Theodore Washington

Case record: Theodore Washington

Background

Theodore “Teddy” Washington was tried jointly with Fred Robinson and Jimmy Lee Mathers.

Fred Lawrence Robinson met Susan Hill in 1972 through a motorcycle club. Susan Hill became Robinson’s common-law wife and had three children by him. The relationship involved mental and physical abuse by Robinson. Susan suffered a great deal of mental and physical abuse at the hands of Robinson and attempted to leave him a number of times. Robinson tracked her down and forced her to return on several occasions.

In 1984, Susan made several efforts to leave Robinson, but he always forced her to return. In 1986, Susan was staying with her sister in North Hollywood when two men entered the house and tied up her sister and niece. Susan hid but was forced to come out when Robinson threatened the others. Robinson stated that if Susan did not return with him he would kill her. At the time, Robinson was living in Banning, Southern California, in a small town of just 20,000 souls. Theodore “Teddy” Washington was also living in Banning at that time, as was another man, Jimmy Lee Mathers.

Jimmy Lee Mathers accompanied Robinson on trips to recover Susan. One trip was to Philadelphia. On another occasion Robinson threatened that “something would happen” to Susan if she did not comply with his demands.

In a later sequence, Susan persuaded Robinson that she should be allowed to visit her father and stepmother in Yuma, Arizona for a week. Ralph and Sterleen Hill, and their teenage son LeSean, were aware of Robinson’s abusive nature. They managed to keep Susan in Arizona for almost a month. During this time Sterleen obtained a peace bond (the equivalent of a Court Injunction) against Robinson that barred him from entering the Hills’ home. Susan informed Robinson of the order. After a month at the Hill family house, Susan went to California to see her grandmother and did not inform Robinson of her move.

Beginning in 1984 and continuing through later events, Robinson decided to bring Susan back after she left him without telling him.

The offence

In 1987, Robinson decided to go to Yuma and bring Susan back. Robinson persuaded his friends Washington and Jimmy Mathers to go with him. The men loaded Robinson’s car with weapons and drove to Yuma. Washington was wearing a red bandanna.

Around 11:45 p.m., two men entered the Hills’ home. They forced Mr. and Mrs. Hill to lie on their bedroom floor and tied them up. A black man wearing a red bandanna held a gun to Mr. Hill’s head. The black man ransacked the drawers and closet while the second man stood over the Hills. One of the men shot the Hills with a 12-gauge shotgun. Mrs. Hill died from her wounds but Mr. Hill survived.

Ralph and Sterleen came out of their bedroom after hearing a noise. Ralph could only see shadows of the people who had just invaded his home and could not identify faces. A deep voice shouted: “We’re narcotics agents. We want the dope and the money”.

A shotgun was found near the scene. Andre Robinson later recognised it as the one he had seen being put into the back of his father’s car earlier that day.

The state’s position at trial was that Mathers fired the shots. At the trial, all three defendants were found guilty of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, burglary and armed robbery. The burglary and armed robbery trial contended that Mathers fired the shots.

Investigation

A few weeks after earlier events involving Susan and Robinson, on June 8, 1987, Robinson’s son Andre heard Robinson, Mathers and Washington discuss a trip to Arizona. Mathers said that he was going to “take care of some business”. Later, with Washington absent, Robinson and Mathers were seen putting guns into Robinson’s car and then driving towards Washington’s house.

The trio were last seen in Banning at 6:30 that day driving Robinson’s tan Chevette out of town. Just before midnight on the same day someone knocked on the door of the Hills’ Yuma home. LeSean answered the door and a man appeared and made a grab for him. LeSean ran away, through the house and, via another external door, out of the house.

LeSean telephoned the police from a neighbour’s house. A few moments later LeSean noticed a tan Chevette speeding away from the area.

When the police later pulled the car over they found Robinson driving, along with a shotgun shell-box, a red bandana and some of Mather’s clothing. When the police eventually entered the Hills’ home they found that Ralph and Sterleen had been shot with a 12-guage shotgun.

Ralph had massive injuries and lost an eye but survived. Sterleen died from her wounds.

Sterleen had been dead at the time the Hills’ home was entered by police.

Forensic analysis showed that the red bandana, supposed to belong to Washington, contained traces of Mathers’ hair.

Arrest

Robinson was arrested that evening.

Mathers was spotted in Coachella, California, the following day and returned to Arizona, where he was arrested.

Washington returned to Banning and was arrested the day after Mathers.

Trial

All three defendants—Washington, Robinson, and Mathers—were tried jointly.

The State contended that Mathers had fired the shots during the armed robbery.

Start of trial: December 1, 1987. Verdict date: December 15, 1987.

Presiding Judge: H. Stewart Bradshaw. Prosecutor: William V. Gallo.

Published opinions included: State v. Washington, 165 Ariz. 51, 796 P.2d 853 (1990).

Sentencing

All were sentenced to death.

Sentencing: January 13, 1988.

Aggravating circumstances included:

• Pecuniary gain
• Especially heinous/cruel/depraved

Mitigating circumstances: None.

Washington received the death penalty.

Appeals

On appeal, the state supreme court reversed Mathers’ conviction finding insufficient evidence to support the jury verdict.

The case record also included published opinions: State v. Washington, 165 Ariz. 51, 796 P.2d 853 (1990).

Outcome

Washington remained under a sentence of death.

The state supreme court reversed Mathers’ conviction for insufficient evidence to support the jury verdict.

Aftermath

The information provided described that Washington was on Arizona’s Death Row.

The case also described a range of earlier relationship and threats involving Susan Hill and Fred Robinson, including Susan’s repeated attempts to leave him and Robinson’s tracking behavior, as well as the prior incident in which two men tied up Susan’s sister and niece and Robinson threatened Susan with killing her if she did not return.

A further detail stated that Theodore Washington was wearing a red bandanna at the time of the June 8, 1987 events, and that the red bandanna contained traces of Mathers’ hair.