Indiana’s Most Brutal Killer – Steven Judy

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18th February 2018  •  6 min read

Steven Timothy Judy had been convicted of several violent and sexually motivated crimes before 1979, when he murdered Terry Lee Chasteen and her three children.


Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy

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Steven Timothy Judy’s childhood was nothing short of horrific. It was a nightmare of violence, sex, pornography, incest, alcohol and crime. “That’s all he’s known since the day he was born,” said his defence attorney, Steven L. Harris.1 His father, Vernon, was frequently arrested for abusing and beating his mother, Myrtle. One afternoon, Vernon found Myrtle in bed with another man and responded to the affair by butchering the family sheepdog. “There’s times when I can remember my mother pulling gun out on my dad and trying to shoot him,” Judy recalled.2

He had a troubled upbringing, to say the very least.

As a child, Judy burned down a neighbour’s garage and stabbed a classmate with a compass. When he was 10-years-old, Judy started to push high-school girls to the ground and molest them. He was caught during the act several times but would always be released back into the custody of his parents. As he grew older, his attacks became more vicious.

When he was 13-years-old, he knocked on a woman’s door pretending he was a Boy Scout. Once inside, he pulled out a knife and raped the young woman, Carol Emig. After he was finished, he stabbed Emig numerous times with such force the knife broke in her sternum. Judy then rushed to the kitchen in search of another weapon. Emig stumbled to a drawer in her bedroom and grabbed a hatchet that she and her husband used for camping trips. As Judy came back with a butcher knife that he retrieved from the kitchen drawer, he decided instead to grab the hatchet from the young woman. He crashed it down over her head, fracturing her skull. As she attempted to defend herself from the blows, Judy chopped off her thumb. Emig suffered over 40 and underwent brain surgery. Miraculously, she survived.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy

As a result of this attack, Judy was held for six months at a juvenile detention centre before being transferred to Central State Hospital where he was diagnosed as a sexual psychopath.3

He remained there for two years before being released into the custody of a new foster family. His foster parents were Robert and Mary Carr. They were never informed about his savage past. While he never acted violent towards his new family, his violent behaviour continued elsewhere and he was steadily in and out of trouble with the law.

In July of 1975, Judy randomly grabbed a woman from her car and began to beat her up. The attack only stopped when a passer-by intervened.  He was charged with aggravated battery and served 20 months in prison. Just one month after his release, he forced his way inside another woman’s car and sexually assaulted her at knife point. He spent a year in jail before his trial ended in a hung jury. Two months later, Judy entered a local market brandishing a gun and robbed the terrified cashier. He was released on bond.

Soon, his brutality would reach new heights and ultimately land him on Death Row.

On the 28th of April, 1979, Judy saw 21-year-old Terry Chasteen driving south on I-465 in Indiana. In the car with the young mother were her three children: 5-year-old Misty, 4-year-old Steven and 2-year-old Mark. Chasteen was driving her children to her babysitter’s house before reporting to work in the produce department at a Marsh grocery store.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy
Terry Chasteen.

Judy motioned Chasteen to the side of the road, indicating that her rear tire looked faulty. He offered to tighten it and she got a lug wrench out of the trunk to hand to the seemingly-helpful stranger. Instead of helping, however, Judy went to the front of the car, opened the hood, and removed a coil write from the engine without Chasteen noticing. As a result, the car would not start. Judy told Chasteen that he would drive her to her job and drive her children to the babysitter. She agreed and they all clambered into his car.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy
Steven, Misty and Mark.

Judy, however, had something much more sinister in mind.

Judy drove to a deserted countryside spot next to Whitelick Creek where Chasteen’s children played down on the creek bed. As they were alone, Judy turned on Chasteen and bound her with material ripped from her own dress. He then raped and strangled Chasteen. Moments later, her children returned to the scene. As they saw the nude and lifeless body of their mother, they started to scream and cry. Judy picked them up one by one and threw them into the 7-feet deep icy creek where they drowned.

He threw Chasteen in after them.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy
Terry Chasteen’s hands bound behind her back.

Morgan County Sheriff’s Department officer Robert Williams and Sheriff Dick Allen were the first on the scene that morning. Mushroom hunters had stumbled across Chasteen’s body along the creek bank. Her legs rested on the creek bank while the rest of her body was submerged.

Those on scene were still absorbing this horrendous discovery when a shout from downstream echoed: “We have found two more…”

By mid-afternoon, all four bodies had been retrieved from the creek.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy
Where the boys’ bodies were found by the officers.

Numerous witnesses had seen Chasteen and her children with Judy and he was apprehended within 36 hours.

Unlike most killers, Judy wanted to die. He had told his defence attorney, Steven L. Harris, that he wanted to take some kind of action to ascertain that he be sentenced to death. “He said he was going to jump over the table and choke Tom Gray and I told him that no, he shouldn’t do that, that someone might shoot him and that it might be me.”

During his trial, Judy asked if he could address the jurors. Harris agreed and Judy stood up and chillingly stated: “You better vote for the death penalty because if you don’t, I will get out and it may be one of you next, or your family.”

After just thirty minutes deliberation, the jury granted Judy his wish and sentenced him to death.

“Actually, I’m really calm about it. It’s something I look forward to,” said Judy the night before his execution. His lawyer had attempted to get a last minute reprieve to which Judy responded: “Don’t screw me out of it now. You know this is what I want. You know I’m dangerous. You know I might do it again… Don’t interfere, not at this point.”4

In fact, Judy halted his appeal process. There was no delay, no stay of execution and no prolonged years on Death Row.

Harris said that Judy cried on his last day. First when his foster parents left and again when Harris left his cell moments before his execution. Judy was given a 10-milligram injection of Valium and bid farewell to Harris. “We shook hands, he said ‘Thanks, this is the right thing, don’t feel bad about it,’ and that was it.” Seemingly having somewhat of a last-minute change of heart, he had a piece of advice Harris: “If you have any other clients who want to do this, talk them out of it.”

The next time Harris saw Judy, he was being strapped to the electric chair.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy

As Judy was led to the electric chair on the 9th of March, 1981, he told the guards: “I don’t hold no grudges. This is my doing. I’m sorry it happened.” The first time he showed any form of remorse or apologised for his crime. He also handed his watch to a guard and told him to give it to his fellow Death Row inmate, Jim Lowery. 5

Judy’s foster father, Robert Carr, and Harris were the only witnesses at the execution. “He reared up and his fingers clenched and tightened up. He gripped real hard. And when the voltage stopped, he just relaxed,” said Carr.  Judy’s foster mother, Mary, didn’t want to witness the execution. Before he was led to the electric chair, she tried one final time to try and talk him into resisting the execution. “I told him not to let his pride stand in his way. He said, ‘Mary, you know me better than that. Nothing’s going to change my mind.’”6

Judy’s birth father, Vernon Judy, sent a last-minute message to his son, whom he had not seen for over a decade. “Give Steve a message goodbye. I love him,” was the message. “Isn’t that nice of him? Just a little late,” said Mary.

Judy was the fourth person to be executed in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated.

“Steven Judy was not the ice person he has been portrayed,” said Harris. After the execution, Harris decided to never again defend somebody facing the death penalty.

Indiana's Most Brutal Killer - Steven Judy

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Footnotes:

  1. Evening Star, 8 March, 1981 – “Killer Calmly Awaits Death in Electric Chair”
  2. Evening Star, 9 March, 1981 – “Foster Father Tells of Judy’s Final Moments”
  3. The Herald-Times, 21 October, 2001 – “Steven Judy Case Still Resonates 20 Years Later”
  4. Evening Star, 8 March, 1991 – “Killer Calmly Awaits Death in Electric Chair”
  5. UPI News Track, 9 March, 1981 – “Steven T. Judy Says He’s Sorry Before Dying”
  6. Evening Star, 9 March, 1981 – “Foster Father Tells of Judy’s Final Moments”

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Caroline
Caroline
6 years ago

I wonder if it would have been different if he was put up for adoption? The system failed in this case and he was allowed to be free even after committing horrible acts.

I have never heard of this story before and it is really heartbreaking. That poor family. It is no wonder he was so sadistic with that upbringing…

Lois Agnor
Lois Agnor
3 years ago
Reply to  Caroline

I do understand your logic here. However, after working at a behavioral mental health facility for boys 12-18, I truly feel that the actions were a choice. Once maybe a horrendous, horrific mistake. Any more than that a choice.

Kimberly Butcher
Kimberly Butcher
2 years ago
Reply to  Caroline

REALLY!!!! Many people are beaten when they are growing up, BUT that does not mean they go out and kill people.!!!! DONT FEEL SORRY FOR THAT POS.

Jesse
Jesse
6 years ago

What an evil man!

Brooke
Brooke
6 years ago

I am a relative to the Chasteen family. Terry’s husband Mark was my uncle, who has unfortunately passed. I can say that even though this event happened in 1979- that it still has an impact on our family today. What Steven Judy did is unforgivable, and I hope he is rotting in Hell. It’s also a real shame that these photographs of my murdered family are so easily accessible online. But, I do have something else to say: Someone should absolutely NEVER have ANY sympathy toward Steven Judy for having “a bad life”. He MURDERED a mother, and 3 innocent… Read more »

Bruce price
Bruce price
4 years ago
Reply to  Brooke

I ran into this guy in the woods one day around Marian college…was with a lady and we were walking in the woods…he was hiding behind a tree and..seeing him out of the corner of my eye..and acknowledging him probably saved her life….found out a day later another lady had been killed around 30th and cold springs…I told the police…nothing ever came of it…more than likely he was her murderer as well.

Amanda
Amanda
4 years ago
Reply to  Bruce price

He was. It was my mother.

Jeff
Jeff
3 years ago
Reply to  Bruce price

A friend and I ran into this guy at the abandoned house on Cold Spring road in the summer before the murder that took place there. We were kids and saw him walking up the driveway when we were in one of the houses. Knowing that we were trespassing and scared that he was the property owner we ran to the barn at the back of the property and hid. We waited for about 10 minutes and then slowly snuck out the back of the barn through a spot missing some boards. As we started walking away into the woods… Read more »

April Maddigan
April Maddigan
2 years ago
Reply to  Jeff

Omg

Last edited 2 years ago by April Maddigan
Jason
Jason
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeff

That would send chills up my spine as matter of fact it does just reading your comment

Amanda
Amanda
4 years ago
Reply to  Brooke

He murdered my mother as well and I couldn’t agree more! There is a hot place in hell for this pure evil. I’m sickened by anyone who has sympathy for this piece of scum. We ALL have free will choice. He did not give Our family members the choice to live or die. Prayers for your family and I know mine hurts daily still.

Kimberly Butcher
Kimberly Butcher
2 years ago
Reply to  Brooke

Your Uncle took those 2 boys from their mother and placed them in a grave somewhere else. They died together and they should have been buried together.

Kelly Noble
Kelly Noble
5 years ago

Brooke- I’m so sorry for your families loss. Your aunt was beautiful and her children, your cousins so preciously cute. Their deaths were tragic and had the courts taken Steven judys previous crimes more serious, your family wouldn’t had to go thru all this. He was a sick individual who needed help as a youngster. Back then they didn’t recognize mental illness like they do now. I am NOT trying to minimize what he did. He himself knew he was sick. I blame the legal systems who released him so quickly from him earlier crimes. I can not imagine what… Read more »

Diana Asberry-Whitt
Diana Asberry-Whitt
5 years ago

I remember when this happened. Heartbreaking. What’s almost as bad tho is his horrific childhood. Yes, it DOES play a large part in his actions, tho I’m not defending him at all. He was a monster, created at the hands of his “parents”. There’s a lot of monsters out there and most were abused as kids. I feel that he should NEVER have been given the easy out of execution. True suffering would have been living the rest of his life in a cell roughly the size of a small bathroom, among equally violent inmates and guards who can be… Read more »

Kimberly Butcher
Kimberly Butcher
2 years ago

OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE MISTREATED AND BEATEN GROWING UP, BUT THAT DOESNT MEAN THEY ARE GOING TO KILL SOMEONE.Think before speak………………!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Michael T
Michael T
2 years ago

Which one applies to you: 1) Not enough common sense to learn how to utilize your CAPS option when typing. 2) So desperate for attention that you feel that “shouting” is the only way for anyone to acknowledge you. 3) You’re one of those special in that short bus kind of way, thinking that your opinion isn’t just an opinion but somehow fact and typing in all CAPS is proof of actually how little self esteem you actually have? Or is it a mix of all three?

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[…] better put me to death” – Richard Clark – Capital Punishment UK  Indiana’s Most Brutal Killer – Emily Thompson – Morbidology Steven Timothy Judy Wikipedia […]

Micki Fuller
Micki Fuller
3 years ago

This man truly was evil. As an adult who was horribly abused as a child, let me say that excusing him for the choices he made because he was abused is crap!! I will do almost anything not to hurt people. He wanted to do those horrible things!! So sorry for the Chaistain family!! I do hope y’all’s hearts have healed. 💜

E.C.
E.C.
3 years ago

he was not at fault here, it was the systems. Sure what he did was bad, but I just had a feeling of remorse at the end

Vic
Vic
3 years ago
Reply to  E.C.

You must lay the blame on him. And why do you feel remorse for such a despicable pos like him? Your empathy should be with the vicitms.

Kimberly Butcher
Kimberly Butcher
2 years ago
Reply to  E.C.

NOT AT FAULT. ARE YOU CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michael T
Michael T
2 years ago
Reply to  E.C.

Ah, he was a victim… Aren’t we all? Imagine how many prisons could be have overcrowding eased if we as a society didn’t hold those psychos accountable for their actions? If a rapist was himself raped, said rapist was merely a byproduct of his past trauma, according to you? I’d love to see how much compassion you would have if this dude had come across your family members instead. Critical thinking must be a painful event for you.

Ronald Rosito
Ronald Rosito
2 years ago

Good riddance dirtbag

Kimberly Butcher
Kimberly Butcher
2 years ago

This pretty woman and her children were my next door neighbors. I babysat her 3 kids and I also went to church with them. This changed my life. At that time I was still young enough that I didnt even know someone could murder you.I yealled at God and told him I hate him. I thought God protected the little children. GUESS NOT.

Michael T
Michael T
2 years ago

According to most religious folks, either “everything happens for a reason” or “it is all part of god’s plan.” Neither of them make any sense to a person exhibiting a shred of common sense…

Jeannie
Jeannie
2 years ago

Unfortunately I am related to this monster. I was a small child and do not remember him. In the book of burn Judy burn my mother and I are spoken about when we were in Texas with him. Such a scary situation and no telling what actually happened there. I was very blessed when my great grandmother on my mother’s side took me out of all of the craziness. There are so many stories I’ve been told . To the family of anyone who was hurt,murdered or had anything to do with him I’m so sorry. It sends chills down… Read more »

Stephanie
Stephanie
1 year ago
Reply to  Jeannie

I was a rape victim of Steven Judy’s in June 1975. I was lucky that I survived. He appeared like a Good Samaritan to me as well (like Terry) and said something was wrong with my car. He drove me to a remote area north of Indianapolis in a wooded area, where he raped me, bound my hands behind my back & tied me to a tree & left me. I was fortunate to be found the next morning by a retired police officer. I was 19 years old at the time. I think about Terry’s family & the generational… Read more »

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