RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. If you were living in La Jolla in the early 80s, you knew the Brodericks. The following tests were performed on the EAR calls: Long story short inconclusive. I would re-profile the killer, re-examine the details of each victims daily life, re-examine the suspect pool, re-examine the crime scenes without any emotion whatsoever. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. Tarot Spread To Ask A Question; Peut On Boucher La Vue D'un Voisin; Thirty Eight Snub Meaning & The press conference panel continually emphasized the destruction that this case has left on the lives of those affected. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora; for years the authorities and true crime sleuths never gave up trying to identify the sick individual responsible for the murders and assaults that happened that year. It seems that Debra was the next victim, and she may have even been approached and incapacitated in the middle of Bruces struggle with the killer. Connie's son Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead.. Thought to be the work of a serial killer, the crimes have remained unsolved for thirty years. JonBenet was 6 years old when she was reported missing on Dec. 26, 1996, after her family reported finding a ransom note inside their home in the 700 block of 15th Street. At some point, either when the intruder entered the couples bedroom or before, Bruce was alerted to the intruders presence and a tremendous struggle took place. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. It was believed that the main garage door was left open throughout the night and that the door leading from the garage to the house was possibly left unlocked. Currently all 50 states have to collect DNA for certain types of Felony crimes and submit it to CODIS. As one of the investigations were doing for the book,we hired an audio expert to do some work on the three recordings attributed to EAR: The dumb fuckers call, the Is Ray there? call, and the Gonna Kill You call. It seemed that robbery was not the primary motive only the personal jewelry that Patricia was wearing was missing from the scene. Victims were shot to death on the shore of the James River, some distance from Knoblings pickup truck. One of the signature trademarks of an EAR/GSK attack was the use of ligatures. For a twelve-day period in January 1984, the cities of Aurora and Lakewood Colorado were preyed upon by one of the most terrifying breeds of killers a man who would attack strangers, rape the women and children, and bludgeon them to death. On August 7th, 2018, it was announced that there were significant new developments in the Smith/Bennett case, and that a news conference would be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 10th with more information. She was also sexually assaulted and the intruder left a small hammer near her body. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (, Summary of Press Conference on 1984 Hammer Murders, you can review my extensive post from yesterday, Secret Origin of the Golden State Killer: Visalia Ransacker, High-resolution version of Mr Cruels mask, Tribute to Robert Offerman and Debra Manning, Ligatures Used by the East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer, he almost always forced his penis into his victims bound hands, Audio Comparison of EAR Calls The Results, Phone Calls where the East Area Rapist Spoke, https://www.coldcase-earons.com/phonecalls.php, Visalia Ransacker Incident Chart: Prowlings vs Ransackings over time. Peck Funeral Home assisted the family . As she got older, unresolved anger issues caused Vanessa to clash with her grandmother who had become her primary caretaker after the death of her parents. Sometime between 9:00 PM on the 15th and 10:00 AM on the 16th (most likely between midnight and six), an intruder entered the Bennett home. Hecontinued to attack the child causing severe injuries, but the 3 years old held on to her life and was alive the next morning when she was discovered by her grandmother. The backyard of the home was the only one in the area without a fence, and it backed up to a dark and lonely portion of Alameda Avenue. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. Recently, the Sun-Gazette has reported that Joseph DeAngelo, the man arrested for the Visalia Ransacker / Golden State Killer crimes, has been added to the suspect list. Seemingly, nothing they did showed investigators any reason someone would want to kill them. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Later autopsies would reveal that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. The couples youngest daughter, 3-year-old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer-wielding assailant. He tore her clothes off, tossed them about the garage, and then he raped her on the concrete floor. July 5, 1985 Survivor In Sierra Madre. He was currently working at a family-owned furniture store, but was taking classes at the local college and would soon be working as an air traffic controller. The hammer struck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. She was also raped. Read on to learn about the devastation and challenges faced in this crime series, the investigative leads that were undertaken, and the tremendous news that closure is within reach. The guy here fit the profile you provided over that of the fbi. Before Donna Dixon was even found, another crime had taken place 26 miles to the west in the city of Lakewood. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. Investigators have been quoted as saying this was a random crime, vicious and random. They ended up determining that Armour had been killed, and the Fresno Bee (along with the Fresno Guarantee Savings and Loan Association) set aside $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer. They are asking tipsters who know anything about the Aurora case to call 303-739-6400 and the Lakewood case to call 303-763-6800. He was currently working at a family-owned furniture store, but was taking classes at the local college and would soon be working as an air traffic controller. The Bennett Family (Latin: Benedictus; English: Benedict; translates as "blessed" or "one who is blessed") is one of the main families in The Vampire Diaries and a matriarchal bloodline of powerful witches. The killer then ascended the staircase and entered the couples bedroom where attacked Bruces wife, 26 year old Debra, who he raped before bludgeoning to death. This was the last time the Bennetts were seen alive. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the murder weapon? Police said in a Friday morning press conference that they linked Ewing to the crimes this year shortly after Nevada authorities uploaded his DNA to a national database. ': Ohio Man Sentenced for Murdering Family of 8, Accused Stockton Serial Killer Charged with 4 More Murders, Bringing Total to 7, She Saw Her Family Murdered by a Hammer-Wielding Stranger When She Was 3. On the 4th of January James and Kimberly Haubenschild were also attacked with a hammer at their home in Aurora, but both survived. When they arrived home, they found it very odd that Patricias car was still there and that the television appeared to be on in the upstairs bedroom. The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. Ewing has been behind bars in Nevada since the summer of 1984 after he escaped there while being transported to Kingman, Arizona, from St. George, Utah, for a court appearance on attempted murder and burglary charges. He'd been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. There were reportedly signs of a struggle in the first case, and there may be workable DNA evidence from up to three of the scenes. Now we know that Patricia's murder is connected to the Bennett Family murders in Aurora, Colorado. Why was she the lone survivor? No immediate leads could be generated in the case. Jason Bennett described his heartbreak following the deaths of son John and daughter Lacey in Killamarsh. The blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. Camper explained that the CBI does a nightly check of all of their profiles against the CODIS system, and at that point, in early July, there was a match. Dr. Robert Offerman and Dr. Debra Manning were young and had bright futures. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. Investigators had collected and stored the killer DNA from the crime scene back in 1984 and since they did not know the hammer killers identity at the time issued a warrant for the arrest of John Doe on three counts of murder, attempted murder, felony murder, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of child sexual assault in the hope that technology in the future could aid in identifying the assailant. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. But what about his second? A neatly-folded Winnie the Pooh comforter lay under her, a portion of it obscuring her head. Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. One lab felt that the letters were RICHAR. Another lab felt that it said PETAW C, with a space or fold between the W and the C and perhaps another fold in there as well. Not only was she left with physical injuries and scars as a reminder of the attack, but she was also left with ADHD, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. The truck was in a designated parking area with the radio and windshield wipers turned on. Photo: 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office A 61-year-old man learned this week he'll die behind prison bars after being sentenced to three consecutive life sentences. Juliana Kenney, 75, her husband Clayton Kenney, 83, and Mrs. Kenney's 44- year-old daughter, Adrienne Arnot, were beaten and stabbed to . The investigators and the CBI were safe to guess that it might have been a construction worker that had been working in the area. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. Its nothing more or less than that. Powered by WordPress Weve been given a hi-resolution copy to share, which you can view by clicking below: Around this time, on this very night 38 years ago, the EAR/GSK beganlaying siege to Goleta, California. Victims: Daniel Lauer (21) and Annamaria Phelps (18). Vanessa, after a wait of 3 decades received a call from the Aurora sheriffs department informing her that her parents killer had been identified as 57-year-old Alexander Christopher Ewing. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! The 2001 call didnt happen too long ago and makes it a little too close for comfort, though theres something positive to be said for the idea that the offender could still be alive and could still face justice for his crimes. Laid out in this manner, not only can you see the ratio of prowlings to ransackings, but you can get a feel for any patterns that mightve occurred, and you can clearly see when he was most active and when he was dormant. Its quite possible that he changed his method of killing in an effort to keep police from tying him to these murders on the off chance he was caught for lets say rape. About a week later, a different hammer was used to kill the Bennetts and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora. They immediately connected it with the Donna Dixon case from January 9th, and recognized that a serial offender was working the area. The child died from her injuries. Onsale to General Public. This is a harsh, cold fact profilers must learn if they are to more accurately profile. alone. On Friday, August 10th, 2018 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time, a press conference was held to announce that two different jurisdictions in Colorado were filing charges against a man named Alex Christopher Ewing for the Patricia Smith and Bennett family homicides. Its quite possible that she wasnt even conscious for any of it. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. Sadly, technology was not as advanced in the mid-eighties as it is today, and the case went cold, remaining that way for over 30 years. We didnt just look for all three to match, but also looked for a Ray to Gonna Kill You match, a Ray to Dumb Fuckers match, etc. Yvonne Woods was on the stand for more than three hours . For years the case was cold, until in 2018 a DNA profile from semen the killer left at the scene was matched to Ewing. Are you suggesting that initially investigators missed certain details based off the profile of the dude? The perpetrator left with both weapons. Forensics determined that the hammers used in each of the attacks were different, and that there didnt appear to be anything terribly useful in the way of fingerprints or other evidence. The previous week, on the 10th of January, a woman in her fifties named Patricia Smith had also been murdered in her own home in a townhouse in Green Mountain, Lakewood, which is just a 25 minutes drive from Bennets home in Aurora. Her purse was found nearby some money had been stolen from it. The rapes were opportunities and only that. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. I dont believe this killers blood lust was sated after all these acts of violence leading up to these murders; unless he was somehow killed (or committed suicide) soon after, my guess is he ended up in jail for something unrelated or something that somehow wasnt linked, like a violent rape. The four of them lived together in a townhome off of West Bayaud Avenue. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull. Lauer and Phelps disappeared on Labor Day weekend while on their way to Virginia Beach. He faced six . He knew he was going to kill the family, Father, Mother and Children, so he clearly wasnt afraid to go after a man and thought he would be able to easily kill a man. They lived on the other side of the Denver metro area, but their home and Smith's home were both near a main east-west road, Alameda Avenue, leading investigators to suspect the killer used that route. He tossed it onto the seat of the car and began pulling her from the vehicle. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. It took 37 years, but on Tuesday, the families of Bruce and Debra Bennett saw justice served. But some states were slow to add DNA to CODIS and the Damn ACLU had to butt its nose into it and doesnt like how some states collect DNA beyond certain felony charges or convictions. They need renewed media attention. Donna was rushed to the hospital while police worked the scene. She was happy to be home for a while, and eagerly awaiting the next day when her boyfriend, Ronald Holm, would be home. The blow was so severe that her jaw was shattered and her skull was fractured in several places. Bruce Bennett ~ 27 ~ Found Murdered January 16, 1984 Debra Bennett ~ 26 ~ Found Murdered, Sexually Assaulted January 16, 1984 Melissa Bennett ~7 ~ Found Murdered, Sexually Assaulted January 16, 1984 They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. . Im your biggest fan. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. The prints taken from the Bennett crime scene were fuzzy and not usable, the concrete floor they took that had a footprint would be unusable at this point. The jury agreed, and on Aug. 6, 2021, they found Ewing guilty of murder in the three deaths. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. He was among many who worked the case tirelessly for many years and is directly responsible for using some of the innovative DNA technologies, such as the Parabon Nanolabs imaging that came out a few years ago. One of the interesting parts of the East Area Rapists MO was that he seemingly made many, many hang-up phone calls to victims, usually in the weeks before an attack, but sometimes afterward as well. Some of the ligatures matched across scenes. Theres no such thing as coincidence. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - A judge sentenced Alex Ewing to three life sentences on Tuesday after he was found guilty in the 1984 murders of three people in Aurora. The jury found Ewing guilty on. Ax Handle Attacker Alex Ewing Named Suspect in Bennett Family Murders. He likes that violent way of killing so going from a hammer to a gun would be a jump for this killer and simply would not be the first choice for him. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. Nothing else appeared to be missing. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . All rights reserved. Long Prairie, Minn. Long Prairie is a town of about 3,000 people in central Minnesota's Todd County. Bizberg Themes, Forensic Science and Cyber Forensics Quiz (Free). James, who posts online from time to time, discusses how vividly the case still haunts him even to this day. That is very clear. Shed left the garage door open and most likely left the door unlocked as she went upstairs, removed her wig, and turned the television on. Ive provided a complete listing of known phone calls where the East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer actually spoke at this link:https://www.coldcase-earons.com/phonecalls.php. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. Sometimes to get a more clear picture of the criminal, one must see him or her as a human being, see him or her as they truly are, feel what they feel, know what they know, feel the wants, needs and desires of that person. There was blood all over the car. He is more introverted when he is sober and an extrovert when he isnt. Date: April 9th/10th, 1988 It was dusted for prints, but none were found. He finds his release from the level of pain he inflicts on the victim, the level of violence he is able to achieve. The Bennetts didnt show up for work on Monday. Patricia had only been living in Lakewood for about three and a half months, having moved there from Nebraska with her daughter, who was recently divorced. He also isnt killing with this level of violence often enough to track. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. Camper reviewed the timeline that led to the arrest, which included a DNA profile from the Bennett case generated in 2001 and uploaded to CODIS (the national FBI DNA database), a profile developed from the Smith case is 2010 that matched the Bennett profile, and the strides that Nevada has made in testing their current prison population, which directly led to Ewings DNA being uploaded into CODIS. I have seen all kinds of evil and wickedness nothing compares to the level of depravity that your actions show in this case, Vahle told Ewing. I agree with you. Her nude body was found over a week later in the Friant-Kern Canal near Woodlake an area located northeast of Visalia and a fair distance away from where shed disappeared. The suspect list shrinks or worse, the profile was so off an accurate suspect list from the get go is of no help and never will be. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. The sprawling Colorado home where 6-year-old beauty pageant contestant JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in 1996 is listed for sale for a cool $7 million. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. They were almost always in good shape/new condition, and lab analysis revealed almost nothing about them except the occasional hair. The court heard how . She too worked at the family-owned furniture store, and was happily helping raise the couples two children, Melissa (seven-years old, about to turn eight) and Vanessa (three years old), with the man that she loved. ~The very same day, a man using a hammer attacked flight attendant Donna Dixon in the garage of her Aurora home, leaving her in a coma. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. If it were me, I would explore other possibilities in terms of profiling my suspect here, explore past just some guy who was currently working construction in the area or druggies who killed in a drug fueled rage. According to some sources, they were able to match a shoe print from the Bennett household to a shoe print found in the garage at the Donna Dixon assault. Ewings DNA profile was entered into CODIS (the FBIs database) in 2018 and his profile was matched to the DNA found at the crime scenes of both the Bennett family and Patricia Smith. Ron kept vigil and kept guard in her hospital room day and night. This article in the Denver post describes how after he murdered the Bennetts he went on to enter the house of a man in Kingman, Arizona and attempted to bludgeon the man to death with a 20lb rock. Thank you listeners! The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. She was naked, curled up in a fetal position and groaning. She made her way to the bedroom and went to bed. I wouldtear everything down and start over with the evidence, the crime scene and so on. The severity of her injuries cant be understated. He also discarded the knife hed used to kill Bruce. WordPress. Vanessa Bennett was shocked to receive the phone call identifying the man who murdered her entire family and attempted to murder her in 1984and admits it hasnt quite sunk in. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States; their bodies were found in the desert near Victorville, California, on November 13, 2013. Bruce had mentioned wanting to run to the store before bed. On the night of Jan. 15, a stranger broke into their home and viciously assaulted and attacked the family. There wasnt anything notable stolen from the scene, and the attack had all the hallmarks of a random crime. Two different crime labs analyzed the fuzzy imprint, and they came up with different results. He also inquired about searching various genealogical databases for a hit, but was advised at the time not to pursue that angle due to privacy issues. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. Medical professionals werent sure if the hammer attack would leaveVanessa with permanent brain damage or not, but the girls family held on to the hope that she would make a full recovery. Become a Patreon Supporter for bonus content! Kevin Vaughan on Twitter: "NEW TONIGHT: #9WantsToKnow has obtained this mugshot of Alex Christopher Ewing, the suspect in two 1984 hammer murders. One of those techniques was an innovative imaging tool by Parabon Nanolabs which provides an approximation of what they offender mightve looked like at both the time of the crimes and in the current day. Flatbed Trucking Company Bennett Motor Express is the premier open deck general freight carrier in the US. Try plastic surgery for autographs, No cow needed: Oat and soy can be called milk, FDA, Fowl-free: McDonalds debuts plant-based McNuggets, Study hints healthier school lunch can reduce obesity, New Mexico considers roasted chile as official state aroma, Cloud-like meringues offer simple path to French royalty, MLB sets up local media group, could broadcast 17 teams, including, Mercer has goal, 3 assists as Devils beat Avalanche 7-5, Flurry of NHL trades continue with Avs, Canes making moves, Avalanche take winning streak into home matchup against the Devils, Jokic has 100th triple-double; Nuggets down Rockets 133-112, BRANDON JOHANSSON: A labor of love and angst ends covering the best news town ever for the Sentinel, Black Vietnam vet at last getting his due: Medal of Honor, Alex Murdaugh gets life in prison in murder of wife, son. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. Wedged between the bed and the wall was three-year-old Vanessa, choking of fragments of her own jaw bone and barely clinging to life. This murder, which has sat on the cold case shelves for far too long, is in desperate need of this new media attention and the new investigative resources. Look at the area, the artery that the crimes were committed along. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. She was quickly and carefully taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Smith was attacked in the condo she shared with her daughter and grandchildren and the hammer was left behind. Headquartered in McDonough, Georgia, Bennett Family of Companies provides innovative logistics and transportation for companies across America.
Wreck On Hwy 90 Milton, Fl, Tci Fund Management Careers, Bloody Mary Fremont Street, Glenn Beck Today Show Transcript, Articles B