Autopsy Report May Give Insight Into Bever Family Murders, Counselor Says

On the same day a judge said a Broken Arrow teen charged with murdering his family will be tried as an adult, autopsy reports show the victims were stabbed more than 100 times.

It's the most gruesome crime Broken Arrow has seen, and the autopsies of the Bever family members reveal more disturbing details.

Based on the reports, the mother was the target of the attacks with 48 stab wounds. A family counselor said that may give some indication to what went on in the home.

Just as gut-wrenching as the crime scene the day after the murders are the details in the autopsy reports.

According to the reports, the mother, April Bever, was stabbed 48 times, the father, David, 28 times, 12-year-old Daniel, and 7-year-old Christopher, were both stabbed seven times, and 5-year-old Victoria, more than a dozen times.

The wounds cover their bodies - backs, chests, even hands and arms - indicating they tried to fight back against their attackers.

Brothers Robert and Michael Bever are charged with the crimes, and the gruesome details leave everyone, including DVIS family counselor Missy Iski, asking “why?”

Special Coverage: Bever Family Murders

"Children who kill their parents are only one percent of the homicides that are committed in the United States, so it's an unusual circumstance," she said.

Iski hasn't evaluated the Bevers but said research indicates three types of kids who kill their parents - those who are severely mentally ill, those abused by their parents or those who are anti-social.

"The family itself might be really dysfunctional, or there might be a chemical imbalance in the family. There may be family violence within the family,” Iski said. “The family may be very isolated."

Iski cites the suspects' ages – 18-year-old Robert and 16-year-old Michael.

"The adolescents are getting older and wanting to, maybe want to do their own thing," Iski said.

Neighbors have said the Bever kids were home schooled and didn't play outside.

Iski said stabbings are typically impulsive; and the more aggressive, the more stress hormones released.

"People will kind of, be really, kind of, in a zone and won't even realize how violent they've become," she said.

The counselor said there probably was some kind of escalation behind closed doors that led to the murders.

The autopsy reports say April and Christopher had defibrillator pads on their chest.

There was another stabbing victim, a 13-year-old girl. She is the lone survivor. Her 2-year-old baby sister was left untouched.