In a striking display of justice, Cody Allen Wade, a 33-year-old Indiana resident, has been sentenced to 85 years behind bars for the heinous murder of his mom’s boyfriend, Carl Haviland, in 2020. Wade, who was on parole for arson at the time, left a chilling trail of evidence that sealed his fate.
Man gets 85-year prison sentence for killing his mom’s boyfriend and accidentally sending her voicemail of it.
Cody Allen Wade from Indiana, US, stabbed his mom's partner, Carl Haviland, to death in June 2020 before kicking and taunting him. pic.twitter.com/xYv3YMmXwC
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On that fateful day in June 2020, Wade went to Haviland’s residence after he had ominously confided in someone at a cookout, declaring his intent to kill someone.
His attempt to reach out to his mother added a surreal twist to this horrific incident. When she didn’t answer his call, he left a voicemail. Unbeknownst to him, he failed to disconnect the call, inadvertently recording his actions as he brutally stabbed Haviland in front of his mother. The voicemail later became a vital piece of evidence presented against him during the trial.
Prosecutors painted a grim picture of Wade’s actions during the trial. He not only stabbed Haviland repeatedly but also kicked and taunted him, showing a complete disregard for human life. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zach Clapp revealed that the jury had to listen to the recording, leaving no room for doubt about Wade’s guilt.
Wade’s conviction came with multiple charges, including murder, resisting law enforcement, and battery against a public safety official. The jury also ruled him a habitual offender, resulting in an enhanced sentence. Wade’s history of criminal activities, including arson, played a pivotal role in determining his 85-year sentence.
Moreover, it was discovered that he was under the influence of methamphetamine during the murder, compounding the severity of his actions, while his past diagnosis of bipolar disorder raised questions about his mental state during the crime.
Judge Robert A. Pell, who presided over the case, emphasized the gruesome nature of the murder and Wade’s blatant disregard for his mother’s pleas to stop the violence. According to him, the manner in which Wade committed the crime was a key factor in the decision to enhance Wade’s sentence.
“Obviously, murder contemplates causing the death of another person. But in this case Defendant repeatedly stabbed Carl Haviland not only in front of Defendant’s own Mother but did so in spite of her efforts to physically prevent him from committing the crime. Thereafter, Defendant kicked and taunted Carl Haviland,” he wrote in his sentencing.
Clay County Prosecutor Emily Clarke, who led the prosecution, commented on the disturbing nature of the case. She noted that what made this murder especially chilling was the inadvertent recording of the entire incident.
“I think what made this case especially so was the fact that the defendant had inadvertently recorded himself throughout the murder, so we were able to hear the entire thing. here was taunting going on. The defendant was making racial slurs at the victim and saying horrible things,” she said.
