In the quiet city of Danville, Virginia, a dark event unfolded in November 1996, forever altering the lives of a local family. Jessie E. Kendrick, an 80-year-old man, and his 81-year-old wife, Elizabeth, were found deceased in their home. The couple had been shot in the head, and their house showed signs of a violent robbery.
The grim discovery was made after their daughter, Barbara K. Case, grew worried when she couldn't reach her parents by phone.
She had planned to visit them for Thanksgiving, and their failure to answer her calls was out of character. After arriving at an airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, and finding no one there to meet her, her concern escalated. She traveled to her parents' Danville townhouse, only to find it dark and their car missing. The following morning, after spending the night with an aunt, she contacted the Danville Police Department.
Upon entering the residence, police officers found a tragic scene. Mr. Kendrick was discovered face down on the living room floor. His wife, Mrs. Kendrick, was found in the den. Their car was later located a short distance from their home. The investigation quickly led to a suspect, 19-year-old Percy Levar Walton of Danville. Walton was also a suspect in the murder of another individual, Archie Moore, which occurred around the same time.
Percy Levar Walton was arrested and subsequently charged with the murders. During his trial, the prosecution presented a strong case, including forensic evidence and Walton's own confessions. His defense team argued that he was mentally ill. Despite these claims, the jury found him guilty of capital murder. Walton was sentenced to death for the killings of Jessie and Elizabeth Kendrick. The Virginia Supreme Court upheld his conviction and sentence in 1998, following several appeals that continued to argue his mental state should prevent his execution.
