Brandon Bernard, a 40-year-old man from Texas, is scheduled to be executed in December 2020 for the 1999 murder of 2 youth ministers. While this crime is a tragedy and one that should not be taken lightly, it is important to consider the reasons why Bernard committed such a heinous act in order to prevent future tragedies.
Bernard was only 18 when he and three other people robbed a couple, Stacie and Todd Bagley, who ran a youth ministry at their church near Fort Hood Army base. It was during this robbery that Bernard shot both Stacie and Todd in cold blood in an effort to cover up the crime they had committed earlier that night. Since then, there has been much speculation as to what could have pushed Bernard to commit murder after winding up in such an unfortunate situation.
Many experts believe that Bernard’s childhood experiences were likely at least partially responsible for his behavior on the night of the murders. As an African American growing up in poverty and with few resources available to him throughout his life, Bernard faced numerous hardships from a young age which may have contributed to his criminal behavior later on. In addition, it has also been suggested that peer pressure was involved; two of the other individuals present at the scene were older than Bernard and may have influenced him due to their greater experience with crime-related matters.
Mental health issues can also play an important role in understanding why someone commits such an act of violence as well as how they view themselves within society. In addition, it is possible that Bernard’s upbringing may have had something to do with why he chose to take part in such actions when faced with those desperate circumstances; without proper guiding principles or values being instilled early on in life, taking part in criminal activity can sometimes appear as an easy way out for those who feel disconnected from society or unable find direction towards success.
It remains unclear why Brandon Bernard ultimately decided to end two innocent lives so tragically but considering all of these factors can help us understand how someone might wind up making such a tragic mistake – and hopefully allow us insight into preventing similar tragedies from occurring ever again.
Source: Youth Ministry Lessons