David Ludwig

Case record: David Ludwig

Background

David Ludwig (born April 28, 1987) received two life sentences in prison without parole for murdering Michael and Cathryn Borden on November 13, 2005. The Bordens were the 50-year-old parents of his girlfriend Kara Beth Borden. Kara fled with him after the murders.

The Ludwig and Borden families were from Lititz, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The two families were described as devout evangelical Christians and each family similarly home schooled their children. David and Kara were reported to have met in a support group for home schooled children.

Ludwig and Kara were said to have been sexually involved. At the time, Ludwig was 18 and Kara Beth was 14. The age of consent in Pennsylvania was 16; intercourse with a person under 16 and four or more years younger constituted statutory rape. The parents reportedly became concerned when Ludwig and Kara stayed out all night together and were summoned to the Borden home for a confrontation.

Kara was 14. Kara’s younger sister Katelyn was 13. Kara’s younger brother was mentioned as living with relatives after the case.

Ludwig was employed as vice president of Cadmus Communications Corp.’s Science Press Division in Ephrata. Cathryn Borden was described as a teacher and homemaker. Michael Borden worked for a printing company.

A funeral for the Bordens was held Saturday, November 19, 2005, at Lancaster Bible College, where Kara attended. The adult Bordens were buried in a dedicated Mennonite cemetery.

Ludwig’s parents were Gregory P. Ludwig and Jane Ludwig.

The offence

The Bordens confronted Ludwig after discovering he and Kara Beth had been out all night. The confrontation culminated in the two adult Bordens being shot in the head.

Police said Ludwig used his father’s .40-caliber pistol to shoot Michael Borden in the back of the head as he was going down the hallway to escort him to the front door. Police said Ludwig then shot Cathryn Borden in the head from 6 feet away as she was getting out of a chair.

Kara’s younger sister Katelyn witnessed at least one of the murders. Katelyn told investigators that her parents were shot after they argued with Ludwig for about an hour. Katelyn said she saw Ludwig shoot her father and then ran into the bathroom where she heard a second shot, presumably the one that killed her mother. Katelyn said Ludwig ran through the house calling for Kara after the shootings.

After the shootings, Kara ran from the home after her father was shot, but later willingly got into Ludwig’s car, ostensibly to start a new life together.

During the case, the killings were described as occurring after the Bordens ordered Ludwig to end a relationship with their daughter, Kara Beth.

Investigation

An Amber Alert was issued for Kara, and the story became national news.

Investigators recovered firearms and ammunition at the Ludwig home during a search warrant executed the same day as the Borden murders. The search was reported to have recovered 54 firearms and associated ammunition.

Indiana authorities recovered a .40 S&W GLOCK semiautomatic pistol from the Ludwig family car which was said to be the murder weapon.

Other items reportedly recovered from the Ludwig home included a Colt 1911 pistol, a Ruger .45 ACP semiautomatic pistol, and a Ruger Mini-14 rifle. Another handgun from the Ludwig collection was reportedly found at the Borden home wrapped in a towel.

Police reported seizing at least two computers and a number of video tapes from the Ludwig home. Among the evidence was an 18-minute video showing Ludwig and a friend discussing and perhaps executing a home invasion, and at one point discussing forcible sex with Kara and her sister.

The parents were described as natives of Hannibal, Mo.

Arrest and flight

Ludwig and Kara Beth were apprehended in the central Indiana town of Belleville on Tuesday, November 15, 2005, after he front-ended his parents’ 1998 Volkswagen Jetta into a tree following a police chase.

The apprehension’s latter phase was carried live on cable television news networks. Ludwig waived extradition, and both were flown back to Pennsylvania.

At the time of apprehension, Ludwig confessed to police almost immediately. Authorities claimed that Ludwig confessed to the murders at the time of his apprehension and again while in custody.

Charges and prosecution

The case was being pursued by Donald R. Totaro, District Attorney of Lancaster County.

Ludwig had been charged with two counts of first degree homicide, one count each of sexual assault, reckless endangerment of a minor, as well as a firearms violation.

An initial charge of kidnapping was dropped after prosecuters determined that Kara Beth willingly accompanied Ludwig.

Totaro had announced an intention to seek the death penalty for the murder charges.

At sentencing, the judge described the plea deal as barring Ludwig from speaking publicly about the case or profiting from it. The plea deal was also endorsed by the Borden family, who asked that Ludwig not make a statement in court, not even to apologize.

Trial and plea

On June 14, 2006, Ludwig agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Ludwig pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of reckless endangerment, statutory sexual assault, and a firearms violation.

Ludwig received two consecutive life sentences for the murder charges along with 9 to 19 years for the other offenses, and restitution for funeral costs, counseling, and damage to the Bordens’ home.

Lancaster County Judge David L. Ashworth told Ludwig:

"By your useless and selfish acts, you destroyed and permanently altered the lives of countless people,"

County District Attorney Don Totaro said the Borden family also asked that Ludwig not make a statement in court, not even to apologize. Totaro said:

"They thought it was a bit late for any sort of apology,"

The Borden family’s two grown sons attended the hearing but left without speaking to reporters.

Ludwig’s lawyer James Gratton stated Ludwig was concerned about the effect a trial would have on the community, the families, and their churches. Gratton said Ludwig had been tutoring other inmates in prison and stated:

"He retains the potential to do much good in an institutional setting,"

After the hearing, Ludwig’s lawyer Merrill Spahn said:

"He is not inherently evil. He is not inherently bad," his lawyer Merrill Spahn said after the hearing. "David Ludwig is a very troubled young man."

Sentencing

On June 14, 2006, Ludwig was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing Michael and Cathryn Borden inside their Lititz home in November after they ordered him to end a relationship with their daughter, Kara Beth.

Ludwig received two consecutive life sentences for the murder charges along with additional prison time for reckless endangerment, statutory sexual assault, and firearms-related conduct. He was also ordered to pay restitution for funeral costs, counseling, and damage to the Bordens’ home.

Ludwig was housed in the Lancaster County Prison.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome and aftermath

Kara Borden was not charged with any crime. It was stated that Kara was appointed a guardian and represented by legal counsel. Robert Beyer, Kara’s attorney, said:

"I think she's happy to get this behind her and recapture her teenage years,"

It was also stated that Kara had admitted she ran after him as he left the Borden home, wanted to go with him, and wanted to get married.

Ludwig’s lawyer reportedly stated Kara willingly accompanied Ludwig in their three-state flight and that surveillance tapes from places where the two stopped indicated Kara had ample opportunity to escape if she so chose.

Warwick Township Police Lt. Edward Tobin told Judge Ashworth that Kara Borden had not plotted to have her parents shot or killed. Tobin stated she was not charged with any crime.

The Bordens were buried in a dedicated Mennonite cemetery.