In a destructive spree, Whitt spray-painted swastikas and racial
slurs on walls throughout the home. He knocked out windows, lit the gas
stove and candles, and damaged the smoke detectors. He destroyed carpet,
splashed paint throughout the home, tore the kitchen cabinets from the
walls, and poured concrete into the plumbing. Before he left, he also
removed the plumbing traps and turned on the water. This was not
discovered for several days because the owners were out of town visiting
family for the Thanksgiving weekend.
No one was injured, but the
estimated damage totaled more than $60,000. That cost, however, doesn’t
factor in the emotional devastation felt by the family who owned the
home.
After the couple’s son had died prior to this crime, the
family often spent time together at this house, which their daughter had
lived in. When the daughter moved away, the parents began renting out
the home.
“More than the physical destruction was the emotional
destruction for this family,” Kirschner said. “It was really a painful
experience for them.”