Army Veteran, Gun Writer Arrested: Previously Convicted of Deer-Camp Crime

A string of deer-camp crimes in northwest Louisiana has been making news. Now another recent arrest brings to light a 2011 felony against a deer hunter from the same town.
Army Veteran, Gun Writer Arrested: Previously Convicted of Deer-Camp Crime

A convicted felon living in Texarkana, Texas, was arrested last week for possessing 118 firearms and more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition. But if you read Whitetail Journal’s recent article on deer-camp crimes, you might notice an unlikely connection between the Texarkana arrest of 77-year-old Robert D. Whittington III and the one made earlier this spring in nearby Bossier Parish, Louisiana, where a string of crimes against deer hunters were committed over the last eight years.

According to the Texarkana Gazette, “Whittington pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2011, to terrorizing and received a five-year term at a sentencing hearing March 9, 2011. Whittington posted a letter at a deer camp in (Bossier Parish,) Louisiana, threatening to come after the camp's owner while in a deer stand. A threatening letter was also mailed to the camp owner's home.”

The letters each contained the following message:

"We comin (sic) after yo ass during deer season—when we can drop you like a deer! Right out of your stand! We know now where you sit.”

Whittington, Robert Dillard, Lt. Col. III (Bossier Parish Library Historical Center).

Related: Investigation of Deer-Camp Crimes Ends in Double Suicide 

According to the Gazette, court documents state that, “Whittington and the recipient of his communications had previously had run-ins that led to misdemeanor convictions for Whittington, and that during the investigation into the instant crimes, Whittington made threats to 'open fire on' sheriff's deputies."

Meanwhile back in Bossier Parish — which is roughly 55 miles from Texarkana — deer-camp crimes suspect Gary Wilson pleaded not guilty in district court on May 16. Wilson is connected to 60 incidents of arson and vandalism at deer camps and hunting leases dating back to 2010, a span of time that overlaps with Whittington’s 2011 deer-camp crime. And, like Whittington, Wilson also threatened law enforcement officials. Wilson was charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer.

It is not yet known why hunters, deer camps and hunting leases were targeted by Wilson and his family, but the list of vandalism, arson and other crimes includes the following, as reported by the Shreveport Times:

  • Homemade, welded spikes implanted on private gravel roadways and other areas, put there with the intent to flatten tires.
  • Various crude messages found at deer camps. Messages were carved into walls, left in threatening letters or, in one case, written on a television.
  • A box suspended 10 to 12 feet in the air on land leased for hunting by a Bossier Parish resident. Inside the box was a plastic baby doll inscribed with the phrases “crybaby,” “kiss my ass,” and “Mark 13:35.”

So far, there have been no public connections made between Wilson and Whittington by local news reporters or law enforcement in the area. Whittington retired from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Colonel and it appears he’s published a series of books about firearms including “German Pistols and Holsters,” which may explain the large number of guns in his possession.

List of Weapons Seized

The Texarkana Gazette published a list of weapons seized from Robert Whittington III:

(1) Walther, P38, 9mm pistol

(2) Unknown manufacturer and model, .765 caliber pistol

(3) Colt, Detective Special, .38 caliber revolver

(4) Uberti, Aldo, .45 caliber revolver

(5) Colt, SAA, .44 caliber revolver

(6) Walther, PP, unknown caliber pistol

(7) Colt, 1911, .45 caliber pistol

(8) Smith & Wesson, 10, .38 caliber revolver

(9) Walther, PP, .32 caliber pistol

(10) Smith & Wesson, unknown model, .44 caliber revolver

(11) Colt, 1911, .45 caliber pistol

Robert D. Whittington III retired from the U.S. Army as a Lt. Colonel, and it appears he’s published a series of books about firearms. Photo: ebay

(12) Colt, SAA. .38 caliber revolver

(13) Webley-Webley and Scott, .38 caliber revolver

(14) Colt, Commando, .38 caliber revolver

(15) Webley- Webley and Scott, WG, .455 caliber revolver

(16) Llama (Gabilondo & CIA), unknown caliber pistol

(17) Colt, 1903, .32 caliber pistol

(18) Walther, PPK, .32 caliber pistol

(19) Colt, Trooper, .357 caliber revolver

(20) Sig-Sauer, P228, 9mm pistol

(21) Colt, Trooper MKIII, .22 caliber revolver

(22) UniqueCourt, 9 Coups, .32 caliber pistol

(23) Colt, SAA, .38 caliber revolver

(24) Ruger, P97DC, .45 caliber pistol

(25) Beretta, Pietro S.P.A 84BB, .38 caliber pistol

(26) Colt, SAA, .38 caliber revolver

(27) Smith & Wesson, 4046, .40 caliber pistol

(28) Walther, PP, .32 caliber pistol

(29) Germany, Makarov, 9mm pistol

(30) Walther, P38, unknown caliber pistol

(31) Smith & Wesson, 38, .38 caliber revolver

(32) Luger, P08, 9mm pistol

(33) Smith & Wesson, 13, .357 caliber revolver

(34) Mossberg, 500, 12-gauge shotgun

(35) Marlin Firearms Co., 42, 12-gauge shotgun

(36) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .38-55 caliber rifle

(37) USA Military Surplus, 1917, unknown caliber rifle

(38) Winchester, 1894, .25-35 caliber rifle

(39) Winchester, 1894, .38-55 caliber rifle

(40) Winchester, 1895, .270 caliber rifle

(41) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .38-55 caliber rifle

(42) Marlin Firearms Co., Golden 39A Mountie, .22 caliber rifle

(43) Marlin Firearms Co., 1895, .45-70 caliber rifle

(44) Winchester, 1907, .351 caliber rifle

(45) Uberti, Aldo 1860 Henry, .44-40 caliber rifle

(46) Marlin Firearms Co., 1895M, .450 caliber rifle

(47) Ruger, M77, .458 caliber rifle

(48) Walther, PP, .32 caliber pistol

(49) Smith & Wesson, unknown model, .44 caliber revolver

(50) Colt, SAA, .357 caliber revolver

(51) Radom, P35, 9mm pistol

(52) Webley- Webley and Scott, WG, .455 caliber revolver

(53) Colt, unknown model, .45 caliber revolver

(54) CZ (Ceska Zbrojovka), CZ27, .32 caliber pistol

(55) U.S.A. Military Surplus, 03A3, .30-06 caliber rifle

(56) U.S.A. Military Surplus, 1903, .30-06 caliber rifle

(57) Winchester, 37, .20 caliber shotgun

(58) Marlin Firearms Co., 336, .30-30 caliber rifle

(59) Marlin Firearms Co., unknown model, 23-gauge shotgun,

(60) Winchester, 1895, .38-72 caliber rifle

(61) Norinco (North China Industries), 99 Coach Gun, 12-gauge shotgun

(62) F.N. (FN Herstal), 1922, unknown caliber pistol

(63) Armi San Marco, 1851 Navy, .38 caliber revolver

(64) Armscor of the Philippines (Squires Bingham), M1911-A1 FS, .45 caliber pistol

(65) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .25-36 caliber rifle

(66) Switzerland, 1931 Schmidt Rubin, .75 caliber rifle

(67) U.S.A. Military Surplus, Krag, .30-40 caliber rifle

(68) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .32 caliber rifle

(69) Marlin Firearms Co., 336RC, .35 caliber rifle

(70) Winchester, 1895, .30-03 caliber rifle

(71) Winchester, 94, .32 caliber rifle

(72) Ruger, 1, .416 caliber rifle

(73) Winchester, 1873, .44-40 caliber rifle

(74) Winchester, 1892, .38-40 caliber rifle

(75) Winchester, 54, .30-06 caliber rifle

(76) Winchester, 12, 12-gauge shotgun

(77) Winchester, 1897, 12-gauge shotgun

(78) Winchester, 1895, .35 caliber rifle

(79) Winchester, 37, .16 caliber shotgun

(80) Winchester, 97, 12-gauge shotgun

(81) Winchester, 1895, .30-06 caliber rifle

(82) Marlin Firearms Co., 93, .30-30 caliber rifle

(83) Norinco (North China Industries), 370 Riot, 12-gauge shotgun

(84) Winchester, 1894, .32-40 caliber rifle

(85) Winchester, 1895, .30 caliber rifle

(86) Marlin Firearms Co., 1889, .44-40 caliber rifle

(87) Winchester, 1895, .30-06 caliber rifle

(88) Marlin Firearms Co., 93, .32 caliber rifle

(89) Marlin Firearms Co., 93, .30-30 caliber rifle

(90) Winchester, 1894, .38-55 caliber rifle

(91) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .32-40 caliber rifle

(92) Winchester, 12, 12-gauge shotgun

(93) U.S.A. Military Surplus, Ml, .30-06 caliber rifle

(94) Ruger, M77, .308 caliber rifle

(95) Winchester, 1903, .22 caliber rifle

(96) Marlin Firearms Co., 336, .30-30 caliber rifle

(97) Marlin Firearms Co., 1894, .25-20 caliber rifle

(98) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .32 caliber rifle

(99) Marlin Firearms Co., 30/30, .30-30 caliber rifle

(100) Winchester, 1892, .44 caliber rifle

(101) Winchester, 94, .32 caliber rifle

(102) Winchester, 94, .30-30 caliber rifle

(103) Remington Arms Company, Inc., 700, .308 caliber rifle

(104) Marlin Firearms Co., 93, .30-30 caliber rifle

(105) Winchester, 1895, .405 caliber rifle

(106) Roger, M77, .7 caliber rifle

(107) Winchester, 71, .348 caliber rifle

(108) Winchester, 37, .20 caliber shotgun

(109) Winchester, 1892, .38 caliber rifle

(110) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .32 caliber rifle

(111) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .38-55 caliber rifle

(112) Marlin Firearms Co., 1893, .32-40 caliber rifle

(113) Marlin Firearms Co., 1894CL, .32-20 caliber rifle

(114) U.S.A. Military Surplus, Ml Carbine, .30 caliber rifle

(115) Armi Sport Di Chiappa (KIMAR), 1892 Lever Action, .44-40 caliber rifle

(116) Winchester, 101, 12-gauge shotgun

(117) Russian Mosin Nagant, .762 caliber rifle

(118) Uberti, Aldo 1866, .38-40 caliber rifle

 

Featured photo: Media Photos, iStock


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