Monique Berkley

Case record — Monique Berkley

Background

Monique Berkley was a Clayton, North Carolina woman at the center of a fatal love triangle involving her husband and her boyfriend, Andrew Canty. Her husband, Paul Berkley, was a naval reservist who had returned from serving in the Middle East.

Paul Berkley suspected that his wife was having an affair and told his daughter that he planned to divorce her. Police said Monique Berkley had been having an affair with Andrew Canty and that Canty moved into her house while Paul Berkley was deployed overseas. Neighbors said Monique Berkley had been romantically involved with Canty and that the two were living together at her home while her husband was overseas.

The offence

In the early-morning hours of December 18, 2005, Paul Berkley was shot in the head on a pathway at Millbrook Exchange Park. An autopsy later revealed that Paul Berkley was also stabbed in the head, with a 1-inch deep stab wound near his right ear and temporal scalp injuries that caused injuries to the brain and skull.

Monique Berkley was also shot, sustaining a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Investigators said Monique Berkley called 911 to report that two men shot her and her husband, and that Paul Berkley could be heard gasping for air in the background.

Investigators said Monique Berkley, Andrew Canty, and Latwon Darrell Johnson planned to share a payout from a $400,000 life insurance policy. Investigators also said the original plan called for Monique Berkley to be beaten to cover up her involvement in the alleged crime, but she was shot instead; investigators did not say why she was shot instead.

Investigators said Andrew Canty later walked past the couple at the park and shot Paul Berkley in the back of the head and Monique Berkley in the shoulder. Andrew Canty also took Monique Berkley’s wallet to make it look like a robbery. Authorities said a gun sold to Canty was test-fired in a Johnston County yard before the killing, and shell casings from that matched the casings found at the crime scene.

Authorities said investigators believed the murder weapon was thrown in a river, and they had never recovered the murder weapon.

Investigation

Wake County prosecutors announced they would pursue the death penalty if Monique Berkley went to trial. District Attorney Colon Willoughby said they considered relative culpabilities of each person and the evidence admissible against each one, and after consulting with the victim’s family, they thought the outcome was appropriate.

Wake County prosecutors said all three suspects were indicted soon after the shooting on first-degree murder charges, and if convicted they could face the death penalty. Police said Monique Berkley admitted to plotting to kill her husband to get collect on his life insurance.

Wake County Assistant District Attorney Susan Spurlin said that during a movie outing, Monique Berkley went to the restroom and called Canty, telling him to meet them at the park. Spurlin said Johnson drove Canty.

Wake County prosecutors said Monique Berkley broke down sobbing after entering her plea.

Arrest

Police arrested Monique Berkley in connection with the death of her husband. Police also arrested Andrew Deshawn Canty and Latwon Darrell Johnson. They were all charged with first-degree murder and held in the Wake County Jail being held without bond.

Trial

Monique Berkley pleaded guilty in Superior Court. Superior Court Judge Osmond Smith accepted her guilty plea of first-degree murder.

Susan Spurlin said Monique and Paul Berkley went out on a date days after he returned from his tour of duty in the Middle East. The couple went to see the movie "King Kong" before going to Millbrook Exchange Park for "a romantic interlude." Spurlin said that during the movie, Monique Berkley called Canty and that Johnson drove Canty.

Canty pleaded guilty Aug. 20 to first-degree murder. Johnson’s trial date had not been set.

Sentencing

Superior Court Judge Osmond Smith sentenced Monique Berkley to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

Monique Berkley pleaded guilty and received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Andrew Canty pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Aftermath

Investigators said they had never recovered the murder weapon and believed it was thrown in a river. Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said he was not ruling out the possibility of more suspects or more charges in the case.

Timeline

• December 18, 2005 — Paul Berkley was shot in the head on a pathway at Millbrook Exchange Park and later died at WakeMed; Monique Berkley was also shot to the shoulder; an autopsy later revealed Paul Berkley was also stabbed near his right ear.
• December 19, 2005 — Raleigh police arrested Monique Berkley, Andrew Deshawn Canty, and Latwon Johnson; they were charged with first-degree murder.
• August 20, 2006 — Andrew Canty pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
• August 28, 2006 — Andrew Canty pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison; the plea bargain meant he would not face the death penalty.
• December 14, 2005 — Paul Berkley left his post in the Middle East to visit his wife, Monique Berkley for Christmas.
• December 23, 2005 — Monique Berkley confessed to police that she plotted to kill her husband for the insurance money; she later changed her story.
• September 25, 2007 — Monique Berkley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Other details

Paul Berkley was 46. Monique Berkley was 27 at the time she entered her plea. In earlier reporting, Monique Berkley was also described as 26. Andrew Deshawn Canty and Latwon Darrell Johnson were both 18.

Investigators said Monique Berkley allegedly put a plot to kill her husband in motion. Police Sgt. J.C. Perry told the news media on Dec. 22:

"The original plan called for Monique Berkley to be beaten. This would be done to cover up her involvement in the crime."

Colon Willoughby said:

"Along the way, we looked at the relative culpabilities of each person, the evidence that was admissible against each one, and after consulting with the victim's family, we thought this was an appropriate result,"