A beautiful day it was outside yet all of nature's splendor could not hide the tale of terror told in a Hinds County courtroom this morning. Daniel Callihan pleaded guilty to killing a mother and her five year-old daughter as well as raping her six year-old daughter in Circuit Court this morning. Circuit Judge Debra Gibbs sentenced Callihan to life without parole.
Callihan killed Callie Brunett at her Loranger, La. home in June 2024. He kidnapped her two children, Erin (4) and Jalie (6), and brought them too Jackson. He killed Erin when she started crying for her mother. He raped Jalie but the horror continued as his girlfriend, Victoria Cox, performed oral sex on the six year-old child as well. Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said he left the bodies of the children to rot in a ditch, covered with maggots.
A Federal Marshals task force caught the couple in at an abandoned pet store on Boozier Drive in South Jackson. Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens obtained indictments against Callihan and Cox two weeks later after convening a special meeting of the grand jury. The indictments charged Callihan with capital murder, kidnapping (2 counts), sexual battery, and possession of a stolen vehicle. The police said Callihan raped the surviving sister every way possible.
Callihan confessed to it all in his Jackson perp walk: " “I did it. I have no reason for what I did. All I know is I was sober and only on Lexapro, and off Lexapro, and I have also been diagnosed with multiple personality disorder.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the killing of Burnett and Erin last week in Tangipahoa Parish last week. The Court sentenced him to serve two life sentences without parole consecutively. Burnett's sister, Brandi Hosch, told Callihan in court she wished he had nightmares every night and called him a demon.
After the Louisiana case concluded, Hinds County took its swing at Callihan. A somber Judge Gibbs kept the hearing brief as she ensured swift justice was visited upon this monster.
The hearing was scheduled as an arraignment. Callihan pleaded not guilty but withdrew the plea and changed it to guilty. Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride recited the indictment as he spelled out Callihan's crimes in excruciating detail. Flanked by two attorneys, Callihan said he understood what he was doing in pleading guilty and what the sentence would be.
Horsch again provided the victim's impact statement. Her voice might have been emotional but her resolve was strong as she sought justice. Horsch said "You have no limits, no soul. You are a demon. .... I hope every time you close your eyes, your mind is filled with nightmares and you never have rest. I hope every time you wake, you have nothing to look forward to again."
Strong stuff but the sister of Callie Burnett kept going: "Let's be clear, Daniel. The only reason your life is being spared is for one reason only, to protect my niece from ever having to see you again. You don't deserve this grace. .... You must be caged like an animal to keep others safe. Just think about that. You must be caged."
Callihan pleaded guilty to capital murder, two counts of sexual battery, and one count of kidnapping. One count of sexual battery and possession of a stolen vehicle were withdrawn by the prosecution.
The case against Callihan girlfriend Victoria Cox for capital murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery is still pending.
Judge Gibbs sentenced Callihan to life in prison without parole for capital murder, 30 years for kidnapping, and life for sexual battery. All sentences must be served consecutively. Callihan did not speak in his defense.
Callihan will serve his sentence in the Louisiana State Prison in Angola. If he is ever released in Louisiana, he will immediately serve his sentences here. Callihan pleaded guilty in federal court to kidnapping someone that resulted in death and transporting a minor in interstate commerce to engage in sexual activity in August. He will be sentenced on November 19.
Michael Fiser, attorney for Callihan, told the media afterwards his client was mentally ill and the system "did not care for the mentally ill as it should." He refused to answer whether his client received a mental evaluation. Hinds County District Attorney said he received one in federal court. Owens said Callihan had a history of mental illness but the evaluation determined he knew right from wrong when he committed his crimes.
The only silver lining in this affair is Daniel Wayne Callihan will never see the outside world ever again.
26 comments:
Callihan is a child of God much like yourself perhaps
It's truly a shame that a Hinds County jury will NEVER impose the death penalty, regarless how heinous the killng(s) are.
Hopefully some bleeding heart or corrupt governor doesn’t pardon him 10, 20, 30 years from now.
@2:05 speak for youself.
2:05 this person is NOT of God!!!!!!!!
Horrific crimes deserving the most severe punishment that the law permits. However, as the familiar hymn To God be the Glory says: “the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.”
No one hates a thief but this man deserves the death penalty
God spoke clearly on this to Moses in Exodus......
Americans lost their grit 60 years ago, and now can't even put a dog down because they're so soft. Most will be executed while they are either praying, or texting.
He will get his just reward when the big iron door slams behind him. I give it 6 months to a year and he wont be breathing any longer.
Wow he doesn’t look like bubba and cletus are “taking good care of him” in prison. What gives?
Forgiving and forgetting are too often confused and conflated by the Contemporary Christian. Forgiving is an act within the heart. It doesn't entail the monster be set free and given another chance to do the same or worse.
I cannot comprehend that we walk around with monsters like this among us daily.
This case has haunted me since it broke, and I sincerely hope this sub-human is punished and in agony for all of his eternity.
2:08 Angola prison is his new home. He won’t get the benefit of federal prison & looks like he has gained weight & off of drugs. To kill an Innocent child while raping her & her sister is deplorable
Oh, he’s about to find out what having multiple personalities is really like
I wouldn’t put it pass one to do that. Not sure why judges want these people back in society.
The obsession with prison rape on this blog is downright Freudian.
Wish after accepting his guilty plea the judge had the power to instruct the Sheriff to immediately hang his sorry ass in front of the courthouse.
"Daniel Callihan pleaded guilty to killing a mother and her five year-old daughter as well as raping her six year-old daughter in Circuit Court this morning."
It's not what you say, but how you say it (or at least the order in which you say it)
We hear that same comment every time a life without parole sentence is set, yet who can think of the last time somebody like this was killed by another inmate? Ever?
Maybe we should all rally around him and coddle him while he is in prison?
Looks like he's been eating good, put on some weight while off of the dope. He's gonna need it to defend himself. May jailhouse justice prevail when his fellow inmates find out what he did to those sweet babies.
And Ms lets them Plea, BS for doing what he - they did, No Way
Is the justice system up to the task of deterring the murder of innocent people? It takes more than LWP to discourage these types. It takes a rope.
He wont make it 2 years in Angola. They are already waiting on him. May it be painful and drug out, Daniel.
Life plus castration would be more appropriate.
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