Timeline Begins to Emerge as More Details of Former Sniper Chris Kyle’s Murder Released: Here’s the Latest
Feb. 4, 2013 8:27amJonathon M. Seidl
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/02/04/timeline-begins-to-emerge-as-more-details-of-chris-kyles-murder-released-heres-the-latestEditor’s note — We’ll be discussing this story and all the day’s news during our live BlazeCast from 12pm-1pm ET…including your questions, comments & live chat:
View of buildings on the property of Rough Creek Lodge photographed Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013. Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield were found murdered at the gun range on the property. Credit: AP
It was a hunting guide who discovered the bodies of Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield at Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, TX, on Saturday after Marine reservist Eddie Ray Routh allegedly turned the gun on them, the Stephenville Empire-Tribune reports.
That’s just one of the latest details to be uncovered as a timeline begins to emerge surrounding the murder of the 38-year-old Kyle, the popular author and former SEAL sniper, and his friend this past weekend.
This photo provided by the Erath County Sheriff s Office shows Eddie Ray Routh. Credit: AP
The Tribune says that, according to Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant, the trio arrived at the lodge around 3:15pm CT on Saturday and it was the first time they had all went to the range together as a group. Less than two hours later — around 5pm — a hunting guide found the bodies and called 911.
Sheriff Bryant said both men were shot by Routh more than once with a semi-automatic handgun. That gun was later recovered at Routh’s residence, confirming that he did return home after leaving the lodge.
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And while we already know that Routh, 25, made off with Kyle’s truck and was arrested on the highway after a brief chase, we now have more details about the time following the incident at the lodge.
RadarOnline.com quotes Bryant as saying Routh actually told his sister what happened after the shooting.
“He stopped and told his sister and brother-in-law what had happened,” Bryant said. “He left to his home in Lancaster and they notified authorities.”
A satellite view of the lodge. (Source: Google)
It’s unclear what else, exactly, he did between the hours after the shooting — besides returning home — and before being captured by
Chris Kyle (Source: Erik Tanner for TIME)
police. However, the Tribune does add more detail about the chase that eventually led to Routh’s capture. According to the outlet, police did use spike strips to slow him down and eventually apprehend him around 9pm CT. You can see pictures of the chase aftermath here.
We also know a little more about Littlefield, 35, and family: His wife, Leanne, is an assistant principal at Walnut Grove Middle School, the Tribune reports.
Finally, Bryant said that it appears Routh’s mother may have reached out to Kyle to help her son as he struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Kyle, who “received 14 different awards and decorations, including two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals,” according to the New York Daily News, leaves behind a wife and two children.
Routh has officially been charged with two counts of capital murder and his being held on a $3 million bond. On Sunday, the Tribune reported that his stay in jail hasn’t been peaceful: he was tasered Sunday evening after becoming aggressive.
“After he ate dinner, he refused to give his tray back to the jailers,” Sheriff Bryant said. “He became aggressive and tried to assault them so they tasered him.”
According to Radaronline, Routh had a run-in with authorities about a year ago for a DWI. ABC says Routh was stationed in both Afghanistan and Haiti.
