‘Lock him up for life’: Jesse McFadden victim Ivy Webster’s dad seeks stronger punishment for predators
Warning: This article contains recollection of child sexual abuse that may trigger some readers. Discretion is advised.
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If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
HENRYETTA, OKLAHOMA: Justin Webster, the father of Ivy Webster, 14, who was one of the six people convicted sex offender Jesse McFadden killed on May 1, 2023, is advocating for the enactment of stronger laws to protect other families from similar incidents. Justin told Law and Crime Network’s ‘Sidebar’ podcast that he has proposed The Knights Law in Oklahoma to ensure sex offenders serve their full sentence.
“They’re monsters and need to be locked up for life or put to death,” Justin said. “If sexual offenders have the ability to destroy a child’s life with their acts that they do, whether they murder the child or not, that child will have PTSD,” he added. “They will have to go through counseling their entire life. If they can destroy a child’s life, they should lose all their rights,” Justin told the Law and Crime Network. McFadden was first convicted of rape in 2003. However, he was released from prison on October 30, 2020, after serving 16 years and nine months of his 20-year sentence.
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McFadden was charged with soliciting sexual conduct with a minor with technology and possession of juvenile pornography in 2017 and possibly arrested over the case as his bond was reportedly set at $25,000 on November 16, 2020. Unfortunately, McFadden was allowed to walk free after he reportedly posted the bond on November 19, 2020. Since his release, the jury for McFadden’s case was pushed off several times. He was ultimately set to stand trial on May 1, 2023, but killed his wife Holly, her three children Michael, Riley, and Tiffany, and their friends Ivy and Brittany, before taking his own life.
What is The Knights Law?
The Knights Law is reportedly a plea to ask lawmakers to mandate that an individual convicted of a child sex crime is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, 8 ABC Tulsa reports. It also requests to reevaluate the probationary terms related to the crime of child sex offenders who are already released from prison.
It further urges authorities to include monthly visits in probation terms as well as have state records that show they specifically committed sex crimes against a child for Oklahomans who want to check the background of potential predators. The Knights Law was mentioned in the petition launched to “oppose Oklahoma sex offender sentencing and probation requirements” in the wake of McFadden’s murder-suicide case.
‘We need signs in their front yards’
In the wake of the incident, the Websters said they were not aware of McFadden’s criminal history before allowing their child to have a sleepover at the sex offender’s home. The family told Law and Crime Network that the majority of their interactions with McFadden occurred while dropping off Ivy at his house or welcoming Tiffany at theirs. They also interacted when the families went kayaking and fishing together at Jim Hall Lake.
“My wife and I, we felt he was kind of socially awkward, kind of weird,” Justin told the outlet. “But we didn’t know the personal side to him, and just knowing who he was based off our interactions, there was never any signs of maliciousness. He was a monster in disguise and really good at what he did,” he stated. Justin also expressed concern over McFadden’s name only appearing on the federal sex offender registry and not the local Oklahoma list.
Justin also urged parents to “look at every avenue, every resource given to continue to try to see if your children are going to a safe place.” He also shared additional ideas to identify predators. “We need signs in their front yards saying that they’re sexual predators. We need signs at our schools with every sexual predator within a certain limit, and that will help parents recognize their sexual offenders within their local area. Our Walmarts, public libraries,” Justin stated.
He also highlighted that officials need to publicize photos of the offenders. “Who cares about shaming them?” Justin asked. “If they want to live in a town where they’re not wanted, then good, get out and leave. And that’s my message to them,” he stated.
Justin said he and his family were “baffled” to find sex toys, bondage gear, padlocks, and chains while visiting the property in which their daughter was killed along with five other victims.
“But as far as our kids going over there and staying the night there, they never said anything to us,” Justin shared. “So I don’t know where he hid most everything he had in that house or how he did it,” he added.
During their final visit, the families reportedly learned it would take officials six months to examine all the evidence. “I feel like some weight has been lifted off because I was fighting so dang hard to try to get that proper investigation into that property,” Justin mentioned. “It did feel relieving a little bit to know that we were getting the justice, or at least the investigation to get the justice that all of us victims and victims’ families need and have to understand,” he added.
Justin Webster speaking out to keep Ivy Webster’s story alive
Justin said that he decided to speak out to keep his daughter Ivy’s story alive. “Ivy was the most amazing girl and she did not deserve this. She was loved by everybody,” he recalled. “She is truly missed, not by just our family, but an entire community,” Justin shared. He also remembered Ivy’s friendship with Tiffany and how the two loved playing softball together.
“And that’s the other thing about this story, is we didn’t just lose Ivy,” Justin said. “It was just a weekend before that we were telling Tiffany that we’re going to give her a key to our house because of how much she was here and how those two girls were connected at the hip. They did everything together,” he shared. Justin also mentioned that Tiffany’s siblings visited their house and that he loved their family.
“Michael and Riley, they were always at our house. And we loved that whole family dearly,” Justin shared. “And all of them need to be recognized for how good of kids they were and how magical they were. And they didn’t deserve this. They should still be here. And that’s the frustrating part, is if our law enforcement agencies didn’t fail us and our [Department of Corrections], our system here in Oklahoma didn’t fail us, they would be here today,” he mentioned.