Three weeks before Christmas in 2010, Haley Wingard’s life came to a tragic end in a hail of gunfire. After being held captive in her own bedroom for hours by her ex-boyfriend, police believed there was no option but to storm the house. A short time later, both Haley and her assailant, Derrick Bean, were dead.
Bean, 25-years-old and upset at the breakdown of his relationship to 17-year-old Haley Wingard, broke into her house in Elmore County, holding her and her cousin, Christian, hostage. The couple had broken up earlier that week, and Haley had filed a domestic violence complaint.
Having found a supply of firearms, he tied up Haley and Christian in the bedroom and held them at gunpoint. Haley’s stepfather Philip Reeves was in the house but initially remained unaware that anything was amiss.
Eventually, Bean released Christian who raised the alarm with her uncle and neighbors, prompting a stand-off with police that lasted four hours.
After hours of negotiations, police became concerned when things went quiet; Bean had ceased all communication with officers. With no end to the siege in sight and fearing for Haley’s safety, police decided the best option was to attempt a rescue. A special-ops team of 13 men charged the house.
There is some controversy as to what happened next. Police say that they found Bean with a 12 gauge shotgun pointed at Haley’s head, and when they demanded he raise his hands, he instead shot the 17-year-old. Police simultaneously shot Bean six times in the chest area.
The family has argued that video footage shows a different version of events to the one the police described. They have argued that the police threw a grenade into the house and that the shots heard don’t match the police’s timescale.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelBean was allegedly battling mental health issues.
The case was previously the topic of another ID show called Home Alone.
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Wetumpka Swat Team got Haley killed when they stormed the house. It didn’t have to end this way. Haley didn’t deserve this.
They did what they thought they had to do and I believe they made the right decision because either way Derrick was probably going to kill her anyway. My prayers go out to her family.