The murder of Jeff Wright shocked the neighbourhood, leaving everyone looking for explanations and justice.
Investigation Discovery’s compelling series, “S*x & Murder: Candle Wax Killer,” delves into the tragic story of what happened in January 2003 when 32-year-old Jeff Wright was the victim of a brutal murder inside the walls of his Houston, Texas, home.
Leaving no stone left in their quest to cover up their horrible conduct, the criminal coldly buried the deceased body in a shallow grave hidden close to the patio while enveloped in darkness.
But the burden of their guilt proved too much for them to bear, and a week after doing this heinous act, they gave in to the pressure and made the disastrous choice to turn themselves in to the police.
Here’s a peek at what we now know for those drawn to the case’s horrific facts who long to identify the culprit and solve the mystery surrounding the investigation.
The brutal murder of Jeff Wright
The murder of Jeff Wright took place at the start of 2003.
He was handcuffed to his bed and stabbed 193 times. Days later, the murderer handed herself in after cleaning up the mess.
Susan and Jeff gave off the impression of being a happy young couple with two gorgeous kids.
Their infant daughter was only 18 months old, while their son was four years old.
Prosecutors claim that on January 13, 2003, Susan, who was 26 at the time, bound her 34-year-old husband, who was entirely naked, to the bed using neckties.
She used two knives to stab him over 200 times, seven of which were in the groyne.
Susan bound Jeff’s body to a dolly after the heinous act.
She pulled him outside, buried him, and covered him with potting soil in a hole that had previously been dug for a fountain.
Susan submitted a report on domestic violence two days later.
She turned herself in to the police within a week, and her attorney revealed her plan of defence.
The trial & punishment
The lawyer contended that Susan had acted in self-defense since she had experienced four years of physical abuse from her husband.
Dramatic scenes abounded during the 2004 trial, including Susan’s emotional statement on the witness stand and the prosecution’s reenactment on the blood-stained mattress in the courtroom.
The jury rejected Susan’s claim of self-defense in spite of what the defence claimed.
She was given a 25-year prison sentence after being found guilty of killing Jeff Wright.
Susan’s case was reviewed after five years, which resulted in a fresh sentencing hearing.
Her legal counsel was found to have been ineffective throughout the punishment phase by the Court of Criminal Appeals.
She received a 20-year sentence in the second trial after the jury lowered her sentence by five years.
Although Susan had previously been turned down for parole twice, she finally received it in July 2020.
Her release was nevertheless subject to finishing a three-month programme.
The remainder of Susan’s term, which lasts through 2024, will be spent under rigorous monitoring, according to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
She must attend anger management therapy and wear a GPS monitor as part of her condition.
At the age of 44, Susan, who was condemned at the age of 27, will be allowed to leave prison.
The couple’s children were raised by Jeff’s family when she was found guilty.
Susan Wright was given her freedom five months after being granted parole.
On Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m., she was released on parole from the Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
Susan has been imprisoned for more than 16 years after being found guilty of murdering her husband, Jeff.
The 2003 homicide in Harris County’s northwest attracted news on a national scale.
Susan graciously requested privacy when ABC13 visited her at home on her first day of freedom.
Please don’t do this to my family, she pleaded. Please halt. Have compassion. Please. No, sir. Basically, I just want my privacy respected. You all understand, I’m sure, but please don’t harm my family in this way. Please, don’t do this to them, even if you do it to me.
Susan will have to wear a GPS ankle monitor while she is under parole supervision from 2024 until 2028.
She is also forbidden from leaving the state of Texas and is required to take anger management programmes.
Where is Susan now?
When Susan Wright, Jeff Wright’s wife, was found guilty of the savage murder and given a reduced sentence of 20 years, it sent shockwaves through Houston. She will be released on parole in December 2020.
After serving a sentence that was reduced to 20 years, Susan Wright, who is now 47 years old, was granted parole on December 30, 2020.
She was found convicted in 2004 of killing her husband, Jeff Wright, but at first she pled not guilty, arguing that she had used self-defense due to suspected domestic abuse.
Despite unsuccessful appeals and parole denials, her sentence was reduced in 2009 after a new sentencing hearing.
Misty McMichael, Jeff’s ex-fiancee, stepped forward as a witness during the re-appeal and spoke about her own experiences with abuse throughout their relationship.
Due to this information, Susan’s original sentence was reduced by five years and a fresh sentencing was conducted.
Susan was eventually given parole, permitting her release after serving 20 years in prison, despite being denied parole twice in 2014 and 2017.
