Her parents didn't approve of her boyfriend. So she had them killed.
In the early hours of March 1, 2008, two men broke into the Caffey family's home in Alba, Texas, and killed Penny Caffey and her two young sons in their sleep. The person who arranged it all was 16-year-old Erin Caffey — the family's own daughter.
The Attack
Terry Caffey woke beside his wife, Penny, to the sound of their bedroom door striking the laundry room dryer. Charlie Wilkinson, Erin's 19-year-old boyfriend, opened fire with a .22 pistol, shooting Terry five times. When the gun jammed, Wilkinson's friend Charles Waid finished killing Penny with a samurai-style sword, nearly severing her head.
As Terry drifted in and out of consciousness, he heard his 13-year-old son Matthew screaming, “Charlie! Charlie, why are you doing this?” before Matthew was shot. His 8-year-old son Tyler was killed with the sword after trying to hide. The attackers set fires throughout the house before leaving. Terry managed to crawl out through a bathroom window and reach a neighbor roughly 300 yards away, who called for help.
Who Erin Was
Erin had met Wilkinson in 2007 while working at a Sonic restaurant. The relationship moved fast, and her parents grew increasingly uneasy — especially after discovering Wilkinson's MySpace page, filled with references to alcohol and sex. When Penny found a promise ring Wilkinson had given Erin, she demanded it back. Weeks before the murders, Erin's parents forbade her from seeing him at all.
According to investigators, Erin and Wilkinson spent roughly a month planning the killings together. Erin's ex-boyfriend later told police she had previously tried to recruit him for a similar plan, which he refused. On the night of the attack, Wilkinson reportedly warned Erin that her younger brothers would have to be killed too, so there would be no witnesses. According to his later account to investigators, Erin responded: “I don't care... just do what you gotta do.”
The Arrest
Erin waited outside in a car with Waid's girlfriend, Bobbi Gale Johnson, while Wilkinson and Waid carried out the killings. She was initially treated as a survivor rather than a suspect. That changed once Waid told police he'd been promised $2,000 to help “take care of business,” and all three of Erin's co-defendants independently told investigators the murders had been her idea. She was arrested later that day while on her way to visit her father in the hospital, found hiding in a relative's trailer.
Charges and Sentencing
All four — Erin, Wilkinson, Waid, and Johnson — were initially charged with three counts of capital murder. Prosecutors sought the death penalty against Wilkinson and Waid, but Terry Caffey personally asked them not to, saying his Christian faith taught forgiveness and that their deaths wouldn't bring his family back.
In late 2008, Wilkinson and Waid pleaded guilty and were sentenced to life in prison without parole. In January 2009, Johnson and Erin also pleaded guilty. Johnson received two concurrent 40-year sentences, with parole eligibility after 20 years. Erin received two consecutive life sentences plus 25 years — a plea deal that made her eligible for parole once she turns 59.
Terry Caffey's Path Forward
Terry has spoken publicly about briefly considering suicide in the aftermath, but he went on to remarry, adopt three children, and become a full-time minister. He's spoken at hundreds of schools and churches about his experience, written a book — “Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man's Faith, and Shocked a Nation” — and continued visiting Erin in prison in the years since.
The case has been covered multiple times on television, including the 2012 series “Final Witness,” a 2020 episode of “Snapped: Killer Couples,” and a 2016 interview with Erin conducted by Piers Morgan for his documentary series “Killer Women.”
Where Things Stand Now
According to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records, Erin Caffey — now in her mid-30s — remains incarcerated, currently held at the Hobby Unit, with a parole eligibility date listed as March 1, 2038.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Erin Caffey physically kill anyone?
No. She waited outside in a car while Wilkinson and Waid carried out the killings, but investigators and her co-defendants say she planned and directed the attack.
Why weren't Wilkinson and Waid sentenced to death?
Terry Caffey, the sole survivor, personally asked prosecutors not to pursue the death penalty, citing his religious beliefs about forgiveness.
Is Erin Caffey eligible for parole?
Yes, though not until 2038 according to Texas Department of Criminal Justice records.
Does Terry Caffey still have a relationship with his daughter?
Yes. He has continued visiting her in prison in the years since the murders, despite the tragedy.