.gif)
Josh Phillips (murderer)
Encyclopedia
Joshua Earl Patrick Phillips (born March 17, 1984) from Jacksonville
, Florida
who (at 14 years old), in July 1999 was convicted of the November 1998 murder of an 8-year-old neighbor, Maddie Clifton. He is currently serving a sentence of life in prison without parole for the crime.
The murder was the subject of intense national television coverage, including a documentary on 48 Hours
titled "Why did Josh Kill?".
test in relation to Maddie's disappearance, but provided an alibi
.
Police called off the search for Maddie, but the community, including over 400 volunteers, persisted. A reward was offered, that initially was $50,000 but later doubled. One of the volunteers was Phillips.
The FBI became involved in the case. Flyers were distributed around town, including at a local Jaguars
-Bengals
game. America's Most Wanted
also offered to broadcast the story.
. She promptly ran outside her home and went across the street to get the police.
Phillips was arrested that day at his school. He was held in maximum security as he made his first court appearance. It was determined that Clifton's cause of death was from stabbing
and clubbing with a baseball bat
. Both these weapons were retrieved by police.
He was charged with first-degree murder. His trial was held in Polk County
due to the massive amount of media coverage. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison
, with no possibility of ever being freed. Because he was under 16, he was not eligible for the death penalty under Florida's law at the time.
Though Phillips had no history of violence
, some of the evidence retrieved during police searches included violent pornography.
The murder appears to have been motivated by Phillips' fear of his abusive father, who would have been very angry had he found Madelyn inside their house. Phillips stated on Too Young to Kill: 15 Shocking Crimes that if he could take it back, he would, subsequently breaking down into tears.
Following the trial, Maddie Clifton's parents, Steve and Sheila Clifton, divorced.
Later, Phillips's father Steve was killed in a car accident
.
In December 2004, Melissa Phillips began to seek a new trial for her son. She felt that his young age at the time of the murder should be taken into account.
Two of the officials behind his sentence now have second thoughts.
In 2005, new hearing dates were set for Phillips. Meanwhile, Maddie's mother has been fighting back.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
who (at 14 years old), in July 1999 was convicted of the November 1998 murder of an 8-year-old neighbor, Maddie Clifton. He is currently serving a sentence of life in prison without parole for the crime.
The murder was the subject of intense national television coverage, including a documentary on 48 Hours
48 Hours (TV series)
48 Hours is a documentary and news program broadcast on the CBS television network since January 19, 1988. The program originally presented documentaries of various events related to a particular subject occurring within a 48-hour period, and is credited as one of the first to air a "reality show"...
titled "Why did Josh Kill?".
The disappearance
On November 3, 1998, Maddie Clifton disappeared. The first suspect named in the case was neighbor Larry Grisham. Grisham had been arrested twice in the past, both times between 15 and 20 years earlier, in sexual battery cases, but in both incidents, charges were dropped. Grisham failed a lie detectorLie Detector
"Lie Detector" is a CD single by The Reverend Horton Heat. It was released in October 1998 on Sub Pop.-Personnel:*Jim "Reverend Horton" Heath - lead vocals, guitar*Jimbo Wallace - upright bass, vocals*Scott Churilla - drums, vocals...
test in relation to Maddie's disappearance, but provided an alibi
Alibi
Alibi is a 1929 American crime film directed by Roland West. The screenplay was written by West and C. Gardner Sullivan, who adapted the 1927 Broadway stage play, Nightstick, written by Elaine Sterne Carrington, J.C...
.
Police called off the search for Maddie, but the community, including over 400 volunteers, persisted. A reward was offered, that initially was $50,000 but later doubled. One of the volunteers was Phillips.
The FBI became involved in the case. Flyers were distributed around town, including at a local Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
-Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
game. America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
also offered to broadcast the story.
Murder case
The search ended a week after the disappearance when Phillips's mother Melissa went to clean his room, finding that his waterbed seemed to be "leaking". Upon further examination, she discovered Maddie's body hidden inside the pedestal of Phillips's waterbedWaterbed
A waterbed, water mattress, or flotation mattress is a bed or mattress filled with water. Waterbeds intended for medical therapies appear in various reports through the 19th century...
. She promptly ran outside her home and went across the street to get the police.
Phillips was arrested that day at his school. He was held in maximum security as he made his first court appearance. It was determined that Clifton's cause of death was from stabbing
Stabbing
A stabbing is penetration with a sharp or pointed object at close range. Stab connotes purposeful action, as by an assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself or others.Stabbing differs from slashing or cutting in that the motion of the object used in a stabbing...
and clubbing with a baseball bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
. Both these weapons were retrieved by police.
He was charged with first-degree murder. His trial was held in Polk County
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
due to the massive amount of media coverage. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, with no possibility of ever being freed. Because he was under 16, he was not eligible for the death penalty under Florida's law at the time.
Though Phillips had no history of violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
, some of the evidence retrieved during police searches included violent pornography.
The murder appears to have been motivated by Phillips' fear of his abusive father, who would have been very angry had he found Madelyn inside their house. Phillips stated on Too Young to Kill: 15 Shocking Crimes that if he could take it back, he would, subsequently breaking down into tears.
Following the trial, Maddie Clifton's parents, Steve and Sheila Clifton, divorced.
Later, Phillips's father Steve was killed in a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
.
Appeals
In 2002, an appeals court upheld Phillips' conviction.In December 2004, Melissa Phillips began to seek a new trial for her son. She felt that his young age at the time of the murder should be taken into account.
Two of the officials behind his sentence now have second thoughts.
In 2005, new hearing dates were set for Phillips. Meanwhile, Maddie's mother has been fighting back.