bennett family murders address

28 year old Bruce Bennett had jumped into action when the attacker entered the family home and a struggle broke out between the two as Bennett attempted to protect his family. Whatever the case, this person was in and around this area for at least the first part of January and most likely stayed in the area during that time. The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. Here are a few of the notable phone calls: January 15th, 1979 An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Part of our book involves some very in-depth detective and forensic work. The mandatory minimum sentence for each count is life with possibility of parole after 20 years, according to the prosecution. Lightening the speech with a quasi-political jab at Al Gores inventing the internet, he went on to describe cooperation from Clark County Nevada and Mojave County Arizona, which were other jurisdictions whod had Ewing pass through their systems. Blood near the front door sent him into a panic. As a workaround, a well-known forensic genealogist named Colleen Fitzpatrick analyzed the case, and her research came up with the possible surname of Ewing. This finding was announced an the television show, On the Case With Paula Zahn, in February 2018. 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. I dont believe that. Ewing massacred a family but left a key to his identity, Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard told the jury. You can also see what seems to be escalation and a frenzy of activity at certain points. She was also raped. The wheels were put into motion to submit dozens of pieces of evidence to the FBI lab. Nothing else appeared to be missing. It was a match, proving that the same unknown offender had killed all four victims. Date: September 19th/22nd, 1987 He is awaiting extradition to Colorado, police and prosecutors announced Friday. They also looked across state lines looking for similar or like crimes and to date, they have not one suspect. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. View the map. The bludgeoned bodies of husband and wife, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were discovered and it soon became evident that both were attacked with a knife and beaten to death. Photo: 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images, Inside Idaho Murder Suspect's Alleged Chat Room Posts: I Can Do 'Whatever I Want with Little Remorse', Chilling Details Revealed as Probable Cause Affidavit is Released in University of Idaho Murder Case, 'Why Did You Kill My Daddy? 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. Special recognition was given to Detective Steve Conner from the Major Crimes Unit who, incidentally was at the scene of the Bennett crime as a young deputy, and who has worked the case for many, many years. SOMERVILLE Sandra G. Bennett, 76, died March 2, 2023. Over 200 Million Downloads! Dotted with impressive bridges and blanketed by thick trees, it usually provides year-round beauty and convenience for travelers. Police felt that the killer brought his own weapon to the scene it didnt appear that any of the tools or hammers at the home had been rifled through. 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 He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. The Ramsey family, who originally bought the . Yvonne Woods was on the stand for more than three hours . Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. They were almost always in good shape/new condition, and lab analysis revealed almost nothing about them except the occasional hair. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. He also discarded the knife hed used to kill Bruce. does anyone think they are actually looking though? James, a young man not even twenty-five years old yet, had married his wife Kim in August of 1982. Alexander Christopher Ewing, who is serving a prison sentence in Nevada for beating a couple there with an axe handle, has been charged with killing Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter, as well as trying to kill their 3-year-old daughter, as well as a charge for sexual assault. 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. 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. It was taken in Arizona 11 days after the attack. His use of ligatures were fairly distinct and helped tie a lot of the crimes together. He attacked the couple with a hammer, bludgeoning them with it and leaving them for dead. There was blood all over the car. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. It was a blitz attack for no reason, said Marvin Brandt, who investigated the case as a homicide detective between 1984 and when he retired from the Aurora Police Department in 2002. In 2002, Arapahoe County filed a John Doe arrest warrant for the perpetrator of the Bennet murders based on the DNA profile. Rather than wait until 2019 when the book will be published, we thought wed at least share the results with you. Just your average everyday normal family. Because of these phone calls, we can start to determine whether the offender was incarcerated or not at certain times (most likely he wasnt), and even where he lived due to the locations of the victims during the time period that he called them. On the 4th of January James and Kimberly Haubenschild were also attacked with a hammer at their home in Aurora, but both survived. The truck was in a designated parking area with the radio and windshield wipers turned on. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head- and the murder weapon? The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. Ewing would not stop hitting her the entire time and eventually the woman realized that she would have to play dead in order to get him to stop. 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. It was determined that she had been killed sometime between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. One thing that hasnt been said would be that during the winter in Colorado construction slows and sometimes between Jan-March it slows to a crawl, a lot of guys get laid off or work inconsistently during the week. No immediate leads could be generated in the case. Later autopsies would reveal that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. Victim #7received a phone call, and she recognized the voice on the other end as the voice of the rapist. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. I lost the person who I was supposed to be.. The Bennett family. <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. Other Information It was dusted for prints, but none were found. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. When he arrived in Aurora almost four years ago Metz said he spoke to detectives about the citys cold cases and this one, which he said shocked the conscience of the community, stuck with him. I didnt just lose my parents and my sister, she said. The Investigation kept ongoing. Often times a profilerwill come up with a profile that fits into a box, the box was made from materials that were provided by profiles obtained from past criminals who committed similar crimes, which is a really great place to start. Constance entered the home, encountered the grisly scene, and immediately dialed the authorities. 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. A photo of the Bennett family. The rapes were opportunities and only that. Remember me? Add some text book, some psychological profiling and presto, they have a profile. Theyd been strangled, their throats had been slashed, and rope marks were found on their necks and wrists. The guy here fit the profile you provided over that of the fbi. This killers only motive was to kill. Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. Investigators believed the killers attacks escalated from just beating someone with a hammer to actually murdering them. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. Its quite possible that she wasnt even conscious for any of it. Powered by WordPress Denver Post Archive Aurora Coroner's officers and police officers remove one of the three bodies from house at. More details will be forthcoming in the case as more is learned about the alleged killer and an affidavit is circulated containing the evidence used to charge him with these crimes. 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. Third Crime Scene Late on Jan. 9 or early on Jan 10, a flight attendant was beaten, possibly with a hammer, and sexually assaulted after she pulled into the garage of her home in Aurora. The case lacked any apparent motive. Caller: Hi, its me again. The victims may not have ever known one another but the killer found them somehow, it was not random although it appears that way. Nevada court records show a jury found Ewing, under the name Alex C. Ewing, was guilty of escaping from the custody of two Arizona sheriffs deputies at a gas station in Henderson, Nevada, southeast of Las Vegas on Aug. 9, 1984, and entering an unlocked home and severely beating a woman and her husband with an ax handle in their bedroom. Almost six days later, tragedy struck Aurora once again. The Attack happened between midnight and 6 a.m. on Jan. 16, 1984. Here we have a chart that I created showing the types of incidents (mere prowling, a burglary/ransacking, and the two violent confrontations) attributed to the Visalia Ransacker throughout his known criminal career (1973-1976). On the night of Jan. 15, a stranger broke into their home and viciously assaulted and attacked the family. Alex Ewing on trial for the murder of three members of the Bennett family (credit: Aurora Sentinel). A hammer lay next to her. James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. 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. Listen and Subscribe to The Generation Why Podcast! The family overall lead a very quiet and peaceful life. bennett family murders addressithaca high school lacrosse roster. All three were beaten to death with a claw hammer. They pledged to continue to support the families via their victim services organizations. Victim #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. Nevada inmate charged in 1984 hammer killing of Lakewood grandmother. These crimes in Colorado are this killers first stages at killing a human. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull. The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. 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. Family photo Police say DNA evidence links Alex Ewing to the 1984 murders of three members of Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa, left. He faced six . It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. 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. He tossed it onto the seat of the car and began pulling her from the vehicle. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. & Three members of the Bennett family were brutally killed in their Aurora home. 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. The victim was fifty-year-old Patricia Louise Smith. It is deeper than that. 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. The killer had doused the vehicle with fuel in an apparent attempt to incinerate the crime scene, but apparently failed to start a fire. "There is no punishment that is too harsh for you and I will do everything in my power to make sure you never draw a free breath ever again.". For the first time, Stetson Bennett is publicly addressing his January arrest for public intoxication in Texas. There was no sign of forced entry into the home, some articles you come across say that the killer entered through an unlocked garage door. He didnt hate his victims and quite frankly he didnt know any of them personally, he just wanted to kill. The bludgeoned bodies of husband and wife, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were discovered and it soon became evident that both were attacked with a knife and beaten to death. The caller whispered harshly into the phone, saying You know who this is or Do you know who this is? The victim was on the line with him for about a minute. George Brauchler, District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District (which includes Aurora), emphasized that this individual is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law. In addition to photos and a summary of information, the following points are worth going over: Its also worth noting that the EAR seemed to, at times, receive gratification from tying and retying his victims. I believe he killed again no way he stopped. Bruce was 27 years old and Debra was 26 in 1984. She was happy to be home for a while, and eagerly awaiting the next day when her boyfriend, Ronald Holm, would be home. Tamara Lich's trial on multiple charges related to the Freedom Convoy protests is set to start in the fall. Im going to come over and fuck you again. 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. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. It helps bring the other EAR phone escapades into the fold. 21-year-old Polish national, Julia Faustyna, claims to be Madeleine McCann- the story so far, CCTV Footage from New Jersey Gas Station Shows Woman Escaping Alleged Captor, Two men arrested in connection with the 1975 murder of Indiana teenager Laurel Jean Mitchell. One of the signature trademarks of an EAR/GSK attack was the use of ligatures. Evidence of wounds caused by a blade revealed that Bruce attempted to defend himself as the intruder swiped and slashed at him with a knife. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. The colossal 1,772-acre South Carolina hunting farm where Maggie and Paul. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. 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. The womens bodies were found inside Thomas vehicle. A hammer was used to kill Patricia Louise Smith, 50, in Lakewood Jan. 10, 1984. This killeris more the type that would self medicate more than likely be a heavy drinker as opposed to taking medication. 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 used two methods, and announced a few weeks ago that hed struck out with his first attempt. I hurt myself. If you are just simply looking at it, you miss the most critical and important clues. With time, multiple surgeries, and the support of her extended family, Vanessa began to recover from her physical injuries but living a normal life after losing both her parents to a murderer who had yet to be captured and convicted made childhood difficult. This call occurred over a month after her attack. Darkness had just fallen. I look in the mirror every day and look at myself and I hate who I am. He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. The bludgeoned bodies of husband and wife, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were discovered and it soon became evident that they had both attacked with a knife and beaten to death. 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 garage door was still open. 28-year-old Bruce Bennett had jumped into action when the attacker entered the family home and a struggle broke out between the two as Bennett attempted to protect his family. Furthermore, the loving grandmother had been sexually assaulted. Now She's Speaking Out, Mass. While meeting with the families in regards to this case reopened many old wounds and horrific memories, the Aurora Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the 18th Judicial District, and the 1st Judicial District is committed to seeing that justice is served in this case. That, and the knots he used, provide a link among several scenes. Its nothing more or less than that. Lakewood Chief Dan McCasky was among those echoing those sentiments, and mentioned that the Smith family members will be releasing a statement later in the day. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Both district attorneys addressed the possibility of capital punishment being on the table, discussing that 1984 laws do seem to allow the possibility, and that its the hardest decision that a DA has to make and it wont be one thats made lightly. She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into a coma. Recently, he was exploring forensic genealogy techniques. Bruce and Debra Bennett lived with their daughter Melissa and younger daughter, Vanessa. Bruce worked at the family-owned furniture store and was also taking classes to become an air traffic controller. She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. Dixon survived. On the night of November 15th, 1974, a fifteen-year-old Visalia-area girl named Jennifer Lynn Armour disappeared while on her way to a local football game. He said the detectives who have worked it over the years, in particular Detective Steve Conner, the departments cold case investigator, never quit on. He thought about murder for a long time, he daydreamed about it and more than likely attempted several times prior to these specific attacks to commit murder but for whatever reason didnt go through with it or was unable to because his victim fought him off, fear of being seen or heard etc. 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. He noticed a gaping wound on the left side of her skull. The killer was practicing, he was unsure of himself and he was unsure of the weapon he would eventually use. Although she had no memory of the attack, what happened that night in 1984. Determine the level of organization/disorganization of each crime scene. Despite the trauma of the attack and losing an incredible amount of blood, the doctors and nurses were able to save her life. The father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes, immediately became the prime suspect, as he abruptly disappeared after the . Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. Bruce finally succumbed to his injuries and the family was left vulnerable. I'm a very strong person, though, but when it comes to my family that was the most important thing to me in the whole world.". Youve done this with other cases to. Her bra was wrapped around one of her wrists, and her clothing was found on the bank nearby. 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. All four family members were assaulted, only one survived. Between 9 p.m. January 15, 1984 and 10 a.m. January 16, 1984, twenty-seven year old Bruce Bennett, his twenty-six year old wife, Debra and their seven year old daughter Melissa, were brutally murdered inside their home located in the 16300 Block of East Center Drive. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. No services are scheduled at this time. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. Prosecutors alleged Ewing raped Melissa Bennett before killing her. Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. The news that the killer had been identified this year left Metz elated, he said. In that homicide, DNA evidence was found matching Ewing. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. I was a drug addict for so many years. Even after he was struck and injured severely, Bruce continued to struggle valiantly with his attacker, and it seems he climbed the stairs after him even after the intruder thought that he was unconscious or dead. On Jan. 4, 1984, a couple in Aurora woke up to see a man in their bedroom who hit each of them with a hammer before fleeing. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. Long Prairie, Minn. Long Prairie is a town of about 3,000 people in central Minnesota's Todd County. The Vampire Diaries Wiki Explore Main Page Discuss Advancements in DNA evidence led investigators to a match with Ewing and samples collected from the crime scene as well as one of the victims 34 years later. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. Minneapolis and Crystal, MN. ~Then on Jan. 10, 1984, someone used a hammer to strike 50-year-old Patricia Louise Smith several times in the head in her Lakewood home thus killing her sometime between 3pm and 5pm. Donna was rushed to the hospital while police worked the scene. He went on to continually beat the mans wife as she attempted to shield her husband from the blows of an ax handle while simultaneously on the phone to 911.

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