How do you share something as horrible and hurtful as the murder of a loved one? How do you begin to put into words the rage, the hurt, the guilt? I'm truly not sure, but here is where I try. Here, on this page, is where I take the steps that will let the final piece of my broken heart heal. Here is where I let those who have walked down that path know that you're not alone. Here is where I can offer others hope. Will reading a webpage take someone's pain away? No, but my hope and my intention is that this page will let other survivors know that you are not alone. As long as there is violence in this world of ours no survivor of homicide will ever be alone.



It was St. Patrick's Day, 1994. Daddy was looking forward to his girlfriend's return from an out of town business conference the following day. He stopped on his way to work at a nearby convenience store for gasoline and his morning cup of coffee. He didn't know that this would be his last stop there.

He was approached by two young women with a story to break your heart. They were "college students" on vacation from out of state. They had been "mugged" and had lost almost all of their money. Their parents were vacationing in Europe together and couldn't be reached. They hadn't eaten in two days because they had spent their last few dollars on the motel room. If they couldn't come up with any money they were going to be thrown out at the 11 o'clock check out. He looked like such a nice man, wouldn't he please help them in some way?

He was a nice man....a compassionate man....and he reached out to two people he thought were in need. He gave them money for another night's motel bill. He gave them money for food. He offered to take them out to dinner later that evening. He died for his efforts.

These "young women" were no college students. They hadn't been mugged. Their parents weren't in Europe on vacation. These girls were 14 and 16 years old. They were run-aways. They were not alone, their boyfriends (ages 17 and 21) were with them. This was a scam they had all cooked up and had been running on lone, middle aged men for 2 days. They had gotten a few dollars from it but no one had been as gullible as my dad. These four people had been conning and stealing their way for quite some time. Daddy was the biggest jackpot so far.

Dad continued on to work. The girls went back to the motel room to plot with their boyfriends. The plan was supposed to be so simple. The girls would go to dinner with daddy. They would get him drunk and after dinner would lure him into the motel room. The boys would be ready and they would "roll" him for the "wad" (approx. $250) of money the girls had seen.

Evening came and daddy was true to his word. He picked the girls up and took them to a nice place to eat. They all ordered drinks (no...the girls were never carded...they looked old enough to drink). Daddy wouldn't drink alot though. The original plan was falling apart. After dinner he stopped by his home to pick up a pack of cigarettes. The girls saw the waterfront property and the wealth of the neighborhood and saw $$$ signs. By their own confessions we know that they went inside but never left the foyer. We know that they were only there for 3 to 5 minutes. We know that those few minutes were enough to convince them that they had truly hit the jackpot. Tiffany, the 14 year old, had watched daddy enter in his alarm code. She memorized it for future use.

They got back to the motel and although invited up, daddy declined. He gave them more money for the following day and told them to call him if they still were unable to reach their parents. He went home. The girls went upstairs to tell their boyfriends that they couldn't proceed as planned. The boys were angry. They had been busy while the girls were gone. They had called a "friend" and had gotten him to bring them a BB gun that looked like a 9 millimeter and an axe handle just in case dad wasn't falling down drunk. They weren't going to let their payday just drive off without a fight, especially after hearing about his home. A second plan was devised and put into motion.

Daddy arrived home to the phone ringing. It was his service with an urgent message from the girls. He called them and a tearful Tiffany told him how they had found their boyfriends waiting for them at the motel. The boys had been angry that the girls were with him and had assumed that something had been going on. Would he please come over and talk to them? Explain that he had just been helping them? Daddy agreed.

When he walked into the room Shannon, the 16 year old, was sitting on the bed "crying". Her boyfriend Mike (age 21) was standing by the door. The other two, Tiffany and her boyfriend Lewis (age 17) were hiding in the bathroom with the shower running. Mike shut the door behind dad and immediately launched into his tirade about "dirty old men" taking advantage of his girlfriend. Daddy explained that he was trying to help them out. He too had a daughter and he wouldn't want her to ever need help and not have anyone willing to give it. He turned around to look at Shannon and Mike hit him in the back of the head with the gun. Daddy turned back around and said "Why did you hit me"? These were to be his last words. When Lewis heard this he rushed into the room with the axe handle. Michael took it and started beating my dad in the head and face with it. Every bone in his face and skull was shattered. Although the coroner says that he survived for up to 5 hours after the attack I can't believe that...I saw the wounds. I saw that there were no defensive wounds on my dad's body. I believe in my heart that after the first blow (which came from behind) he was gone.

The 4 left the hotel and my dad after taking his money, jewelry, credit cards and truck keys. They drove his truck back to his house and Tiffany entered the alarm code. They stole tv's, vcr's, jewelry and things that were easy to carry. They then fled the state of Florida. They were picked up about 3 weeks later in Chicago. They had sold dad's truck to a crack dealer for 5 $10 rocks. They were brought back to Florida to stand trial. All four confessed after quite a bit of finger pointing at each other. They plea bargained with the state and were going to be sentenced to prison.

The day of the sentencing was to be December 23, 1994. I was 8 months pregnant with Taylor. We flew down so that I could see my dad's murderers face-to-face and make a victim's impact statement. I was told by others and I later read in the newspaper that after my statement there was not a dry eye (with the exception of those of the defendants) in the courtroom. The state's attorney had to excuse himself. I don't remember much except trying not to break down on the stand.
If you would like to read a copy of my statement you can do so by clicking here.
The sentences were handed down...
Michael Yates....1st degree murder....25 year sentence to be served entirely.
Lewis Crocker....2nd degree murder....20 year sentence....actual time to be served approx. 14 years.
Shannon Wofford....2nd degree murder....20 year sentence...actual time to be served approx. 12 years.
Tiffany Lindoo....2nd degree murder....20 year sentence...actual time to be served approx. 12 years.

And then it was over. I was supposed to go home and continue on like nothing was wrong. I couldn't do that....everything was wrong. There were no support groups in my area, no one to turn to. I couldn't talk to my husband about what had happened (even though he was as supportive as humanly possible) without going into a rage. No one could possibly understand. My dad was dead and prison terms didn't make that any better. My career in law enforcement (which ended on the day my dad's life did) had shown me exactly what prison was all about and it wasn't horrible enough for those four. Get on with my life? How?



If you have ever lost a loved one to homicide you know exactly how I have felt these past 4 years. If you haven't been down that path I pray that you never will. I do ask you to do one thing though...if you ever have someone in your life that does lose a loved one to murder BE THERE for them. Don't stay silent out of fear of saying the wrong thing....nothing you can say will make it better but your love and support will go a long way. Let them talk about it if they need to. Although it may make you uncomfortable to hear the details they need to say them. Survivors are looking for an answer to the most important question they have...WHY??? Even though you don't have that answer and they know it, deep down in their hearts they still have to try.



Just because you're such a great person and we are survivors in more than one aspect!!

Thank you Faye - Linda

Thank you Morgan

After visiting your site for your dad, you inspired this. You are the first to receive this award. I guess that would make since since your site is the reason I sat down to make it! ;-} You have made such a beautiful memorial for your father.
Thank you Kathy

Thank you Annette

This Survivors of Homicide site is owned by Kim. [ Next Page | Next 5 | Prev | Random | List Sites ] Are you a survivor? Would you like to know more?

Never Forget You
To Daddy...E.W. Strother with love
this song came on the radio shortly after the phone call that day - I'll never forget you daddy.

Legal Disclaimer: This information is based upon police reports, court records, and personal experience.