Countdown to death: An action timeline of George Huguely V
Huguely suited up for lacrosse action. Fall 2006 - Having excelled as both a lacrosse player (and as the starting football quarterback) at the Landon School, Huguely enrolls in the University of Virginia to begin training as a varsity lacrosse player.
Fall 2007 - On a visit to his father's $2 million waterfront home near Florida's Palm Beach, Huguely is arrested for underage alcohol possession. He began dating UVA women's lacrosse player Yeardley Love just a few months earlier.
The Alston case
The one that gave Charlottesville juries a soft reputation.
November 8, 2003 - Police follow a trail of blood from a sidewalk to 222 14th Street, the same complex in which Yeardley Love would eventually die. In this case, UVA student Andrew Alston– having previously gotten his father to help him beat a domestic violence charge– finds himself charged with murder for stabbing Walker Sisk, an unarmed Albemarle volunteer firefighter, over 18 times. A year later, a Charlottesville jury points to alcohol consumption by both parties as precluding any malice and sentences Alston to three years in jail for voluntary manslaughter.
• Not guilty: Murder suspect beats assault charge
• The verdict: Sisk's family speaks out
• Bye bye, Botetourt: Release of Sisk killer nears
November 14, 2008 - On an alcohol-fueled trip with friends in Lexington, Huguely is stopped by a female officer who endures racial and sexual slurs as Huguely allegedly yells, "I’ll kill you. I’ll kill all of y’all. I’m not going to jail." He ends up getting Tased and eventually convicted of public drunkenness and resisting arrest. He pays his $100 fine and performs his 50 hours of community service but neglects to report the incident to UVA, as required.
Huguely following his 2008 Lexington arrest. December 29, 2008 - Huguely's father calls Palm Beach police after his son creates a disturbance and then jumps overboard "The Reel Deal," the family yacht, in an effort to swim ashore. No charges filed.
February 21, 2009 - Huguely allegedly attacks a sleeping UVA lacrosse teammate and blackens the man's eye after hearing allegations that the player had kissed Love. Despite allegations that Huguely said, "Sweet dreams, punk," while delivering a sucker punch, both men downplay the incident to their coach, and no charges are filed.
February 27, 2010 - While visiting Huguely's apartment for a party, UNC lacrosse player Mike Burns hears a woman's plea for help inside Huguely's bedroom and flings open the door to find Love in a choke-hold at the hands of Huguely. Burns and Love "hook up."
Many contend that only Huguely, shown here in his 2010 booking photo, should bear the blame. April 27, 2010 - Having learned that Huguely had a fling with Love's sorority sister Stephanie Aladj, an angry Love drops in on Huguely's apartment to find two high school girls, prospective UVA softball players. Love hurls her purse at Huguely's head, an action that ejects the purse's contents. (Curiously, Love never finds her mobile phone.)
Friday, April 30, 2010 - Around 9pm, while in Chicago for the women's lacrosse game against Northwestern University, Love receives the "I should have killed you" email from Huguely. She discusses it with several friends and shows it to roommate Caity Whiteley.
Saturday, May 1, 2010 - With an 18-9 victory over Robert Morris, the UVA Men's lacrosse team wins its final regular season game and enjoys a post-game celebration at Boylan Heights restaurant. With some parents present– including Huguely's mother Marta Murphy– Love and Huguely speak to each other uneventfully.
Huguely entering Charlottesville Circuit Court. Sunday, May 2, 2010 - Up at Wintergreen Resort, Huguely slurs his words, interrupts parents, and has trouble hitting golf balls at the lacrosse team's annual father-son golf tournament. Shortly before midnight, Huguely decides he "just wants to talk" to Love and ends up breaking through the door to her bedroom. He returns and lies to his roommate about where he's been.
Monday, May 3, 2010 - At 2:24am, the first police officer arrives at 222 14th Street, Apartment Number 9 to find the lifeless body of Yeardley Love.
Notes: Since the electronic version of this timeline was first published, the following changes have been made: removed mention of a missing camera, removed mention of a football title, and correction of college enrollment year. Also, the sidebar about the Alston case was added.
47 comments
Thank you Hawes.
Hawes, fact check April 27 re: the camera. I think you're mixing it up with cville's other favorite murder case -- Morgan Harrington and her missing camera. I've read this account in a few stories (this from abc news):
"Later, the friend told police Love realized that her cellphone and camera were missing and that she "believed it was still at Huguely's apartment." Love recovered the camera, but never got her cellphone back, according to the statement."
Huguely kicked in Love's bedroom door, but how did he enter the apartment? Was it left unlocked? If so, I wonder why, if she feared him coming after her.
Consider adding the bit (on May 2) when he's seen breaking bottles at a party, and punches a car window on the way to her apartment. Speaks to his state of mind -- that he was still in complete drunken jerk mode.
@Miss Information: Okay, thanks for the correction on the camera; I have removed that mention just now. As for the car window and the bottles, those alleged incidents haven't been as well documented as the ones that I mentioned and so, for now anyway, I think I better leave them out. -- hawes spencer
@Janis M. Jaquith: The roommate admits she left the front door unlocked that night. Huguely affirms this with investigator Reeves in his video. As for her bedroom door, even Huguely admits that it was locked and that smashed it in.-- hawes spencer
Hawes, do you know whether Love's cellphone calls were traced, that is, documented after the fact, like in the Abshire case where they were able to ascertain the 150+ calls that went into and out of his phone the day of or day prior to Justine's murder? Just curious if anything was found on voice mail or how many attempts to reach her may have been noted. Any news on this?
Interesting sidebar about how CVille juries got their soft reputation. On drunkenness I think two things. As I've said repeatedly, GHVs tolerance had to be quite high given he drank so frequently, giving less credence to the notion that he was incapable of making coherent decisions or forming intent. Given his high level of activities at school, in athletics, and socially, he was clearly a high functioning drunk.
Secondly, when someone randomly kills someone when drunk, saying, a fist brawl gone rough, the probably of intent or the capability to form intent is plausibly a lot lower because there is no history, nothing invested in it. This isn't always the case, but it's a lot more plausible.
In GHVs case he had already wished he had killed Love when he had the chance. He let her know this. She took it seriously enough to share with several people. Rage at being dumped, bettered in bed, and ignored and the determination to see her no matter the obstacles (locked door) serve rather than undermine intent, even if he was drunk.
Did he go there to kill her? Significant indicators point to yes.
Thanks, Hawes. Probably a good call on those other bits.
There is no factual information or test result that confirm that Huguely was intoxicated, or "extremely drunk", the time of the murder.
How was he getting around?
The defense may try to use this in their case, but the prosecution should be able to shoot holes in that discussion.
Their history also points to him NOT going there to kill, but going there to talk to her (against her wishes, and with violence ensuing, which also seems to be part of their pattern). It's the exact same way she described the choking incident, right?
"Love was crying hysterically after Huguely released her and she fled, Burns said. Love later told Burns that Huguely wanted to talk but she was resisting, Burns said."
SkipD, sounds like on any given day there was a MUCH better chance of finding him drunk than sober. I've never heard anyone contesting that he might be. The bigger question is, does it make a difference in culpability?
I was just reading a DP article recapping this last week, mentioning again that the defense is painting GHV as "too simple" to keep up a lie about Love, about killing her.
Anyone else find it a little incongruous that athletes at elite UVa are being openly painted as simpletons? Not exactly a resounding endorsement of the caliber of student who plays on UVa teams. Sure, athletes aren't always the straight A students, and there's plenty of evidence that they get special treatment across the boards. But this really takes it to an extreme.
@Kate George, it isn't just UVA, athletes etc. You can find that in public high schools, other businesses etc.
@Miss Information - GH5 apparently doesn't recall that incident or didn't and come on drunk or sober, if someone doesn't want to talk - how are you going to have a conversation with them? He also emailed: "I should have killed you." Maybe it wasn't intent in the past but the intent was there from that point forward - possibly.
It appears more him with the history of violence and disturbances than her. As I stated before about the whole purse incident - I doubt you will find a male out there who hasn't been on the receiving end of a purse hitting them by their partner - in jest or to give them a signal to "hush". (They are very effective for this purpose.) I'm not excusing her but unless she did carry the kitchen sink in her bag - it isn't a lethal weapon. His fists are/were.
Right, but I guess what I'm saying is, way to go defense for broadcasting that UVa athletes are empty between the ears. UVa's got to love that on top of all the rest of this sad, tragic mess.
Kate George, who could possible give two bits about how UVa athletes come off in this? And who could care about what UVa thinks?
A woman is dead. I would rather that the entire University of Virgina was flushed down the James River than for this to have happened. No institution's reputation is more important than the individuals that make up that institution.
You see it in the VQR mess, you see it here. UVa, for too long, discounted allegations of sexual violence and workplace bullying. UVa is behind the times. UVa can go to H.E. double hockey stick.
I would rather Yeardley was alive and UVa maintains its reputation.
"than" not "and in the last sentence...
meanwhile - you also have the mess at Penn too. How many young lives were damaged there?
I understand your point but you can't condem the whole for what a few have done. What we can do as a society is work to make sure our own families do not have this mentality, that we look out for others and work to make sure these type of attitudes are not rewarded (thinking politics here now) but you see what I mean? One rogue individual - for example, a soldier - doesn't mean the whole armed service.
UVA isn't alone in the sexual violence - that has been a long standing "tradition" amoung many colleges out there. As for workplace bulling - any bulling - everywhere! From schools to the workplace, shouldn't be tolerated anywhere.
The cell phone probably went the way of the laptop, I'm afraid. The nearest dumpster.
Of course Love's death is the most important thing here. My main point wasn't to lament UVa's rep. It was to lambaste the defense for Turning a bright UVa student (tough, competitive school to get into) and try to make him come off as a lovable simpleton with the implication that if he is a mere simpleton there's no way he could also be a calculating, indifferent, cold blooded killer, which I believe he is.
Boy George doesn't even know that email content and phone records are not resident on the laptop or phone.........they are only the "messengers". There is plenty of telling evidence available and waiting to be exposed
SkipD, or maybe he DID know that webmail lives on the web, and he took the laptop for a different reason -- or for an irrational reason. Maybe she loved her laptop and he wanted to hurt her. Maybe it was the instrument she used to contact the UNC lax player. Maybe he was just being a jerk. Can't really say for sure why he did that.
Here's an interesting report about the purse incident. I'd like to note that if GH had been the aggressor in this one, most would want to string him up. But YL's the aggressor, so it doesn't count and is maybe even kind of cute, and certainly forgivable by Kate above ('all girls do it, it's no biggie,' is how I read her comment). Yes, it's true, he didn't end up in the hospital or the morgue as a result. But I think it aptly illustrates their dysfunction --- and what passed for acceptable in their relationship. quote follows:
Fuchs said that Love entered their apartment uninvited, and started yelling at Huguely.
Elizabeth McLean, Love’s little sister in her sorority, was dating Huguely’s roommate, Kevin Carroll, at the time of the incident. She said that she was in Carroll’s room with the door closed while Yeardley was hitting Huguely with her purse.
“I heard Yeardley and George start to bicker,” she said. “I could hear her hitting him with her purse.” She added that she could hear Huguely yelling, “stop” and later the sounds of the contents of Love’s purse hitting the floor.
I can see your point. He should definitely cried out for help and/or called 9-11.
@cville native -- One rotten apple spoils the barrel.
That's what UVA gets for not knowing or not caring about what was going on with Huguely.
A Coach is charged with the responsibility of keeping his student-athletes in line, in class and in school.
When the Love family files their wrongful death suit, I hope UVA, Starsia and anyone else at UVA who knew about this train wreck are sued along with Huguely's family.
@Miss Information, I think you meant to direct that at CVille Native, he/she was the person analyzing the purse incident.
I love the way some people try to put a spin on all that GH did that night making it look like he never meant to do anything wrong. Must be some of his cronies from his highschool days trying to make him into the "sweet loving" George they all seem to know. Look at the facts as they are falling into place and stop trying to sugar coat his actions. He killed a girl with his bare hands. How much more horrific does it have to get before we see the light?
This timeline is NOT what the jury is going to hear. Previous incidents of drunken rage are (generally) not admitted as evidence. There are exceptions but usually "prior bad acts" come in only if Huguely himself takes the stand and asserts his innocence--in which case he can be cross examined about them. This is becoming an O J Simpson situation in which what the news media feeds the pubic, and what the jury actually hears in the courtroom, are different. The jury must base its decision only on what facts are allowed in the courtroom, and could well come to a different conclusion than the general public expects.
@Lawyer - we are not the jury and we just wanted to know. Truly, it is sickening that in our criminal "justice system" you have a defendant on trial for something and their past run-ins with the law are not allowed in? I can understand why a speeding ticket wouldn't be brought to light for someone who was being tried for murder. I don't see why their violent episodes with witnesses are not allowed. It isn't hearsay, it is fact which has a witness to it. I find it appauling that a rapist on trial for another rape, their past convictions are not brought in or could be kept out. I find it appauling that a child molestor, convicted prior, jury is not to know of that information either. History has a way of repeating itself.
@Miss Information, I am not making light of the purse incident. It is what it is. I do think by the actions of Ms. Love and her distancing herself, locking her door, not replying to his emails - she had the idea that in 20 days she would graduate and get away from him. On another note, GH probably thought he had 20 days to "get her back" - whatever that meant, up to a jury to decide.
And yes, based upon the facts allowed in, which we are not the jurors and many of us have formed our own "opinions" here (which we are entitled to do so under our constitution, thank you) they may come to a conclusion that we all do not agree. That is common in our "justice system". (I have been stating all along what I believe he should get is Murder 1, what I think he will get is a walk or a slap on the wrist and at most 10 years.) Is it fair, right, etc.? Truly I am also a great believer in karma, nature's hit man. What goes around will come around, you just have to wait and have patience.
November 2008 should have been it for Mr. Huguely. Everyone in his life should have told him it was now time to do something about his drinking problem. Everyone who didn't shares the blame for this horrible death.
Frank --
No, Huguely is an adult and is responsible for his actions. The fact that he did not stop drinking even after being tased and arrested for his drunken behavior shows just how irresponsible and dangerous of a person we are talking about here. The fact that his friends did not stage an intervention does not make them responsible for his behavior.
-- B
But priors do count when it comes to punishment, no?
Well said, Frank. However, Huguely never reported the incident to the UVA authorities.
Like I said, there are exceptions. Prior bad acts now come into federal court for sex crimes like pedophilia. Also--and notably important in this case--the Defense may want to introduce them or not object when the Prosecution tries to do it, for tactical reasons. Say, the Defense is scared a 1st degree murder charge might stick. That e-mail days beforehand? This could look to a jury like premeditated murder. Life in prison, or even the death penalty. The Defense might well want to paint a picture of sloppy drunken misbehavior. That helps negate the idea that this guy is capable of rational violence, cold-blooded clear-eyed deliberate killing, which is 1st degree murder. Second degree murder which is out-of-control murderous rage, or for that matter manslaughter which is murder-by-reckless-accident, each carry a lighter sentence.
Well, whether he walks or not his life is over. I don't UVA will let him back in to finish up what he had almost completed, his degree. Second, he will have this stain on his reputation forever which I feel is worth than death.
His life is not over. He comes from a wealthy family that will take care of him, he still has a network of connections that could help him get a job, and if he is smart he will stay out of the spotlight. Now, I have my doubts that he will be smart enough to stop drinking and stay out of trouble, so maybe he will not last long even if he does walk.
@B If I were his family I would disown him.
JeffersonChurchill --
You might disown him, but keep in mind that his family paid for an attorney and came to his trial. They are not going to disown him, and they are going to take care of him if he ever gets out of prison.
-- B
The 2006 Interstate Athetice Conference (IAC) Football title was won by Episcopal High School, not Landon.
The night of the purse hitting event, was that really related to Stephanie Aladj?
I thought Stephanie testified that she and Yeardley had "cleared the air" in Fall 2009. I got the impression (I'm obviously not in the courtroom) that the purse incident happened when Yeardley stopped by George's apartment (not sure why) and got upset because the two high school girls were there.
Was Boy George drunk at 2am? Did the police feel he was drunk 5 hrs later? Did they test him? Any mention of that in the condition report at the questioning?
Just asking..............
It got the chills reading this. This guy is violent. I've read other posts where readers write "bubba" will get him in prison. Well I don't know about that, he might rough up "bubba". Huguely is a thug and a murderer.
too much- I don't think he is roughing anyone up in jail and won't do so in prison. One thing hard core lifers do not like are crimes against women and children .............check the history
SkipD, look at that mug shot from the lexington arrest. I get the chills just looking at it. He may not have street smarts as some in prison, but definitely just as violent. And apparently after being tased by the female officer, she was able to get the cuffs on but he still resisted. This guy is brutal. And I guarantee you if he does less than 10 yrs, this will not be the last crime he commits. He's a thug. Who sucker punches a person when they are sleep, but a thug. Or screams racial slurs and obscenities to a female officer, but a thug. Who beats a thin, young woman but a thug batterer. Sociopath. If he gets a light sentence, he's gonna strike again. We'll be reading it in the hook a few years from now.
he is not roughing anyone up in prison.............he is a marked "man"
Re: the timeline, what time did GH return to his apartment and did he stop anywhere along the way?
What time did YL's roommate discover her body?
Could someone please explain what GH meant by taking the computer as "collateral"? Collateral for what? Did she owe him money or something?
Weston - collateral is for drunk speak for a plan that is not thought out well.