In the summer of 1993, a domestic disturbance call in Chester, Pennsylvania, ended in a devastating tragedy that claimed the lives of two women and forever altered the life of a young boy. On July 1, 43-year-old Marie Bates, a Black/African American woman, was at her home when her former boyfriend, Sherman T. Craver, arrived. The ensuing events would prove fatal.
The Chester Police Department dispatched Officer Connie Hawkins to what was reported as a disturbance at Bates' residence.
Upon her arrival, Officer Hawkins knocked on the door, and in a sudden act of violence, Craver opened the door and shot her. He then turned his weapon on Marie Bates, fatally shooting her in the presence of her nine-year-old son, who witnessed the horrific events unfold. After the shootings, Craver fled the scene, making his way to Delaware. However, his time as a fugitive was short-lived. Law enforcement apprehended him just three hours later. A gun registered in his name was discovered in his car, and subsequent ballistics testing confirmed it was the weapon used to murder both Marie Bates and Officer Connie Hawkins.
Sherman T. Craver was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The evidence against him was overwhelming, including the eyewitness testimony of Marie Bates' young son. During the trial, it was revealed that Craver, a Philadelphia Housing Authority police officer himself, was reportedly angry about pending criminal charges against him for driving under the influence and a prior assault on Bates. He was facing the potential loss of his job, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for the day after the murders.
A jury found Sherman T. Craver guilty of the first-degree murders of both Marie Bates and Officer Connie Hawkins. For his crimes, he received two sentences of death. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court later upheld the conviction and sentence, affirming the judgment against him. The tragic and violent deaths of Marie Bates and Officer Connie Hawkins left a lasting scar on the community, highlighting the devastating impact of domestic violence.
