John Gordon Purvis
Encyclopedia
John Gordon Purvis Jr. (born 1942) is man who spent nine years in
prison for a murder he did not commit.
service of his country on February 20, 1945 with the U.S. Marines
on Iwo Jima
in World War II.
His mother was devastated, and it seemed to have an effect on Johnny, who had physical problems
of his own. At six years old, he would cry and become terrified to go to school and hold
his mother. At school, he always sat near the teacher, and if fights broke out between
students at school he would cry or do his best to avoid them.
As he grew up, he could not keep up with his peers academically and his relationships with girls was shaky at best. A doctor diagnosed him with chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia.
He would spend his time watching television
or eating out with his mother and stepbrother
Mike Bartlett. Occasionally, Johnny would suffer panic attack
s. He was known for his
unusual behavior.
in July 1983.
She was working on her divorce from her husband Paul Hamwi for his abuse.
Paul Hamwi was an ex-Vietnam veteran, known for his drinking and obnoxiousness.
Susan's friend, Karen Bebee, urged her not to involve herself with him. But Paul and Susan
had unprotected sex one night and Susan was pregnant. Paul, in marrying Susan, made her
sign a pre-nuptial agreement
that required him to pay her nothing upon divorce. Shortly after the marriage, their daughter Shane was born. Upon the divorce proceedings, the pre-nuptial agreement was declared void, since it was made under duress. Paul was then ordered to pay
between $150,000 and $180,000 to Susan to support their daughter.
Johnny met Susan, hoping to establish friendly contact. He was very unusual, but friendly
with Susan. Susan was bothered to some degree with Johnny's behavior, but not to the
point of rejecting him altogether.
On November 1, 1983, after a phone call
from a friend, Susan was not heard from again. Neighbors began to express concern. On November 8th, 1983, the body of Susan Hamwi was found
at her home, with part of a knife. She had been stabbed and strangled with a phone cord
. Shane Hamwi was also found dead from neglect.
Police detectives Rick Rice and Rich Martin of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department
interviewed several people. Under great pressure from the media for a suspect in this
gruesome murder, they turned to Johnny Purvis, the town "weirdo". They yelled and intimidated
him at his interrogation and his mother heard it. Johnny was very shaken by the experience,
and his mother was determined that he would talk to the police no more. But the detectives,
undeterred by the fact that their forensic investigations showed Johnny was not at the crime
scene, were determined to make Johnny confess. They picked a time when Johnny was not with his
mother and Johnny buckled under pressure and confessed to Susan's murder. Represented by
attorney Richard Kirsch, at Johnny's trial the taped confession was declared inadmissible
by Judge Thomas Coker. But the jurors were not convinced of Johnny's innocence and declared
him guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
an Aspen, Colorado
detective named Gary White put the first crack in the Hamwi murder,
when a woman beaten by Robert Wayne Beckett Jr. said that she'd heard him boast that
his father, Robert Wayne Beckett Sr., had killed a girl in Florida. White remembered
the Hamwi case and had private detective
Barbara Barton assist in checking this out.
Surprisingly, Rick Rice and Rich Martin, who had helped get Johnny convicted, weren't interested in this new lead in the Hamwi case. For years, Johnny languished in prison
before two new detectives, Tim Bronson and Bob Williams, were assigned to the homicide
section of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. They were looking at some old cases
and were shocked when they found that detectives Rice and Martin had not investigated
the Robert Beckett Jr. boast of his father killing a girl in Florida, and the Hamwi
investigation was on again. Through the painful and sometimes unwilling cooperation
of Robert Wayne Beckett Sr., Beckett admitted to the murder of Susan Hamwi and that
Paul Serio was the other murderer. The baby, Shane Hamwi, had been left neglected.
He explained that Paul Hamwi had paid the two of them $14,000 to murder Susan.
psychologically and had to undergo extensive psychiatric treatment
after his release.
He continues to live in Florida and the treatment has helped him. A lawsuit against the prosecutor for failing to disclose exculpatory information was dismissed on grounds of "prosecutorial immunity."
prison for a murder he did not commit.
Early life
Johnny Purvis was born to John and Emma Jo Purvis in 1942. His father gave his life in theservice of his country on February 20, 1945 with the U.S. Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
on Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
in World War II.
His mother was devastated, and it seemed to have an effect on Johnny, who had physical problems
of his own. At six years old, he would cry and become terrified to go to school and hold
his mother. At school, he always sat near the teacher, and if fights broke out between
students at school he would cry or do his best to avoid them.
As he grew up, he could not keep up with his peers academically and his relationships with girls was shaky at best. A doctor diagnosed him with chronic undifferentiated schizophrenia.
He would spend his time watching television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
or eating out with his mother and stepbrother
Mike Bartlett. Occasionally, Johnny would suffer panic attack
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
s. He was known for his
unusual behavior.
The Murder of Susan Hamwi
A woman named Susan Hamwi had moved out to Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
in July 1983.
She was working on her divorce from her husband Paul Hamwi for his abuse.
Paul Hamwi was an ex-Vietnam veteran, known for his drinking and obnoxiousness.
Susan's friend, Karen Bebee, urged her not to involve herself with him. But Paul and Susan
had unprotected sex one night and Susan was pregnant. Paul, in marrying Susan, made her
sign a pre-nuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement prior to the main agreement by the people intending to marry or contract with each other...
that required him to pay her nothing upon divorce. Shortly after the marriage, their daughter Shane was born. Upon the divorce proceedings, the pre-nuptial agreement was declared void, since it was made under duress. Paul was then ordered to pay
between $150,000 and $180,000 to Susan to support their daughter.
Johnny met Susan, hoping to establish friendly contact. He was very unusual, but friendly
with Susan. Susan was bothered to some degree with Johnny's behavior, but not to the
point of rejecting him altogether.
On November 1, 1983, after a phone call
Telephone call
A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the calling party and the called party.-Information transmission:A telephone call may carry ordinary voice transmission using a telephone, data transmission when the calling party and called party are using modems, or facsimile...
from a friend, Susan was not heard from again. Neighbors began to express concern. On November 8th, 1983, the body of Susan Hamwi was found
at her home, with part of a knife. She had been stabbed and strangled with a phone cord
Extension cord
An extension cord, power extender, or extension lead is a length of flexible electrical power cable with a plug on one end and one or more sockets on the other end . The term usually refers to mains extensions but is also used to refer to extensions for other types of cabling...
. Shane Hamwi was also found dead from neglect.
Police detectives Rick Rice and Rich Martin of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
interviewed several people. Under great pressure from the media for a suspect in this
gruesome murder, they turned to Johnny Purvis, the town "weirdo". They yelled and intimidated
him at his interrogation and his mother heard it. Johnny was very shaken by the experience,
and his mother was determined that he would talk to the police no more. But the detectives,
undeterred by the fact that their forensic investigations showed Johnny was not at the crime
scene, were determined to make Johnny confess. They picked a time when Johnny was not with his
mother and Johnny buckled under pressure and confessed to Susan's murder. Represented by
attorney Richard Kirsch, at Johnny's trial the taped confession was declared inadmissible
by Judge Thomas Coker. But the jurors were not convinced of Johnny's innocence and declared
him guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
A New Investigation
Although attorney Kirsch lost appeals in the courts and Johnny spent time in prison,an Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
detective named Gary White put the first crack in the Hamwi murder,
when a woman beaten by Robert Wayne Beckett Jr. said that she'd heard him boast that
his father, Robert Wayne Beckett Sr., had killed a girl in Florida. White remembered
the Hamwi case and had private detective
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
Barbara Barton assist in checking this out.
Surprisingly, Rick Rice and Rich Martin, who had helped get Johnny convicted, weren't interested in this new lead in the Hamwi case. For years, Johnny languished in prison
before two new detectives, Tim Bronson and Bob Williams, were assigned to the homicide
section of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. They were looking at some old cases
and were shocked when they found that detectives Rice and Martin had not investigated
the Robert Beckett Jr. boast of his father killing a girl in Florida, and the Hamwi
investigation was on again. Through the painful and sometimes unwilling cooperation
of Robert Wayne Beckett Sr., Beckett admitted to the murder of Susan Hamwi and that
Paul Serio was the other murderer. The baby, Shane Hamwi, had been left neglected.
He explained that Paul Hamwi had paid the two of them $14,000 to murder Susan.
Release
Johnny Purvis was released from custody on January 15th, 1993. But he had his problemspsychologically and had to undergo extensive psychiatric treatment
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
after his release.
He continues to live in Florida and the treatment has helped him. A lawsuit against the prosecutor for failing to disclose exculpatory information was dismissed on grounds of "prosecutorial immunity."