1 00:00:05,639 --> 00:00:23,719 Speaker 1: H a wall Street line, shackle change, Oh someome gird, 2 00:00:25,879 --> 00:00:32,240 it's calling my name. There is no mercy and it's 3 00:00:32,359 --> 00:00:43,200 been a tentery juice as the huge stream game Rango three, come. 4 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:53,600 Speaker 2: Here be by me to die inside these walls, inside 5 00:00:53,679 --> 00:00:54,719 the wild. 6 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,479 Speaker 1: And went no girl as. 7 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 3: I'm hey everyone, and welcome back to Bloody Angola, a 8 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,599 podcast one d and forty two years in the making, 9 00:01:35,879 --> 00:01:40,319 the complete story of America's bloodiest prison. I'm Jim Chapman, 10 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:44,599 and we are back with another episode in the Executions 11 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:48,239 Commence series. Now, last week we brought you into the 12 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,439 case of Jesse Hoffman. In this week, we're bringing you 13 00:01:51,599 --> 00:01:56,359 into the case of Christopher Sepulvido. Now, all of the 14 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,640 stuff that we talk about on Bloody Angola can be 15 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,959 hard to here, but this one is just an awful case. 16 00:02:04,159 --> 00:02:06,519 And I'm just going to start off in September of 17 00:02:06,719 --> 00:02:12,599 nineteen ninety when Christopher Sepulvido started dating Yvonne Mercer. The 18 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:17,080 two had met in September of nineteen ninety when Yvonne 19 00:02:17,159 --> 00:02:20,639 was working at Walmart as a cashier. This was in 20 00:02:20,759 --> 00:02:24,280 West Monroe, Louisiana, which is on the far northern part 21 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:28,000 of the state of Louisiana, and Yvonne had been separated 22 00:02:28,039 --> 00:02:31,199 from her husband. At the time, she was a struggling 23 00:02:31,319 --> 00:02:33,960 mother right she had a four year old son, his 24 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,680 name was Wesley, and she was seemingly just trying to 25 00:02:38,719 --> 00:02:43,479 get by in life, kind of starting over. And Christopher Sepulvido, 26 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,080 he was really laying on the charm with Yvonne, and 27 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,680 early on in the dating relationship, he appeared to be 28 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,520 a great guy. She would tell family and friends that 29 00:02:53,599 --> 00:02:57,120 he treated her better than she had ever been treated 30 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:02,280 in her entire life. And athough Oh, Christopher Sepulvido was 31 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,319 much older than Yvonne. He was forty eight, she was 32 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,080 twenty six at this time. He appeared to possess the 33 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,719 stability she was looking for in a future husband and 34 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,919 stepfather for her son, Wesley Allen Mercer, who went by 35 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,280 Alan now. At that time, she was living with her 36 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,360 parents after her separation, and I'm sure like most people 37 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,599 at that age, she's looking for a way out of 38 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:34,000 her parents' house. So in short order, just four months 39 00:03:34,039 --> 00:03:38,759 into the relationship, in January of nineteen ninety one, despite 40 00:03:38,759 --> 00:03:45,199 her family's objections, she moves to Mansfield Louisiana to live 41 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,560 with Christopher Sepulvido and his mother. What she didn't know 42 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:55,719 was that Sepulvido he had a very disturbing past. And 43 00:03:56,159 --> 00:03:59,840 this is the day's before the Internet, y'all. There was 44 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:05,159 no Facebook out there to research people or websites. Everything 45 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,800 was really based on trust. You had to kind of 46 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,439 rely on what people would tell you about who they were. 47 00:04:13,639 --> 00:04:18,399 He had been previously investigated twice before for abuse and 48 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,600 neglect of a child from another family. DeSoto Sheriff Detective 49 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,040 Tony Morris said that the abuse did not involve serious 50 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,920 injuries or death and that Supulvido was never charged in 51 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:36,439 the case. Even State Child Protective Services refused to release 52 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,519 the date or identities of those involved, and the sheriff 53 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,639 went on to say he was investigated several years ago 54 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,879 on the allegation of child abuse, but no charges were 55 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,600 ever brought against him. We found another investigation had been 56 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,600 done with the same results. And of course all of 57 00:04:53,639 --> 00:04:56,680 this came out after the incident that I'm about to 58 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:01,120 tell you about took place. So Supulvido was also previously 59 00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:05,399 arrested on a battery charge. A former girlfriend filed those 60 00:05:05,519 --> 00:05:09,279 charges against Supulvido, but they were later dropped. And the 61 00:05:09,319 --> 00:05:11,600 point of all that is to paint a picture of 62 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,120 this ain't a nice guy at all and he liked 63 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,879 to beat on women. Just a horrible human being in 64 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:23,439 my opinion. Now, once he managed to get Yvonne away 65 00:05:23,439 --> 00:05:27,360 from her family, his true colors started to show around 66 00:05:27,399 --> 00:05:30,759 her as well. It wasn't long before he began drinking 67 00:05:30,959 --> 00:05:35,480 heavily and physically abusing Yvonne. It got so bad, in fact, 68 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,920 that on May tenth of nineteen ninety one, just five 69 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,759 months after moving in with Supulvido, Yvonne left him and 70 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,319 moved back to live with her parents. As is common 71 00:05:47,439 --> 00:05:50,959 with a lot of these abuse cases, Sepulvido managed to 72 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,680 talk his way back into her life and sometime around 73 00:05:55,759 --> 00:06:00,920 early July, she moves back in with Sepulvido, but this 74 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,839 time she leaves her son Alan back with her parents, 75 00:06:05,079 --> 00:06:09,560 and again, as is so common with abuse, the abuse 76 00:06:09,639 --> 00:06:13,720 started up again and Yvonne leaves Supulvido yet again, but 77 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:20,000 returns again to Supulvido, this time taking Allan with her. 78 00:06:20,319 --> 00:06:25,279 And it was at this time that this asshole begins 79 00:06:25,439 --> 00:06:33,040 abusing Alan instead of Yvonne, with the abuse gradually escalating 80 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:38,639 to both physical and verbal abuse. It was also during 81 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,639 this time that the couple had an infant son. So 82 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:48,319 on March fifth of nineteen ninety two, Sepulvido marries Yvonne 83 00:06:48,319 --> 00:06:52,199 and the couple continues to live at Supolvido's mother's house 84 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:57,399 with their children. Now here's the warning, it's about to 85 00:06:57,439 --> 00:07:04,600 get really bad and really descriptive. The day after the wedding, 86 00:07:04,879 --> 00:07:08,879 this is on March sixth of nineteen ninety two, Alan 87 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:14,120 comes home from school and he had soiled his pants, 88 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,279 so they punish him for this. Yvonne did not allow 89 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:22,879 her son to have dinner that night, and she spanked 90 00:07:22,959 --> 00:07:27,519 him for this in Sepulvido, on that first time that 91 00:07:27,639 --> 00:07:31,480 Alan sold his pants, he ties a noose to a 92 00:07:31,519 --> 00:07:35,519 ceiling fan and threatens to hang Alan by the neck 93 00:07:35,959 --> 00:07:39,480 and even told Alan to count while standing on a 94 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:45,480 chair with one foot. This is a six year old child. 95 00:07:46,079 --> 00:07:52,879 Sepulvido then uses a belt to whip Alan and also 96 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:57,040 shoved the boy's head into a toilet bowl. During the 97 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:02,920 second and third time that Alan defecated in his pants, 98 00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:06,680 again a six year old boy. On March seventh, the 99 00:08:06,759 --> 00:08:11,759 next day, the abuse continued, Alan was starved for another day. 100 00:08:12,279 --> 00:08:17,079 After Sepulvido instructed his wife not to feed her son. 101 00:08:17,959 --> 00:08:21,319 Alan was hit by his mother and got his hair pulled, 102 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:26,160 and the couple forced Alan to sleep on a small trunk. Then, 103 00:08:26,399 --> 00:08:29,800 on the morning of March eighth, Alan was kicked into 104 00:08:29,839 --> 00:08:33,519 the bathroom by Sepulvido, who threatened a scald him with 105 00:08:33,639 --> 00:08:37,600 hot water if he again defecated in his pants. That 106 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:41,000 same morning, Alan was told to dress and clean up 107 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,919 before going to church, but he hesitated, and when he hesitated, 108 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:49,840 Sepulvido whacked Alan on the head with the handle of 109 00:08:49,919 --> 00:08:55,320 a screwdriver several times at full force, until the boy 110 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:03,440 fell unconscious. Sepulvido also immersed him in a bathtub full 111 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:10,919 of scalding hot water. After the assault and the scalding, 112 00:09:11,159 --> 00:09:15,159 Alan was allowed to eat, but he vomited, fell over, 113 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:21,200 and lost consciousness right after. Three hours later, the couple 114 00:09:21,759 --> 00:09:28,759 rushes Alan to DeSoto General Hospital. Now, despite receiving medical treatment, 115 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:34,440 Allan was pronounced dead shortly after two pm that afternoon. 116 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:39,919 It was discovered he was deceased before he even arrived 117 00:09:40,519 --> 00:09:46,159 at the hospital. Now, Initially, neighbors grieved with the Sepulvidoes. 118 00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:49,559 A next door neighbor by the name of Dorothy Wright 119 00:09:49,759 --> 00:09:54,080 said that Yvonne Sepulvedo told her Alan accidentally fell in 120 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,919 the bathtub and it had hot water while they were 121 00:09:56,919 --> 00:10:00,240 getting ready for church. She was told the boy tried 122 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,799 to get out, but slipped back into the tub. Wright 123 00:10:03,919 --> 00:10:07,039 told news cameras she said the child was not breathing 124 00:10:07,799 --> 00:10:11,000 by the time they took him to the hospital. Neighbors 125 00:10:11,039 --> 00:10:15,120 also said the last time they saw Alan alive was Friday, 126 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,440 two days before his death. Neighborhood children were told Saturday 127 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,039 that Allan was being punished it could not go out 128 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:27,840 and play, and neighbors describe the Supulvidas as a straightforward 129 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:32,480 church going good people. After Allan's death, a neighbor said 130 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,840 Christopher Supulvida was seen wearing a red T shirt that 131 00:10:35,919 --> 00:10:39,039 stated John three point sixteen on the front and Born 132 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,759 Again on the back. Allan's paternal grandmother would only say 133 00:10:42,799 --> 00:10:45,919 the boy's death was probably the most tragic thing that 134 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,919 has ever happened in our lives, and neither she nor 135 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:54,399 her son would comment further. On March ninth of nineteen 136 00:10:54,519 --> 00:10:58,960 ninety two, in autopsy, was conducted by doctor George McCormick, 137 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,000 and he found that the cause of death was due 138 00:11:02,039 --> 00:11:05,960 to failure of the heart and lungs caused by severe 139 00:11:06,519 --> 00:11:12,440 third degree burns covering fifty eight percent of Allan's body, 140 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,960 and doctor McCormick also found multiple head wounds on Allen 141 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,600 from those screwdrivers. Right the boy's body was covered in first, 142 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,679 second and third degree burns. The total body surface area 143 00:11:25,919 --> 00:11:34,759 involved was more than eighty percent of this precious child's body. Disgusting. So, 144 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,559 armed with this obvious information of abuse coming from the 145 00:11:39,639 --> 00:11:44,000 Corner police, on March eleventh of nineteen ninety two, they 146 00:11:44,159 --> 00:11:50,799 arrest Allan's mother, Yvonne and his stepfather, Christopher Supulvido, immediately 147 00:11:50,919 --> 00:11:56,399 following the funeral of Allen, and they both faced one 148 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,840 count each of first degree murder. The couple's infant son 149 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,240 at this point was placed in the custody of the state. 150 00:12:03,519 --> 00:12:07,440 So police take Supulvedo in for questioning and he admits 151 00:12:07,519 --> 00:12:10,320 to the police that he had assaulted Allan, but he 152 00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:14,440 denies that he intentionally immersed him in water. He claimed 153 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,440 that Allan accidentally fell into the bathtub and that was 154 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,759 how he got scalded by hot water. On March seventeenth 155 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:26,639 of nineteen ninety two, Sepulvido and his wife the again 156 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:31,600 indicted on first degree murder charges, and both were facing 157 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,600 the death penalty at the worst, life in prison at 158 00:12:35,639 --> 00:12:40,399 the best. Yvon was escorted in shackles to testify before 159 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:45,159 the specially convened grand jury, and Supulvido did not appear 160 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:49,480 before the grand jury, so she was testifying against him. 161 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,159 It sounds like to me, the district attorney, Don Perquettes said, 162 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,120 we will likely seek the death penalty against one of 163 00:12:56,159 --> 00:12:59,240 the defendants and possibly the other. The evidence is that 164 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,000 the child died as a result of the actions of 165 00:13:02,039 --> 00:13:05,720 the two defendants indicted. Burkett would not say at this 166 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,440 time whether either defendant agreed to testify against the others 167 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,519 in exchange for a lesser charge, but I can guarantee 168 00:13:12,519 --> 00:13:16,320 you that the mother in this case did. And on 169 00:13:16,519 --> 00:13:21,399 March twenty fourth of nineteen ninety two, during their arraignment, 170 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:25,759 both Sepulvedo and his wife pleaded not guilty to the 171 00:13:25,879 --> 00:13:29,600 charges of first degree murder no surprise, they had nothing 172 00:13:29,639 --> 00:13:33,159 to lose there, and a trial date gets set. That 173 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,120 trial date was for June one of nineteen ninety two. 174 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:44,440 Now surprisingly to me, on April fourth of nineteen ninety two, 175 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:51,879 Yvonne is freed on a fifty thousand dollars bond, but 176 00:13:52,039 --> 00:13:57,960 Supulvido he remains in the descetto Paris jail now throughout 177 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,759 the next year. As it's common in first degree murder cases, 178 00:14:02,879 --> 00:14:06,320 the trial date gets moved several times. You see this 179 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,080 on just about every murder case in the world. It 180 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,960 never ends up being that first date that you hear. 181 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:18,039 But finally, on April twelfth of nineteen ninety three, jury 182 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,720 selection begins and the Sepulvido trial starts. So the jury 183 00:14:22,799 --> 00:14:29,440 hears the testimony of thirteen year old Larry Michelle of Monroe, 184 00:14:29,519 --> 00:14:33,440 who was another one of Supulvido's step sons. He said 185 00:14:33,559 --> 00:14:40,080 Supolvido had beaten him many times when he lived with Christopher. 186 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:44,720 A next girlfriend of Sepulvido's by the name of Gail Hughes. 187 00:14:45,039 --> 00:14:48,000 She told Jerry he had beaten her more times than 188 00:14:48,039 --> 00:14:51,879 she could count, including hitting her over the head with 189 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:57,120 a two by four. This guy's history of hitting on 190 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:05,840 the weaker than him physically is ridiculous, disgusting. On April seventeenth, 191 00:15:05,919 --> 00:15:10,960 of nineteen ninety three at Decetto, Paris, jury finds Sepulvido 192 00:15:11,279 --> 00:15:15,960 guilty of first degree murder after delivering for just thirty 193 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,320 three minutes. And that is no fucking surprise to me. 194 00:15:19,919 --> 00:15:23,960 The guilty verdict was given despite testimony by a defense 195 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,200 witness who said Alan's burns were not consistent with child abuse. 196 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,000 Of course this is a defense witness, right, They're not 197 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,200 going to air on the side of the prosecution. The 198 00:15:35,279 --> 00:15:39,320 doctor was a burn expert for Batner's General Medical Center. Instead, 199 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:44,559 Alan's injuries had characteristics of an unconscious child being placed 200 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:50,639 in hot water. Well, I would say that that is 201 00:15:51,559 --> 00:15:54,960 child abuse. One of the strangest statements I've ever read. 202 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,000 Earlier in the trial cornered doctor George McCormick, he tested 203 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:03,919 for the prosecution and said the child's injuries did not 204 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:09,120 appear accidental. And on April nineteenth of nineteen ninety three, 205 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,320 just two days later, the jury recommends the death penalty 206 00:16:13,759 --> 00:16:17,200 for Sepulvido. It took the jury less than a half 207 00:16:17,279 --> 00:16:21,360 hour to decide on the death penalty, so their minds 208 00:16:21,519 --> 00:16:24,720 were made up. And I would imagine that most people 209 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,840 sitting on the jury during this trial. Hearing all of 210 00:16:28,879 --> 00:16:32,039 this abuse and all of the shit that this guy 211 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:38,240 did prior to killing this poor baby, would have probably 212 00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:41,879 thought the same way. He became the first person in 213 00:16:41,919 --> 00:16:46,039 almost twenty years in Descetto Parish to get the death penalty. 214 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,840 And its ironic that the last person sentenced to death 215 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:55,480 in Decetto Parish was Supolvido's cousin, Clayton Supovido. This was 216 00:16:55,519 --> 00:16:59,080 in nineteen seventy six. He was convicted of shooting a 217 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:03,759 man in the head. That sentence later got converted to 218 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:09,079 life in prison. But the apple obviously not falling far 219 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:13,480 from the tree. There the da Don Burquette said, sentenced 220 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:19,119 this animal to death. He deserves it. So it's off 221 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:23,000 to bloody Angla for this guy. And a few months later, 222 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,319 on July twenty eighth of nineteen ninety three, Yvonne's trial 223 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:33,440 starts and Yvonne's trial was declared a mistrial. Initially, I 224 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,799 know it's shocking. Defense attorney James Calbwell asked for a 225 00:17:37,839 --> 00:17:41,039 mistrial when a psychiatrist who was to be an expert 226 00:17:41,079 --> 00:17:45,400 witness for the defense suddenly gets critically ill and was 227 00:17:45,559 --> 00:17:49,960 hospitalized in Monroe. The judge granted that and granted a 228 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,160 start of a new trial. It ends up occurring on 229 00:17:53,279 --> 00:17:58,720 December sixth of nineteen ninety three. This was Yvonne's second trial. 230 00:17:58,839 --> 00:18:03,240 She pleaded not get by reason of insanity. Yvonne calmly 231 00:18:03,319 --> 00:18:07,119 told the jury how she whipped son Allan and deprived 232 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,359 him of food for two days before his death. Yvonne 233 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,559 said that she punished her son for soiling his pants 234 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,640 by whipping him with a belt and hitting him in 235 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,599 the face. She argued that she was a batter wife 236 00:18:21,599 --> 00:18:25,160 who was temporarily insane and was not aware of what 237 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:30,119 she was doing. Yvonne was ultimately convicted of a lesser 238 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:36,119 charge of manslaughter and sentenced to twenty one years in prison, 239 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,599 not enough in my opinion, and when it was all 240 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:44,039 sudden done. Yvonne just served seven and a half years 241 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:48,039 of that sentence before she was released in two thousand 242 00:18:48,079 --> 00:18:52,799 and two and has remarried since. In twenty thirteen, she 243 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,799 actually accepted an interview, and in that interview, she said 244 00:18:56,799 --> 00:18:59,400 that she was saddened by her son's death and felt 245 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:04,559 partly responsible for not ending her toxic relationship with Supulvido, 246 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,240 Although she said she never killed her son and was 247 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,680 not as evil as what people believed her to be, 248 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,000 and I'll leave that up to you. So, Christopher, he's 249 00:19:16,039 --> 00:19:20,440 doing what those sentenced to death do, right, and that's 250 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:27,000 issue a massive amount of appeals. In twenty thirteen, after 251 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:31,440 exhausting nearly all his appeals, a death warrant is issued 252 00:19:31,559 --> 00:19:35,319 for Supulvido and he gets an execution date scheduled, and 253 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:39,400 that was scheduled to take place on February thirteenth of 254 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:44,000 twenty thirteen. And on January twenty eighth of twenty thirteen, 255 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,680 the Louisiana Supreme Court they deny a stay of execution 256 00:19:48,039 --> 00:19:52,640 to Sepulvido. In the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, they 257 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:59,240 appeal to then Governor Bobby Jendall to stay the scheduled execution. Subsequently, 258 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:04,119 the District Judge, James Joseph Brady, he delays that execution 259 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:09,839 pending more information on the state's lethal injection protocol. On 260 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,240 February seventh of twenty thirteen, Supovido's second appeal to the 261 00:20:14,279 --> 00:20:18,440 Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals gets dismissed. And you remember 262 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:22,240 that interview I referenced just a few minutes ago with 263 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:26,359 Yvonne well, I'm gonna go ahead. I'm gonna play you 264 00:20:26,519 --> 00:20:32,640 that interview because it references also these mass of appeals, 265 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,880 et cetera with Christopher. So here's that clip. 266 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:43,279 Speaker 4: Justice delayed at our Clitec's convicted childkiller remains on death row. 267 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,880 Speaker 5: I never recall Christopoldo showing any remorse than anything. 268 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 6: Christapovodo has been too long where he's been too long. Finally, 269 00:20:52,279 --> 00:20:55,599 I just said, as he did, I had nothing to 270 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:56,640 do with the death of my son. 271 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,599 Speaker 5: He was scheduled to die tonight for the brutal murder 272 00:21:00,599 --> 00:21:02,039 of his six year old stepson. 273 00:21:02,599 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 7: We uncover new. 274 00:21:03,559 --> 00:21:08,519 Speaker 5: Details about his date with death. A DeSoto parish man 275 00:21:08,559 --> 00:21:12,160 remains on death row now after a judge delayed his execution, 276 00:21:12,319 --> 00:21:13,920 which was scheduled for tonight. 277 00:21:14,079 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 4: It was delayed because the state Department of Corrections had 278 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,440 not given Christopher S. Pavldo enough information about the drug. 279 00:21:21,039 --> 00:21:23,200 Speaker 8: That was going to be used to kill him. We 280 00:21:23,279 --> 00:21:23,960 have team. 281 00:21:23,759 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 5: Coverage tonight, new information tonight, An attorney for the Department 282 00:21:27,759 --> 00:21:29,720 of Corrections tells Casele News twelve. 283 00:21:30,039 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 7: An appeal of the delay of. 284 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 5: That execution is expected to be heard tomorrow before the 285 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,000 Fifth Circuit Court of appeals in New Orleans. We begin 286 00:21:38,079 --> 00:21:40,400 our team coverage tonight with a trip back to the 287 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,440 scene of the crime, where our community is still coping 288 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:49,559 twenty years after tragedy. Nothing can crush the heart of 289 00:21:49,599 --> 00:21:51,079 a kindergarten teacher more. 290 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,839 Speaker 6: Every morning when he came to school, he hugged people 291 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:55,400 that he's home. 292 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 5: Then hearing that one of your students passed away was. 293 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,839 Speaker 7: Stated and shocked. 294 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 2: In no way this could have happened. 295 00:22:06,839 --> 00:22:07,400 Speaker 7: To this child. 296 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 5: March eighth, nineteen ninety two, words spread quickly in the 297 00:22:11,759 --> 00:22:15,400 small town of Mansfield of six year old Alan Mercer's death. 298 00:22:15,799 --> 00:22:18,799 Speaker 9: Diane Deese was in church, and then you begin to wonder, 299 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:20,160 was there something I missed? 300 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 7: Was there something going on that I should have noticed. 301 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,799 Speaker 5: The little boy was rushed from his home on Church 302 00:22:26,839 --> 00:22:28,559 Street to DeSoto Hospital. 303 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 7: His stepfather, Christopher S. 304 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:34,319 Speaker 5: Palvido, carried him inside, and doctor Jeffrey Evans was there. 305 00:22:35,519 --> 00:22:40,519 Speaker 9: Obviously had been burned badly because the flash was coming 306 00:22:40,559 --> 00:22:41,160 off of him. 307 00:22:41,799 --> 00:22:45,039 Speaker 5: Sub Palvedo told investigators it was an accident. 308 00:22:45,279 --> 00:22:47,599 Speaker 7: The boy slipped into a tub of hot water. 309 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,799 Speaker 9: He was already dead, but we can tell that now 310 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,240 how long he had been dead, Probably less than two hours. 311 00:22:55,279 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 7: I would say it was obvious that something terrible had 312 00:22:59,799 --> 00:23:03,279 happened to the child. I was one shock. 313 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 5: Lieutenants Tony Jo Morris and Judson Reeves were called to investigate. 314 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 7: They interviewed Christopher. 315 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 5: Sapalvido and the boy's mom, Yvonne, and then gathered evidence 316 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:13,799 at the home. 317 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 7: Along with witness accounts. 318 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:19,880 Speaker 5: They found out that Christopher Sapalvido abused and tortured little 319 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,839 Alan Mercer after the boy soiled his pants at school. 320 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 7: And he was had a fear of Chris. I mean, 321 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:28,279 it was a horror. 322 00:23:28,839 --> 00:23:32,079 Speaker 5: There were beatings and threats to hang the little boy. 323 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 9: And that's not all they didn't They didn't feed him 324 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,640 private night, they didn't feed him Saturday at all. 325 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:42,839 Speaker 5: Investigators say Yvonne and Christopher Sapalvido even made the boy 326 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,839 sleep in his soiled clothes both nights on this trunk 327 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,400 right in front of his bed. What happened next at 328 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:54,240 this home was even more heinous. Investigators say Christopher Sapalvido 329 00:23:54,519 --> 00:23:58,200 grabbed the handle of a screwdriver and struck Alan Mercer 330 00:23:58,319 --> 00:24:01,000 numerous times over the head and till he was unconscious. 331 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,839 Speaker 7: That was in his bedroom. Then he lifted the body, 332 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:04,880 brought it over to the. 333 00:24:04,839 --> 00:24:09,400 Speaker 5: Bathroom and lowered it into a tub filled with scalding water. 334 00:24:09,839 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 3: I immediately looked at the water heater as to what 335 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,599 the pharmostat was on the water heater and what was that? 336 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 7: If I remember correctly, it was two hundred and ten degrees. 337 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,599 Speaker 5: Evidence showed Christopher Sepalvido made up his story. 338 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:25,400 Speaker 7: Then the story didn't make sense. 339 00:24:25,799 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 5: The severe burns were mostly on the boy's back. 340 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:34,039 Speaker 9: Now his hands and toes were spared, which is consistent 341 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,000 with immersing the person. 342 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 7: A horrifying end to a young life. 343 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:44,039 Speaker 5: There are only memories now kept alive all these years 344 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:45,880 later by a single. 345 00:24:45,559 --> 00:24:49,039 Speaker 7: File, and the painful thought of what could have been. 346 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:51,799 Speaker 4: When I grow up, I want to be a doctor, 347 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:55,279 and he will never get to grow up, and he 348 00:24:55,319 --> 00:24:56,680 will never get to be a doctor. 349 00:24:58,839 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 5: For her part, Yvonn Mercer Sepalvido served seven years of 350 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:06,200 a twenty one year sentence from manslaughter. Investigators and the 351 00:25:06,279 --> 00:25:08,960 jury that convicted her say that she was far from 352 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:11,759 innocent and the murder of her son twenty years ago. 353 00:25:11,799 --> 00:25:14,759 But as we continue our team coverage, Dominique, she tells 354 00:25:14,799 --> 00:25:16,240 you that she is innocent. 355 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:19,319 Speaker 4: She does pad and actually, for the first time, Selen 356 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,359 Mercer's mom is telling her side of the story to 357 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:23,640 KSLA News twelve. 358 00:25:23,839 --> 00:25:25,319 Speaker 8: She agreed to sit down with me. 359 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,799 Speaker 4: Now remarried, Yvonne Jones lives quietly just outside of Monroe. 360 00:25:30,839 --> 00:25:33,240 She helps out at a local beauty salon there and 361 00:25:33,279 --> 00:25:36,319 she's written a book. Tonight, in an exclusive interview, I 362 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,720 go one on one with Yvonne Jones, who says she 363 00:25:38,799 --> 00:25:41,240 has not the monster investigators made her out to. 364 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 7: Be very precious angel I went into a state of shop. 365 00:25:49,039 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 8: I had nothing to do with the death. 366 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 6: Of my son. 367 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 8: See, it was my life. 368 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,319 Speaker 4: It is still difficult for Yvonne Jones to talk about 369 00:25:55,319 --> 00:25:58,400 the day her six year old son, Alan Mercer was 370 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,799 dipped into a tub full of skull water. Her ex husband, 371 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,519 Christopher Sapalvedo, was convicted. 372 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:11,200 Speaker 8: Of first degree murder and sentenced to death. Then you're arrested, Yeah, yeah. 373 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 4: I'm arrested, and Yvonne said, detectives told her it's not 374 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,200 what she did, but what she didn't do. 375 00:26:18,319 --> 00:26:20,559 Speaker 6: You know, It's like you were there, you should have 376 00:26:20,599 --> 00:26:21,039 stopped it. 377 00:26:21,319 --> 00:26:24,759 Speaker 4: She was originally charged with first degree murder, followed by 378 00:26:24,799 --> 00:26:28,440 a mistrial and a second trial, she faced manslaughter. 379 00:26:28,759 --> 00:26:32,559 Speaker 6: All I need was what my daddy had told me, honey, 380 00:26:32,559 --> 00:26:32,839 all I. 381 00:26:32,839 --> 00:26:34,799 Speaker 8: Can dare to tell you, just tell the truth. 382 00:26:34,839 --> 00:26:36,279 Speaker 7: And the truth said you free. 383 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,599 Speaker 4: In the end, she was sentenced to twenty one years 384 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,400 in prison. She did seven and a half years before 385 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:47,160 she was released. That was eleven years ago. Now, Yvonne 386 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:50,000 has written a book, A Time to Heal, The Struggles 387 00:26:50,039 --> 00:26:52,640 of a Battered Woman. Part of the book, she talks 388 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,839 about her life with Christopher Sapalvedo and how she felt 389 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:56,720 like a prisoner in. 390 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 8: Her own home. She also talks about fearing the man 391 00:27:00,079 --> 00:27:02,519 she fell in love with. Some people would think that 392 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:04,599 you are playing victim. 393 00:27:04,799 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 6: I do consider myself to be a victim. Every battered 394 00:27:07,519 --> 00:27:09,039 woman is a victim. 395 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:11,759 Speaker 4: Even though she feels like a victim, she also feels 396 00:27:11,799 --> 00:27:15,599 partly responsible for not getting out of a toxic relationship sooner. 397 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,519 And now she's hoping these pages will guide battered spouses 398 00:27:19,759 --> 00:27:21,920 into making the right decision. 399 00:27:21,559 --> 00:27:24,799 Speaker 6: And they're going to be able to see that how 400 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:28,279 God took me from a place of brokenness, a place 401 00:27:28,319 --> 00:27:33,119 of being battered, in a place of mental anguish and 402 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:41,400 destitute and totally messed up to a miracle, because in 403 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:42,960 my eyes, I'm a walking miracle. 404 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 4: To read an excerpt from Yvonne Jones' book of Time 405 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,839 to Heal The Struggles of a Battered Woman, We have 406 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:50,480 linked it to. 407 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 8: Our website at kaysline dot com. 408 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,319 Speaker 4: Alan Mercer's paternal grandparents say they are tired of waiting. 409 00:27:56,559 --> 00:27:58,799 While in Monroe, I stopped by the home of Sonny 410 00:27:58,799 --> 00:28:01,960 and Mattie Mercer. Their son was married to Yvonne Jones 411 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,359 and was Allan's father. We looked over newspaper clippings from 412 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,440 twenty years ago and pictures from when Alan spent time 413 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,960 with his grandparents. Now, they say justice needs to be served. 414 00:28:13,519 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: There's always consequences to mistakes we make, or crimes we 415 00:28:18,079 --> 00:28:19,160 command or whatever. 416 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 7: So I think he needs to suffer those I. 417 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 8: Think it should have happened a long time ago. He's 418 00:28:24,519 --> 00:28:26,319 been on death row too long. 419 00:28:26,559 --> 00:28:31,200 Speaker 7: Yeah, he reman guy. 420 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 9: I think it's Some of his other wives of Ermit 421 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,000 trial say it how bad he worse to them. 422 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,119 Speaker 4: The Mercers were approached about watching the execution, but say 423 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,960 they have no interest in witnessing Christopher Supalvedo was execution. 424 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,519 Speaker 5: Back to what's next for Christopher So Palvido and the 425 00:28:49,519 --> 00:28:52,640 delay of his execution. I spoke to DeSoto Paris District 426 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:55,480 Attorney Richard Johnson, who has this to say quote, I 427 00:28:55,519 --> 00:28:59,160 am disappointed that the execution was delayed. However, I have 428 00:28:59,279 --> 00:29:02,200 faith that although slow is sure. 429 00:29:03,039 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 3: Then on September sixth of twenty thirteen, the execution gets 430 00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:12,000 rescheduled to be carried out, and so he gets another 431 00:29:12,079 --> 00:29:17,160 execution date of November fifth of twenty thirteen. However, the 432 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:22,759 Supreme Court vacates the execution date three weeks later, allowing 433 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:28,519 Supulvido time to continue his appeal. Can you imagine all 434 00:29:28,799 --> 00:29:33,359 the money that this costs, all the time you can 435 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,680 see the red tape is just insane with this. On 436 00:29:37,799 --> 00:29:42,359 October first of twenty thirteen, the Louisiana Supreme Court vacates 437 00:29:42,359 --> 00:29:48,880 Supaulve's November fifth execution date. In October fifteenth of twenty thirteen, 438 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,240 they turned down Supulvido's final appeal. So then we get 439 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:57,279 into twenty fourteen January seventh, and for the third time 440 00:29:57,559 --> 00:30:01,519 in over a year, Supulvido's execute date gets set, this 441 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,960 time for March seventh of twenty fourteen. So it's going 442 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,920 to happen, right, not so fast. During the time he's 443 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:14,400 awaiting to be executed, the whole system crashes in the 444 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:20,440 state of Louisiana over the lethal injection protocol. So there's 445 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:25,160 a lot of legal ease that occurs all the way 446 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:32,880 until twenty twenty four. And in twenty twenty four, as 447 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,480 I've told you in the past, Jeff Landry becomes governor 448 00:30:36,839 --> 00:30:40,279 the State of Louisiana. He makes it his business to 449 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:44,519 get to the bottom of these death penalty issues and 450 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:48,039 start rolling out death penalty cases again. It was part 451 00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:52,119 of his platform, And in March of twenty twenty four, 452 00:30:52,279 --> 00:30:55,000 he signs a bill to allow the state to adopt 453 00:30:55,039 --> 00:30:59,759 both nitrogen gas inhalation and the electric chair. Is all 454 00:31:00,039 --> 00:31:05,480 ternative execution methods aside from lethal injection. He's just gonna 455 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:08,200 go to a whole new deal. In February of twenty 456 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:12,480 twenty five, the Attorney General, Liz Murrell announces that the 457 00:31:12,559 --> 00:31:15,839 state will resumed the executions and they're going to use 458 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:20,880 nitrogen hypoxia as the method. And of course I told 459 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,160 you in the last episode about Alabama and the fact 460 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,000 that they had executed four prisoners between January twenty twenty 461 00:31:28,039 --> 00:31:31,799 four and February of twenty twenty five. Using this method, 462 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:36,880 Christopher Sepulvido and two other condemned inmates, rapist killer Jesse 463 00:31:37,039 --> 00:31:39,799 Hoffman who I've told you about last week and the 464 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:44,359 Cheneyville slasher Larry Roy, were among the first death row 465 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:52,039 prisoners Louisiana authorities sought to execute first. So on February 466 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:58,000 twelfth of twenty twenty five, Judge Amy McCartney signs the 467 00:31:58,079 --> 00:32:02,200 death warrant for Supulvedo and she schedules his death sentence 468 00:32:02,279 --> 00:32:07,599 to be carried out on March seventeenth of twenty twenty five. Now, 469 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,680 Supulvido at this time is eighty one years old, and 470 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,000 he was the oldest out of all fifty seven death 471 00:32:15,079 --> 00:32:19,759 row inmates held in Louisiana. And of course his lawyers 472 00:32:19,839 --> 00:32:23,480 respond to this, and they argue that the wheelchair bound 473 00:32:23,519 --> 00:32:29,000 client was of advanced age, suffered from multiple serious medical ailments, 474 00:32:29,359 --> 00:32:34,920 and grew remorseful over his stepson's murder, and thus judicial 475 00:32:35,039 --> 00:32:41,680 mercy and compassion should be exercised in this case. But 476 00:32:42,039 --> 00:32:46,400 in the biggest twist of all to this case, just 477 00:32:46,759 --> 00:32:51,759 weeks before his scheduled execution, on February twenty second of 478 00:32:51,920 --> 00:33:00,640 twenty twenty five, Christopher Sepulvido dies of natural causes. So 479 00:33:00,799 --> 00:33:04,960 Palvado apparently had long been unwell. He was combined to 480 00:33:05,039 --> 00:33:08,799 a wheelchair. He suffered from a variety of chronic conditions 481 00:33:08,839 --> 00:33:14,400 and illnesses, including obstructive pulmonary disease, a blocked artery to 482 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:18,119 his brain, and gang green that led to him becoming 483 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:24,359 septic in his leg. Days before his execution warrant was signed, 484 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,000 doctors had recommended he enter hospice care, which occurred. He 485 00:33:29,119 --> 00:33:32,480 was hospitalized in New Orleans and after about a week 486 00:33:32,559 --> 00:33:39,319 he returned to Bloody Angola and died in the prison infirmary. 487 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:44,039 And if you feel sorry for Christopher, consider that six 488 00:33:44,119 --> 00:33:49,759 year old boy that he beat and burned to death. 489 00:33:51,039 --> 00:33:56,000 That's what I would say. Consider the victim just an 490 00:33:56,079 --> 00:34:01,240 evil human being in my opinion. And there you have it. 491 00:34:01,759 --> 00:34:06,640 Check out the Patreon for commercial free early releases. And 492 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:11,360 next week I'm going to bring you that story of 493 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:19,199 the Cheneyville Slasher as we continue this Executions commenced series. 494 00:34:19,559 --> 00:34:23,440 And until next time, I'm Jim Chapman for Bloody and 495 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,440 goa a podcast to one hundred and forty two years 496 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:32,880 in making the complete story of America's bloodiest present. Peace 497 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:49,599 a wall. 498 00:34:49,639 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: Street line, Shackle, Chaine. It's calling my name. There is 499 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:10,079 no mercy and this being a tentery juice as the 500 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:20,800 hustream game Rangle three, I'm here, bef here to die 501 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:27,599 inside these walls, inside the wild. 502 00:35:29,519 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 2: And when the girls, I know it's oldbody angle, obody angle. 503 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:01,360 Speaker 6: You do bring