Pastor’s Pregnant Wife Killed in Home Invasion (Indianapolis)

[Beb]

If the reason for the home invasion was burglary, I wonder what was taken other than the debit card. 

[thebestusername]

Wow this makes me so sad. I know we normally talk about the fundie assholes here but it's important to remember that assholes come in all shapes and sizes. Many of them can be deadly unfortunetly

[blessalessi]

Yeah, I think this guy is skeevy as hell but that shouldn't automatically flag him as a potential murderer.

Initially I was suspicious that he described his grief in terms of his loss of a mate, rather than her violation, but then I remembered all the fundie wives we read of who are replaced after death in childbirth, because wives are very replaceable in some circles.

After having to close my browser in distress as much as diisgust after reading on The Marriage Bed forum this week, that pastor seems unfortunately representative of a large portion of the fundie church.

[Whoosh]

Now nobody go googling my address here , but I rarely lock my door when I am home.  I've had various living arrangements throughout life and have never lived in a place where we locked the door when someone was home except maybe when everyone was sleeping.  I am pretty sure that I read that the husband left the door unlocked when he headed off to the gym.  I didn't think this is uncommon, even pre-dawn.  I know that of the houses I currently visit frequently, I will usually find the door unlocked at all but one whether they are expecting me or not.  

Obviously, this would not rule anyone out in terms of being suspected to have been involved.  I am just really curious now if my experience is just that outside the norm and everyone else locks their house all the time.  I currently live in a locked building, but you can pretty much gain access at any hour if you buzz a bunch of apartments or just wait a bit for someone to be entering or exiting, so I guess I am locked in to some extent.

[AmazonGrace]

 I don't suppose being the wife of a pastor with appalling views offers  you any protection from being a victim of a random home invasion.

[Beb]

Now nobody go googling my address here , but I rarely lock my door when I am home.  I've had various living arrangements throughout life and have never lived in a place where we locked the door when someone was home except maybe when everyone was sleeping.  I am pretty sure that I read that the husband left the door unlocked when he headed off to the gym.  I didn't think this is uncommon, even pre-dawn.  I know that of the houses I currently visit frequently, I will usually find the door unlocked at all but one whether they are expecting me or not.  

Obviously, this would not rule anyone out in terms of being suspected to have been involved.  I am just really curious now if my experience is just that outside the norm and everyone else locks their house all the time.  I currently live in a locked building, but you can pretty much gain access at any hour if you buzz a bunch of apartments or just wait a bit for someone to be entering or exiting, so I guess I am locked in to some extent.

Damned if I can find it now, but somewhere online, I read that they lived in a not so great neighborhood where burglaries were not uncommon. If that's the case, it's odd to leave the door unlocked, but that's just me. 

[jerkit]

Absolutely nothing in that video screams "murderer." Everything about it says "conservative Christian trying to make sense of the non-sensical"

[Beb]

Lots of conjecturing out there. 

http://statement-analysis.blogspot.com/2015/11/q-the-murder-of-amanda-blackburn.html?m=1

[jerkit]

Oh and the part about all the pictures of Amanda being with Davey? Gross. Yeah, most of the pictures of me are also with my husband. Because we're MARRIED. We're together on just about every picture taking occasion. Gross. I'm grossed out by that video.

Not aiming this at Firiel, at all. I'm glad she posted it.

[Firiel]

Oh and the part about all the pictures of Amanda being with Davey? Gross. Yeah, most of the pictures of me are also with my husband. Because we're MARRIED. We're together on just about every picture taking occasion. Gross. I'm grossed out by that video.

Not aiming this at Firiel, at all. I'm glad she posted it.

Ugh, the "maybe he did it" thing in the video really bugs me too.  I mean, it's always possibly the husband/wife, but it seems like the cops have things under control.  Because it's so often the husband/wife, I trust the investigators took a good look at him and would be open to looking at him again if any new evidence suggests that would be a good idea.

I did think it was interesting what a fucking creep he was in the preaching videos, though.  I like what DomWhackTroll said-- it goes to show that you can be creepy as hell, very likely emotionally abusive (the way he talks about her during sermons raises red flags for me on that front), and still not be a murderer.  That's just your run-of-the-mill neo-Calvinism/religious conservatism.

[Beb]

Ugh, the "maybe he did it" thing in the video really bugs me too.  I mean, it's always possibly the husband/wife, but it seems like the cops have things under control.  Because it's so often the husband/wife, I trust the investigators took a good look at him and would be open to looking at him again if any new evidence suggests that would be a good idea.

I did think it was interesting what a fucking creep he was in the preaching videos, though.  I like what DomWhackTroll said-- it goes to show that you can be creepy as hell, very likely emotionally abusive (the way he talks about her during sermons raises red flags for me on that front), and still not be a murderer.  That's just your run-of-the-mill neo-Calvinism/religious conservatism.

If he spanks a 1-year-old, he's more than emotionally abusive. It's physical abuse to hit a baby, so if he hits the baby, he is probably going to hit his wife. 

The videos I watched show him to be fixated upon sex and speaks about it and his views as if he's relating to his audience and being a common Joe. 

His demeanor is very similar to Scott Peterson's in that he is very concerned with himself.  Peterson was more blatant, but there is a very similar detachment regarding his wife,  the unborn baby, and his toddler son.  

He and his ego are unlikeable, but that doesn't mean he's a murderer. 

[FaithAndReason]

Something still doesn't sit right with me about this. I don't think these three arrests are the last of it.

[jerkit]

I am the first to condemn hitting a baby, but I am really uncomfortable with the idea that spanking the kid automatically means he's hitting his wife.

 

I feel weirdly defensive about this and I don't know why.

[polecat]

If he spanks a 1-year-old, he's more than emotionally abusive. It's physical abuse to hit a baby, so if he hits the baby, he is probably going to hit his wife. 

The videos I watched show him to be fixated upon sex and speaks about it and his views as if he's relating to his audience and being a common Joe. 

His demeanor is very similar to Scott Peterson's in that he is very concerned with himself.  Peterson was more blatant, but there is a very similar detachment regarding his wife,  the unborn baby, and his toddler son.  

He and his ego are unlikeable, but that doesn't mean he's a murderer. 

I suspect there are many, many people who spank toddlers (or hand-smack them, which is still hitting at the end of the day) who do not hit their partners. I am also of the camp that hitting children and especially toddlers is not appropriate -- but I struggle to connect hitting the toddler with hitting his wife. If he abused his wife, I think it would be safe to assume he abused his kid, too. But sadly, in the US, people hit kids pretty darn near ALLLL the time. Heck, I've been shocked by some of the people I found out hit their kids. But they definitely don't hit their wives.

Still don't like Davey Blackburn. Still wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out if he was somehow involved   (although it's looking like he wasn't, and that's absolutely a good thing for his child, who doesn't have to grow up without a mother AND a father). Still think he was a dickweed. But I don't think he necessarily physically abused his wife. (Emotionally is a whole other story). 

[Beb]

I suspect there are many, many people who spank toddlers (or hand-smack them, which is still hitting at the end of the day) who do not hit their partners. I am also of the camp that hitting children and especially toddlers is not appropriate -- but I struggle to connect hitting the toddler with hitting his wife. If he abused his wife, I think it would be safe to assume he abused his kid, too. But sadly, in the US, people hit kids pretty darn near ALLLL the time. Heck, I've been shocked by some of the people I found out hit their kids. But they definitely don't hit their wives.
Still don't like Davey Blackburn. Still wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out if he was somehow involved   (although it's looking like he wasn't, and that's absolutely a good thing for his child, who doesn't have to grow up without a mother AND a father). Still think he was a dickweed. But I don't think he necessarily physically abused his wife. (Emotionally is a whole other story). 

I didn't say it well. 

People who are capable of hitting a baby....which is different than hitting an older child, although that's wrong, too....are more than capable of hitting their spouse.  If this guy emotionally abused his wife (no proof of that, either, other than his disgusting remarks that she may have been on board with; fundies are like that), it would not be a stretch to say he physically abused her, as well. 

It's all just conjecture, based upon perspective. Some people would not get the emotional abuse idea from watching the videos, because of their life perspective.

[blessalessi]

I get what you are saying, Beb, but Pearl followers advocate "mild" switching of babies from 6 months.

I can't believe I just wrote that and at the same time, it is a "thing" in fundiedom where the abuse is driven by the idea that the hitting will save the children's souls.  It's the idea of babies as "vipers in diapers". The abuse is sick and twisted, but related more to religious fear than seems to be the case in the domestic abuse of adults.

[Childless]

He may be innocent of her murder, but the guy is a creep.  It is completely inappropriate to talk about you sex life in a sermon and a totally dick move to criticize your wife's sexual performance in public.  And I don't have words for the type of person who would hit their kid for playing with a toy.  He is a jerk and I feel sorry that his son is left with just him as a parent.

[Howl]

His grief response  was less bothersome to me than his sermons before her death.... and went into great, GREAT detail about the many ways his wife fell short sexually. Forget his response after her death -- the man was a grade A dickweed before her death.

 

Do you have a link to the sermon where his discusses his wife's shortcomings?

[Anonymousguest]

 I am just really curious now if my experience is just that outside the norm and everyone else locks their house all the time.

nope.  I rarely have my door locked when I am home.  When someone leaves in the morning they do not lock the door behind them, even if everyone is still asleep. 

[Iamhispurity]

My door kinda locks itself, when closed. You cannot simply open it from the outside, only from the inside.

[Beb]

nope.  I rarely have my door locked when I am home.  When someone leaves in the morning they do not lock the door behind them, even if everyone is still asleep. 

Maybe it depends upon your locale. I would never leave my door unlocked, especially when sleeping. 

[Whoosh]

I've lived in all kinds of neighborhoods - I think it is just a personal thing (at least for me).  I am certainly not saying it is smart...

****Woosh goes to lock door****

[Jana814]

The front door to my house is always locked. The only time it is ever unlocked in on Thursday's when are cleaning people come. We rarely use are front door we just use the garage. 

[SilverBeach]

Now nobody go googling my address here , but I rarely lock my door when I am home.  I've had various living arrangements throughout life and have never lived in a place where we locked the door when someone was home except maybe when everyone was sleeping.  I am pretty sure that I read that the husband left the door unlocked when he headed off to the gym.  I didn't think this is uncommon, even pre-dawn.  I know that of the houses I currently visit frequently, I will usually find the door unlocked at all but one whether they are expecting me or not.  

Obviously, this would not rule anyone out in terms of being suspected to have been involved.  I am just really curious now if my experience is just that outside the norm and everyone else locks their house all the time.  I currently live in a locked building, but you can pretty much gain access at any hour if you buzz a bunch of apartments or just wait a bit for someone to be entering or exiting, so I guess I am locked in to some extent.

In a major city like Indianapolis, leaving you door unlocked would be most unwise. I live in a very safe suburb and always lock my doors when home, but I was born and raised in Chicago, so I'm a tad paranoid.  Burglars target more affluent areas because that's where the good stuff is. I heard that Canadians do not lock their doors.

[Whoosh]

In a major city like Indianapolis, leaving you door unlocked would be most unwise. I live in a very safe suburb and always lock my doors when home, but I was born and raised in Chicago, so I'm a tad paranoid.  Burglars target more affluent areas because that's where the good stuff is. I heard that Canadians do not lock their doors.

It's interesting to hear different perspectives!  Since the 80s, I have lived in major cities in the USA (three state capitals, actually).  I have lived in some well-to-do areas and in some pretty sketchy areas.  Never felt the urge to lock the doors when home.  I guess some would say that is a most unwise choice - others might think it means I am capable of murder.  I'm gonna have to take a poll of my fellow Bostonians and see what's what LOL.  I totally agree that you often need to be more careful about things like burglary and home invasion in nicer areas, ironically.