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Background

In late 2007, 16-year-old Erin Caffey started dating 18-year-old Charlie Wilkinson.

Her parents, 39-year-old Terry and 37-year-old Penny Caffey, were not fond of Charlie and would not let the two go out on dates alone.

But they did let him come to their Alba, Texas, home and hang out with their daughter, where they could keep an eye on him.

During his visits, Wilkinson spent time with Erin’s brothers, 13-year-old Matthew and 8-year-old Tyler, and later began attending the same church as the Caffeys.

After Wilkinson gave their daughter his grandmother’s engagement ring as a promise ring, Terry and Penny realized the relationship was getting too serious. They made Erin return the ring and began limiting how much time the couple could spend together.

By February 2008, they had banned Wilkinson from their home and taken away Erin’s car so she couldn’t visit him.

Also, in February, Penny got a tip from a relative to look at Charlie’s Myspace page, and she was appalled to see him talking about sex and other unsavory topics.

The Myspace page was the last straw, and Terry and Penny told Erin she had to break up with Wilkinson. They expected her to resist, but she told them what they wanted to hear and promised to break up with him.

She spent the next two days convincing Wilkinson that the only way they could be together was if her parents were dead.

Crime

Two days later, on March 1st, 2008, at around 2 a.m., Wilkinson showed up at the Caffey home with 20-year-old Charles Waid and Waid’s 18-year-old girlfriend, Bobbi Gale Johnson.

Waid and Wilkinson went into the home and attacked Caffey’s family with guns and swords while Erin and Johnson waited outside.

Once the guys thought everyone was dead, they grabbed a suitcase from Erin’s room, a box of money, Terry’s wallet, and Penny’s purse.

Then, they set the house on fire and fled with their girlfriends.

Penny, Matthew, and Tyler were all dead, but Terry escaped the home and crawled for over an hour to a neighbor’s home for help. A policeman arrived to see Terry shot five times.

He was able to tell the officer it was Charlie Wilkinson because he heard his son say, “No, Charlie.” He also heard Wilkinson’s voice.

Wilkinson, Waid, and Johnson were arrested hours after the crime. Wilkinson denied involvement, but police found clothing and shoes with blood spatter on them.

Erin was found later that night. She pretended like she had been kidnapped, and after making sure she was ok, the police began to transport her to the hospital to visit her dad.

On the way, the officer got a call telling him to arrest Erin after Waid and Johnson pointed to her as the mastermind behind the murders.

Aftermath

All four pleaded guilty to the three counts of capital murder

Wilkinson and Waid both received life without parole.

Johnson got 24 to 40 years.

Erin received two life sentences plus 25 years. She will be eligible for parole after 40 years.

Her father has forgiven her, still visits her in prison, and hopes he can see her free one day.