Maryland Ghost Legends: Haunted Chopticon High School

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
I remember it, too. Quite the horrific crime.

An 18-year-old summer custodian at Chopticon High School in St. Mary's County, Md., was charged with murder yesterday in the stabbing and raping of a teacher who was attacked while eating lunch at her desk.

Beverly Jo Heater, 33, of Mechanicsville, was found dead Friday in a second-floor girls' restroom, about 20 feet from the classroom where police and prosecutors say the attack occurred. Heater was at the school to organize student schedules for the fall.

Assistant State's Attorney F. Michael Harris said Heater was stabbed in the neck from behind, then dragged to the restroom, sexually assaulted and stabbed again. Blood marked the path from her desk to the restroom, Harris said. Police said they found an eight-inch knife, believed used in the attack, above a ceiling tile in a first-floor boys' restroom.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...teacher/5c03f91e-418e-45b0-91fe-e5f091d24832/

A 19-year-old former high school custodian pleaded guilty yesterday to the first-degree murder of a business teacher at the school in St. Mary's County.

The custodian, Lester B. Broome, originally had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of Beverly Jo Heater, 33, of Mechanicsville. She was raped and stabbed to death while eating lunch at her desk at the Chopticon High School last August.

In a hearing in Prince George's County Circuit Court yesterday, Broome changed his plea and also pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree sex offense and petty theft. In exchange, prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty and to drop other charges against Broome, including first-degree rape and armed robbery charges.

The case was moved to Prince George's County at Broome's request following heavy publicity in St. Mary's County.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...-murder/19340f0f-7627-45ad-aa6c-45083920ebcc/
 

SandieGarry

Active Member
It happened the year after I graduated. I remember her well. I don't quite remember the story as told by the links posted but most of my recollection was based on street talk and rumors, not facts.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
Good find RoseRed. It was very tragic. I didn't know her, but I know a lot of folks who had her as a teacher. It takes pure evil to do something like that. He isn't the only one of that brood that's locked up for sex/murder/assault crimes, but at least the young girl his brother traumatized, survived her assault.

edit: spelling
 
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RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
Good find RoseRed. It was very tragic. I didn't know her, but I know a lot of folks who had her as a teacher. It takes pure evil to do something like that. He isn't the only one of that brood that's locked up for sex/murder/assault crimes, but at last the young girl his brother traumatized, survived her assault.
I don't understand your second part.
 

mitzi

Well-Known Member
Good find RoseRed. It was very tragic. I didn't know her, but I know a lot of folks who had her as a teacher. It takes pure evil to do something like that. He isn't the only one of that brood that's locked up for sex/murder/assault crimes, but at last the young girl his brother traumatized, survived her assault.

His brother attacked someone too? I don't remember that. I do remember at that time visiting someone at the St. Mary's Hilton for a minor charge. At that time, you stood in line outside. Broom's mother was behind me in line, saying how she hoped he wouldn't be sent up the road because she would have no way to see him. It was creeping me out listening to her (not talking to me, to someone else).
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
It's my understanding that the mother of these demons just passed away not very long ago. I hope she is waiting for them in hell when they get there. Hopefully the state will kick the rest of the heathens out of the house now and we can breathe a little easier in the 7D.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
I found this at familytreenowDOTcom:

Name: Paul A Broome. Birth: 27 May 1968. Dead: 18 Sep 2005. Address: Avenue, Md 20609

Hopefully it's correct.
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
It's my understanding that the mother of these demons just passed away not very long ago. I hope she is waiting for them in hell when they get there. Hopefully the state will kick the rest of the heathens out of the house now and we can breathe a little easier in the 7D.
Run a case search for that name for just SMCounty. :yikes:
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
I don't remember hearing about that. That's horrible
Kidnapped a young girl at knife point while she waited in the car, while her parent ran into the general store for a few things. She was missing for several hours. As they widened their search around the store, they were discovered at his mother's house. That last part is hearsay, but he lived within walking distance of the store. There was a trail through the woods that we used to ride dirt bikes through to get to the store without riding on the "State Road".
 
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