"Your son is being portrayed as evil and what he did is an evil act -- to shoot these two young men multiple times in the back and the head and murder them in cold blood. You agree with that, right?" – Dr. Phil
(Hollywood, CA – March 13, 2015) – In a national television exclusive, Dr. Phil speaks with Jodi and Raymond Routh, Sr., the parents of former Marine Eddie Ray Routh, convicted of killing Navy Seal sharpshooter Chris Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield. Kyle's autobiography was the subject of the critically acclaimed movie "American Sniper," and he, along with Littlefield, was shot point blank by Routh at a Texas shooting range in 2013. The episode airs Monday,
March 16, 4-5 p.m. on WUSA9.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the trial only to Dr. Phil, the Rouths reveal stunning new details about their son and what they think is his mental illness; his military service and how they believe his deployment on humanitarian assignment to Haiti following the earthquake in 2010 changed him forever. Dr. Phil also talks with Eddie's sister Laura about her relationship with her brother, her account of the events of the tragic day in 2013, and what she did to help police capture Eddie after he fled the murder scene.
During the trial, Eddie Ray Routh's attorneys argued he was not guilty by reason of insanity citing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. On February 25th, a jury convicted him of capital murder. The judge then sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Select quotes from the episode:
"I said Chris, would you be willing to help my son? He's a former Marine and he has PTSD and he really needs some help and we're not getting what we need. And he said, 'Yes, I would be willing to help.' And that was the first day in several years that I really felt like anybody even cared if Eddie got the help that he needed or not." – Jodi Routh on her conversation with Chris Kyle.
"This 'aint just two people dead it's three. I know that in my heart this should have never went on. It should have never happened, but it did, and you can't turn back time. You just can't." – Raymond Routh, Sr.
"Eddie said, 'I killed two guys today.' And I said, 'Who did you kill?' And he replied, 'I think his name was Chris.' I told him if you're telling me the truth you need to call the police and turn yourself in." - Laura Blevins recounting the conversation she had with her brother Eddie following the murders of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield.
DR. PHIL was created by Harpo Productions, is produced by Peteski Productions in association with CBS Television Distribution, which also distributes the show. Carla Pennington and Dr. Phillip C. McGraw are the executive producers.
