Hank Earl Carr: "Tampa's Darkest Day in Law Enforcement"

[hipmomx2]

Hi! I'm interested in writing a book about Hank Earl Carr. Just a brief rundown: 5/19/98 Hank Earl Carr allegedly shot and killed 4 year old Joseph Bennett in the head with a shotgun. The little boy was the son of Carr's girlfriend, Bernice Bowen. Homicide Detective Randy Bell and his partner Rick Childers were escorting Carr to the Tampa Police Department and had placed him in a vehicle that did not have a cage or partition to protect officers from detainees. Carr used a handcuff key he was known to wear around his neck, to unlock his restraints, which were locked not in the back but in his front. He then grabbed Detective Childers side arm, a Glock handgun he was wearing in a shoulder holster, and shot and killed both Tampa Detectives. Carr then opened the trunk and retrieved the shotgun he used earlier to kill Joey. He then carjacked a truck and headed north on the highway. Attempting to pull the truck over, Florida Highway Patrolman James Crooks was shot twice in the head by Carr. After a high speed chase and exchanging gunfire with multiple Law Enforcement Officers, Carr exited the vehicle and took a pregnant convenient store clerk hostage. He then spent hours on the phone with hostage negotiators, called and gave "his story" to a talk radio station and spoke several times with girlfriend Bernice Bowen, mother to the dead 4 year old boy. Bowen professed her love to him along with her forgiveness for shooting her son, which Carr called an "accident." After saying goodbye to Bowen he let the store clerk out. As SWAT approach, Carr shot and killed himself. Bowen was later sentenced 21 years in total for 5 counts of Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder, Child Abuse and Child Neglect Resulting in Death. Tampa Police say Carr and Bowen lied to them and never once told authorities the truth about Carr's identity. They both gave officers the name Joseph Bennett Sr and detectives say had Bowen told the truth about Carr's identity they would have handled Carr, a convicted felon, with more precaution. Officers claimed to have asked Bowen many times throughout the day but she maintained he was Joseph Bennett Sr.

Anyone care to discuss this?

[Vermontn03]

Hi Hipmomx2 I am now just seeing your post as I have been away. I am not quite familiar with the person you are talking about. There maybe other member that would like to discuss this. I do have some more spam posts to delete and.other.members to.delete/ban, if I have the time in.a bit I will take a look.

Feb 21, 2014 19:24:20 GMT -5 hipmomx2 said:

Hi! I'm interested in writing a book about Hank Earl Carr. Just a brief rundown: 5/19/98 Hank Earl Carr allegedly shot and killed 4 year old Joseph Bennett in the head with a shotgun. The little boy was the son of Carr's girlfriend, Bernice Bowen. Homicide Detective Randy Bell and his partner Rick Childers were escorting Carr to the Tampa Police Department and had placed him in a vehicle that did not have a cage or partition to protect officers from detainees. Carr used a handcuff key he was known to wear around his neck, to unlock his restraints, which were locked not in the back but in his front. He then grabbed Detective Childers side arm, a Glock handgun he was wearing in a shoulder holster, and shot and killed both Tampa Detectives. Carr then opened the trunk and retrieved the shotgun he used earlier to kill Joey. He then carjacked a truck and headed north on the highway. Attempting to pull the truck over, Florida Highway Patrolman James Crooks was shot twice in the head by Carr. After a high speed chase and exchanging gunfire with multiple Law Enforcement Officers, Carr exited the vehicle and took a pregnant convenient store clerk hostage. He then spent hours on the phone with hostage negotiators, called and gave "his story" to a talk radio station and spoke several times with girlfriend Bernice Bowen, mother to the dead 4 year old boy. Bowen professed her love to him along with her forgiveness for shooting her son, which Carr called an "accident." After saying goodbye to Bowen he let the store clerk out. As SWAT approach, Carr shot and killed himself. Bowen was later sentenced 21 years in total for 5 counts of Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder, Child Abuse and Child Neglect Resulting in Death. Tampa Police say Carr and Bowen lied to them and never once told authorities the truth about Carr's identity. They both gave officers the name Joseph Bennett Sr and detectives say had Bowen told the truth about Carr's identity they would have handled Carr, a convicted felon, with more precaution. Officers claimed to have asked Bowen many times throughout the day but she maintained he was Joseph Bennett Sr.

Anyone care to discuss this?

[Vermontn03]

Dear Hipmomx2,
Is this a unsolved or solved case?

[hipmomx2]

Solved. The cop killer committed suicide and his girlfriend (mother of the child he killed the same day) was sentenced to 22 years for being complicit in the murders for not telling LE his real identity. If she had, it was known to LE that he wore a handcuff key around his neck and they say they would have handled him differently.

[Vermontn03]

Wow..ok I really don't think I had heard of that one. I am going to PM you.