Kathy Pinna
Official report about Herta's murder:
This is an excerpt from 21st Century Solutions Inc. (a consulting on Crime & Public Policy company) report titled "Murder on the Front Range: Domestic Violence-Related Deaths in Colorado Springs":
Herta Caraway and Peter Caraway were both diagnosed as schizophrenics and met during a stay in the state hospital. They had been married, over their relatives’ objections, for approximately one and half years. Herta was said to have “pressured” Peter into marrying her. Herta had a young son and would not leave him alone with Peter. Peter was said to have been jealous of the time she spent with her son and had made comments about wanting to hurt him. The child then stayed with Herta’s mother.
Peter was said to be like many chronic paranoid schizophrenics who did not regularly take their medication. Herta was an “undifferentiated” schizophrenic and was taking anti-depressants. Herta asked Peter to move out two months prior to the murder and he briefly moved into a hotel room, moved back into their residence, and then rented his own apartment. Herta never talked about Peter or the marriage and never said that she was afraid of Peter.
On the day of the incident, he received the divorce decree and went to talk to Herta about it. He stated that he had wanted to make love. The residence showed no signs of forced entry. The murder was brutal - he stabbed her over 100 times with two different knives and a pair of cuticle scissors. He also cut off her right breast.
The next morning he went to his mother’s house looking upset and showing a cut on his finger. He showed his mother the divorce decree and stated “I killed Herta.” Peter also stated that Herta had “made a fool out of him one too many times” and that she had other men and that made him jealous. Finally, he added “if I ever went back to jail, I’d kill myself.” She assumed when he left he was going to kill himself, as he had tried on two previous occasions. She reported the incident to the police. He was found on a bus to Texas heading for his brother’s house. On the ride back to Colorado Springs, Peter stated that he was jealous over the money she (Herta) was spending on her nine-month old son. He said she had given him a flat lip and “as far as I know, she was trying to kill me.” When asked if he had done it, he stated, “I didn’t. I took her apart."
Herta Caraway and Peter Caraway were both diagnosed as schizophrenics and met during a stay in the state hospital. They had been married, over their relatives’ objections, for approximately one and half years. Herta was said to have “pressured” Peter into marrying her. Herta had a young son and would not leave him alone with Peter. Peter was said to have been jealous of the time she spent with her son and had made comments about wanting to hurt him. The child then stayed with Herta’s mother.
Peter was said to be like many chronic paranoid schizophrenics who did not regularly take their medication. Herta was an “undifferentiated” schizophrenic and was taking anti-depressants. Herta asked Peter to move out two months prior to the murder and he briefly moved into a hotel room, moved back into their residence, and then rented his own apartment. Herta never talked about Peter or the marriage and never said that she was afraid of Peter.
On the day of the incident, he received the divorce decree and went to talk to Herta about it. He stated that he had wanted to make love. The residence showed no signs of forced entry. The murder was brutal - he stabbed her over 100 times with two different knives and a pair of cuticle scissors. He also cut off her right breast.
The next morning he went to his mother’s house looking upset and showing a cut on his finger. He showed his mother the divorce decree and stated “I killed Herta.” Peter also stated that Herta had “made a fool out of him one too many times” and that she had other men and that made him jealous. Finally, he added “if I ever went back to jail, I’d kill myself.” She assumed when he left he was going to kill himself, as he had tried on two previous occasions. She reported the incident to the police. He was found on a bus to Texas heading for his brother’s house. On the ride back to Colorado Springs, Peter stated that he was jealous over the money she (Herta) was spending on her nine-month old son. He said she had given him a flat lip and “as far as I know, she was trying to kill me.” When asked if he had done it, he stated, “I didn’t. I took her apart."
