Blood And Money On Horseshoe Bay

Did A Millionaire's Outrageous Sex Life Lead To His Murder?

(CBS)  This story originally aired on Nov. 1, 2008. It was updated on May 30, 2009.

In the Texas Hill Country, just outside Austin, sits a little piece of paradise called Horseshoe Bay. Police Chief Bill Lane has patrolled these waterways for the past nine years, and he says being assigned there is like dying and going to heaven.

The area is tranquil, beautiful and mostly affluent.

But the serenity of this tranquil setting was shattered in November 2005, when police were dispatched to the lakeside mansion of one of its most colorful, eccentric citizens, millionaire Charlie White.

---

>>> Watch the full episode <<<

---

"We felt, the night that we found the body, that this could be a very broad investigation," Lane remembers.

So Lane turned to a legendary band of lawmen, the Texas Rangers, and veteran Ranger Joey Gordon.

What did Gordon and an officer see, as they made their way into the house? "It looked very orderly. There was nothing out of place. But as we entered into the living room, we began to detect the odor of a decomposing body," the ranger remembers.

It was clear to Gordon that White had been brutally beaten. "We found that his ribs had been broken, he had received several blows into the jaw and head area," he recalls.

Gordon believes a large liquor bottle was used to smash Charlie's face. "To knock a tooth completely out and across a body and half way across a room takes significant amount of force," he explains.

An extension cord was also found wrapped several times around Charlie's neck.
Asked what ultimately led to his death, Gordon says, "The M.E.’s office listed blunt force trauma and strangulation as the cause of death."

Charlie’s friends Rosanne and Jerome Davis, Carol Noble, Liz Taber, and Kathy Turner, soon learned of Charlie's fate. "It was horrible. We live in this beautiful community. These things aren't supposed to happen," Noble says.

It was hard to imagine that this larger-than-life man was gone. Besides his friends, Charlie left behind a family and an ex wife.

"I wanted to go to college but I guess I wanted to marry him more," says Gerta, who was 16 when she first met Charlie at his military school prom.

"He was tall and good looking," she remembers. "We danced once. And I went home and told my parents that I had met the man I wanted to marry."

Charlie and Gerta went on to have five children. Darin was the youngest. "A lot of the memories came from his Little League coaching," Darin remembers. "I was the seven year old on the eight year old team. I remember one game where he sent me in the middle of the line with all the big kids and that was quite fun. And I came back with a big grin on my face."

Charlie made his fortune building a profitable chain of beauty schools throughout the Southwest. But the more successful he became, the more his marriage began to unravel.

Darin admits that he doesn't have any fond memories of his parents living together as a married couple.

So no one was surprised when in 1975 Charlie and Gerta got a divorce. But far more serious tragedy was about to unfold. That same year, their 11-year-old daughter was struck by a car and eventually died. And in 2001, another son committed suicide. Charlie's friends say he never got over losing two children.

But Charlie moved on, eventually retiring to a life of leisure and luxury. "There was not enough time in the day to do everything Charlie wanted to do," remembers Liz Taber.

Asked what Charlie's passions in life were, Kathy Hasting tells Van Sant, "Women. Money, sports, and women. "

Some of those women Kathy Hastings says were dates, many others were paid to party - high priced prostitutes.

How did she know?

"He told me," Hastings said. "Charlie would have sex with one girl on Thursday and maybe on the weekend he'd have sex with someone else. And he didn't keep it a secret."

Chief Lane says Charlie lived a life on the edge, one that he would consider risky. Police wondered if that risky lifestyle could have something to do with his murder.

"It could be that a hooker deal gone bad. Maybe the prostitute or the pimp took revenge on Charlie," Ranger Joey Gordon wonders.

At the crime scene, investigators continued piecing together the evidence. "He had a briefcase that he kept a lot of his business papers in. And this briefcase was open and dumped on top of his body," Gordon explains. "Somebody’s making a statement with those papers. Could it be a bad business deal?"

[ShawndaWhite]

I truly am disgusted at this website and think you should all be ashamed of yourselves for thinking you have any right to voice your opinion on somthing you know nothing about...i dont think you would enjoy after almost four years that people were still talking stupid **** about your family...so i ask you to please stop ive had enough!

[chantalt]

if you do the crime you do the time.
he killed his father in the most horrific way. smashed his face until the brain matter went flying around and after all that went for an electric cord and wrapped it around his neck because it" looked better" his own words. then gave him his last drink and while all this happened his father was telling him "i love you son" right there he lies again. I have never heard about somebody who has his brains splatter all over being able to talk what a BS. he killed his father because he wanted to do it for a long time as simple as that. it was not the first time he tried to kill his father...1996 at a hunting game he left his father in 110º heat to fetch for himself and the next day his father had a heart attack. his father has cover for all his stupid things he did over and over again and in return what did darin do.... NADA wait for his father to die so he could enjoy that money. but the man didn't die fast enough and was nagging him to do something with his life so....
BTW darin called every women he met a c.. or a b... a w.. even his future wife he used to call her every name in the book i was there.he had a foul vocabulary....and now he plays the saint.he reads the Bible a lot, funny all prisoners become christian but only after they have been caught! he was 38 yrs old when he killed his father.please the abuse thing was just to save his neck...........

[grcron4]

We here in California watched this edition of 48 Hours. Darin White was clearly abused extensively by his father and Darin was obviously pushed over the edge. Anyone who's been abused by another person knows all too much when they reach the breaking point and they want to strange the other person. So this was indeed a crime of passion. Any father who asks his son to have sex with him in the same room with other women definitely has a screw loose and shame on those who are on Charlie White's side for defending such a man. There's a reason why there is a jury but most people on a jury are dummies to begin with. They have your life in their hands and yet half of the time they make the wrong decision, as in this case with Darin White. I hope Darin somehow manages to get out early. He's got a lot of support at this end.

[sunnybebe]

Growing up, my stepfather abused us six kids. My youngest brother suffered the most as my stepfather used to pick him up and bang his head against the ceiling. My mother didn't work and stayed with him for 18 yrs. for financial reasons. My stepfather beat my Mother many times me once really bad when I was 15, my boyfriend and I, along with two of my younger brothers planned to kill his abusive butt. It was fun planning it but we could not go through with it and I am so glad because we would have wasted our life over a mean, drunk, abuser. He is dead now :Thank God!! My youngest brother has lead a very bad life due to the abuse and he is now spending 27 years in prison for being an habitual offender (crimes he had already paid for) and he never murdered anyone. It just blows me away that this guy gets 20 yrs. and my brother gets 27. I don't think the son should have killed his Father but yes people do think about it when they are abused.

[chantalt]

to all of you who said i don't know.... Darin drop darci to date my stepdaughter Sandra and ask what darin did to Sandra. i should have sued him right there!..... and who had to put his foot down? it seems you are the ones that only know one side of the story. you all defend a CONVICTED murderer good for you. by the way Jerome,Rossanne, Liz, Katy and many oyhers who deffended Charlie Sr are pillars of their Town so... fine people,normal people.. they are people who work, who have a great life not like darin who never did anything at 38 yrs old he still didn't have a job... I am cruel ! what did Darin call me and my daughter on the stand A high class prostitue! i am a woman who work who has a 6000sqft home by my work,hotels, mining business and the diamond business and Sandra was a stokbroker and a manager at A big bank! so. she is now married to a politician in England and has 3 children! so i think you can shut up. i have a great life i just cannot understand why people play the selfrighteous on this topix and they love to forget their past. full of crap! you kill somebody with smashing his face so his brain and his teeth are all over and then you go to get an electric cord to wrap it around his neck not once but 8 times "because it looked better" darin own words, oops forgot then went to SLEEPin that house, next morning went to make himself a cup of coffee took His dog outside didn't matter the stench of his dead father and took off to mama! that's an abused person! hello that's a cold blooded killer! and no i will never be pro murder. i understand the position of his mother she is HIS only mother i even understand Darci "re loving him" but married him! when you have a young child .... then she should not have critiziced SR being a bad father. but whatever i am crazy i didn't see anything i was never there be it. i know what i know ! i think darin should share his cell with all of you who wanted Senior dead he all did you a favor! by the way Gerda was out of charlie's life for the last 30 yrs so......such a crap and lies! and selective memories! so he was killed because 30 years ago some people had problems with him geez did those people never went on with their lifes guess not! whatever be pro murder! hey somebody abuses me, i kick him in his balls and never see him anymore and that's it !
so much free violence!
your world is a real classy and nice place! stay in it that's why we have jails and prisons!
and that's from the B.......another word you call me!

[bajajohn1]

That Charlie White sounds like typical Texas white trash who happened to make a few bucks but lacked class; you can't buy class.

[boonzy]

Chantel,
First of all of you have no idea what you are talking about, how dare you make accusations of people you don't even know!!! I have known the White family for many years and I have met Gerda, Darci and the rest of the family. You have no idea what Gerda went through with that man when she was married to him and I don't blame her for wanting that man dead. All the terrible things you said about Darin are not true, you just know half the facts, just like you posted in the HSB forum. As for Darci, I have known her almost as long as the White family and now she is apart of that family and the accusations you make of her are completely false. Why would she go after a nasty old man when she had the love of her life Darin. Charlie didn't like Darci because she was the only one who wouldn't sleep with Charlie and he was furious that she wouldn't. She is raising her son with honesty and integrity and doing the best she can. Her son and C are friends and have hung out together. I commend her for standing by the man she loves, not many women could do what she is doing, You are just a nasty B, and you don't have a life, you are cruel and hurtful to people, I can see now why Charlie liked you so much, The White's are trying to get on with their lives, I suggest you do the same you stupid B!!!!

[wyo-kid]

Yes, Darin should have moved out and became an adult without having to depend on his mother or his dad . In a way the dads responsible for his son not being able to become a responsible adult, after all he was the father who had the responsibility of raising his son to become a responsible adult. He failed miserably in this fatherly task. In a way Charley was the instigator in his own death.

[chantalt]

sure darin was abused! he was 38 yrs old when he killed his father in the most horrible way. was twice the size of his father, twice his age! he lived with his mother( not his father) since he was 8 yrs old: Gerda said on national TV she wanted to kill SR herself but didn't have the nerves. so did darin have to hear for the 30yrs he lived on and off with his mother how much she wanted to kill Senior!!!!! were is the abuse!
Senior had Golf tournamens with strippers it happens all the time. judges, lawyers executives ect.. goes to those tournaments without a problem! everybody forgets Senior was not married and could do what he wanted.all these people who criticize Sr ,they were all at his house almost every day using his jet ski's, his boat, his bar like it was free....his plane going to the games with him, the restaurants etc... so who was using who? and they all didn't like him ...nice people! as for darin's new wife she forgets to say how she used to flaunt herself at Senior when she used to date darin the first time in the 90th. here she criticized Sr on the stand but she has a small child from another relationship.what is she going to say to that child"honey your new dad is in prison because HE killed his dad but that''s ok because he was a bad man"talk about a great start for that child. so she puts her needs before her own child! nice! SR adored his gandchildren( the one he saw) Ch. and C.and they were at his house all the time! where ever darin went he ruined peoples lifes,his former girlfriend who died, his brother that he almost financial ruined with the fountain business, then betraying his brother trust...then killing his father and ruinning his mother's life and many other lifes! he is just a BAD SEED! i know i lived with Sr.

[rogermaddy]

This is such a sad story. Darin doesnt look like a person that was just after his fathers money. There are some circumstances that make individuals snap and I believe this is one. I lived with a violent alcoholic and there is nothing but fear put into you from this person that is a violent drunk. I feared for my life until I left. The biggest fear was that he would kill me and not even remember what he did. No one has the right to judge Darin unless they know the whole story. I also believe what the neice posted on here about the people that didnt think Mr. white was an abuser, It was all about his money. There are 2 sides to a violent drunk. And they only let some people see this side of them. My ex was a gem to some and they didnt believe what I said about him either. He also had money. And the "friends" that had nothing bad to say about him, they were taking advantage of his generosity (money). Its seems to me that 20yrs for Darin is unfair but he is probably at peace right now, more than any time in his life. May peace be with him and maybe the probation court will see what this guy has gone through his whole life and let him go on with his life with his wife.

[stickdog3]

These are incredible comments posted here on this board, especially this guys relatives. To the niece tbmomma, hopefully you get on this blog this time around like you did in November. My question to you and the other family members would be, why did Darin keep going back to stay with his father, and why did the other family members not leave long ago when all this started? When the father first issued out that first dose of abuse, that very day seems like everyone/anyone on the recieving end should have jetted, why didn't they do that? What happened or has it happened when his estate was settled? Did any of the family members turn down the money? How come there were still people saying they liked him? I'm on the outside looking in, but it appears Charlie worked hard to put himself in the financial position he was in, he seemed to enjoy being in that position, it enabled him to live out his fantasies to the fullest. In essence he discovered what a lot of people in this World deny, he discovered who he was. The people around him that were close to him (relatives) couldn't accept that. Again, there were people on that broadcast that said they liked him. The women sure as hell liked him, they found his book with over 1,000 women in there. I love women to, wish I could get my hands on that many when I want to like he apparently was able to do. Know, what this is, and I hate to say it, but jealousy, and, envy are very powerful emotions. It manifests itself in so many ways. Charlie did it his way, nothing wrong with that. It takes courage to live this one life you have exactly the way you want to. If you notice most people in this World who become succesful like Charlie know what they want, and go get it. They are unconventional, unorthodox people. Personally I admire them. I admire Hugh Hefner to, these people know themselves, they're not phonies, when you meet them from day 1 you know what they're all about, up front, no deception, no manipulation, no mysterys, no 6 months or a year down the road "surprise this is how I really am" no with these people they're up front, if you don't or care for that than move out the way. This people aren't into deception, they're upfront, ask that NBA star who was engaged to this woman who turned out to be a fraud who was arrested at his house 2 weeks ago aout deception. Charlie White was no deciever, you knew what he was all about. He defines that age old axiom "To thine own self be true"
Happy Trails Pal - R.I.P.

[csi-lover]

Darin admitted that he killed his own dad, and cried on tv while he explained why he killed him. Next time move Darin, move out and get your own place to live, or call the police on your dad if he becomes that abusive to show a paper trail of abuse. Sorry, but Darin definately deserves what he got. Some think he should have gotten life in prison, so Darin should probably be count ing his blessings. And stop getting hookers for your dad; lame excuse for a cold blooded murderer. And grow up and be a man and stop being a cry baby...

[hercule1122]

What is the age of Darin? Someone here says about 40- is that correct? That does seem old to be living with daddy and not out making his living independent of paterfamilias. That does alter my outlook on this case if he was just living off of daddy.

[tisane22]

I actually think that Darin got what he deserved. If you kill someone, you need to be punished. Of course there are exceptions like self defense when your life is in direct danger, but according to the crime scene that wasn't the case. Yeah his dad was probably not a very nice guy, and I really do feel for victims of domestic abuse, but that is no excuse to take your own father's life. Darin looks like he could be 35-40 yrs old. What the heck is he doing still living with his father? If it was sooo unbearable he could have left anytime he wanted. Anyone can say "oh yeah he really was a hostage of his father . . ." but come on really. Darin looks like more of a freeloader than anything else. With the money his father had he could have gone to the best schools in the country, and had all the resources needed to make himself successful but instead he went on living out his adult years depending of his father.

[PVperson2]

It's a shame someone didn't kill this bastard years ago.

[saturn05]

I ususally don't have much sympathy for anyone that kills, but I really don't believe 20 years is right. From all accounts, it sounds like his defense was a sound one. He was mentally abused for so long this guy became a victim of the Stockholm Syndrome. Hostages who don't leave thier captors is real and this sounds like it fits. The guy snapped after the abuse and his father paid the price for his abuse. I don't think Darin should go scott-free, but probation and mandatory mental health help would do more to help this guy heal and I doubt if he is really a danger to society based on this crime.

[hercule1122]

This entire episode is heart-rending. A dysfunctional family which leaves the children in great need of therapy; a father who appears to have been only interested in himself and his gratification; a mother who had the good sense to leave with her children and probably did the best she could. There are only losers in this sad tale.

[stevenger]

I grew up in a very abusive family. I kept going back, just like Darin. We go back because we love our parents, despite the abuse. We actually feel sorry for them. I know I didn't see the entire trial obviously, but where were the psychiatrists? They could have taken the jury down the road Darin travelled and they'd have made the jury understand why he went to the garage and got the extension cord. Once he'd hurt his father with the whiskey bottle he had no choice. He knew one of them WOULD die. It was self-defense and it's obscene that Darin has to spend a minute in prison. His father should have been locked up for child abuse years before it got to the point where Darin had to save himself by killing that man. Darin probably wasn't even consciously aware that he knew he would die if his father got up off that floor, that night. If it had been me, I'd have killed him too and for the same reason. I fought to stay alive throughout my childhood, there is no way I would have allowed my father the opportunity to get off that floor and finish the job he started when I was a child. After his father was dead and he was sure he was dead, Darin went to bed. For the first time in his life, he was safe. That jury had no idea how much battered and abused children and adults, crave safety and unless they have been there themselves, they are not, were not and could never be, Darin peers. He wasn't judged by anyone who understood the abject terror he felt, once he'd actually hit his father and put him down. After that, he stopped think about being his son and chose to live, instead. I'm sorry you were sentenced to prison Darin, I hope someday the courts and prosecutors grow a brain and educate themselves about the true ramifications of abuse. K...shutting up now

[Kristi555]

Darin White doesn't deserve jail for one minute. I completely agree, RobinKBell.

[fishintxs]

obviously sr. had an abusive father, but he did not kill him. That boy killed his girlfriend in the 80s while driving drunk, sr. spent a small fortune buying his way out of that one. The boy left a trail of destruction behind him.