W01794300

Walter's murder was premeditated. That is evidenced by Couch purchasing a firearm, altering the deed to their property; sending their children away on the night she murdered their father, and shooting him in the head. Disturbingly, Couch had their children and neighbors help her carry Walter's body out of the house in an old carpet that she buried in the backyard. Equally horrific, she had Walter's father assist in digging the makeshift grave in their backyard by telling him he was helping her dig a garden.



While the Board is already in possession of detailed facts, the undersigned is uncertain if it is in possession of photos of the firearm, the carpet that served as Walter's burial shroud, or his makeshift grave. Those photos are attached. Also attached are newspaper articles from around the time Walter's body was discovered. They include quotes from neighbors, including the neighbor who unknowingly helped Couch carry Walter to the backyard.

We were able to speak with Walter's sister, Barbara Hartig.  It is my understanding that she will be speaking with the Parole Board. She told me how Couch was problematic from day one. She would put on a happy face for Barbara's family, only to mock them behind their backs.

Barbara also told me how long it took for her parents to so much as smile after Walter's death. Perhaps worse, while their mother suffered from. dementia at the end of her life, Walter's murder was a memory that remained. What Couch did cut her so deeply that not even dementia could erase it.

This office appreciates Couch has been imprisoned for forty years. The unique factors of Couch's offense, however, merit her life sentence. The Board obviously considers parole for murderers on a regular basis. How many of those murderers enlisted the assistance of the victim's children and parents in attempting to cover-up their crimes? No amount of Netflix specials will remove the trauma Couch's cruelty caused to Walter's family.

For Walter's premeditated murder and the lifetime of trauma inflicted upon Walter's neighbors, family, and children, Couch has earned every single day of her life sentence and should never be granted any type of early release.

Public Hearing Comments