SEAL snipers work in pairs and their job in Fallujah was to cover the advance of U.S. Marines into the city. Advance through the justice system and the aftermath that follows a high profile investigation. They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. If the employee had, he would have seen the 20-gauge shells erroneously jammed into the shotgun, Zook argues. "They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. He was 38. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Paul Moseley/Getty Images | Midlothian Funeral Home. In all, he earned seven medals for bravery two Silver Stars and five Bronze Medals. He had wanted to join the Marine Corps since he was thirteen years old, and did so after high school. He said that Routh actually had paranoid personality disorder exacerbated by drug use. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. Then, Routh attacked. Kyle was not a soldier particularly racked by conscience. Jeffrey Barnard performed autopsies on both Chris Kyle, who inspired the popular recent movie "American Sniper," and his friend Chad Littlefield after they were killed Feb. 2, 2013 at a rifle. Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in U.S. History, and his friend Chad Littlefield were shot dead at a shooting range in Glen Rose, Texas on Sunday. One of the gunshot wounds was to the top of the head, indicating it was likely fired while Littlefield was already on the ground. Routh told his sister and brother-in-law that the men 'were out shooting target practice and he couldn't trust them so he killed them before they could kill him', according to a police search warrant affidavit. Extraordinary moment shirtless Michael Clarke and Karl Stefanovic face off in a wild late-night scuffle - as More misery for NHS patients as thousands of nurses stage two-day strike across England: Health chiefs warn Is it time for the Government to give the nurses a better pay deal? His other court-appointed attorney, J. Warren St. John, said Routh was released from the Dallas Veterans Affairs hospital against his family's wishes just two days before the shootings. He died trying to help a former Marine.On Feb. 2, 2013, Chris and his friend Chad Littlefield took 25-year-old former Marine Eddie Ray Routh to a Texas shooting range after Rouths mother had asked Chris for help with her son, whom she said was suffering from PTSD. The phone may contain pictures of Routh with the victims before their deaths at a Texas shooting range, according to police documents released Thursday. Kyle took up a position just set back from the street window of a top-floor flat and in a macabre touch he and his partner used an upturned babys crib to rest their rifles on as they lay down on rolled-up bedding and waited. And then he had his way.. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. ': Kim Kardashian is hailed the 'Queen of TikTok' after giving herself a Want the best deals for peak-season holidays? Routh is charged with one count of capital murder and two counts of murder. Is inflation FINALLY on the way down? Or, learn about other legendary snipers like Carlos Hathcock and Chuck Mawhinney. The closest he came to dying was in 2008 during his fourth Iraq deployment, in the insurgent-infested Baghdad slum neighbourhood of Sadr City. Rather more unconventionally, he also discovered he shot far more accurately if he had a wad of chewing tobacco wedged inside his cheek. I feel bad about it, but they wouldn't talk to me. Many fans were drawn to Kyles unashamed patriotism and unvarnished account of modern warfare. Kyle described his .338 rifle his favourite sniper gun as an awesome weapon which, when fired inside a building, produced such a powerful explosion his ears would hurt after a few shots. Chris Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range in Erath County, Texas, alongside his friend Chad Littlefield on February 2, 2013. His exploits had the odd darkly humorous moment, such as the time 16 fully-armoured insurgents tried to swim a river separating them from the Americans, clinging for buoyancy to four brightly-coloured beach balls. But Routh shot the pair with two pistols that belonged to Kyle, because "nobody would talk to me". He was committed to helping his fellow servicemen.After returning to civilian life, he found ways to assist others. Eddie Routh had spent four years in the Marines but since leaving he had twice been hospitalized for mental illness. Kyle was killed with a .45-caliber pistol, while Littlefield was shot with a 9mm SIG Sauer P226 Mk.25 Mod 0 pistol. And, just like with Belushi, his tragic demise in December 1997 turned into a police investigation after it was learned that a woman had witnessed the struggling star's final drug-fueled hours. Regarded as one of the most lethal snipers in United States military history, Kyle served four tours in Iraq before he was killed in Texas. She graduated from Oberlin College, where she earned a double degree in American History and French. Like Kyle, Eddie Ray Routh had served time in Iraq. But on the other hand, Kyle had spent the final years leading up to his death helping other veterans readjust to civilian life. And it also inspired a Texas woman named Jodi Routh to reach out to Kyle to see if he could help her son, Eddie Ray Routh. After the killings, Routh said, "I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. Heres everything you need to know to find the right elliptical for your home. I wanted to get their story out and I wanted to raise awareness for veterans.. As depicted in the films tense trailer, Kyle opened fire as ordered on a woman approaching a group of Marines with a hand grenade. [6], Routh was a 25-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Lancaster, Texas. "[6][10] Local police captured Routh after a short freeway chase, which ended when Routh, who fled the scene in Kyle's Ford F-350 truck, crashed into a police cruiser in Lancaster. He was a loving dad and husband.The father of two had a huge heart and softness as well as strength, says Taya. From there, Kyle quickly proved his mettle as a marksman. His intuition, though, wouldnt be enough to save him. Boccafogli added that the Long case was still an "on-going investigation" and therefore he could not comment. The phone, a box of 9 mm ammunition, drug paraphernalia and a blue-jean jacket were seized from the 25-year-old Routh's home after he was arrested near his house in Lancaster, Texas, according to a police search warrant affidavit, inventory sheet and other documents. Another of his bullets took out not one but two men on a moped who had just planted a bomb down a manhole. The 46-year-old was featured in her husband's autobiography and its subsequent film directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper. In life, Kyle became the deadliest sniper in American history and spent his final years helping veterans like himself to adjust to civilian life. Chris Kyle died at the age of 38 after he was shot by a fellow military veteran in Texas. Routh embarked on a humanitarian mission to Haiti in January 2010, and was honorably discharged the following year. She texted her husband a few hours later, writing: "Are you OK? It was the first time he had killed someone with a sniper rifle. Chris Kyle is the author of the autobiography American Sniper, which depicts his career as the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history Credit: 2012 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. When he was 25, Kyle became a sniper with the U.S. Navy SEALs. We also wanted to be careful not to glorify the guy who did it.. Routh had spent the prior night with a woman, Moore said, behaving erratically and proposing marriage to her before telling her that he was "seeing things, he was hearing things telling her not to talk out loud, to write things down on paper because people were listening.". Police believe that after the two men were shot on Saturday afternoon at Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, Routh used the phone to call his sister before driving Kyle's truck to her house. To his fellow American troops, however, the special forces commando was a guardian angel whose hawk-eyed accuracy did much to level the odds in the bloody struggle on the streets of Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah. Instead, a February afternoon in 2013 turned into murder when former United States Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle died alongside his friend, Chad Littlefield, after a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who they were trying to mentor suddenly opened fire. Those pistols were loaded with the safety on. I killed them. When Routh fled again, his sister called the police, telling them, Hes all crazy, hes fking psychotic.. Chris Kyle was an American former US Navy SEAL whose death in 2013 was a shock to many. I said, Is everything okay? And he said, Yeah, I just need to get down there and get back. , Asked about the irony of his death occurring at home after surviving such brutal odds in combat, Taya, who says she is still grappling with the big hole in her heart, replies, Whats so interesting is that I was always such an over thinker anyway. Chris Kyle, author of American Sniper and the most lethal sniper in American military history, was killed on Feb. 2, 2013. In the end, I think we felt that this was a film about Chriss life and not about his death, the films screenwriter Jason Hall told New York Daily News. When they first emerged in warfare as marksmen picking off British officers during the American War of Independence, snipers were denounced as ungentlemanly, even cowardly. Chris Kyle, who has been branded an "American Hero [1]," never expressed any regrets for his many victims but stated that he wished he could have murdered more. Notorious YouTube prankster strikes again: How Daniel 'Jarvo' Jarvis invaded The Oval, X Factor stage, a 'My hatred for you keeps me alive and we will never forgive you', father tells drink-driver who was Is this the real reason Amazon 'axed' Jeremy Clarkson? Taya Kyle reveals how American Sniper brought her husband back to life and why she trusted Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper. February 8, 2013 / 10:46 AM On Jan. 25, 2013, Jodi Routh approached Chris Kyle at the elementary school his kids attended and where she worked. "[9] Four months later, while he was in his jail cell, Routh shared with former Erath County Sheriff's Deputy Gene Cole: "I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. Zook said Long had next-to-no experience in shooting. In January 2010, he was sent on a humanitarian mission to Haiti. Im going to do everything I can to help your son, he told her, according to The New Yorker. Then there was the young mother, gunned down while holding a little child in one hand and a primed grenade in the other. The phone, a box of 9 mm ammunition, drug paraphernalia including a bong and glass pipe and a blue-jean jacket were seized from Eddie Ray Routh's home after he was arrested. Eddie Ray Routh faces capital murder charges for shooting the former Navy SEAL and his friend, Chad Littlefield. He declined and stopped taking his medication. He remains jailed in Erath County on a $3 million bond. They say pictures of weapons, shell casings, and even the bodies of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. I want to go back. , 3. Tara Kyle cries on the stand during court inside the Erath County Donald R. Jones Justice Center during the murder trial for Eddie Ray Routh in Stephenville, Texas, Feb. 11, 2015. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. When is the right time to give my child cold medicine? Expert: U.S. forces nicknamed the former ranch hand from Texas The Legend. I knew this would give me a voice so I could speak about the guys I know who were killed. Christopher Scott Kyle was a United States Navy SEAL sniper and the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history. Chris picked up Eddie in his black truck. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines at the age of 18 in 2006 and was deployed as an armorer in 2007. Everyone says a sniper has to be patient, Kyle told the Dallas Morning News. It was hard, she says. With the wide release of American Sniper this weekend, the real-life saga of the films subject, the late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, is under a new spotlight. Counting calories IS king when it comes to losing weight - NOT fasting, study finds. New York mother murdered in Turkey 'had sex with her secret Killer ex-cop who left three dead in LA shooting spree sends Royal Family will find it 'impossible' to compromise with Sussexes, Rapidly growing cemetery filled with Vladimir Putin's 'prisoner army', Russian pro-war fanatic warns Britain could be 'wiped off the map', BBC Breakfast celebrates forty years of hilarious bloopers, Ken Bruce will be joining the Greatest Hits Radio family in April, As it happened: UK Government blocks Scotland's new gender law, Bungling helicopter pilot blows over stadium roof injuring eight. Kyle shot the insurgent, the bullet from his powerful sniper rifle killing both rider and passenger. Kyle spent the morning with his wife and children at the kids' sporting events and then with Eddie Ray Routh, the former Marine who is now on trial for Kyle's murder. On Thursday the drama, directed by Clint Eastwood, also became an Oscar contender, with six nominations including Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay (writer Jason Hall) and Best Actor (Bradley Cooper). While cops were at the murder scene where was Eddie Ray Routh? But it wasn't until after his service ended that Chris Kyle met his untimely death. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world. Asked whether he regretted any of his kills, he told D Magazine, I regret the people I couldnt kill before they got to my boys., Still, he told D that he didnt feel like a hero. He believed that where most recruits failed in training was stalking the art of sneaking into a position without being seen. Online calculator reveals how inflation-busting 14.4% hike will Father-of-four 'killed a woman he met on dating website by spiking her with Oxycodone to knock her out for 'Thiswas not on my 2023 bingo card! Bradley Cooper starred as Kyle in the 2014 film alongside Sienna Miller, which went on to win two Academy Awards. Bored of the long waiting game of sniping, Kyle started helping the Marines clear houses of possible enemies. The staffer provided Long with a 12-gauge shotgun and shells. Unfortunately, he discovered later, he hadnt hung up properly and she heard the entire battle. Storm: Kyle wrote a graphic memoir, American Sniper, about his four bloody tours of Iraq, released last year. Kyle had been shot six times, including a rapidly fatal bullet to the back that pierced his aorta, and another to the jaw that caused a severe spinal cord injury. He is widely regarded as the deadliest sniper in U.S. history.The Odessa, Texas, native grew up hunting with his father and had uncanny aim as a marksman. It speaks volumes about what can happen when help comes to veterans a little too late. He would always say, Mow a vets lawn, help them deal with their groceries, do anything. Any little thing would have a massive impact, so if this [film] can help Chris spread the message he wanted to spread, then we will all have done our job.. Littlefield lay on the same deck nearby. On day two, jurors were shown some graphic pictures of the crime scene. A public memorial service for Kyle, 38, reputed to be the deadliest sniper in American military history, was set for Monday at Cowboys Stadium near Dallas. Tom Fox Pool/Getty ImagesEddie Ray Routh was found guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Routh was a 25-year-old Marine who had experienced post-traumatic stress disorder. The former SEAL and Littlefield were visiting the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range with Marine Corps veteran, Eddie Ray Routh. The comments below have not been moderated. He argued that the lodge should have cleaned the guns prior to the day's shooting. Im sure theyve forgiven me.. ABC News Make ABC News your daily news outlet for breaking national and world news, broadcast video coverage, and exclusive interviews that will help you stay up to date on the events shaping our world. The murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield occurred on February 2, 2013, at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas. [4], On February 2, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, 35, were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas. A funeral service for Littlefield, 35, was set for Friday in Midlothian. About what can happen when help comes to veterans a little too late 2014 film alongside Sienna Miller which! In Texas of American sniper brought her husband a few hours later, writing ``... Patriotism and unvarnished account of modern warfare of 18 in 2006 and was deployed an... 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