Murder by Family: The Incredible True Story of a Son's Treachery and a Father's Forgiveness

This is the tragic story of Kent Whitaker's heart-wrenching journey toward forgiveness and faith after the brutal murder of his wife and one of his sons.

Straight from the headlines comes an incredible true story of a son's treachery. For the first time, readers are offered inside access to the emotional drama that went on behind the scenes. At the core is the remarkable healing power of forgiveness, demonstrated by Kent Whitaker, which shows how the survivors of such atrocious events can still forgive those who have permanently damaged their lives.

One evening, the Whitaker family returned home after dinner, celebrating a son's impending graduation from college. On opening the front door, they faced a gunman lying in wait. The gunman opened fire, instantly killing the younger sonand Kent's wife, leaving Kent and his older son lying wounded until police and ambulances arrived. While recovering in the hospital, Kent resolved in his heart to forgive whoever was responsible for the deaths of his wife and son.

Over the next few weeks, it was discovered that the whole murder plot had been orchestrated by the surviving son — whom Kent had unknowingly forgiven. After a trial that resulted in a death sentence for his son, Kent emerged from this harrowing ordeal to share their astonishing journey toward forgiveness and redemption.

One fateful evening, the Whitaker family walked into their house to discover a gunman waiting for them. He opened fire on the family, killing the wife and one son. Mr. Whitaker and his other son were airlifted to a local hospital and survived the deadly attack. While lying in the emergency room, Mr. Whitaker learned of his wife and son’s deaths and had to decide whether to forever hate their killer or forgive him. Mr. Whitaker chose the path of forgiveness. .

In the weeks following the murder, the police learned that the attack had been orchestrated by the son who survived—Mr. Whitaker had unknowingly forgiven his own son for destroying their family. That son was eventually arrested and convicted of the crime, and now he sits on death row. Murder by Family is the story of Kent Whitaker’s forgiveness in the face of the ultimate betrayal. .

Mr. Kent Whitaker, a lifelong resident of Houston, Texas, graduated from the University of Houston in 1971. A former comptroller of a major construction company before he retired, he now devotes his time to church and various community organizations. He enjoys cycling, water sports, and restoring classic cars.

Introduction

Chapter 1 The First 200 Minutes

Chapter 2 Dust to Dust

Chapter 3 New Year's Eve: Looking Forward, Looking Back

Chapter 4 Storm Clouds of Suspicion

Chapter 5 Interludes

Chapter 6 Hitting the Fan

Chapter 7 Cleaning Up the Mess

Chapter 8 The Worst Day of My Life

Chapter 9 Hurricanes Rita and Marshall

Chapter 10 Switching Horses

Chapter 11 Behind the Mask

Chapter 12 The Evolution of Murder

Chapter 13 48 Hours and a Trial

Chapter 14 The Verdict

Chapter 15 Six Years to Eternity

Acknowledgments