ROBERT WATERHOUSE THE RECIDIVIST KILLER OF FLORIDA [EXECUTED: 15 FEBRUARY 2012]

           On this date, 15 February 2012, a recidivist murderer by the name of Robert Waterhouse was executed in Florida. Here is the information about him from clarkprosecutor.org.

Name: Waterhouse, Robert
Race: WHITE
Sex: MALE
Birth Date: 12/16/46
Offense Date: 01/02/1980
Sentencing Date: 09/03/1980
Initial Receipt Date: 09/05/1980
Current Facility: FLORIDA STATE PRISON
Current Custody: MAXIMUM
Current Release Date: DEATH SENTENCE
County of Conviction: Pinellas

SOURCE: http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/execlist.html

http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/Pending/12/feb12.htm

In 1966, Robert Brian Waterhouse was indicted on charges of First-Degree Murder and Burglary in New York. He was charged with breaking into a home and raping and strangling 77-year-old Ella Carter. He broke almost every rib in Ella's body and left teeth marks on one of her breasts. Waterhouse pled guilty to Second-Degree Murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released after only eight years on lifetime parole. On the morning of January 3, 1980, the St. Petersburg police responded to the call of a citizen who had discovered the dead body of a woman lying face down in the mud flats at low tide on the shore of Tampa Bay. An examination of the body revealed severe lacerations on the head and bruises around the throat. Examination of the body also revealed—and this fact is recited not for its sensationalism but because it became relevant in the course of the police investigation—that a blood-soaked tampon had been stuffed in the victim's mouth. The victim's wounds were such that they were probably made with a hard instrument such as a steel tire changing tool. Examination of the body also revealed lacerations of the rectum. The cause of death was determined to have been drowning, and there was evidence to indicate that the body had been dragged from a grassy area on the shore into the water at high tide. The body when discovered was completely unclothed. Several items of clothing were gathered from along the shore at the scene. The body showed evidence of thirty lacerations and thirty-six bruises. Hemorrhaging indicated the victim was alive, and defense wounds indicated she was conscious, at the time these lacerations and bruises were inflicted. Her teeth were broken, her nose was broken, her eyes were swollen. Acid phosphotase was found in the victim's rectum in sufficient amount to strongly indicate the presence of semen there. Also, the lacerations in this area indicated that the victim had been battered by the insertion of a large object. The medical examiner was also able to determine that at the time of the murder the victim was having her menstrual period. After several days of investigation the police were unable to identify the victim, so they announced the situation to the public. They then received an anonymous telephone call simply informing them of Robert Waterhouse's automobile tag number and advising them to investigate it. The police also learned the identity of the victim from two of her neighbors. These two acquaintances, Yohan Wenz and Carol Byers, testified at trial that they went to the ABC lounge with Deborah Kammerer on Wednesday night, January 2, 1980. They testified that they later left the lounge and that Deborah remained there at that time. Kyoe Ginn, who was working there as a bartender that night, testified that the victim came into the bar with a man and a woman, that they later left, that Deborah then began talking with Waterhouse (who was known to the witness) and that at about 1:00 a.m. Waterhouse and Deborah Kammerer left the bar together. On the evening of January 7, 1980, police officers asked Waterhouse to voluntarily go with them to police headquarters for an interview. At this time he said that he did not know any girl named Debbie and that he went to the ABC lounge on January 2 but did not leave with a woman. After this interview Waterhouse was allowed to leave but his car was impounded for searching pursuant to warrant. The automobile was searched on January 8 and Waterhouse was arrested on January 9. Detectives Murry and Hitchcox arrested Waterhouse. In the car on the way to the police station, after advising Waterhouse of his rights, Hitchcox asked him, “We were right the other night, weren't we, when we talked to you about being involved in this case?” Waterhouse responded simply, “Might.” Shown a picture of Deborah Kammerer, Waterhouse this time admitted that he did in fact know her. On the afternoon of January 9, the detectives again interviewed Waterhouse. Detective Murry testified concerning this interview. She said that Waterhouse became emotionally upset and said repeatedly that his life was over, that he was going to the electric chair. He said that he wanted to talk to his interviewers as people and not as police officers. He then said that he had some personal problems with alcohol, sex, and violence. The two detectives interrogated Waterhouse again on January 10. Again Waterhouse said he wanted to talk to them as people rather than as police officers. Detective Murry testified that Waterhouse again indicated that he experienced a problem involving sexual activity. He said that when he drinks a lot, it is like something snaps and he then finds himself doing things that he knows are terrible and bad, and that he cannot control his behavior on such occasions. Waterhouse also told the officers that when he wanted to engage in sexual activity with a woman but learned that she was having her menstrual period, he would become frustrated and angry and that this is what had happened the previous Wednesday night [i.e ., the night of the murder]. He also said that he had had a lot to drink on Wednesday night. Inspection of the interior of Waterhouse's car revealed the presence of visible blood stains, and a luminol test revealed that a large quantity of blood had been in the car but had been wiped up. Analysis of the blood in the car and comparison with known blood samples of Waterhouse and the victim revealed that the blood in Waterhouse's car could have come from the victim but was not Waterhouse's blood. A forensic blood analyst testified that it is possible through analysis of blood stains on certain surfaces to make estimates concerning the direction and velocity of motion of the blood making the stains. This witness concluded from her analysis that the blood in Waterhouse's car was deposited in the course of a violent attack. A forensic hair analyst testified that hairs found in Waterhouse's car were consistent in their characteristics with known hair samples from the victim. A forensic fiber analyst testified that fibers found in the debris adhering to the victim's coat were similar to fibers from the fabric of the seat cover in Waterhouse's car. Also, fibers were found in the car that had the same characteristics as fibers from the victim's coat and pants. Waterhouse was employed as a plaster and drywall worker. His foreman testified at trial that on the morning of January 3, Waterhouse arrived at work asking for the day off. He appeared to have a hangover and said he was feeling rough. The witness said that at this time Waterhouse had scratches on his face. The witness also said that Waterhouse had told him that he liked anal intercourse and liked being with women who allowed themselves to be hit and slapped. The jury recommended, and the trial court imposed, a sentence of death. 

UPDATE: Following the execution of Robert Waterhouse, family members of the victim said they felt a sense of closure. Linda Cope, Deborah Kammerer's sister, said the two of them had been very close. They went shopping together, planned their children's birthday parties together, and went on family vacations. Debbie was a divorced mother of three children, and her friends described her as fun, friendly and "little." Shortly before the murder, Debbie had visited her children in Indiana for Christmas. Linda Cope says her sister didn't deserve to die that way. "I've always thought about her, all these years," she said. "I wish I could talk to her. I loved her so much. And I miss her so much."