Robert Bever and the Broken Arrow Family Murders
Overview of the Case
Robert Davis Bever was one of two brothers responsible for the mass murder of five members of their own family inside their home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Although the case is sometimes confused with a separate 2022 familicide in Broken Arrow, Robert Bever’s crimes occurred during the night of July 22, 2015. Bever, who was 18 years old at the time, carried out the killings with his 16-year-old brother, Michael Bever.
The brothers murdered their parents, David and April Bever, and three of their younger siblings. They also attempted to murder a 13-year-old sister, who survived despite suffering serious injuries. A two-year-old sister was discovered unharmed. Investigators later learned that the family murders were intended to be the beginning of a much larger killing spree.
The Bever Family Home
The Bever family lived at 709 Magnolia Court in Broken Arrow, a suburb southeast of Tulsa. David and April Bever had seven children who were largely homeschooled and reportedly had limited interaction with neighbors and other children. Robert was the oldest child living in the home, followed by Michael and their younger siblings.
Neighbors described the family as private and socially isolated. Some residents of the neighborhood reportedly knew very little about the children before the murders. During later court proceedings, allegations were made that the children had experienced an abusive and restrictive home environment. Those allegations became part of the defense discussion surrounding Michael Bever’s trial, but they did not excuse or legally justify the planned killings.
Planning the Murders
Robert Bever later admitted that he and Michael had discussed killing their family before the night of the attack. According to Robert’s statements to investigators, the brothers wanted to become notorious mass murderers. They studied previous mass shootings and talked about exceeding the death tolls of attacks such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting.
The brothers accumulated knives, protective equipment and other items that could be used during the attack. Robert also ordered firearms and a large quantity of ammunition. The shipment was expected to arrive at the Bever residence on July 23, 2015, only hours after the family was attacked. Their plan was to murder the family, take a vehicle and continue killing people at multiple locations.
Robert described ambitions that went far beyond the five murders committed in the house. He reportedly talked about killing dozens of strangers and eventually achieving an extremely high death toll. The brothers also discussed recording material connected to the crimes and leaving evidence that would ensure public attention.
The Attack on July 22, 2015
The attack began late on July 22, 2015. Robert and Michael armed themselves with knives and targeted family members inside the residence. Evidence and subsequent testimony indicated that at least one victim may have been lured from a room after one of the brothers pretended that an attack was taking place elsewhere in the house.
David Bever, the family’s 52-year-old father, and April Bever, the 44-year-old mother, were attacked first. Both suffered extensive sharp-force injuries. The violence then spread through the home as the brothers pursued their younger siblings.
Thirteen-year-old Crystal Bever was attacked and seriously wounded. She suffered injuries to her neck, abdomen and arms but remained alive. Twelve-year-old Daniel Bever managed to call 911 and tell a dispatcher that his brother was attacking the family. Screaming and a disturbance could be heard during the call before the connection ended.
Daniel’s emergency call was crucial because it alerted authorities while the attack was still underway. The call led officers to the correct address and prevented Robert and Michael from completing all of their plans. Daniel was attacked and killed after making the call.
The brothers also killed seven-year-old Christopher Bever and five-year-old Victoria Bever. Two-year-old Autumn Bever was left unharmed in an upstairs room. It is unclear whether the brothers intentionally spared her or were interrupted before reaching her.
Arrival of Police
Broken Arrow police officers were dispatched to the Magnolia Court residence after the 911 call. When they arrived, they observed evidence of violence near the entrance. After hearing a faint call for help, officers forced their way into the house.
Police located Crystal alive but severely injured and removed her from immediate danger. They then discovered the bodies of David, April, Daniel, Christopher and Victoria inside the residence. Autumn was found alive and physically unharmed.
The arrival of officers interrupted the brothers before they could remove the bodies, obtain the firearms they had ordered or begin the larger attack they had discussed. Robert and Michael escaped through the rear of the house and entered a wooded area behind the property.
Arrest of Robert and Michael Bever
Police established a perimeter and used a tracking dog to search the surrounding area. Robert and Michael were located shortly after midnight on July 23, hiding beneath vegetation in the woods near the family home. Both were taken into custody without a prolonged confrontation. Robert was reportedly carrying a knife when arrested.
During the early investigation, one of the brothers referred to a flash drive containing information about their plans. Investigators recovered the device along with computers, surveillance equipment, knives and other evidence from the house. Police also discovered information concerning the firearms and ammunition Robert had ordered.
Victims of the Broken Arrow Murders
- David Bever — Age 52. Robert and Michael Bever’s father. He was murdered inside the family residence at 709 Magnolia Court in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, during the night of July 22, 2015.
- April Bever — Age 44. Robert and Michael’s mother. She was murdered inside the Magnolia Court residence on July 22, 2015.
- Daniel Bever — Age 12. Robert and Michael’s younger brother. He called 911 while the attack was taking place and was subsequently murdered inside the home on July 22, 2015.
- Christopher Bever — Age 7. Robert and Michael’s younger brother. He was murdered in the family home during the July 22, 2015 attack.
- Victoria Bever — Age 5. Robert and Michael’s younger sister. She was murdered inside the family residence during the attack on July 22, 2015.
Surviving Children
- Crystal Bever — Age 13. She was seriously wounded during the attack but survived. Police found her inside the residence after hearing her call for help. She later identified Robert and Michael as the attackers.
- Autumn Bever — Age 2. She was discovered alive and physically unharmed in an upstairs room after police entered the house.
Criminal Charges
Robert and Michael Bever were charged with five counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of David, April, Daniel, Christopher and Victoria. They were also charged in connection with the attempted killing of Crystal. Because of the seriousness and deliberate nature of the crimes, prosecutors sought sentences that would ensure the brothers remained imprisoned for life.
Robert was legally an adult when the murders occurred. Michael was 16, but a judge ruled that he could be prosecuted as an adult. The brothers initially entered not-guilty pleas as the prosecution prepared to present physical evidence, recorded statements, testimony from the surviving sister and information recovered from electronic devices.
Robert Bever’s Guilty Plea
Robert Bever eventually abandoned plans for a trial and pleaded guilty to the charges against him. On September 7, 2016, he admitted responsibility for five counts of first-degree murder and the attack on Crystal.
Robert was sentenced to multiple consecutive terms of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The guilty plea prevented a lengthy murder trial and spared the surviving children from having to endure some of the most graphic evidence in open court. His sentences ensured that he would never be released for the Broken Arrow murders.
Michael Bever’s Trial
Michael Bever did not plead guilty and was brought to trial in April 2018. Prosecutors presented evidence portraying the massacre as a planned operation in which both brothers knowingly participated. Crystal Bever testified about the family environment and the attack, providing the jury with an eyewitness account from the only surviving person who had been directly assaulted.
Michael’s attorneys argued that Robert had dominated and influenced his younger brother. The defense also presented evidence concerning the family’s isolation and allegations of abuse. The jury nevertheless found Michael guilty on May 9, 2018, of five counts of first-degree murder and assault and battery with intent to kill.
On August 9, 2018, Michael received five consecutive life sentences. Under the structure of his sentence, he would not become eligible for parole consideration until serving approximately 225 years. He also received additional prison time for the attack on Crystal.
Robert Bever’s Later Prison Violence
Robert Bever continued to display violent behavior after entering the Oklahoma prison system. On July 15, 2019, he attacked two correctional officers at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center. The confrontation occurred in a prison dayroom and resulted in additional criminal charges.
Robert was convicted in connection with the attacks and was sentenced on November 17, 2020, to three additional life terms. These sentences were added to the life-without-parole terms he was already serving for murdering his family.
The Significance of Daniel’s 911 Call
Daniel Bever’s decision to call 911 prevented the attack from becoming even more extensive. The brothers were unable to conceal the bodies, obtain their expected weapons shipment or leave Broken Arrow to attack strangers. The emergency call also allowed officers to reach Crystal while she was still alive and locate Autumn before either child could suffer further harm.
Although Daniel did not survive, his actions disrupted a plan that Robert said was intended to produce many additional victims. Investigators concluded that the family massacre was not meant to be the end of the violence. It was intended to serve as the first stage of a broader campaign of mass killing.
Confusion with the 2022 Broken Arrow Murders
Robert Bever did not commit the separate Broken Arrow family killings that occurred in October 2022. That later case involved a different family and a murder-suicide in which eight people died after a house was set on fire. The similar location and the number of family members killed have sometimes caused the two cases to be confused.
The murders committed by Robert and Michael Bever occurred on July 22, 2015. Robert pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2016, while Michael was convicted in 2018. By 2022, both brothers were already serving their sentences in the Oklahoma prison system.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Magnolia Court house was eventually demolished after becoming associated with the massacre. The property was later transformed so that the location would no longer stand as a physical reminder of the violence committed there.
The Broken Arrow murders remain one of Oklahoma’s most disturbing familicide cases because of the ages of the victims, the survival of two young children and the evidence that the perpetrators intended to continue killing. Robert Bever’s confession revealed that the attack was motivated not only by hostility toward his family but also by a calculated desire for notoriety.
Robert Bever remains imprisoned under sentences that provide no possibility of release. His younger brother is also serving consecutive life sentences. Their planned campaign of violence ended because Daniel Bever reached an emergency dispatcher, Crystal survived long enough to identify the attackers and police arrived before the brothers could escape and carry out the next phase of their plan.
