Suvechha Sarkar
William and Katherine Chiapella were warm, generous, and cherished members of their community. However, their peaceful life was shattered in the fall of 1987 when they were brutally murdered in their home in Chico, California. This appalling crime sent shockwaves throughout their family and neighborhood, who were left grieving. The episode titled ‘Keeping My Brother’s Secret’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here’ revisits this horrifying double murder and unravels the layer of violence that led up to the tragic event. The episode also features the accounts from a family member of the killer, shedding light on the motive of the perpetrator.
William and Katherine Chiapella’s Peaceful Life Unexpectedly Plunged Into Chaos
Seemingly born in the late 1910s, William and Katherine Chiapella had lived a fulfilling life, which was defined by love and service. They had found their forever in each other and welcomed their children — Beth Reil, Anne De Lanoy, and Joseph Chiapella — with great joy. As the kids grew up, Katherine made sure to nurture them with unconditional love and support. Whether it be for sports practice or other hobbies, she never hesitated to put her family first. Unsurprisingly, her warmth gradually spread beyond this perimeter, too, as she started volunteering. Similarly, William, with his gentle demeanor and ever-present smile, had devoted his life to healing others. Being an esteemed doctor, his medical journey began during World War II, when he cared for the soldiers with unwavering dedication.
William’s compassion did not stop there, as the physician even treated the monks of Vina Monastery. In his later years, he served the less fortunate all around the world. His medical prowess was evident, resulting in him earning the honor of Douglas MacArthur Scholarship Committee’s Most World-Minded Citizen. On top of that, he was also the president of the Chico Rotary Club, where he continued to inspire those around him. Everything became even more joyful as the couple eventually became grandparents and spent their time spoiling their grandkids with their love. However, the lives of William and Katherine came to a sudden end in early 1987. On January 17, Joseph Chiapella decided to visit his parents after not hearing from them for a few days, just to be met with a horrific scene.
Upon entering the house, he found his father heinously stabbed to death. Not wasting any time, he called his wife and then 911 to report the crime. It was only after this that he found his mother, who was also stabbed in the chest, deceased on the kitchen floor. Once officials arrived at the scene, they hypothesized it was likely a case of robbery gone wrong owing to signs of forced entry. However, they did not discard the suspicion that there might be another motive for the double murder. In the end, William and Katherine’s autopsy ascertained that the cause of their deaths was multiple trauma from stab wounds caused by a knife. It also determined that the day of their demise was actually January 13, 1987, three days before they were found. A full-blown investigation was subsequently launched, which soon led officials to the perpetrator.
William and Katherine Chiapella’s Killer Was a College Football Athlete
Despite signs of forced entry and theft, the detectives noticed early on that the murders of William and Katherine appeared to be very calculated. That’s because there were seemingly no witnesses to the crime, and nobody even noticed anything amiss on the fateful day. In other words, with the fact that the couple was a pillar of society with no known enemies, there were no viable leads for officials to follow up on. Hence, the initial progress of the case was slow, and things only changed owing to an interview with one of their associates. It brought up a name, Steven Edward Crittenden, who was employed by the victims to mow their lawn.
After all, it turned out that he had come to work for only one week and then never returned again. Once it came to light that he was a Chico State football player, officials arrived at his door to speak with him. However, to their surprise, they learned that he had allegedly skipped town within days of the double murder. The detectives even searched William and Katherine’s house thoroughly and found out that the latter’s checkbook was missing four pages. It enabled them to not only track the possibly stolen checks but also consequently find the assailant — thief as well as likely killer.
It didn’t take long before they learned that on January 14, just one day after the double murder, one of these checks was cashed out for $3,000 by none other than Steven Crittenden. He had reportedly spent some of this money right after by going to the movies with his girlfriend. In addition to this, a shoe print recovered from the scene also matched his. In light of all the evidence, he was arrested at his house and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, along with charges of robbery and burglary, on January 21, 1987.
Steven Crittenden Was Sentenced to Death But it Was Eventually Overturned
While Steven was waiting for his trial, he attempted to escape from prison multiple times. On May 11, 1987, he succeeded but was arrested again in Sacramento. During his first trial in June 1989, the prosecution provided all the evidence they had accumulated against him before the court. They argued he was motivated by financial desperation and targeted 68-year-old William and 67-year-old Katherine because he knew them. A witness testimony also placed him near their residence around the time of the crime. However, the defense argued that the evidence in this case was circumstantial and attempted to cast doubt on his direct involvement. They suggested that the investigation had focused too narrowly on him.
Steven had pleaded not guilty before his trial, but after careful consideration, the jury ultimately convicted him of all charges and sentenced him to death. Starting in the 1990s, his legal team filed multiple appeals, reportedly claiming that he had received an unfair trial. One of the major points raised was racial bias, which had allegedly played a role even in the jury selection. In October 2013, a federal court finally overturned his death sentence, citing that his constitutional rights had been violated. However, the court did not overturn the conviction in itself. This led to a retrial again, which was followed by another death row sentence. On April 13, 2021, he made a crucial decision of agreeing to a plea deal in order to avoid the reinstatement of the death penalty.
Steven pleaded guilty to both the first-degree murder charges and was sentenced to 63 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In a surprising and emotional twist, he also submitted a handwritten letter to the court where he admitted his guilt and detailed the events of the fateful day. He penned, “I am not asking for your forgiveness, and I do not deserve it. I’m merely trying to speak from my heart and convey the fact that I am truly sorry for all the hurt, pain, and suffering I have caused.” As of now, Steven is serving his sentence at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, which is a prison in Marin County, California.
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