Name: Brittini Ward.
Died: May 5, 2010.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Paranoid schizophrenia.
Details:
Brittini’s cousin showed up unannounced at their home, convinced her parents that Brittini was “possessed”, and moved in, saying he would take care of the problem. Only weeks later, Brittini’s family returned home to find her unresponsive. Her cousin had raped her and strangled her.
For a few hours, Brittini’s cousin insisted that she was bloody and unresponsive because she was possessed and needed the demons removed. So the family, under orders from Brittini’s cousin, washed her body and prayed. Nothing happened.
Eventually, Brittini’s mother called her church elders, explaining that her daughter was possessed and they needed help. When one of them came to visit the home, he saw the situation and made Brittini’s mother call 911. Emergency responders arrived to find Brittini had been dead for several hours.
Case Status:
Derek Ward (Cousin) was found unfit to stand trial and hospitalized to restore competency. Competency restored over ten years later, he was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Dawn Wheeler (Mother) pleaded guilty to concealing a death.
Sources:
After he killed his cousin, he moved into her bedroom, Charlotte murder witnesses testify
Mother of slain Charlotte woman takes the stand, directly faces accused killer at trial
Charlotte man found guilty of raping, killing his own cousin in 2010