JOHN L. LOTTER | Teena Brandon Murder | The Humboldt Murders | “Boys Don’t Cry” and “The Brandon Teena Story” | Convicted and Sentenced to Death for Three Counts of Murder | ALS

John L. Lotter. ALS. #10 Commercial (4.125” x 9.5”) envelope. Pmk: September: 23, 2015. SEALED. Content unknown. Pristine.

John Lotter (b. December 31, 1993 | age 30) was convicted on three counts of first degree murder, three counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, and one count of burglary. He was sentenced to death for each murder conviction and to not less than 80 months nor more than 20 years of imprisonment for each use of a weapon conviction and the burglary conviction.

• Classification: Murderer

• Characteristics: Rape

• Number of victims: 3

• Date of murder: December 31, 1993

• Date of arrest: Same day

• Date of birth: May 31, 1971

• Victims profile: Teena Brandon, 21 (a transgendered person who lived as a man); Lisa Marie Lambert, 24; and Phillip DeVine, 19

• Method of murder: Shooting (.380-caliber pistol)

• Location: Humboldt, Richardson County, Nebraska, USA

• Status: Sentenced to death on February 21, 1996

Murder

Teena Brandonⁱ moved to Richardson County, Nebraska, in the fall of 1993. Brandon was a woman but had been presenting herself as a man by the name of “Charles Brayman.” Brandon became acquainted with John L. Lotter (hereinafter referred to as “John”) and Thomas M. Nissen (“Tom”) through a mutual friend and had attended parties with them. John and Tom later discovered that Brandon was a woman. Angry that they had been deceived, on December 25, 1993, they drove Brandon to a rural area and raped her in John’s car. Tom testified on behalf of the State and gave the following account.

On Christmas Day 1993, John and Tom learned that Brandon had reported the rape to the police and began discussing ways to silence Brandon. By December 26, they had decided to kill her. Tom and John drove to Lincoln, where they had reason to believe they would find Brandon. They brought a hatchet and some nylon rope, and each brought a change of clothing. According to Tom, they planned to use the hatchet to chop off Brandon’s head and hands so that her body would be difficult to identify. However, their plan went awry when they were unable to locate Brandon.

Having failed to locate Brandon on December 26, 1993, Tom and John continued to plan Brandon’s murder. On December 28, Tom and John were questioned by Officer Keith Hayes of the Falls City Police Department concerning the allegations stemming from Brandon’s rape. On December 30, 1993, Tom and John went to the house of John’s mother, where John picked up two pairs of gloves. They next went to Bill Bennett’s house, where John stole Bennett’s handgun. After retrieving the handgun, Tom and John drove to Linda Gutierres’ house to look for Brandon. Apparently thinking that Brandon was at the Gutierres residence, they put on the gloves and John handed Tom a knife. John had the handgun in his hand as they walked to the door. Although Brandon was not at the Gutierres residence, Gutierres did tell Tom and John that Brandon was staying at Lisa Lambert’s house near Humboldt, Nebraska. Tom and John then proceeded to Humboldt to kill Brandon.

At approximately 1 a.m. on December 31, 1993, Tom and John drove John’s car to Lambert’s residence. Tom drove while John gave directions. Along the way, they drove by the deputy sheriff’s home, apparently to ascertain whether the deputy would be on patrol that night. When they reached Lambert’s residence, Tom drove down a long gravel driveway and parked the car by the side of the house. Both were wearing gloves when they got out of the vehicle. John was armed with Bennett’s handgun and a knife. After pounding on the door and getting no response, John kicked in the door and they entered Lambert’s home. They entered the bedroom, where they encountered Lambert, who was lying on a waterbed, and her baby, who was in a crib. Tom asked Lambert where Brandon was and then noticed there was a person under a blanket on the floor at the foot of the bed. Removing the blanket, Tom discovered Brandon, who apparently had been trying to hide. Tom grabbed Brandon by the arm and stood her up. John then shot Brandon, who fell on the bed. Brandon continued to twitch after being shot, so Tom proceeded to ensure that she was dead by retrieving the knife from John and stabbing Brandon in the abdomen. After he stabbed Brandon, Tom picked up the baby and handed the baby to Lambert. As soon as Tom handed Lambert the baby, John raised the pistol and shot Lambert in the stomach area, but the shot did not kill her. Tom grabbed the baby and put him back in the crib. While Lambert was still alive, Tom asked her if anyone else was in the house. Lambert indicated that Phillip DeVine was present, so John left the room to find DeVine.

John returned to the room with DeVine and shot Lambert again, this time in the eye. DeVine, who had been pleading for his life, was led back to the living room at Tom’s suggestion. Tom told DeVine to sit down, and DeVine complied by sitting on the couch. As soon as DeVine sat down, John shot him twice. John then went back to Lambert’s bedroom. The record indicates John fired two or three more shots to ensure that everyone was dead. Tom then went back to the bedroom and suggested that he and John leave. Tom and John then left the house.

Tom drove himself and John back to Falls City. During the return trip to Falls City, John threw the knife and a box containing the handgun into the Nemaha River. When they arrived in Falls City, Tom and John went to Tom’s house, where Tom’s wife, Kandi Tom, and Rhonda McKenzie, John’s girlfriend, were staying. Tom washed his hands with Clorox because he did not have his gloves on when he stabbed Brandon. Tom and Lotter then informed Kandi Tom and McKenzie that if anyone asked, they were home at 1 a.m. It was approximately 3 a.m. at that time.

The jury found Lotter guilty. In February 1996, a three-judge panel sentenced Lotter to death.

• VIDEO: The Brandon Teena Story (1998) | https://youtu.be/M4_4h-iVP98
• VIDEO: Brandon Teena Story on 20/20 Downtown (2000) | https://youtu.be/zU6zjFkS3Pc
• VIDEO: American Justice Life and Death of Teena Brandon | https://youtu.be/vfV9dOyZupY

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