THE DARK SIDE OF IOWA
Bradley Arterburn
#6083799
photo courtesy KCCI News
Full Name: Bradley William Arterburn
DOB: June 30, 1985
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Mahaska
City: Oskaloosa
Current Status: Anamosa State Penitentiary
Date of Crime: June 19, 2011
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victim: Hank Horovitz
DOB: June 30, 1985
Charge: 1st degree murder
County: Mahaska
City: Oskaloosa
Current Status: Anamosa State Penitentiary
Date of Crime: June 19, 2011
Tentative Discharge Date: Life
Victim: Hank Horovitz
From age eight to eleven, Bradley William Arterburn suffered horrendous sexual abuse at the hands of his stepfather, Dave Myers. Dave fondled Bradley almost daily, engaged in sex acts with the boy, and ejaculated on his face. Dave molested Bradley's friends and even forced Bradley to watch while Dave had a sexual encounter with the boy's dog.
Bradley revealed the abuse to his mother in 1997. Dave was convicted and sent to prison, but Bradley often had nightmares Dave would return and hurt him again.
At the age of eighteen, Bradley began collecting swords, knives and other blades, as well as guns, out of conern for his safety. His mother, Linda, promised her son if someone she dated ever reminded him of Dave, she would end the relationship.
Linda took her son to specialized therapy for victims of sexual assault as soon as the abuse was brought to light. Bradley continued seeing various counselors over the years. He was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and attention deficit disorder.
In June 2010, Bradley sought treatment from Diane Simons, a physician's assistant to prescribed Seroquel, Topamax, Zolpidem, Prozac, Gabitril, Trazadone, and Ambien for him. She considered Bradley, who was then 25-years old, to be stable on his medication.
Bradley dropped out of high school but earned his GED and attended community college classes. He did not hold a job except for a short stint at Dairy Queen when he was sixteen. He qualified for Social Security assistance and paid rent to stay in his mother's basement. Bradley had a close relationship with his sister, Brianna, and sometimes babysat for her daughter.
In June 2011, Linda met Hank Horovitz online. Their relationship moved quickly. On the first weekend in June, Hank stayed at the family home in Oskaloosa. He spent time with Linda in her bedroom and those dalliances bothered Bradley. He told his mother that Hank reminded him of Dave and asked her not to date him, at least not while Bradley still lived at home. He expressed these same sentiments to his sister. Brianna had not yet met Hank but shared her brother's concern about their mother rushing into this relationship.
Despite Bradley's discomfort, Linda decided to let Hank move in. Linda recalled that on the afternoon of June 19, 2011, Hank told Bradley about their plans. "Hank was really happy about the fact that we were going to move in together and later get married, and he just kind of blurted it out to Brad." This news greatly upset Bradley. At first, Bradley told his mother, "This is a family home," and it was not her decision alone to let Hank live with them. He then asked her to wait for him to move out before letting Hank move in.
Later that day, Bradley saw Hank sitting at the computer in the family room without his shirt on. Bradley testified he "started seeing Dave" and could not get the visions of his abuser out of his head. Bradley tried to calm down by going to the video store and to Subway.
When Bradley returned home, he went to his bedroom in the basement and watched a movie but could still not shake the flashbacks. He took his German Shephard "Buddy" out for a walk and when he returned home, he heard Hank say: "he likes my dog and my dog likes him." Hank's reference to his dog further triggered Bradley's memory of Dave's abuse.
Bradley testified that he believed he had to "protect" himself. He went to his basement bedroom, grabbed a battle ax from the wall, walked back upstairs, and struck Hank in the back with the blade. Bradley struck him again and again, then took a knife from his pocket and slit Hank's throat. In total, Hank suffered seventeen sharp force injuries. The medical examiner determined that Hank died from "bleeding out."
During the struggle, Hank yelled for Linda to help him but Bradley threw her against the fireplace. When she tried to call police, Bradley grabbed the cell phone and snapped it into two pieces. Bradley told his mother, "he doesn't deserve for you to call 911." Bradley then turned the knife on himself. As he was stabbing himself in the chest, he told his mother that it was "all her fault." Bradley then went out on the deck to smoke.
Bradley revealed the abuse to his mother in 1997. Dave was convicted and sent to prison, but Bradley often had nightmares Dave would return and hurt him again.
At the age of eighteen, Bradley began collecting swords, knives and other blades, as well as guns, out of conern for his safety. His mother, Linda, promised her son if someone she dated ever reminded him of Dave, she would end the relationship.
Linda took her son to specialized therapy for victims of sexual assault as soon as the abuse was brought to light. Bradley continued seeing various counselors over the years. He was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and attention deficit disorder.
In June 2010, Bradley sought treatment from Diane Simons, a physician's assistant to prescribed Seroquel, Topamax, Zolpidem, Prozac, Gabitril, Trazadone, and Ambien for him. She considered Bradley, who was then 25-years old, to be stable on his medication.
Bradley dropped out of high school but earned his GED and attended community college classes. He did not hold a job except for a short stint at Dairy Queen when he was sixteen. He qualified for Social Security assistance and paid rent to stay in his mother's basement. Bradley had a close relationship with his sister, Brianna, and sometimes babysat for her daughter.
In June 2011, Linda met Hank Horovitz online. Their relationship moved quickly. On the first weekend in June, Hank stayed at the family home in Oskaloosa. He spent time with Linda in her bedroom and those dalliances bothered Bradley. He told his mother that Hank reminded him of Dave and asked her not to date him, at least not while Bradley still lived at home. He expressed these same sentiments to his sister. Brianna had not yet met Hank but shared her brother's concern about their mother rushing into this relationship.
Despite Bradley's discomfort, Linda decided to let Hank move in. Linda recalled that on the afternoon of June 19, 2011, Hank told Bradley about their plans. "Hank was really happy about the fact that we were going to move in together and later get married, and he just kind of blurted it out to Brad." This news greatly upset Bradley. At first, Bradley told his mother, "This is a family home," and it was not her decision alone to let Hank live with them. He then asked her to wait for him to move out before letting Hank move in.
Later that day, Bradley saw Hank sitting at the computer in the family room without his shirt on. Bradley testified he "started seeing Dave" and could not get the visions of his abuser out of his head. Bradley tried to calm down by going to the video store and to Subway.
When Bradley returned home, he went to his bedroom in the basement and watched a movie but could still not shake the flashbacks. He took his German Shephard "Buddy" out for a walk and when he returned home, he heard Hank say: "he likes my dog and my dog likes him." Hank's reference to his dog further triggered Bradley's memory of Dave's abuse.
Bradley testified that he believed he had to "protect" himself. He went to his basement bedroom, grabbed a battle ax from the wall, walked back upstairs, and struck Hank in the back with the blade. Bradley struck him again and again, then took a knife from his pocket and slit Hank's throat. In total, Hank suffered seventeen sharp force injuries. The medical examiner determined that Hank died from "bleeding out."
During the struggle, Hank yelled for Linda to help him but Bradley threw her against the fireplace. When she tried to call police, Bradley grabbed the cell phone and snapped it into two pieces. Bradley told his mother, "he doesn't deserve for you to call 911." Bradley then turned the knife on himself. As he was stabbing himself in the chest, he told his mother that it was "all her fault." Bradley then went out on the deck to smoke.
Oskaloosa Police Officer Jacob Vanderpol identifies the weapon recovered at the crime scene as one of the weapons used in the assault and murder of Hank Horovitz, courtesy Osky News
Bradley testified that he hoped all his chest wounds would be fatal. He also testified that he wanted the police officers reporting to the scene to shoot him. He charged at one officer trying to achieve that result. Instead, another officer subdued him with a taser, placed him under arrest, and transported him to the hospital.
At the hospital, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Adam DeCamp interviewed Bradley. After waiving his rights, Bradley admitted he "just snapped" on his mother because he "couldn't take it anymore... she put me through so much shit." He told the agent about his stepfather, Dave, explaining, "she got married and I got abused, sexually abused." He described how he was "ambushed" by the news that his mother and "her boyfriend that she only knew for two weeks" were moving into the house together.
Bradley told DeCamp that the boyfriend's name was Hank and admitted "going after Hank" and hurting him. Bradley did not tell the agent that he mistook Hank for Dave during the attack. Instead, Bradley described his motive as "just trying to make my mom suffer." He explained, "I was hoping she would have to lose both of us." When the agent told Bradley that Hank was dead and asked who was responsible for his death, Bradley said that his mom Linda was responsible.
Source: Justia US Law