Getting Away With Murder?

By Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board

Published: May 30, 2008

Charlie Stiltner Sr. will spend just a year behind bars in connection with the death of Christa Brae Hart in 2002.
Stiltner accepted a plea bargain Wednesday that resolved the criminal case against him, but he didn’t take responsibility for Hart’s death. For Hart’s family, this resolution doesn’t feel like justice.
We sympathize, but it appears this plea was the best that prosecutors could do. By their own admission, they didn’t have enough evidence to convince a jury that Hart was murdered and that Stiltner was responsible.
Hart, 23, drowned in South Holston Lake. Prosecutors alleged – and a grand jury agreed – that Stiltner caused her death. But the details and circumstances of her death remain as murky as the South Holston’s waters.
Was she pushed into the water? Did she jump from the U.S. Highway 421 bridge in fear? Did intoxicants – either drugs or alcohol – play a role in her death? Was there a connection between her death and a rape complaint she made just three weeks earlier?
And, most importantly, what was Stiltner’s role in Hart’s death? Over the years, Stiltner has given multiple, conflicting statements to investigators. He incriminated himself, but his story kept changing. This presents obvious problems for prosecutors hoping to build a solid case.
Stiltner, 46, of Bristol, Va., didn’t answer any questions as he entered an Alford plea to a voluntary manslaughter charge. The Alford plea – sometimes referred to as a “best interests” plea – allowed him to maintain his innocence while conceding that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to convict him.
Essentially, he took a plea rather than take his chances with a jury even though he maintains he didn’t kill Hart. If he had gone to trial and been convicted of second-degree murder, Stiltner would have faced from five to 40 years in prison.
With the criminal case behind him, Stiltner should tell the truth about what happened on Oct. 12, 2002. He should clearly describe his role in Hart’s death rather than hiding behind legal tactics. If his recollection was clouded as a result of drug or alcohol use, he should say so. But say something. It’s the only thing left that Stiltner can give to Hart’s grieving family. 
Admissions and apologies cannot undo Hart’s death. However, a full account of her death delivered with complete candor might provide a measure of peace for those who still grieve for a life lost too young.