Man Finds Birth Mom In Prison For Murder -- `It Was Kind Of Stunning,' David Knight Said

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - An Oregon man who for years searched for his birth mother went through with plans to visit her earlier this year, even after he learned she was serving prison time in Indiana for murder.

David Knight, 31, ended years of searching when he found Julie Van Orden, 49, confined in the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis for her conviction in the 1980 shooting death of Evansville Mayor Russell Lloyd.

"It was kind of stunning," Knight said in a story The Evansville Courier.

Knight, of Bend, Ore., was born in San Mateo, Calif., and adopted as an infant by Haynie and Britomarte Knight. His adoptive mother, Britomarte, agreed long ago to help him find his biological mother. And even after he learned of her notorious past, he wanted to know more.

"I made contact with my mother in prison. She did sign a waiver of confidentiality and the adoption agency, California Children's Society, did confirm that Julie Van Orden . . . was my mother."

In July, he visited her.

"We have a lot in common. I'm into desktop publishing and graphics, and she's quite an artist. She's really talented," Knight said.

"While her gift and my gift are not the same, they are very complementary."

Van Orden, who had a history of problems with Evansville city officials and was diagnosed as having psychiatric disorders, was convicted in 1981 of intruding into Lloyd's home and shooting him in his kitchen on March 19, 1980.

As it stands, she will become eligible for release in seven years. But her conviction was overturned in September when a judge in Bartholomew County ruled that medication she was forced to use during her trial hid her true psychological condition from jurors. She had used insanity as her defense.

Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Stan Levco has promised to appeal the decision, to the Supreme Court if necessary, before conducting a new trial.

Knight said he felt a need to express his sorrow and apologies to Lloyd's family for his birth mother's actions. He went to the home of Genna Lloyd, the mayor's widow, but left when he found no one home.

"I wanted to say something. I wanted to reach out to them in some way. I'm grieved about what happened and I really have a real compassion in my heart toward the family of the victim," he said.

"I realize it's a major thing that happened and it destroyed some people's lives," he said. But he dropped the idea of reaching the Lloyds "because it could open a can of worms that can't be shut again."

Mrs. Knight said the search did not turn out as she had imagined, but she is not sorry she and her son made the search. "I think it's rather sad, the outcome," she said.

As for Knight, he said he knows there will never be a mother-son relationship with Van Orden.

"I'm not confused in my heart about who my parents are. When I think about Mom and Dad, I think about the people who raised me."