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Four members of the Tyler County-based Westfall family, including Paul and Letha Westfall, were convicted in the 2014 double homicide of Nathan and Krystal Maddox, who were gunned down outside a Baptist church on January 18, after a court-approved visitation of Nathan's five-year-old daughter.
Nathan Maddox was the Westfall family's former son-in-law, with whom they were embroiled in a prolonged custody battle because of which Paul and his daughter Kristen Westfall shot Maddox and his wife of over a year. Letha and her son, Cameron, was also involved in the killings, although they did not fire the shots.
Both Paul and Letha Westfall pleaded guilty and are currently serving their respective life sentences at the Smith Unit in Lamesa, Texas, and at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville.
The premiere episode of Blood Relations on ID will chronicle the double homicide of Nathan and Krystal Maddox. Titled Blood Bond, the all-new episode will air on Thursday, December 29, 2022, at 8:00 pm ET.
Here's the synopsis for the upcoming episode:
"A shooter brutally guns down Nathan and Krystal Maddox outside a remote Texan church after the couple visits their young daughter; when investigators look into the case, they discover a web of deceit that stuns the community."
This article will further discuss the convictions of Paul and Letha Westfall.
Paul and Letha Westfall, along with their daughter Kristen and son Cameron, were involved in the 2014 Maddox shootings
When Nathan Maddox and his new wife Krystal were shot and killed, Paul Westfall, his wife Letha, their daughter Kristen, and their son Cameron were all accused of gunning down their former son-in-law and his new wife. The murders took place in January 2014 in front of Mount Carmel Baptist Church. The deaths were caused by a custody dispute over the divorced couple's young daughter.
The Tyler County Grand Jury indicted Paul and Letha Westfall and their daughter Kristen in May 2015. Meanwhile, the elderly couple's son, Cameron Westfall, was charged with two counts of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and was spared a murder charge. He was charged with disposing of the suspected murder weapons in a pond on or near the Westfall farm at Colmesneil.
Investigators discovered text messages and other evidence that Letha Westfall was inside the church at the time of the shooting and did not shoot the couple. They did, however, discover proof that she texted Paul and Kirsten to inform them that the pair was getting ready to leave the establishment after the supervised visitation, after which the shooting occurred.
Letha waived her right to a trial in the spring of 2016 and pleaded guilty in return for a life sentence. Despite being given a life sentence, if she is still alive after serving 30 years in prison at the age of 86, she will be able to apply for parole. Kristen Westfall was convicted of murder by a jury a few months later. She received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Paul Westfall was initially deemed "incompetent" to stand trial in May 2014. However, things changed in four months, and he ultimately confessed to the crime. Paul ultimately entered a guilty plea to two first-degree murder charges in 2017. He was given a life sentence, much like his wife. Paul also consented to a waiver that states the case will not be appealed as part of the arrangement.
Where are Paul and Letha Westfall today?
Since the elderly couple Paul and Letha Westfall both entered respective plea deals for their roles in the murders of Nathan and Krystal Maddox, they were both given sentences equivalent to life terms in prison. Sources state that, if alive after serving 30 years, Letha will be eligible for parole in 2044, while Paul's agreement included a no-appeal clause.
Letha is reportedly serving time at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, and Paul remains behind bars at the Smith Unit in Lamesa, Texas.
Learn more about Paul and Letha Westfall's roles in the double homicide of Nathan and Krystal Maddox on ID's Blood Relations.
