Brother Whose Children Were Murdered in 1968

[Sequoia]

This is a sad and disturbing story.

 

I don't know if anyone remembers the story of a brother who before becoming a Witness five of his twelve children were murdered in 1968 ages 5-16.  The story appeared in the October 22, 1986, Awake with an article entitled; A Tragic Saturday that Shattered my Family, as told by William Cox. A Tragic Saturday That Shattered My Family — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY   I read it when reading bound volumes as teenager and never forgot it.  I've been thinking about it again lately because the killer had another parole hearing recently in July.  I don't know what the results were or will be, but the family and others were asking again for it to be denied and to wait five years for another hearing which is the maximum. 

 

At times they have gone every couple of years and according to the Awake in 1986 it was every year at that time.   The killer intended on killing the whole family with the exception of brother Cox's daughter whom he was dating and wanted to himself.  He also planned on killing a teenage boy and making him look like the killer and the real killer hoped to look like a hero to Louise the one he was dating for supposedly trying to stop the massacre of her family.

 

Thomas Charles Fuller has been denied parole at least 16 times, the first time in 1979.  This time there was even a petition for the public to sign.  William Cox and his Wife Lydia have both passed away and advocated for Fuller to remain in prison when they were alive. 

 

When the Awake was written brother Cox was the only Witness in his family but it seems from his wife's 2006 obituary that she later became a Witness also.  I don't know about anyone else in the family, but we could keep them in our prayers.  Fuller has said that he will go after the rest of the family if he gets out according to a comment made online, also someone who worked in the medium security (Not maximum security) prison where he's held says that he has not been rehabilitated. 

 

The great granddaughter of the judge said that the judge did not intend for Fuller to ever get out, which is why he gave two consecutive sentences of 70-99 years each. Fuller pleaded guilty and the judge rejected an insanity defense as three Psychiatrists confirmed he knew the difference between right and wrong and was sane at the time of the murders. 

I think Fuller is considered a youthful offender under Illinois law which I think is an adult under the age of 21.  

I read something a family member posted and it said that the five-year-old tried to flee and Fuller chased after him.

 

The one encouraging thing about the article in the Awake is that William Cox found the truth afterwards which gave him hope and answered the questions he had been praying about.  He also, wasn't getting the answers from the Catholic and Protestant churches.  Apparently, his wife also became a Witness eventually.  It will be wonderful when they are resurrected and are reunited with their resurrected children and they will be safe because there won't be anyone to harm them or anyone else.

 

Petition · PETITION TO DENY PAROLE Thomas Charles Fuller II — IDOC #C10244 - United States · Change.org  I am not promoting the petition and it's probably too late to sign it anyway.  I'm posting it to show what has been going on with the case lately.  

William Cox Obituary (2010) - Mattoon, IL - Journal Gazette & Times-Courier

Lydia Cox Obituary (2006) - <!, IL - Journal Gazette & Times-Courier

 

 

[Sequoia]

It looks like things were changed and the parole hearing was today, August 27th, 2026.  So, I'm not sure what's going on.  I saw something someone involved posted on Facebook yesterday.

 

thomas charles fuller parole - Search Results | Facebook

Edited 19 minutes ago by Sequoia