Bennett Family Murders: three life sentences - Defrosting Cold Cases The jury found Ewing guilty on. Your email address will not be published. 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. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. 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 Deadly Night of Incident For Bennet Family On the night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. In just two days, Melissa would turn 8 years old. Matthew Nicholas, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, January 20, after being found guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault of a child under 13. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. She was last seen at about 8:30 PM while on her way to meet friends. In the papers, the most attention is paid to the last state witness, the DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. On night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era. does anyone think they are actually looking though? Determine the level of organization/disorganization of each crime scene. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. ~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. This generated a buzz of discussion, with victims and family wondering why this information wasnt released sooner, and online sleuths pouring over leads such as previous offenders named Richard, different water company uniforms looked at, and even eyes turned toward folks who were associated with a Canadian town/military base called Petawawa in Ontario. 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. Required fields are marked *. Flatbed Trucking Company Bennett Motor Express is the premier open deck general freight carrier in the US. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. Figuring out anyone who was laid off or working less hours on a construction site back then, if the list doesnt exist right now may be difficult at best. A photo of the Bennett family. The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. Prosecutors brought their case against Alex Christopher Ewing to a close using a detailed walkthrough of genetic evidence to show that his DNA was found inside the home where three members of an Aurora family were murdered in January 1984. 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. Coincidence is just an illusion that we all tell ourselves myself included, when we are unable to explain how something actually came to be. Ronald worked as a pilot. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. Read more true crime, cold cases and unsolved mysteries from meHERE<<. 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. 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. Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. Its believed that the EAR bought his shoelaces new from the store or from some other source. 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. 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. Youre going to suck my cock again.. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. 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. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. De Ligonnes Family. The Visalia Ransacker, a unique brand of offender who terrorized a very small area of California for a period of over two years, caught my attention a long time ago due to the cases possible association with the East Area Rapist. She was also sexually assaulted and the intruder left a small hammer near her body. Here are the days of the week the alleged killer struck each victim (s). Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. Murder Most Royal - (her Majesty The Queen Investigates) By Sj Bennett Aurora police Chief Nick Metz said the case has haunted the families involved. A hammer lay next to her. Dont you think the police could have gotten the guy long ago had they given you the evidence they had? He then tries to strangle her with a telephone . He viciously struck the young child in the head with a hammer. 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. District Attorney John Kellner said the murders had shocked the community, adding that he was glad to see justice for the victims after 37 long years. Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. 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. She was found bludgeoned with a hammer, with about 17 wounds to the head. Onsale to General Public. 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. They lived on a peaceful cul-de-sac where most of the houses had recently been finished and were yet to be sold. Vanessa Benn. Powered by WordPress A typical way one would see this is that he likes control, that is wrong. Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich on what comes next | National Post If you were living in La Jolla in the early 80s, you knew the Brodericks. They both survived. Denver Post Archive Aurora Coroner's officers and police officers remove one of the three bodies from house at. In 2002, Arapahoe County filed a John Doe arrest warrant for the perpetrator of the Bennet murders based on the DNA profile. Lauer and Phelps disappeared on Labor Day weekend while on their way to Virginia Beach. There was no sign of forced entry. July 5, 1985 Survivor In Sierra Madre. After a string of several burglaries and escalating events on this night, the offender crossed the line to murder and he never looked back. This horrific and cold case of Aurora, Colorado has kept everyone wondering about the culprit while this horrendous incident kept sending chills to the bones of people all around the world. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. For the first time, Stetson Bennett is publicly addressing his January arrest for public intoxication in Texas. JonBenet Ramsey (Homicide) | City of Boulder Yvonne Woods was on the stand for more than three hours . Hed been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. The father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes, immediately became the prime suspect, as he abruptly disappeared after the . Another resident, Donna Dixon, was also struck with a hammer. There is no innocent explanation for how you explain all of the evidence.. Minneapolis and Crystal, MN. They lived on the other side of the Denver metro area, but their home and Smiths home were both near a main east-west road, Alameda Avenue, leading investigators to suspect the killer used that route. Furthermore, the loving grandmother had been sexually assaulted. October 21st, 1982 The Bennett family was attacked in their home in Aurora, Colorado in Jan. 16,1984. 1984 Aurora hammer killer evolved into predator, FBI profiler says Investigators noted there was evidence of a struggle at the house. Only the calls or phone events where the caller was believed to be the rapist are included. Other Information Jun 2004 - 201612 years. She was naked, curled up in a fetal position and groaning. 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. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. Murdaugh, 54, is accused of shooting his wife Maggie, 52, and youngest son, Paul, 22, at the kennels of their 1,800-acre hunting estate in Moselle, South Carolina on the night of June 7, 2021. Both survived. Her bra was wrapped around one of her wrists, and her clothing was found on the bank nearby. I wouldtear everything down and start over with the evidence, the crime scene and so on. Just your average everyday normal family. Victim Tearfully Tells Night Stalker Jurors of Attack in Bedroom Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He was immediately alarmed at the scene in the garage her clothes, purse, and even some of the mail was by her car. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. Theyd been strangled, their throats had been slashed, and rope marks were found on their necks and wrists. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. Shippers choose our flatbed, step deck, RGN or other specialized trailers to move freight that is too large to be Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado - thecrimeshop Why did they have to get murdered? 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. ~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. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. She was also raped. James, a young man not even twenty-five years old yet, had married his wife Kim in August of 1982. Colorado Cold Case Files - Case Detail: Bruce Bennett Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull, she suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw and neck. Constance, her grandmother, immediately set up a vigil (which she kept up for days) as the paramedics, nurses and doctors worked feverishly to save the girls life. No other motive like robbery could be found as the only items missing were the knife used to cut Bruce and Debras purse, yet the contents of the purse were strewn in the front yard. House where JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in 1996 is on the market The Military also submits DNA for specific types of crimes committed by its members. Date: September 5th, 1989 A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. For an overview of the case, you can review my extensive post from yesterday which covered many of the details. Jury finds man guilty in 'hammer killer' murders of Aurora family Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. Miraculously, both of them survived the assault, though James suffered from a fractured skull and his wife suffered a concussion. As blood poured out of her body, he lifted her up from the bed, unknowingly leaving an imprint from his shirt on her blood-soaked pajamas. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. Damien Bendall, 31, is now alleged to have raped and murdered Lacey Bennett . Tabernacle. Victims: David Knobling (20) and Robin Edwards (14) Victim #7received a phone call, and she recognized the voice on the other end as the voice of the rapist. Its my hope that this can help folks gain a better understanding of how prolific this offender was, and that insights can be gained as to perhaps why he was active at the times that he was, and why he mightve laid low during some of the quieter times. Investigators have been quoted as saying this was a random crime, vicious and random. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | king5.com The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. John Hickenlooper to request Ewings extradition today but the process could take weeks or months depending on a host of legal factors. 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. Bruce and Debra Bennett lived with their daughter Melissa and younger daughter, Vanessa. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | 9news.com Even though Vanessas jaw was crushed, sending jagged bones into her windpipe, she survived after her grandmother, Constance Bennett, checked on the family later that morning when they didnt show up to work at a family-owned furniture store. Investigators said he also sexually assaulted Melissa before she died from being beaten. KUSA reports that Vanessa recounted for the courtroom how the critical head injuries she survived left her with a lifetime of problems, including depression, anxiety, anger and struggles with heroin abuse. 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. He attacked the couple with a hammer, bludgeoning them with it and leaving them for dead. 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. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. You can also see what seems to be escalation and a frenzy of activity at certain points. He then proceeded to charge John Doe with 18 counts, including three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of sexual assault, first-degree assault and two counts of sexual assault on a child and burglary. 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. All three were beaten to death with a claw hammer. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals. If you are just simply looking at it, you miss the most critical and important clues. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | wqad.com If they were used shoelaces, youd expect to find a vast array of particles and wear-and-tear. The killer was never brought to justice. Seemingly, nothing they did showed investigators any reason someone would want to kill them. "The Crown prosecutor who is prosecuting my case in September seems like a dog with a . That is very clear. A brief question and answer session involved the police asking any residents or witnesses to come forward with anything they might know in relation to these crimes so that the prosecution can continue to build its case. The killer also may have completely changed his MO from victim type to weapon used, to less grisly murdering, became better at leaving no DNA behind Because he committed the murders in Colorado during his learning phase if you will it is difficult to determine what he went on to be if anything. Blood near the front door sent him into a panic. This killeris more the type that would self medicate more than likely be a heavy drinker as opposed to taking medication. "I didn't just lose my parents and my sister," Vanessa opened up. What are Dr. Bennett's areas of care? On the night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. When she first woke up, she had the mentality of a two-year old. She had to relearn how to talk and couldnt speak a full sentence for almost six months. KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) _ Two men were arrested Friday in the killing of an elderly man and his wife, a crime whose brutality traumatized this small town and went unsolved for more than a year. Victims: Daniel Lauer (21) and Annamaria Phelps (18). A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. Detective Steve Conner has investigated this case for many years, taking over from an investigator named Marv Brandt. Before exiting the vehicle, she turned to grab her flight attendant uniform, which was hanging in the back. The jury found Ewing guilty on Aug. 6 of killing three members of the Bennett family with a hammer. At around 8:00 PM on January 10th, 1984, her boyfriend Ron Holm arrived home. At the conclusion of his comments, he introduced his former boss, Peter Weir. If the list does exist its worth a look at as well as look at reports of crimes at the local job sites involving missing tools. Its also interesting to note that the first incidence of violence, the Snelling murder, didnt stop him, but he did seem to be gradually slowing down after what appears on the surface to be the 1975 peak. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. This killer is indiscriminate in terms of who he kills, attacks or rapes. No immediate leads could be generated in the case. The very famous, more than three decades old case of Bennet family murders has recently been in the news. July 23, 1993. Victim #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. She slumped over onto the passenger seat. He assured the public that theyll move with all appropriate speed.. Umesh Pal murder case: Bulldozer action against Atiq Ahmad's close Learn how your comment data is processed. The killer had doused the vehicle with fuel in an apparent attempt to incinerate the crime scene, but apparently failed to start a fire. Report of July 5, 2022 officer-involved shooting in Report of July 21, 2022 officer-involved shooting in Jury returns guilty verdict in mass shooting at Aurora man sentenced to decades in prison for Man sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for Parolee and former Scout leader with history of Lone Tree bowling alley shooter sentenced to 23 Report of March 3, 2022 officer-involved shooting in Colorado District Attorneys Council honors trial team for Jury finds man guilty in former CU football Report of July 5, 2022 officer-involved shooting in Aurora, Report of July 21, 2022 officer-involved shooting in Englewood, Man sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for murdering couple who responded to advertisement for used car. It could be the store they all shopped in, the road that they all traveled daily to and from work, school, library they attended etc. Its probably nothing that will move the case forward, but that show is coming out pretty soon so youll be able to find out what that is in just a couple months! Kevin Bennett - Senior Program Officer and Racial Equity Lead - GHR This call is important because not only did it occur during an EAR quiet period, but this attack is connected by DNA. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. Is it not true that you usually get police closer to a suspect faster than they ever could without using dna? August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. AURORA | Police and prosecutors say they have solved the brutal 1984 hammer slayings of the Bennett family in Aurora, one of the citys most-shocking and tough-to-crack cold cases. The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. alone. He usually held his victims captive for a period of time and then released them, but hes suspected of abducting and murdering13-year-oldKarmein Chan in 1991. In that homicide, DNA evidence was found matching Ewing. Which is why a more beneficial profile from the onset is more important in fact, its critical. This was the end of the first day of what would become a futile week-long dig for the body of Keith Bennett, who was 12 years old in 1964 when he was killed by the Moors murderers, Ian Brady and . 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 case lacked any apparent motive. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members.
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