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Story Archives: Initial details revealed in Woodland murders in Ferriday


Initial details revealed in Woodland murders in Ferriday
posted Thursday, February 14th, 2008 @ 8:28 amE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
Conner Wood's call to police to report that an intruder had shot his parents and that he had shot the intruder were among several pieces of evidence introduced today (Wednesday) during a trial of motions in Seventh Judicial District Court in Vidalia.

Wood's attorney, Paul Lempke of Harrisonburg, was seeking to suppress the "admissions and confessions" given by Wood, now 16-years-old but 15 when his parents -- Geraldine Trevillion Wood and John David Wood -- and his friend, 16-year-old Matthew Whittington, were slain 11 months ago in the Wood's home on 119 Shady Lane in the Woodland Subdivision of Ferriday.

Judge Leo Boothe denied a motion by Lempke at the outset of the hearing to hold the proceeding in a closed session. Lempke said the Wood case has received extensive pre-trial publicity and that holding the pre-trial matter in open court would continue to "contaminant the potential jury pool."

First Asst. Dist. Atty. Brad Burget objected to a closed hearing. He said the "this is an open criminal justice system."

Wood has been charged with three counts of first degree murder in the deaths of his parents and Whittington. Whittington's parents as well as a number of family members and friends were in the courtroom today. Some held photos of Whittington.

Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office (CPSO) dispatcher David Cobb recounted the call he received from Wood on the night of the murders. Cobb said Wood reported that an intruder had broken into his home and had killed his parents. Wood said he shot the intruder.

Cobb said he contacted CPSO personnel, Burget, Sheriff Randy Maxwell, the Ferriday Police Department and emergency services to alert them of the shooting.

Cobb said at one point he asked Wood if the intruder was still alive.

He said Wood answered, "No, I shot him again."

Cobb said he neither told nor gave permission to Wood to shoot the "intruder."

A recording of Cobb's conversation with dispatchers at the Ferriday Police Department reporting the crime was played in the courtroom. Cobb said Ferriday police were contacted early on because of their close proximity to the Wood home.

Ferriday police officers John Hawkins and Lt. Derrick Freeman were the first to arrive on the scene shortly before 3 a.m. Each said that Ferriday Police Chief Richard Madison told them to secure the area before entering the home.

Both officers said Wood was standing in the carport of the home talking on a cell phone when they arrived.

Hawkins said Wood seemed "hysterical," while Freeman said Wood exhibited "nervousness" and was not coherent at times. But each said Wood was able to answer questions and provide them with phone numbers of persons to call, including Wood's brother, Hudson.

The officers said Wood was placed in a patrol car "for his own safety," and was read his rights as a matter of police procedure about 25 minutes after their arrival.

Both officers said they had no idea what had gone on inside the house, or who might have been inside the home when they arrived on the scene.

Deputy Jerry Emfinger said he met a State Trooper in Winnsboro to pick up Wood's brother, Hudson. Emfinger transported Hudson Wood to the Sheriff's office, arriving at 7:42 a.m., where he was to see CPSO Investigator David Hedrick.

Emfinger said he was not aware of what had transpired at the Wood home that night. When Hudson Wood asked him about what had happened, Emfinger said, "I told him I didn't know."

The hearing was continuing at presstime today.

Wood has pled not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity and is being held at the parish correctional facility under a $900,000 bond.

Lempke's motion seeking to throw out Wood's two confessions stated that while Wood was talking to "certain law enforcement officers" that Wood "was either under arrest or substantially deprived of freedom by the attendant conduct of the officers and surrounding circumstances and that his statements made were not knowingly made and voluntarily given and were made without assistance of counsel."
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