Andrew Paul Witt

Case overview

Andrew Paul Witt (born 1982) was a former Senior Airman in the United States Air Force. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders of a fellow Airman and his wife while he was an avionics technician in the 116th Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base.

Background

Witt grew up in West Salem, Wisconsin and graduated, in 2000, from Aquinas High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He entered the Air Force in 2001 and was assigned to Robins Air Force Base in August 2002.

The offence

In the early morning hours of 5 July 2004, two bodies were discovered in a base house located at 1152A Fort Valley Street, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia.

Senior Airman Andy Schliepsiek was found dead, lying on his back in the living room. He had been stabbed in the back and chest.

Jamie Schliepsiek was also dead. She was wearing only a t-shirt and underwear and lay approximately 10 feet away. There was a large blood stain on the wall behind Jamie’s body, and blood was also visible on the door, floor, nightstand, and bedroom lamp.

At a nearby hospital, a third victim, SSgt Jason King, underwent a surgery for the five knife wound injuries sustained during a violent attack.

Investigation

During the Article 32 hearing, Staff Sergeant Jason King testified about the relationship and events leading up to the attack.

Jason King met Andy Schliepsiek in April and the two quickly became friends. King’s wife, Page, also befriended Jamie, and they regularly went shopping together, usually with the Kings’ daughter, 3-year-old Ramsey, who took to the Schliepsieks very quickly.

King did not meet Witt, another friend of Schliepsiek, until July 3. That evening, the two couples were gathered at the Kings’ on-base home on Sergeants Drive when Schliepsiek received a call from Witt, who asked if he could come over. King said OK, but retired shortly after Witt’s arrival due to a headache. King said Witt only spent about 30 minutes in his company.

On July 4, the two couples gathered again at the Kings in the afternoon, where they grilled ribs and drank beers and daiquiris, celebrating Independence Day. Late that night, after Page had gone to bed, Jamie described how, the night before, the Schliepsieks went back to their home a couple of blocks away on Fort Valley Street. Jamie said that after Andy went to bed, Witt made a pass at her and “He tried to kiss her, and she pushed him away.” King testified that after hearing this the next day, Andy “was not pleased.”

A series of cell phone calls began to and from Witt, with both the Schliepsieks and King talking to him. King said Witt was apologetic and told him he and Andy should come to his off-base home and sort him out. King recalled Witt said: “He said we should drive over there and kick his …,” before the remainder of the quoted phrase ended in the scraped narrative.

Instead, shortly before 4 a.m., the three drove over to the Schliepsieks’ home, probably to get cigarettes, according to King.

King was on his cell phone with a friend of his who lived in Virginia. Jamie asked to talk to him, and King gave her the phone. She walked into the bedroom, and King followed because she had his phone. King said they then heard conversation from the living room, and he remembered Andy saying something like, “What are you doing in my house?” King testified that Witt came to the bedroom door and said, “Oh, good. You’re here, too.” King said Witt went back into the living room with Andy.

King ended the call to his friend and followed the two into the room. King testified that they were struggling when he entered, and that Witt “seemed to be getting the better of Andy.” King approached and put Witt into a headlock and tried to talk to him. King said, “I said, ‘Dude, why don’t you just leave? Get out,’” and that Witt hit him in the stomach. King said he thought it was a punch, but as he moved away he said it “felt ‘something was weird.’”

King remembered Jamie yelling, “My god! You’re bleeding!” King left the home through the kitchen door with the intent of getting help, and he was struck several times in the back as he left.

King made his way down the street and stopped at the only house with a light on, the 10th Street home of Tech Sgt. Jimmy Free. Free called 911, and King was taken to the hospital. King’s injuries included a puncture wound just below his heart, three other stab wounds in his back, and a laceration on one arm.

Following emergency surgery, King’s initial stay lasted 14 days. King later returned for a 15-day stay after fluid built up in his chest and he developed a staph infection. In October he returned again for four days, as doctors removed a colostomy bag inserted during the first surgery.

Page King testified that, at one point, remembering the Schliepsieks, she had to pause and collect herself before continuing. She recalled the doctor said it was “a miracle” he made it to the hospital.

Other witnesses included Free and two security forces members who responded to the scene. Staff Sgt. Perry Grimme and Tech Sgt. Michael Gonzales cleared the Schliepsiek home after the incident. They described moving through the house, looking for a suspect and finding the bodies of Andy and Jamie Schliepsiek in the living room and bedroom, respectively.

Pictures of the crime scene, including both bodies, were shown during testimony by Special Agent Alexander Wildes with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Special Agent Lamar E. Cromwell testified that, with other agents, he apprehended Witt as he drove back to the crime scene with a friend. Cromwell testified that under questioning, Witt first denied even being on base during the time when the crime occurred. Cromwell said Witt was confronted with gate video showing him entering the base at 1:45 a.m.; Witt admitted being on base but denied being near the scene. Cromwell said Witt eventually admitted to the crimes in both the verbal interview and a written statement. Cromwell testified that Witt’s description matched King’s account.

Cromwell testified that Witt stated he attacked King. Cromwell said Witt also told how he kicked in the locked bedroom door to get to Jamie and kill her, then returned to the living room where Andy lay prone from his earlier attack. Cromwell said Witt: “He stated that he stabbed him in the heart, he put it, ‘to finish him off,’” in the statement.

Cromwell testified that Witt said he was not insane at the time. Cromwell said: “Basically, he said he let go and did these things,” and Cromwell described it as being in “a euphoric state or a drunken state,” based on Witt’s statement.

Earlier in the Article 32 hearing, Maj. Vance Spath, chief circuit trial counsel for the Air Force, stated that a sanity board found no evidence Witt was insane at the time of the attacks.

Arrest and custody

Special Agent Lamar E. Cromwell testified that he and other agents apprehended Witt as he drove back to the crime scene with a friend.

Trial

Witt was charged for the July 5 deaths of Senior Airman Andrew Schliepsiek and his wife, Jamie, and the wounding of Senior Airman Jason King.

SrA Andrew Witt was found guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder of SrA Schliepsiek and his wife, Jamie, and one specification of attempted premeditated murder of then-Senior Airman Jason King.

Sentencing

During the presentencing phase, Witt submitted a written statement in which he took responsibility for his actions but asked the jury to spare his life.

“I would like to apologize again to the Schliepsieks, the Bielenbergs, the Kings, my family, and the Air Force for my actions,” he wrote.
“My life has changed dramatically since that night, and I plan to continue to make changes. I want you to know that I am firmly resolved to lead a productive life in the service of others and will not wander from this path if given the chance. Please allow me to live so that I can do this. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
The Airman also discussed his Air Force career: I regret losing my focus on the Air Force mission -- looking back, I do truly love the Air Force, and I have been proud to wear the uniform,” he wrote.
“I understand that my actions mean that I will never wear it again once this trial is over, and I am sorry for that as well. I am sorry for the discredit I have brought upon the Air Force and the negative attention I have brought to Robins Air Force Base.

A military panel sentenced Airman Witt to death.

Witt’s death sentence was the first Air Force death sentence since the United States vs. Jose Simoy in 1990. On appeal, the death penalty for Simoy was set aside and Simoy was currently serving life in prison. Witt was described as the only Airman to sit on death row at United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Appeals

No appeal history was provided in the case record.

Outcome

Witt was sentenced to death on October 13, 2005.

Other details

Article 32 hearing and personnel

The Article 32 hearing began Monday for a Robins Air Force Base airman accused of slaying two and injuring another this summer.

Maj. Vance Spath, chief circuit trial counsel for the Air Force, said a sanity board found no evidence Witt was insane at the time of the attacks.

Witt’s case involved Capt. Scott Williams of the 78th Air Base Wing Office of the Staff Judge Advocate at Robins, with Witt represented by civilian defense attorney Frank Spinner of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Capt. Darren Johnson of the Area Defense Counsel at Robins; and Capt. Doug Rawald, circuit defense counsel from Bolling Air Force Base.

Col. Mary Boone, a chief military judge from Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, served as the investigating officer in the Article 32 hearing and would make a recommendation to base commander Col. Greg Patterson. Patterson would decide whether to recommend that Warner Robins Air Logistics Center commander Maj. Gen. Mike Collings convene a general court martial for Witt. The hearing was held at Bibb County Courthouse and was scheduled to continue with another full day of presentations Tuesday.

Crime scene location and victim positioning

The base house address where the bodies were discovered was 1152A Fort Valley Street, Robins Air Force Base, Warner Robins, Georgia. Andy Schliepsiek was found lying on his back in the living room. Jamie Schliepsiek lay approximately 10 feet away, and blood was visible on the door, floor, nightstand, and bedroom lamp with a large blood stain on the wall behind Jamie’s body.

Trial outcomes captured from the record

Witt was found guilty of two specifications of premeditated murder of SrA Schliepsiek and his wife, Jamie, and one specification of attempted premeditated murder of then-Senior Airman Jason King.