As told to prosecutors, a 12 year old boy was found beaten to death. It turned out that he was abused grandmother and grandfather on my father’s side and 14-year-old uncle.
James Alex Hurley lived with grandparents James Sasser, Jr., and Patricia Batts in West Yellowstone, Montana, where he was found dead on 3 February.
Thursday Sasser (47 years old) and Batts (48 years old) was charged with the murder, as told in the Sheriff’s office Gallatin County. Charges are also brought against 14-year-old uncle Hurley.
Prosecutor björn Boyer told the court: «I believe the systematic abuse and beatings led to the death of the victim».
On Wednesday, February 12, 2020, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office arrested James Sasser Jr., Patricia Batts, and a…
Geplaatst door Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office op Woensdag 12 februari 2020
The Bozeman Chronicle writes that the boy lived with the accused, as well as 18-year-old aunt and 6-year-old uncle about 2 years. He moved to West Yellowstone from Texas to live with his father, but after his father’s death moved in with grandma and grandpa.
The boy’s grandmother said that Hurley, who was sleeping on the living room floor, muttering all night before she found him dead in the morning. But no one has tried to provide the child with medical care, said Boyer. The autopsy showed that all his body was bruised, and he died from head injuries after impact with a blunt object.
After the death of Hurley investigators found on the phone video evidence, which indicated that the grandparents and 14-year-old uncle often mocked him.
Allegedly they beat him with a wooden paddle, hid food and were forced to go outside in the cold without warm clothing, writes The Chronicle. The newspaper reported that the video shows as well as Batts strangles and gives the boy a slap.
Batts and 14-year-old uncle admitted to police that they beat the boy with a paddle. Uncle also said that he had numerous fights with Hurley, but he claimed that he never hit him on the head. Detectives noted in charging documents that the growth of the uncle is 6 feet and 3 inches, and a weight of 300 pounds, whereas Hurley was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds.
According to The Chronicle, both also said that 14-year-old boy and Hurley was particularly hard fought 27 Jan. Uncle said that he «soundly» beat Hurley, saying that they found him standing over the Butts with a knife.
According to court records, the uncle also searched the Internet for «concussion symptoms», «symptoms of lack of sleep» and «symptoms of brain injury» the day before the death of Hurley.
The defendants told the detectives that Hurley claimed to have heard voices telling him to kill, according to The Chronicle. They claimed that he repeatedly tried to harm himself and others.
In turn, Lauren Davis, sister-in-law mother Hurley, told NBC Montana that he was «a lovely loving boy.» «He was charming, loving boy, a little confused, but he had a good heart, and he loved his family,» she said. Family members told the station that Hurley moved to Montana because I wanted to be with dad. His mother lives in Texas.
It is reported that in connection with the death of Hurley, charged with aggravated assault on a juvenile also charged 18-year-old Gago Rausu.
Bail Sasser assigned $500 thousand, while the Deposit for the Batts is $750 thousand the Prosecutor Boyer stated that he had requested a higher bail amount for a woman because he believes her more dangerous. «She appears at a greater number of videos demonstrating the abuse of the boy,» he explained.
The boy’s uncle was placed in Yellowstone Youth Services Center in Billings, and the Deposit is $500 thousand.
