Central Texas Weather and News Authority
Home  ·   News  ·   Weather  ·   Sports  ·   Politics  ·   Job Board TV  ·   CarSoup  ·   Food  ·   Calendar  ·   TV  ·   Contact Us  ·   10 Cares  ·   Our Town Texas
Dot Com Daily · KWTX To Go · Desktop Alert · Fun & Games · Green Page · Soldier Greetings
The National Weather Service has issued a RED FLAG WARNING in effect until 6 pm for Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Lampasas, Leon, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Navarro, Robertson, and Williamson counties in Central Texas. The combination of strong south winds, low relative humidity, and dry vegetation will create an extreme danger for grass fires across Central Texas this afternoon.
Win Tickets to the David Phelps Christmas Concert!
KWTX Gift Shoppe - Shop Now!
2008 High School Playoffs
Week 4 Pairings
Poll Question
There are currently no active polls at this time.
Click here to view other polls on our site and past poll results.
Show and Tell
Youc@st
Upload your favorite videos and pictures!
Blogs
Random thoughts by the News 10 team. Leave us your comments!
iWitness
You see it, you report it. News by you. Submit your news stories and photos.
News 10 My Way
KWTX.com
Make KWTX.com your browser's homepage.

.com Daily
Your News and weather and sports delivered to your inbox weekday mornings. Sign Up Now!

KWTX To Go
Anytime. Anywhere. Now you can get News 10 on your wireless device.

Desktop Alert
Get instant weather and news on your desktop. Download News 10 Alert FREE!
Texas Gas Prices
Ex-Wife of Convicted Triple Killer Testifies Save Email Print

A | A | A

(August 28, 2008)—The prosecution is expected to rest their case Thursday when the sentencing re-trial of Billie Wayne Coble resumes.

On Wednesday, the court heard an emotional testimony from Coble's third wife, Karen Vicha, whose parents and brother were murdered by coble nearly 20 years ago.

Throughout the day, Vicha recounted the events of the murders, breaking down in tears several times.

Additional testimony came from a firearms expert, a medical examiner and a Waco Police investigator involved in the original murder case.

Vicha's three daughters and nephew, Bobby Vicha's son, testified Tuesday that Coble threatened them with a gun and locked them in a closet after he told them they would never see Karen Vicha again.

Pam Woolley, Coble’s first ex-wife, gave somewhat emotional testimony Monday about the abuse she suffered during their marriage. She and Coble were married for 10 years and divorced a decade before the triple killing.

When asked if she is still scared of Coble, Woolly said, “Yes he still scares me…he’s still a danger.”

Coble, 59, was convicted in 1990 in the shooting deaths of his ex-wife’s parents Robert and Zelda Vicha and her brother Bobby Vicha, who was a Waco Police Department sergeant.

Coble was waiting at the home of his estranged third wife, Karen Vicha, when her daughters returned from school on Aug. 29, 1989.

He handcuffed and tied up her three children and one of their cousins, cut the phone lines and then went down the street to the home of his brother-in-law, Waco police officer Bobby Vicha, whom Coble shot in the neck after a struggle.

Next, Coble went to the home of his estranged wife’s parents and shot both of them to death.

Then, when Karen Vicha arrived home, he handcuffed her, put her in her car, and drove off, assaulting her during the drive.

He was arrested that night after a major manhunt and a brief high-speed chase that ended when the car Coble was driving crashed into a parked vehicle in Bosque County.

The Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Coble’s death sentence in August 2007.

Click Here For The Full Ruling

The court ruled that the jury that returned the death sentence wasn’t fully allowed to consider potentially mitigating evidence about Coble’s troubled childhood, the death of his father, his mother’s nervous breakdown, the years he spent in an orphanage and the trauma he suffered while serving in Vietnam.

.

Related Stories
Start Of Sentencing Retrial Of Convicted Central Texas Killer Delayed

More Stories
UPDATE: Elderly Driver Freed On Bond After Parade Crash

Former First Lady Released From Hospital

Former Texas Inmate Denied Bond In Murders Of Daughter, Friend

Early-Morning Fire Leaves Four Families Homeless

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: Ann Location: Temple on Aug 29, 2008 at 02:56 PM
This man is cold and calculated killer. What is wrong with the system? How do his lawyers sleep at night? Do their conscious cause them to toss and turn at night, because it is their job, and then come to court the next day and put on their game face? I wonder.

Posted by: weneedjustice Location: texas on Aug 29, 2008 at 02:08 PM
I feel so bad for the Vicha family. There is NO good reason for them to be back dealing with this again. I would LOVE to have lunch with the judge that overturned this death sentence. He is in New Orleans. What an idiot!! The facts are the facts and 12 competent jurors gave him the death penatly 18 years ago. If we trust our jurors to hear, evaluate and make decisions, then why do we insist on overturning them all the darn time?!!! We are wasting their time as well. They have to take off work and get paid $7-10 dollars a day. What a shame. Coble(monster) should have been dead a long time ago. My heart aches for the family. THe people that lost their lives were wonderful. May justice be served finally. KILL BILL!!!!!

Posted by: GreatGran Location: Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:44 PM
Please let these people have some peace of mind knowing that this excuse for a human being can not, will not, be alive to harm them. Death, in my opinion, is too good, too easy, for him!! I'd like to see him hanged from a tree on the court house lawn.

Posted by: me to Location: waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 09:47 PM
will i guess me don,t have nothing to say about this issue because of is race must not be a illegal hun.

Posted by: Mother of Three Location: Temple on Aug 28, 2008 at 04:20 PM
OMG..... I can't believe they would overturn it based on THAT. This is ridiculous. His childhood was tough so that gives him an excuse to go beat and kill people??? People have rough lives the majority of the time, it's called LIFE. But you don't see them going and killing everyone. Come on now. I feel so sorry for those poor women having to relive this.

Posted by: rhonda Location: Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 03:04 PM
He didn't kill them because of his bad childhood, he killed them because he was told to stay away from Karen and it made him mad, he couldn't have his way. Put him to death and do it know not later.

Posted by: Reality Check Location: Whack em Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 02:51 PM
I just wonder how much incarcerating him for 17 years and 2 trials is costing john q taxpayer?????

Posted by: Michelle Location: Central TX on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:02 AM
OK...he shows no mercy, let's not pity him. Let's just use the same things he used to torture and kill these folks...(hopefully, it is still in evidence) handcuff him, tie him up and then shoot him. He deserves to die. His planning was pre-meditated...there is no excuse...git ur done!!! Let the family find peace!!!!!

Posted by: Bell Location: Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 10:42 AM
this man has been terrorizing women for years and still is by even getting to make Karen and Pam relive the past.He should have already been put to death long ago and not been wasting taxpayers money on a worthless human being.He has no remorse,you can see that from his actions on tv.I don't care what kind of childhood he had it does not give him the right to go around murdering people.I know the families and they never deserved any of that.I hope he rots in hell for the things he's done.

Posted by: susiebw Location: kempner on Aug 28, 2008 at 09:51 AM
Don't dilly-dally, do it NOW!

Posted by: Joe Location: Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 06:58 AM
Right on ginny, the Liberal Judicial system at work again. When is America going to wake up and replace these idiot judges with those that actually care for the innocent and thugs, dope dealers, rapist, murderers, etc.

Posted by: ginny Location: cove on Aug 27, 2008 at 10:36 PM
i'm really tired of the EXCUSES these murders have. the court of appeals was wrong for overturning the sentence because of the crap he SAYS he went thru. hello my mom and dad died i had an abusive step-mother. my hubby has dementia & seizures i have stage IV lung cancer, but hello i have no desire to kill anyone. this animal deserves to die slow and painfully. worthless excuses for human beings.

Posted by: put a needle Location: in him on Aug 27, 2008 at 04:41 PM
NOW...he has taken up way too much time and taxpayer $$...hope this jury doesn't let another mcduff out on us!!!!

Posted by: Anon Location: Waco on Aug 27, 2008 at 08:35 AM
I understand that peoples past sometimes comes back to haunt them, but being abused as a child doesn't give him a right to go and kill innocent people. This shouldn't be an excuse to let him go free. I pray for this family that they finally get some closure.

Posted by: Richard Location: Disgusted in Waco on Aug 26, 2008 at 06:08 PM
As one of the jurors on the original trial, the thought of this animal getting out and being free just makes me sick. I fear he may go after the Vicha family again. I personally have had nightmares about the awful things "Mr.Coble" did to these innocent people. He showed no remorse and to my knowledge, never said he was sorry. If there is any justice in this state, he will be sentenced to death "again". I would love to be in the there when they finally put him to sleep. > To the Vicha family > I am so sorry you have to relive this terrible nightmare again. Hopefully "this" jury will sentence him to death and your family can finally rest. He has had way too many appeals, Please, don't waste any more of our tax money on this worthless individual. (FYI my father spent 2 years in the Korean war and 6 years in Vietnam and didn't murder anyone after he came home either). There is no good excuse to murder innocent people. He should be put to death and that's that!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 26, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Poor backgroung of that fool so what,lets end him

Posted by: KO Location: College Station on Aug 26, 2008 at 11:39 AM
The death penalty is actually more of a reward than a penalty..... God IS forgiveness. So, sitting around WAITING for the moment his body stops breathing allows LOTS of time to reconsider his past actions.

Posted by: why Location: ?? on Aug 26, 2008 at 10:16 AM
whyare yall hesitating?? he knew what he was doing he planned it all out so why should he live??

Posted by: R Location: Robinson on Aug 25, 2008 at 09:55 PM
He really deserves worse than death. Send him to Maricopa County, Arizona Tent Prison. where they don't have television, coffee, magazines, air-conditioning and they only eat bologne sandwiches everyday. The inmates wear "old time" black and white striped prison duds, pink underwear and live in canvas tents smack dab in the middle of the desert. http://www.cnn.com/US/9907/27/tough.sheriff/

Posted by: S Location: Robinson on Aug 25, 2008 at 09:44 PM
So if they don't put him on death row then send him to that tent prison in the desert in Arizona. They all wear pink and don't have air-conditioning. Make him suffer the rest of his days!

Posted by: Pat Location: Waco Tx on Aug 25, 2008 at 08:33 PM
Evidently Mr. Cobles children didn't have a perfect childhood either after growing up in his care, but I haven't heard anything about them going out and killing someone. There are a lot of people who had much worse childhoods and physical and emotional abuse but they don't kill and abuse other people. He knew exactly what he was doing and must have had it all planned out. I have no sympathy for him. I do sympathize with his children and ex wife and and the Vicha family for having to relive this all over again. the Vicha family does

Posted by: Susie Wakeland Location: kempner on Aug 25, 2008 at 03:08 PM
mean is mean, doesn't matter if you have been in an orphanage, or Viet Nam. My husband was in Viet Nam three times, and he NEVER even cursed at me, much less abused me one time before he died. That excuse isn't good enough for being a monster. I also know two other guys who are mean as snakes and they always got what they wanted, their parents crazy about them etc.

Posted by: Michelle Location: Central TX on Aug 25, 2008 at 02:44 PM
This poor family deserves justice and closure..this has gone on way to long. If I read this correctly, because he had family and emotional problems when he was younger....this whole case should have a different outlook???? That is the longest line of BS I have ever heard.....he showed no mercy to that family....he should get no mercy!!!!

Posted by: here Location: there on Aug 25, 2008 at 02:04 PM
carlene why do you highlight christain people are you suggesting that only christians deserve our sympathy

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 25, 2008 at 01:40 PM
kill him today

Posted by: Kim Location: Temple on Aug 25, 2008 at 01:27 PM
I am SO tired of hearing about how bad these murderers childhoods were!!!! Tired of it. That is NO excuse for killing someone!!! Send him back to death row and kill him already!!!!!!

Posted by: Bob Location: Belton on Aug 25, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I cant believe that anyone would have a problem with giving this animal the death sentence. To bad they waited so long after the first trial to do it.

Posted by: Mac Location: TX on Aug 25, 2008 at 12:23 PM
Death to this scum bag. May he rot in hell!

Posted by: Carlene Baxter Location: Waco on Aug 25, 2008 at 10:24 AM
I can not begin to image the emotional stress the children and family are going thru. They already had 17 years to try and find some type or way to deal with this. And now the NIGHTMARE RETURNS. My prayers and thoughts are with them, and what this man has done, I'm sure a days does not go by that it haunts them in some way. And these are very good CHRISTIAN people having to deal with such horror. It is not a movie to them, it is their life. And you know they are strong enough to hold up and stand up and face it head on. These are that strong of people, few and far between.

Posted by: Brody Location: Mexia on Aug 25, 2008 at 08:29 AM
It's really hard to comment on this subject without getting too emotional... Putting this man to death won't bring back Robert, Zelda, or Bobby... But at least justice will finally be served and the family will rest easier knowing that this sorry excuse for a human being can’t hurt another loved one.

Latest Video
AP Video
KWTX.com Features
Double Dollar Deals
Half Price Deals at Central Texas restaurants and businesses. A new deal every Thursday at 7:00am.
KWTX Half Price Gift Shoppe
Holiday shopping on a budget! Check out the Holiday Half-Off Gift Shoppe at KWTX.com, where you will find $50 gift certificates for only $25, beginning November 10th.
Golden Apple
Your chance to nominate an outstanding teacher. Find out how they are making a difference in classrooms.
Emily Wants to Know
Emily Matthews' inquisitive look at life in Central Texas.
10 On Your Side
Answers from our experts on topics that affect YOU.
Soldier Stories
Stories about what the men and women deployed overseas are doing to make a difference.
Chef Walter
Need a fresh idea for dinner? Check out thousands of FREE recipes
Station Information
Job Board TV
See the latest video job postings.

Program Guide
Check out when your favorite TV programs are on.
Contact News 10
Information about KWTX.
Meet the News 10 Team
Read about your favorite News 10 personalities.
Job of the Week
Click now to see hundreds of other jobs on Job Board TV!

Part-Time Registered Nurse Labor and Delivery Dept. (7P - 7A) - Qualified candidates must possess a Texas license with two (2) years of experience preferred. Minimum requirement of Associate Degree Nursing (ADN).



Also, take a look at the most recent jobs posted to Job Board TV at KWTX.com:
View More Jobs.