Final Moments on Oxygen: What did Bart Whitaker do and where is he now?

Bart Whitaker, the American man convicted of murdering two of his family members, is the subject of the Final Moments episode titled The Last Celebration. With his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment forty minutes before his execution, Whittaker is presently serving his sentence at the William G. McConnell Unit in Beeville, Texas.

The Whitaker family had stepped out for dinner at the Pappadeaux restaurant before they met their fate: an armed Chris Brashear, waiting around for them at the family home to carry out the task at hand—to kill the Whitakers. The synopsis for Final Moments season 2 episode 7 reads,

"A night celebrating Bart Whitaker's college graduation ends in horror when a gunman attacks him and his family, killing his mother, Tricia, and brother Kevin; as police try to unravel the tragedy, they uncover family secrets and a surprising suspect."

The Final Moments episode airs on November 19, 2023, at 7 p.m. EST on Oxygen exclusively.

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Bart Whitaker fled to Mexico after arranging family's murder and was arrested in 2005

The then 23-year-old Thomas Bartlett Whitaker had falsely announced to his parents that he would be a graduate soon, on which occasion the family went out for dinner at the nearby Pappadeaux restaurant in Stafford to celebrate the moment. However, Whittaker had other plans, as he had a hire-to-kill ready at their home, ready to take a shot.

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Who is Bart Whitaker?

Thomas Bartlett Whitaker was born to Kent and Patricia Whitaker on December 31, 1979, in Houston, Texas. He completed his school education at Clements High School, during which period he was convicted of a series of seven well-planned burglaries.

A still of Bart Whitaker (Image via Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

He started attending Baylor University in 2001, after which he was transferred to Sam Houston State University (SHSU), from which he either eventually dropped out or was studying as a freshman on academic probation.

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What did Bart Whitaker do?

The Whitaker murder case had gained prominence all over the country as a high-profile double homicide. Bart Whitaker had set up a detailed plan to have his parents and brother murdered a night after the family had stepped out for a celebratory dinner.

A still of the Whitaker family (Image via Oprah.com)

Bart had falsely informed his family that he was about to graduate from college on December 10, 2003, thereby prompting his parents to buy him a $4,000 Rolex watch. The family went out for dinner to the Stafford Pappadeaux restaurant while the man enlisted to carry out the killings, Chris Brashear, waited for the family to return.

As Bart's brother Kevin entered the house, Chris shot him in the chest. Patricia followed Kevin and fell to the ground with a shot to her chest. Kent Whitaker, however, survived the shooting with a shattered humerus.

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Where is Bart Whitaker now?

Following the crime, Thomas Bartlett Whitaker left for Mexico with $3000 and assumed the name of Rudy Rios. He was arrested in Cerralvo, Mexico, with the cooperation of the Mexican authorities, as US law enforcement received a tip from the associate who helped him escape in hopes of the reward money.

A still of Bart and Kent Whitaker (Image via AFP)

A capital murder warrant was issued in his name, and he was sentenced to death on March 2, 2007. However, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment forty minutes before the execution. This was due to a letter Kent Whitaker wrote in the public forum of the Houston Chronicle and addressed to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles requesting to spare his son's life.

Bart Whitaker is presently at the McConnell Unit near Beeville, Texas, as per prison records.