Tyler Hadley had a seemingly normal childhood, with his parents looking out for him. Yet, everything changed as he later spoke about wanting to kill them. Bad enough was the thought, but then, the former 17-year-old killed his parents, Mary-Jo and Blake Hadley, with a hammer.
The surprising thing is that the now 30-year-old killed his parents so that he could have a house party. The self-acclaimed “Hammer Boy” got two life sentences for his crime.
Hadley’s Life Before He Murdered His Parents
Tyler Hadley was born on February 16, 1994, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. He is the son of Blake Hadley and Mary-Jo Hadley, an elementary school teacher. He was raised by his parents in a pretty normal way.
The Hammer Boy, nonetheless, struggled with drug use and mental health. This would let his parents seek the help of psychiatrists and an inpatient drug treatment program.
He attended high school in Port St. Lucie and was best friends with Michael Mandell, a boy who would later report his (Hadley) crime.
Tyler Hadley Had Been Detained Before His Famous Murder
Before Tyler killed his parents, he had skipped school numerous times and had been involved in taking drugs and selling them from around the time he was 15. According to several sources, he was also in several crimes and was detained for arson, vandalism, thefts, and aggravated battery.
Upon these, he was caught in a civil suit after he hit and injured a child on a day he was driving his father’s car.
His crimes and involvement with drugs moved his parents to become desperate to get him help. This was why they sought help in an outpatient mental health and substance abuse program, but nothing changed. When it failed, they found an inpatient program for him.
The Truth About Tyler’s Crime, How and Why He Killed His Parents
The Hammer Boy did not like the idea of his parents wanting him to start an inpatient program.
Again, he returned home drunk one night—his mother, who was not happy, seized his car and phone as punishment.
The then 17-year-old was angry and had told his best friend, Michael Mandell, that he wanted to kill his mother.
Mandell didn’t think anything of it since he felt that Hadley was only angry for being grounded. In any case, Hadley did not commit the crime at the time.
What to Know About Hadley’s Murder of His Parents
Tyler had told his friend that he would host a big party after a parricide had “never been done before.”
Afterward, he wrote on his Facebook page, “Party at my crib tonight…maybe.”
When his parents returned home later, he hid their phones and locked their labrador. This was to stop them from calling for help in case his plans didn’t go through and also stop their dog from helping them out.
Before the crime, he took three pills of ecstasy.
Then, he went to his mother, who was working on a computer. Tyler stood behind his mother, Mary-Jo, for a while before he attacked her with the claw hammer.
Upon hearing her scream, “Why?” Blake, Tyler’s father, ran into the room. He saw what their son had done and screamed, “Why?”
Rather than feeling remorseful and retreating, Tyler Hadley answered why not. He then attacked his father also. He ended up killing both of them, cleaned the room, and stuffed their bodies in the master bedroom.
Tyler Hadley’s Infamous Party
Tyler went back to Facebook and invited people shortly after killing his parents. When asked about his parents since it was known that he was grounded, he promised that they would not be around.
The party was well-attended by young people. By midnight, the house was already filled, and he lied to his best friend that his parents were in Orlando then.
Deep into the party, the younger Hadley took Mandell out and told him that his parents were not out of town as he had earlier stated. Instead, he killed them. Mandell did not believe the story and told him to show him the bodies if he did.
The young teenagers headed to the master’s bedroom, where Mandell confirmed that Blake and Mary-Jo had been killed.
Although shocked, Mandell stayed at the party even after seeing the dead bodies. He also took a selfie with his best friend. Around 4:24 a.m. on July 17, 2011 AM, Mandell called Crime Stoppers to report the crime.
What to Know About Tyler’s Arrest For Murder
After Mandell made an anonymous call to the authorities, the police headed to the Hadley home and found beer bottles and unrolled cigars littered in the house.
Tyler lied to the police that his parents were out of town. Whatever the case, they forced the bedroom door open and found it scattered with dining chairs and a coffee table on the bed.
Under the furniture was Blake Hadley’s body, and nearby was his wife’s.
Tyler was arrested for the murder. Before then, he made another post on Facebook, party at my house again hmu.”
It is commonly believed that if the police had not shown up, Tyler would have probably killed himself. This belief is based on the stash of Percocet pills found hidden in his room.
Regardless, an article by The New York Times states that Tyler told a neighbor, Kimberly Thieben, that he would be away for 60 years. She did not press further after he told her she would find out in the morning. (Kimberly Thieben).
See Also: Andrew Kehoe – How He Became A Mass Murderer After Losing Election
Tyler Hadley was Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Twice
At the time of his arrest, Hadley was still a minor, and this removed his likelihood of getting a death sentence. In any case, he remained in prison, signing autographs for inmates and calling himself Hammer Boy.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014, three years after his famous arrest.
In April 2016, the Hammer Boy’s sentencing was overturned by an appeal judge. The reason was that the previous court had not considered the correct alternative to a life sentence.
Nevertheless, he was again given a life sentence in December 2018.
Even at that, The New York Times reports that:
There is a very long, significant, documented history of mental illness in young Mr. Hadley, and this is going to be a major issue in this young man’s case.
