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Who They Were, What They Did, and How Episode 219 I am your humble host, Thomas Roseland Weyborg Thun, and tonight I bring to you the saga of the Briarley Brothers. It is a tale made from all the stuff that would make for a gruesome horror film.
The summary might read, three impoverished teens from the neighborhood embark on a gruesome killing spree that ultimately leads to two of them earning seats on death row, where they and four other condemned inmates orchestrate and carry out a dramatic escape.
Often they are referred to as spree killers, but considering the number of murders and the fact that the killings did not occur on the same day, I choose to define them as true serial killers. Enjoy.
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Imagine, if you will, they are listeners.
An anonymous looking apartment house on Barton Avenue, Richmond, in the state of Virginia. It hadn't been opened for three baking hot days. Opening the door, the seasoned investigators were blasted with a wave of heat and rot. The smell was like a wall, or more apt, a tsunami of death hitting them, square in the face, as they entered. They had experienced this before.
For some of the investigators, it was part and parcel of the job. But they had not seen a crime scene like this, with snakes slithering on the floor, stained with old blood from the floor. The investigators got out fast and called for animal control officers to subdue and remove the snakes.
Later, after this was done, it had to be admitted the killers knew something, however minimal, about psychological warfare. Releasing from their confinement Harvey Wilkerson's pet snakes had been nothing short of successfully annoying and potentially dangerous to anyone entering the crime scene. They were also very well capable of damaging and or obscuring crucial evidence.
two puppies had also been running loose through the house sheer luck had saved them from being eaten by the snakes prosecutor warren von schuch moved through the putrid oven of the house and become his shoes sticking to the blood-gummed floors
Later at home, breathing cool, clean air, he would find his clothes so saturated with the reek of blood and decomposition that he quickly undressed and threw them all in the washer. All three residents of the Barton Avenue home, among them a pregnant young woman and her five-year-old son, were dead. The crime scene had been so gruesome
It brought to mind the Tate massacre back in 1969, where pregnant Sharon Tate and her friends had been slaughtered by the Manson family. On a day that dawned like any other, Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr., a seasoned investigator with the Richmond, Virginia police, found himself embroiled in a high-speed pursuit that would sear itself into local lore.
The vehicle he was chasing was being driven by none other than Linwood Briley. The airways buzzed incessantly with chatter as the chase unfolded, the staccato rhythm of the radio transmissions providing a tense soundtrack to the unfolding drama. The chase was a cat-and-mouse game, with the fleeing car always managing to stay one elusive step ahead.
It was as if the driver had some uncanny ability to read minds, to anticipate the police's every move. The situation was growing increasingly dangerous, not just for the officers involved, but for other drivers and pedestrians who found themselves unwittingly caught up in the chase. In the midst of the chaos, Robert Rice, a man who had seen his fair share of difficult situations, was forced to make a gut-wrenching decision.
His voice, edged with urgency, crackled over the radio. Just put him into a pole! Moments later, Linwood abandoned the car, leaving his father and the younger man behind, as the vehicle careened into a utility pole. Miraculously, both occupants survived the crash. As the police sifted through the wreckage, they made a chilling discovery. Linwood, widely considered the most intelligent of the Briley brothers,
had been using a scanner to monitor their radio communications. It was a revelation that explained the seemingly supernatural foresight the fleeing car had exhibited. Among the survivors of the crash was a young man named Duncan Meekins. Once in custody, Meekins began to volunteer information about his friends, the Briley brothers. The details were chilling,
painting a picture of a group of young men who had been come embroiled in a world of unimaginable horror in return for his co-operation meekins was offered a plea agreement sparing him the grim fate of the electric chair meekins was a conundrum he was a good-looking young man with an impressive academic record
No one could comprehend why someone with such promise would choose to participate in such horrific activities. But as the investigation unfolded, it became clear that this question would be asked of many others associated with the Briley brothers. In the end, Meekins was sentenced to life plus 80 years in prison.
To protect his identity, he was sent under an assumed name to a facility far away from the influence of the Brileys. In the crackling heat of a 1973 summer, with a brilliance that could be mistaken for demonic prowess, James Briley trot across the line of the law more speedily than a veteran cop Cecil L. Glunt anticipated.
from a freshly stirred crime scene at a local convenience store braille with muscular resilience wrestled some hot lead exchanges with glunt all before neatly vaulting over a fence and enduring a harrowing gunshot to his flank
Yet, in a twist that mocked reality, Briley didn't remain grounded. He staggered to his feet, teeth clenched, and galloped down twelve city blocks, a tenebrous blur against the urban backdrop, before sanctuary arrived in the form of a friendly car. The life force that pulsated within James that day would later find utility on another dark night, six years later.
the nineteenth of october nineteen seventy nine earlier that same day in the solemn presence of his judicial overseer brierly had waged his intentions to lead a life less conspicuous considering his parole status as consequences lingered from his malicious wounding and robbery conviction back in nineteen seventy three he had every reason to tread lightly
but as evening cloaked the day's residue he found himself along with his brother lynwood shadowed by a question aimed at the languid green chevy van curbside near their familial dwelling glimmering slightly with curiosity and suspicion lynwood proposed the idea that it might be a police spy's nest
James, seeing differently, shrugged off the proposition, their unified curiosity leading them to explore the van's dark interior. They prodded, rocked, and tried peering through the tinted windows. James found himself taking a more aggressive stance. Unholstering his trusted and highly illegal sidearm, he fired towards the sky before plunging a second shot into the muddy ground. Yet silence persisted.
Armed with a sense of slight triumph, James redirected them to their ride, sliding into the solace of the night. Certain no copper could maintain silent composure under such a bold display. As the echo of their gunfire faded into memory, an unseen curtain revealed itself. Within the belly of that muted green van was Henrico Police Investigator Shirley Englehart,
pained spectator to the bryerly brothers brazen dance on the edges of law and disorder in a world where eyes watched from the sky and the law seemed omnipresent the gang of misfits somehow managed to become shadows slipping through the cracks of their surveillance
That night, under a haze of marijuana smoke and a warm buzz of alcohol, James, his brothers and Meekins conspired in whispers an audacious plan to rob Harvey Wilkerson. As the plan took shape, the quartet embarked on their mission, their hearts beating the drum of adrenaline.
Nearing their destination on Barton Avenue, they were forced to take shelter in an unassuming garden shed, a refuge from prying eyes. Eventually, the streets drained of people, their silhouettes fading into the reach of the nocturnal abyss. Their target, Wilkerson, a young man of twenty-six years whom they had once called a friend,
spied their approach. Fear sparked in his eyes, and his door was swiftly bolted, a flimsy shield against the impending storm. Undeterred, the Briley brothers and their accomplice advanced, their collective shadows swallowing the front porch. Then, in a twist of fate, or perhaps a surrender to fear, Wilkerson unbolted the door, opening the gateway to his own nightmare. The next act's
of the macabre play unfolded rapidly. James, his brothers Linwood and Anthony, and the adolescent Duncan Meekins descended upon the unsuspecting occupants. Like wolves, they overpowered their prey, silencing any chance of a cry for help with a cruel adhesive of electrical tape. In the kitchen, Linwood brutally raped 23-year-old Judy Barton,
the poor woman was at that time five months pregnant duncan meekins did not want to be outdone by linwood so he too raped judy mixing his own sperm with linwood's when both had finished they pulled her into the living room with the others half naked traumatized and howling in fear
Following a haphazard search for anything worth stealing, Linwood walked out of the house. James shot Judy Barton in the head four times and ordered the juvenile Meekins, and here I quote, You got to get one. A pillow was mashed against Harvey Wilkerson's head and Meekins fired a shot, blood oozing through the pillowcase immediately afterwards. It had been a killing shot.
James then shot five-year-old Harvey Wayne Barton, who was on the couch, in the head, point-blank range. The reason for such savagery is unknown. The five-year-old would not have been a reliable witness, and was of course completely innocent. Hopefully, since the Brileys acted fast, the child never really comprehended what was going on before being shot to death.
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Hey, I'm Ryan Reynolds. Recently, I asked Mint Mobile's legal team if big wireless companies are allowed to raise prices due to inflation. They said yes. And then when I asked if raising prices technically violates those onerous two-year contracts, they said, what the f*** are you talking about, you insane Hollywood a**hole?
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But it's good to have some things that are non-negotiable. For some, that could be a night out with the boys, chugging beers and having a laugh. For others, it might be an eating night. For me, one non-negotiable activity is researching psychopathic serial killers and making this podcast. Even when we know what makes us happy, it's often near impossible to make time for it.
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Never skip therapy day with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash serialkiller today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash serialkiller. Law officers actively surveilling the neighborhood heard the gunshots and could even see the gang hurry back to their car.
Unfortunately, police could not determine the gunfire's location, and they acted too little, too late. Linwood drove for a while and, listening to the scanner, heard of the pursuit. Stopping on Hazlehurst Avenue, the gang climbed out. Linwood tossed the shotgun brought from home over a fence, and Meekins looked for somewhere to hide the .22 rifle taken from Wilkerson.
Not long after, hearing that police were watching with a scope, the gang ditched the car. Locals eventually found the guns and the holster and gave these to the police. Meekins told authorities that Linwood and James held the money stolen from the murdered family. When this was divided at the Briley's house, Meekins walked away with less than $100.
Twenty-six-year-old Harvey Wilkerson himself had more than flirted with criminal activity. A conviction in 1973 for possession of marijuana earned him a three-month sentence that was later suspended, but he had to pay a $250 fine. In 1974, however, he did not fare so well. A conviction for LSD possession resulted in a 12-month jailing.
Also, that same year, Wilkerson was arrested and charged with armed robbery, but again, the charges eventually were dropped. Oddly, Wilkerson had trained to be a barber, and records state this is how he was employed, beginning in summer 1976, after a period of probation.
It seems reasonable to wonder what sort of life Judy Barton and five-year-old Harvey might have had if Wilkerson had moved the family far from Richmond. The actual stakeout planning began around two Sunday afternoon, following the Wilkerson killings on Friday night.
richmond detective sergeant norman a harding met with fellow detectives henrico county's special action force and a few top-tier richmond police officials all present agreed that an arrest warrant for lynwood brierly should be acquired
Four hours later, the teams were out watching for a purplish Chevy Nova. Inexplicably, even though arrest warrants had been obtained, James and Anthony entered Richmond Police Headquarters and turned themselves in. All told, within 24 hours of locating and investigating the Wilkerson crime scene, police arrested Linwood, James, younger brother Anthony, and Duncan Meekins.
Middle's sibling James received a death sentence after being charged with three counts of capital murder, four of discharging a firearm during commission of a felony, and one count of robbery. At that point, Linwood, Anthony, and Meekins' charges mirrored those of James, excepting those for murder were not capital.
Beyond this, the Brileys were held in the city jail and scheduled for hearings in Richmond General District Court, bond for each set at $319,000, by today's standards around $1 million. Duncan Meekins, who had agreed to turn state as evidence, was taken to the juvenile detention home until his hearing before the Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.
All three men appeared calm and spoke in sure voices, reported journalists Andrew Petkovsky and Alan Cooper on the 23rd of October, 1979.
james brierly was dressed in a print shirt and dark trousers he had a neatly trimmed large afro haircut his two brothers were dressed in jeans and pullover shirts both looked tired and wore their hair in cornrow styles but the allisono the brierlys did oh so much more than slaughtering the wilkerson family the family's slaying was their final act of depravity before capture
So, let us, before we continue, start to take a look at their background. In the confines of the urban labyrinth that is Richmond, Virginia, the seeds of an unspeakable evil were sown. Three brothers, Linwood Anthony and James Briley, emerged from their unremarkable childhood as notorious killers of the late twentieth century.
their insidious journey from adolescence to adulthood is a chilling exploration of the human capacity for malevolence shaped by environmental influences and nascent psychopathy the brierly brothers were raised in a regular neighborhood in a regular home by their parents
Their father, also named James, was a hard-working man, a cement finisher by trade, who spent his days labouring under the hot sun to put food on the table. Contemporary witnesses later stated that James Senior was the only man the brothers ever feared. Their mother, Bertha, was a homemaker who tried her best to instil values of respect and decency in her children.
both parents purportedly maintained a strict discipline but the dark undercurrents of the brierly household were largely concealed from the neighbourhood's prying eyes from an early age the brothers exhibited a morbid fascination with death and violence it was linwood the oldest who first demonstrated the brothers cruel streak
He was just a young boy when he was discovered in the family's backyard, gleefully tormenting small animals, a macabre spectacle that sent chills down the spine of those who witnessed it. Such behavior is often a red flag in children, signaling deeper emotional and psychological issues. However, if the brothers' parents were aware of Linwood's actions, they either chose to ignore them
or were unable to effectively intervene james the middle child closely followed in his older brother's footsteps he was more subtle but his capacity for brutality was no less
While Linwood reveled in overt displays of violence, James was more manipulative. He reveled in mind games, both with his peers and with adults, always finding ways to bend others to his will. His malevolent charisma and seemingly innocent exterior masked a chilling lack of empathy.
Anthony Briley, the youngest of the Briley brothers, presented a stark contrast to his older siblings. Where Linwood and James were overt in their displays of violent tendencies, Anthony's nature was more subdued and elusive. He was not the instigator of the horrifying actions that would later define the Briley family name, but neither was he completely detached from them.
anthony was more introverted less assertive and seemingly less invested in the cruel games that linwood and james reveled in yet his quietness and reticence should not be mistaken for innocence the youngest brierly brother was unfortunately deeply influenced by the sadistic actions of his elder siblings
while the older brothers were the master minds behind the crime spree that would horrify their community anthony was not just a passive observer he became an accomplice complicit in their atrocities albeit with a more reserved participation
It was as if he was trapped in the shadow of Linwood and James, unable to break free from the toxic and violent environment they had shaped around him. As the seasons turned and the brothers made their passage into the wilds of adolescence, their wicked games took on a darker, more savage tone.
the innocent lives of neighborhood pets were no longer sufficient to satiate their growing hunger for chaos instead they turned to the primal fury of fire delighting in its uncontrollable dance as it devoured everything in its path this shift toward pyromania was not a mere childish fad
but a dangerous surge in their quest for dominance control and an audacious challenge to the authority figures who had begun to cast wary glances their way despite the intensifying storm of their actions the brothers crafted a faade of tranquillity even charisma
Their intellect was undeniable, their social graces were impeccable, and their ability to paint a convincing portrait of innocence was masterful. They manipulated the perceptions of those around them with ease, successfully disguising the malignant shadows that lurked within their hearts.
This stark contrast between their public personas and the malevolent reality of their private lives made their eventual plunge into the abyss of homicide all the more horrifying. In 1971, 16-year-old Linwood Briley had loving parents, a comfortable home, and, from a high dormer window,
a clear sight-line to a particular house and alley across the street. Alone upstairs, he raised a .22-caliber rifle to the window, aimed, and fired a single shot at elderly neighbor and recent widow Orlene Christian as she hung laundry on a clothesline.
Her relatives and friends presumed the combination of age, grief, and dwindling health were the culprits, until an anomalous wound was spotted in Mrs. Christian's armpit. A shrewd detective reviewed the autopsy report, made notes, and visited the alley. He sawed a two-by-four into the length matching that of the victim's height, bore the hole at the kill-shot's entry angle,
and determined the shooter had fired from the Briley residence. Linwood's future self might have been proud of the unerring accuracy responsible for the killing. In reality, upon the murder weapon's discovery, he remarked, and I quote, "'Heard she had heart problems. She would have died soon anyway.'" End quote.
For this unthinkable, random and senseless crime, Linwood received a wrist-slap sentence of one year in reform school. At this point, it is quite clear that Linwood was a fledgling psychopath. Two years later, in 1973, middle brother James shot at a policeman during a chase following a convenience store robbery.
Again, as with Linwood, lenient sentencing put 16-year-old James in juvenile hall. One wonders what sort of message this tolerance of extreme violence and obvious psychological disorder sent to the youngest Briley brother, Anthony. And with that, we come to the end of part one in this saga covering the Slaying Brothers.
Next episode, we'll meet the brothers' ultimate demise. So as they say in the land of radio, stay tuned. To everyone else, this is a desk. But to you, it's a launch pad. You're starting, brother. I say, in a desk? This is opportunity. Students who switch and save can get the Moto G 5G on us at your local Boost retailer.
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