How Erin Caffey Love Story Ended Up Being So Tragic

Erin Caffey and her family were devout, but something terrible happened that flipped their lives upside down. This article will explain what happened to the Caffey family.

On one heinous night, three people were killed and five more were irreparably affected. Isn’t it weird that the person who initiated all of this was a member of their own family?

Let’s find out.

The Caffey Family’s Background

The Caffey family was a conservative and protective family when it came to their religious beliefs and values. Terry Caffey and Penny Caffey were husband and wife. 

They shared 3 children together, Erin Caffey, 16 years old, Matthew Caffey, who was 13 years old and Tyler Caffey, who was only 8 years old.

Terry and Penny worked as ministers at a conservative Baptist Church in Celeste, Texas. The Caffey’s were also quite devoted to their nearby church, which also melded with their love of music.

Their elder daughter, Erin Caffey was the singer and his two younger brothers used to play guitar and harmonica at the church while her mother, Penny used to play the piano.

The family used to live in Alba, Texas, but in order to be closer to their church, the Caseys decided to relocate to Celeste, Texas.

Erin Caffey was homeschooled all her childhood and later went to public school where she started her eighth grade. 

Coming from a conservative and religious background, Erin’s parents were terrified when a girl at school attempted to kiss Erin.

After this incident, they immediately removed their children from school and Penny decided to teach them at home with a Bible-based curriculum.

The Love Story of Erin Caffey

Erin appeared to have suffered greatly as a result of these practices and isolation. She had no friends and desired to see the world.

After some years, she was given permission to work at the local Sonic after she reached age at 16 in July 2007. 

This was the time when she met her soon-to-be lover Charlie, and it’s also where the first turning event in her life occurred.

Charlie Wilkinson was a high school student who was renowned for his anger, but he was never arrested and had no severe disciplinary issues at school. 

Charlie, on the other hand, did not sit well with Erin’s parents because they went on to investigate Charlie on the internet, and it turned out to be unsatisfactory.

Wilkinson’s Myspace profile was loaded with sexual content and alcohol discussion. Unsurprisingly, Erin and Charlie knew what other people thought about their relationship. 

Charlie had only been seeing Erin for a few months when he proposed to her with his grandmother’s engagement ring.

That news enraged Terry and Penny, and the Caffey’s came up with the idea of putting limitations to Erin’s time with Charlie.

Erin was irritated since the couple was only allowed to meet once a week under their supervision. She was so infuriated that she tried to escape. 

Erin, on the other hand, was grounded in February 2008 for chatting to Charlie without approval and had her keys and phone forcibly taken.

Caffeys forced her to end the relationship when Erin violated her “phone curfew” in February 2008.

This was the time when Erin Caffey had a random discussion with friends about murdering her parents. That was the only way she thought she could be with Charlie.

The Plan of Action

Charlie drove up to Erin’s home in midnight of March 1, 2008, two days after Erin was grounded. 

He was accompanied by two friends: Charles Allen Waid and Waid’s girlfriend, Bobbi Gale Johnson.

Wilkinson told Erin before entering the premises that he needed to kill her younger brothers so that there’d be no eyewitnesses. “I don’t care,” she allegedly replied, “just do what you gotta do.”

However, Erin Caffey went outside and sat in the car with Bobbi as Charlie and Waid broke into the house.

Wilkinson stormed Terry and Penny’s room first and shot a.22 revolvers at the sleeping spouse. Terry Caffey, who had taken many gunshots himself, saw his wife die as he lay alongside her.

Being unable to speak or move, Terry was shot almost 11 times. Caffey was not fully conscious, but he kept thinking about his kids, who were sleeping upstairs.

Wilkinson’s gun was seized after many shots, so Waid took out a samurai-style sword, almost decapitating Penny with it.

Charlie and Waid then went upstairs to find Tyler and Matthew. Terry noticed his son Matthew exclaim,  “No, Charlie. No. Why are you doing this?”

The terrified Terry passed out as Tyler was shot multiple times in the face and Matthew was mercilessly murdered as the duo killed him with Samurai sword.

Wilkinson and Waid then searched the premises for valuables after Wilkinson offered Waid $2,000 in exchange for his cooperation and had set fire to the furniture. 

Caffey isn’t sure how long he was passed out but when he regained consciousness, he noticed the house was on fire. Terry then crawled out of our bathroom window and hauled himself away from the place.

It took almost two hours for Caffey to crawl 300 yards through the woods to neighbor Tommy Gaston’s place. When Gaston dialed 911, the attendant inquired about Caffey’s bleeding spot.

Terry, on the other hand, was completely drenched in blood. He was blessed enough to escape, and his survival is a miracle.

Caffey was taken to Tyler’s East Texas Medical Center Emergency Unit and was urgently hospitalized due to excessive bleeding.

Aftermath

After Terry Caffey took Charlie Wilkinson’s name, authorities swiftly tracked him down. Officials then questioned him for interrogation. 

Then they found Erin Caffey, who looked to be in distress, in the trailer where Waid’s older brother was residing. Erin informed the authorities that she had been kidnapped.

Erin was not first thought to be a suspect. Waid, however, informed authorities during interrogation that he’d been promised $2,000 for his involvement in the killings.

Erin Caffey’s made-up kidnapping claim fell apart quickly. According to authorities, Wilkinson, Waid, and Johnson all gave the same testimony.

The Punishment

Wilkinson said that he insisted on the two of them fleeing together but never gave an option to kill. 

However, Caffey, Wilkinson, Waid, and Waid’s girlfriend were all convicted with three charges of capital murder.

Wilkinson and Waid were sentenced to life imprisonment without the chance of parole in October 2008.

Whereas, Johnson and Erin Caffey both pled guilty to manslaughter three months later.

Johnson received two consecutive 40-year penalties and will possibly be granted parole in 24 years if things get better.

Erin Caffey was charged with capital murder for her involvement in the murders of her mother and two younger brothers.

Final Note

Despite everything worse that had happened to Caffeys, Terry Caffey remained committed to the forgiveness, which his religion had taught him.

Terry and Erin are on good terms since he has accepted her side of the story. He also continues to pay her visits in jail.

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