Jesse Wise

Background

Jesse Dee Wise, also known as “Jay,” lived with his grandparents at the home where six family members were killed in Leola, Pennsylvania. Police said both of his parents were dead.

Jesse Wise’s grandfather, Jessie L. Wise, was active with the Federation of Black Cowboys and operated an excavating business. Jessie L. Wise said he moved the family to the quiet of Pennsylvania Dutch country to keep the children away from the bad influences of the city. Jessie Wise was described as a founder of the Federation of Black Cowboys in New York and as having mentored hundreds of inner city youth.

The offence

Jesse Dee Wise killed six family members inside their Pennsylvania home, with the bodies left in the basement. All six bodies were wrapped in sheets and blankets and were found in the basement. The victims ranged in age from 5 to 64.

The victims were:

• Emily Wise, 64 (grandmother)
• Wanda Wise, 45 (aunt)
• Arlene Wise, 30 (aunt)
• Skylar Wise, 19 (aunt)
• Chance Wise, 5 (cousin)
• Jesse James Wise, 17 (cousin/uncle)

Authorities described the killings as involving fatally beating and stabbing, with a bloodied, makeshift metal club found at the scene. Police also said the other victims were bludgeoned to death with some sort of handmade club, and that some were possibly strangled. Prosecutors said Wise confessed to killing his grandmother, two aunts, two cousins and an uncle inside their home. Prosecutors stated that the killings occurred over a four-day period in April 2006, with Wise killing his first victim when no one else was home and committing subsequent murders to cover up that crime.

Prosecutors said Wise’s first victim was believed to have been Jessie James Wise, who was stabbed 36 times and strangled. Prosecutors said the other five were beaten in the head.

Wise allegedly hid their bloody bodies in the basement while continuing to spend time in the home he shared with his family, and was also reported to have used the victims’ money to go shopping after the murders. Newly purchased clothes were found in his bedroom.

Police also said authorities believed Wise wanted to kill his grandfather in New York, but that plot was foiled when his dead grandmother’s Mercedes-Benz broke down while he was on the way.

In court, Wise told the judge he acted alone.

Investigation

John Adams, a neighbor and relative of the Wise family, went to check on the family after he and the owner of the home became suspicious about the welfare of the family. Adams said he arrived to find Jesse Dee Wise, “also known as ‘Jay,’” in the home along with the victims in the basement.

Adams said:

“I turned on a light and started walking down the stairs, and the first thing I saw was Arlene. I bent down just a little and then I saw the baby down there lying on its face. I ran out, and I told the police that they were all down there dead,”

The home owner and Jesse Wise’s grandfather, Jesse Wise, became suspicious after Jesse Wise gave him and Adams conflicting stories about the whereabouts of the Wise family.

Police found evidence of brutality including blood on walls and ceilings, bone fragments, and a bloody, makeshift metal club.

Police recovered two 17-inch pieces of metal from the home.

Confessions and forensic details described

Court documents indicated that Jesse Dee Wise confessed to the slayings. The documents indicated that Wise admitted strangling three victims and bludgeoning the others in the head with a metal object.

A coroner believed all died within seconds. Another report stated that the coroner found no concrete evidence that anyone was strangled after examining the bodies.

Arrest and pretrial

Police arrested Jesse D. “Jay” Wise Jr. just hours after finding the six bodies in the basement in Leola, Pennsylvania.

Investigators alleged that Wise and a 16-year-old girl drove toward New York using Jesse Wise’s slain grandmother’s Mercedes sport-utility vehicle. The SUV broke down outside Philadelphia early April 11, and a friend gave Jay Wise and the girl a ride back to Lancaster County.

Angelica Gillogly, identified as Wise’s co-traveler, testified in a preliminary hearing that Wise told her he was going to bring drugs back from New York and that he “had to finish what (he) started.”

Prosecutors alleged that Wise had attempted to travel to New York to kill his grandfather and that this was the basis for a new attempted homicide count.

Wise was described as having several criminal cases pending against him, including robbery and resisting arrest, and police recovered items including two 17-inch pieces of metal from the home.

A judge determined there was enough evidence to try Wise on the six homicide charges and the new attempted homicide count.

Wise was ordered held without bail after appearing Thursday before a judge.

Trial and guilty plea

Jesse Dee Wise pleaded guilty to six counts of criminal homicide.

At the request of the surviving family members, prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty against Wise.

In an emotional statement to the court, Wise expressed deep remorse for the killings and stated:

“I committed the crimes I am accused of, and I in no way intend to shirk any of the guilt,”

Wise also expressed additional remorse in court. At one point he was described as appearing to be crying as he said he was praying for forgiveness, and he said:

“Hate is like a cancer that slowly devours your heart and your soul,”
“I just want to make it clear I didn’t understand what life was about, what it was. I had no appreciation for it at all. I know what it is to be lost.”

Wise wrote to his lawyers earlier in the year:

“Words cannot express my anguish over what I've done,”
“Whatever sentence I get I will accept and frankly I don't believe the death penalty is punishment enough for what I've done.”

Defense attorneys said Wise’s IQ tested at 120 and that long-standing chronic depression and substance abuse rendered him mentally ill. Lawyers said he spent much of his high school years in juvenile detention and was using cocaine and other drugs daily at the time of the murders. Wise was reported to have insisted on wearing prison garb and bowed his head as the judge accepted the plea and imposed the sentence.

Attempted homicide plea and sentence

Wise also pleaded guilty to attempted homicide and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years for driving toward New York with the intention of killing his grandfather. Prosecutors and police said the plot was foiled when his dead grandmother’s Mercedes-Benz broke down while he was on the way.

Sentencing

Wise was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors said surviving family members unanimously told them they were against the death penalty as long as Wise pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree murder and accepted responsibility.

Wise was ordered to pay restitution that included the $33,000 cost of their funerals.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Wise pleaded guilty to six counts of criminal homicide and received a sentence of life in prison without parole. He also pleaded guilty to attempted homicide and received a sentence of 10 to 20 years for driving toward New York with the intention of killing his grandfather.

Aftermath

About 100 friends of the family showed up at a candlelight vigil on Thursday to place flowers and candles in front the home’s fence. Friend Donna Decker described the family:

“It just fell out of the sky on top of us,”
“Now we got this to deal with. Plus, we got to deal with Jay. You know what I mean, six at one time plus Jay, too. It's hard... it's hard.”

Donna Decker also said:

“You know, for the whole family, plus the 5-year-old, it's very sad.”

Tim Gonzales remembered Jesse James Wise and said:

“He's a little guy, very athletic,”
“He's (He was) tough on the biggest people. He is like one of the strongest little men I know.”

John Adams and Jesse Wise’s grandfather were quoted. Grandfather Jesse Wise said:

“He never had an argument with me, never had anything with me or his grandma. I don't know what happened. I would love to know what happened,”

Decker said:

“They were nice people,”
“It's what made me so close with them. You don't find too many kids out here like that today.”

District Attorney Don Totaro declined to comment about a possible motive for the slayings.

Surviving family members planned a memorial service for the victims in New York, and the victims were said to be buried in Virginia.

Police said Wise’s girlfriend, Jackie Boots, testified that Wise told her about the slayings before his arrest. Other testimony contradicted her earlier account in interviews with The Associated Press.

A coroner believed the deaths happened within seconds, and investigators found the bodies at least three days after their deaths in the basement. Authorities alleged Wise used victims’ cash, checks, or credit cards to go shopping during the period before the bodies were discovered.

Jerry Dunn, a friend of the suspect, said:

“Every time I really hung out with him, he was just a laid back, really cool, nice guy,”

Other details

Jesse Wise had a criminal record in Lancaster County. In the summer of 2004, he was charged with eight crimes ranging from reckless driving to a felony count of conspiracy to commit burglary. He was also accused of breaking into the First Baptist Church of Pequea in Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania.

Investigators have not offered a motive for the slayings, and a prosecutor said:

“I think that's going to be one of the mysteries we're stuck with,” prosecutor Craig Stedman said.

Wise reportedly had a history of drug abuse, and neither the state nor the defense could suggest a possible motive for the killings.

A report also said Wise’s girlfriend said he spent time with her after the murders and seemed happy, never mentioning them. A family friend claimed Wise had:

“said he wanted to kill them, but nobody took him seriously.”