John Gordon Purvis - The Murder of Susan Hamwi

The Murder of Susan Hamwi

A woman named Susan Hamwi had moved out to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in July 1983. She was working on her divorce from her husband Paul Hamwi for his abuse. Paul Hamwi was an ex-Vietnam veteran, known for his drinking and obnoxiousness. Susan's friend, Karen Bebee, urged her not to involve herself with him. But Paul and Susan had unprotected sex one night and Susan was pregnant. Paul, in marrying Susan, made her sign a pre-nuptial agreement that required him to pay her nothing upon divorce. Shortly after the marriage, their daughter Shane was born. Upon the divorce proceedings, the pre-nuptial agreement was declared void, since it was made under duress. Paul was then ordered to pay between $150,000 and $180,000 to Susan to support their daughter.

Johnny met Susan, hoping to establish friendly contact. He was very unusual, but friendly with Susan. Susan was bothered to some degree with Johnny's behavior, but not to the point of rejecting him altogether.

On November 1, 1983, after a phone call from a friend, Susan was not heard from again. Neighbors began to express concern. On November 8th, 1983, the body of Susan Hamwi was found at her home, with part of a knife. She had been stabbed and strangled with a phone cord. Shane Hamwi was also found dead from neglect.

Police detectives Rick Rice and Rich Martin of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department interviewed several people. Under great pressure from the media for a suspect in this gruesome murder, they turned to Johnny Purvis, the town "weirdo". They yelled and intimidated him at his interrogation and his mother heard it. Johnny was very shaken by the experience, and his mother was determined that he would talk to the police no more. But the detectives, undeterred by the fact that their forensic investigations showed Johnny was not at the crime scene, were determined to make Johnny confess. They picked a time when Johnny was not with his mother and Johnny buckled under pressure and confessed to Susan's murder. Represented by attorney Richard Kirsch, at Johnny's trial the taped confession was declared inadmissible by Judge Thomas Coker. But the jurors were not convinced of Johnny's innocence and declared him guilty. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.