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Family Brutally Murdered in Bakersfield Home Laid to Rest
Aired July 16, 2003 - 13:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Farewell to family. Five members of a California family found shot last week will be laid to rest today. Services begin next hour at the Bakersfield Convention Center for Joanie Harper, her mother, and three young children.
And family, friends, and people who didn't know them were definitely touched by their deaths. They're gathering at the convention center in Bakersfield, California to mourn the killings.
We told you about Joanie Harper, mother, and her three children. Well the man police say is the only suspect in the case is also expected to attend. Our David Mattingly is there. He joins me now live -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the doors opened a just few moments ago and the funeral services will begin in about 30 minutes.
When family and friends file through here they are confronted almost immediately with a very emotional sight. I walked in a took a look just a few minutes ago. When they walk in, they immediately see four caskets. And I say four caskets because the youngest victim, the 6-week-old baby boy, will be buried with his mother.
And over that casket is a very large picture of what was once a smiling and happy family. And a family that will be deeply missed by this community. Two to 3,000 people are expected to attend, some admitting, however, that they have some mixed emotions today.
The children's father, Vincent Brothers, is expected to attend, though he is not scheduled to speak. He remains the only named suspect in these murders. Police over the weekend were in Columbus, Ohio checking out Brothers' alibi that he was visiting family. He's attorney says that alibi is solid though police have yet to confirm that.
So in addition to the deep sorrow that we have today, we have people coming in admitting that they have some suspicions that they are attempting to deal with.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY WOFFORD, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: First of all, their roots are here. The family had roots. They'd been here for years. I've known the family for 30-plus years. I went to high school with Joanie's older brothers. I knew Joanie as a little girl. They were nice, kind people. And it was like the good American family, lived down the block, who you would think this couldn't happen to them. And by it happening, the big question is why? You know. Why them?
You know, it would hurt anybody. It would hurt a fly, so to speak. So why would they have something like this happen to them?
LETHA HORNG, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: I'm here with my prayers and concern for the family, just to let them know we care.
MATTINGLY: They're expecting thousands of people today. What was it about this family that their loss affected so many people?
HORNG: It's just such a tragedy to hit our little small town. And it just shook the city up, you know? it's A wake up call, you know, you just couldn't stand by and see something like this, as tragic as this happen, without going to their rescue, letting them know we care, too. Little, innocent babies. Innocent people.
MICHAEL FIELDS, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: It's a small town. I mean, it was a small town. So that closeness is still here with that family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: You can tell everyone so deeply affected by these murders here in this town. They're remembering today 70-year-old Ernestine Harper. She was a strong and longtime community activist.
Her daughter, 39-year-old Joanie Harper, and the Joanie's three children. Four-year-old Marcus, 2-year-old Lyndsey and the 6-week-old baby, Marshall. The entire family found, last Tuesday, shot and stabbed to death in their Bakersfield home.
Police say -- investigators hint that it is possible they were killed after they returned from church services last Sunday -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: David Mattingly, Bakersfield, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 16, 2003 - 13:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Farewell to family. Five members of a California family found shot last week will be laid to rest today. Services begin next hour at the Bakersfield Convention Center for Joanie Harper, her mother, and three young children.
And family, friends, and people who didn't know them were definitely touched by their deaths. They're gathering at the convention center in Bakersfield, California to mourn the killings.
We told you about Joanie Harper, mother, and her three children. Well the man police say is the only suspect in the case is also expected to attend. Our David Mattingly is there. He joins me now live -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the doors opened a just few moments ago and the funeral services will begin in about 30 minutes.
When family and friends file through here they are confronted almost immediately with a very emotional sight. I walked in a took a look just a few minutes ago. When they walk in, they immediately see four caskets. And I say four caskets because the youngest victim, the 6-week-old baby boy, will be buried with his mother.
And over that casket is a very large picture of what was once a smiling and happy family. And a family that will be deeply missed by this community. Two to 3,000 people are expected to attend, some admitting, however, that they have some mixed emotions today.
The children's father, Vincent Brothers, is expected to attend, though he is not scheduled to speak. He remains the only named suspect in these murders. Police over the weekend were in Columbus, Ohio checking out Brothers' alibi that he was visiting family. He's attorney says that alibi is solid though police have yet to confirm that.
So in addition to the deep sorrow that we have today, we have people coming in admitting that they have some suspicions that they are attempting to deal with.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY WOFFORD, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: First of all, their roots are here. The family had roots. They'd been here for years. I've known the family for 30-plus years. I went to high school with Joanie's older brothers. I knew Joanie as a little girl. They were nice, kind people. And it was like the good American family, lived down the block, who you would think this couldn't happen to them. And by it happening, the big question is why? You know. Why them?
You know, it would hurt anybody. It would hurt a fly, so to speak. So why would they have something like this happen to them?
LETHA HORNG, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: I'm here with my prayers and concern for the family, just to let them know we care.
MATTINGLY: They're expecting thousands of people today. What was it about this family that their loss affected so many people?
HORNG: It's just such a tragedy to hit our little small town. And it just shook the city up, you know? it's A wake up call, you know, you just couldn't stand by and see something like this, as tragic as this happen, without going to their rescue, letting them know we care, too. Little, innocent babies. Innocent people.
MICHAEL FIELDS, FUNERAL ATTENDEE: It's a small town. I mean, it was a small town. So that closeness is still here with that family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: You can tell everyone so deeply affected by these murders here in this town. They're remembering today 70-year-old Ernestine Harper. She was a strong and longtime community activist.
Her daughter, 39-year-old Joanie Harper, and the Joanie's three children. Four-year-old Marcus, 2-year-old Lyndsey and the 6-week-old baby, Marshall. The entire family found, last Tuesday, shot and stabbed to death in their Bakersfield home.
Police say -- investigators hint that it is possible they were killed after they returned from church services last Sunday -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: David Mattingly, Bakersfield, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
