Billy Woodward got 25 years in prison for trying to kill someone and life in prison for each of the two counts of second-degree murder.
A fight between neighbors over a lost birthday gift led to one of the most horrifying killings ever. It happened in the quiet town of Titusville, Florida.
When Billy Woodward killed his neighbors in cold blood out of anger and hatred, the once-peaceful neighborhood saw terrible bloodshed.
“Fear Thy Neighbor: Screaming Oaks” on Investigation Discovery shows the horrible, cold-blooded killings and how, in a shocking turn of events, Billy suddenly said he couldn’t be charged with murder.
Where Did Billy Woodward Go?
Billy Woodward was given two life sentences on Wednesday after the families and loved ones of both the men he was found guilty of killing and himself gave emotional statements about their feelings.
Both terms will run at the same time. He also got a 25-year sentence for trying to kill a third person.
Gary Hembree and Roger Picior were killed by Woodward on Labor Day 2012 in Titusville. Woodward went before a judge at the Moore Justice Center in Viera.
Woodward, 50, was found guilty on January 31 of two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Bruce “Tim” Blake was hurt many times, but he was able to stay alive and testify against Woodward in January. Woodward’s request for a new trial was denied in March.
Judge Kelly McKibben thought about the families of the people Woodward was found guilty of killing, as well as the claims of harassment made against him.
The defense focused on Woodward’s time in the military and said that his brain damage and post-traumatic stress disorder should be taken into account when deciding how long he should go to jail.
The verdict in Billy Woodward’s murder trial and his appeal
Billy Woodward was taken into custody as soon as the police arrived. He didn’t put up any fight. When the police looked at the CCTV tape, they saw Billy walking toward Hembree’s barbeque party.
Billy may also be seen crawling for a short distance to stay out of sight. After getting enough evidence for a trial, the police questioned Billy to find out why he had shot the people.
When asked why he did what he did, Billy said that their neighbors had been threatening them for a long time.
When Billy went to court, his lawyers said that he couldn’t be charged with murder because of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which lets people use self-defense against an approaching threat.
Barbara, Billy’s wife, said in court that their neighbors often bothered them and threatened to rape their daughter.
What’s Billy Woodward’s name? His Age & Wikipedia, Bio
Billy Woodward, who was also known as William “Billy” Theodore Woodward, lived with his wife, Barbara, and their two children on Smith Drive in Titusville, Florida. He had been in the Army for four years and served his country.
He also said that his time in the military caused him to have PTSD. The Woodwards were liked by almost everyone in the area and got along well with almost everyone.
Their friend Gary Hembree, who was eight years old, lived across the street with his neighbors Tim and Keri Blake. The Blakes and Woodwards got along well because their children liked spending time together.
Roger Picior, who was Hembree’s friend, and Kim Sillsbury, who was his girlfriend, moved in with him later. Trouble began in the middle of the summer of 2012.