really lucky shot". A public memorial service for the 38-year-old Kyle, reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American military history, is scheduled for Monday at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas. U.S. forces nicknamed the former ranch hand from Texas The Legend. If the employee had, he would have seen the 20-gauge shells erroneously jammed into the shotgun, Zook argues. The murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield occurred on February 2, 2013, at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas. It was one of the most gruesome and notorious crimes of the century. ABC News show roster has both leaders in daily evening and morning programming. Watch the stories of ordinary crime and the work of criminal masterminds. After talking to Jodi, Chris Kyle promised to meet with Eddie. Devil: Iraqis placed a $20,000 (13,000) bounty on Kyle's head, a man they referred to as the 'Devil of Ramadi'. One man he shot from a distance of more than a mile. Chris Kyle, left, and Chad Littlefield, right, are pictured. Eddie Ray Routh faces capital murder charges for shooting the former Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield. Stay informed on the latest crime news with abcnews.com.ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Tune into ABC World News Tonight with David Muir for unparalleled reporting. In February 2013, Kyle and a friend drove Routh to a gun range near Kyle's home in Texas. YouTube Chris Kyle died at the age of 38 after he was shot by a fellow military veteran in Texas. Routh allegedly confessed to shooting Kyle, author of the best-selling book "American Sniper," and Chad Littlefield on Saturday afternoon at Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose. I was in some badass situations, but it wasnt just me. One of the gunshot wounds was to the top of the head, indicating it was likely fired while Littlefield was already on the ground. Coles worker fights a woman allegedly trying to steal groceries, Man ordered to take off a Jesus Saves t-shirt at Mall of America, Man knocked out by a pool cue in violent pub brawl, Locals desperately smash windows of overturned double-decker bus. 2 Eddie Ray Routh was 25 when he murdered Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield in 2013 Credit: AFP Chris Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range in Erath County, Texas, alongside his friend Chad Littlefield on February 2, 2013. Morning America ( GMA ) and Sundays with this Week with George Stephanopoulos Mail, the Mail on &... 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