On or about November 20, 2002, Badgett went to Grover Arthur Kizer's house looking for a place to spend the night. Kizer had allowed Badgett and another friend to stay the night at his home a few weeks earlier. On this night, Kizer again allowed Badgett to stay the night.
At some point in the evening Kizer, who suffered from a mental disability, began complaining to Badgett about his next-door neighbors.
He explained to Badgett his belief that the police had failed to respond adequately to complaints he had made against the neighbors. Kizer began yelling about “workers of iniquity” and pointing his finger at Badgett.
Badgett argued briefly with Kizer, then opened a folding pocketknife and stabbed him in the neck. The stabbing severed Kizer's right carotid artery and damaged his trachea, Adam's apple, and windpipe.
As blood squirted from his neck, Kizer ran to a telephone in his kitchen. Badgett followed Kizer into the kitchen and slashed Kizer's right arm with the pocketknife, leaving a deep wound. Kizer picked up the telephone to call for help, but Badgett pushed him away from the phone, knocking him to the floor. Kizer died within a few minutes.
Once Kizer was dead, Badgett stole Kizer's wallet containing his driver's license and five dollars in cash. Badgett then ransacked Kizer's house twice, stealing a substantial amount of cash from a set of envelopes in Kizer's bedroom, as well as a flashlight and Kizer's truck which later linked him to the murder and his arrest.
Badgett eventually gave police a signed confession, which described the details of the murder.
Source:
At some point in the evening Kizer, who suffered from a mental disability, began complaining to Badgett about his next-door neighbors.
He explained to Badgett his belief that the police had failed to respond adequately to complaints he had made against the neighbors. Kizer began yelling about “workers of iniquity” and pointing his finger at Badgett.
Badgett argued briefly with Kizer, then opened a folding pocketknife and stabbed him in the neck. The stabbing severed Kizer's right carotid artery and damaged his trachea, Adam's apple, and windpipe.
As blood squirted from his neck, Kizer ran to a telephone in his kitchen. Badgett followed Kizer into the kitchen and slashed Kizer's right arm with the pocketknife, leaving a deep wound. Kizer picked up the telephone to call for help, but Badgett pushed him away from the phone, knocking him to the floor. Kizer died within a few minutes.
Once Kizer was dead, Badgett stole Kizer's wallet containing his driver's license and five dollars in cash. Badgett then ransacked Kizer's house twice, stealing a substantial amount of cash from a set of envelopes in Kizer's bedroom, as well as a flashlight and Kizer's truck which later linked him to the murder and his arrest.
Badgett eventually gave police a signed confession, which described the details of the murder.
Source:
- North Carolina Commission on Capital Cases
- STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA v. JOHN SCOTT BADGETT