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They didnt feel that he forced his way into the home as she entered it herself due to the television, wig, and Wendys receipt being located upstairs. 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. 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. Theyd been strangled, their throats had been slashed, and rope marks were found on their necks and wrists. 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. He faced six counts of first-degree murder. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. He was immediately alarmed at the scene in the garage her clothes, purse, and even some of the mail was by her car. He attacked the couple with a hammer, bludgeoning them with it and leaving them for dead. 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. 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. Upon the capture of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, Conner again turned to genealogical databases. Donna underwent several operations. Fourth Crime Scene He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. The garage door was still open. I didnt hear it mentioned in the press conference, but forensic genealogist incidentally identified the correct surname of the alleged killer: Ewing. This information was released in an episode of On the Case with Paula Zahn earlier this year. 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 police after searching the home believe that the intruder brought his own weapon, a hammer or some other type of blunt object yet, he took a knife from the kitchen which is what he used to slash and cut Bruce with. The FAIR School, Minneapolis Public Schools and West Metro Education Program. 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. Another resident, Donna Dixon, was also struck with a hammer. She was murdered on Jan 10, 1984 by an, at that time, unknown person who raped and killed her inside her Lakewood home. As she turned to leave the car, she felt a tremendous blow on the left side of her head. Quite frankly if the suspect wasnt on the original list, spoken to or even noticed in this case it may come down to just DNA unless police have enough evidence and suspect info they can rework the case from scratch. 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. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. Third Crime Scene She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into in a coma. 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. 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. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora. It was a beautiful area, with clean, crisp air and the mountains rising up to the west. 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. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! Now we know that Patricia's murder is connected to the Bennett Family murders in Aurora, Colorado. She was also raped. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. A typical way one would see this is that he likes control, that is wrong. During sentencing Aug. 17, members of the Bennett and Large families submitted impact statements and came to the courtroom. Patricia missed her husband Oliver, who stayed behind in Nebraska, but she loved being with her daughter and two grandchildren in a bustling city. There are potentially other crimes that Ewing could be charged for, and Brauchler emphasized that he wont prosecute a crime that he cant ethically prove theres a high standard for evidence in these types of cases. January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. Date: September 19th/22nd, 1987 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. James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. / CBS Colorado. First published on August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM. 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. Bruce and the intruder fought up and down the stairwell, and at some point Bruce was struck multiple times by a hammer. The Vampire Diaries Wiki Explore Main Page Discuss Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. The house of Safdar Ali, who is allegedly a close aide of Atiq Ahmad, was demolished by the administration. 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. Almost six days later, tragedy struck Aurora once again. A childhood photo of Vanessa Bennett, who survived the hammer attack, and Alex Ewing as seen in a mid-1980s booking photo . All rights reserved. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. January 16, 1984: Bennett family is attacked in their Aurora, Colorado home with 3 out of the 4 family members murdered by an intruder wielding a hammer. Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close. What we do know is that he likes the level of violence a blunt object signifies. Powered by WordPress Years later, strides would start to be made in the crime lab. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. Thankfully, this community, these families and everyone impacted by the horrific crimes now knows this defendant will never hurt anyone ever again., 2022 - DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE 18 JUDICIAL DISTRICT, Murderer of Auroras Bennett family sentenced to life in prison, Victim Impact Statement and Restitution Information, Bad Check Restitution Program DISCONTINUED, Senior Law & Safety Summit: May 21, 2022, Peace Officer Credibility Disclosure Notification. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. You can also see what seems to be escalation and a frenzy of activity at certain points. There were reportedly no signs of robbery or sexual assault both women were clothed and their purses were still with them. It was determined that she had been killed sometime between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. 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). Victims: David Knobling (20) and Robin Edwards (14) I believe he killed again no way he stopped. They saw her parents killer as a boogeyman who would attack and them and kill them if they went anywhere near little Vanessas home for parties or play dates. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. Victims: Richard Keith Call (20) and Cassandra Lee Hailey (18) Investigators said he also sexually assaulted Melissa before she died from being beaten. Safdar Ali was allegedly involved in selling weapons to gang members of Atiq Ahmed. Here are a few of the notable phone calls: January 15th, 1979 Learn how your comment data is processed. Her bra was wrapped around one of her wrists, and her clothing was found on the bank nearby. 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. 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. On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph . Ronald worked as a pilot. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. Patricia Smith had been laid straight, her arms crossed over her chest as if on display in a funeral home. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. The Murder of Jaye Potter Mintz Feb 23, 1987 Leland N.C. A Catastrophic Cyber Event in the Next 2-Years. Required fields are marked *. There wasnt anything notable stolen from the scene, and the attack had all the hallmarks of a random crime. The jury found Ewing guilty on Aug. 6 of killing three members of the Bennett family with a hammer. 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. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. Ewing, 57, has also been charged with murder for the slaying of a Lakewood grandmother a few weeks prior to the Bennett killings, a crime police linked to the Bennett murders in 2010 through DNA. When a telephone call came for Steve Bennett on the afternoon of July 4, 1985, his daughter, Whitney, opened her bedroom window to summon her father, who was outside watering the front yard. The 1982 call is important, because the offender hadnt killed for over a year, and it was thought that he mightve been incarcerated. Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. EAR brought his own ligatures to almost every attack he didnt rely exclusively on what was found at the scene. Constance Bennett, the mother of murder victim Bruce Bennett, is questioned defense attorney Katherine Powers Spengler during Alex Ewing's murder trial, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in an Arapahoe County Court in Centennial, Colo. Ewing is accused of killing Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora in January 1984. He used two methods, and announced a few weeks ago that hed struck out with his first attempt. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community, he said. 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. 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. Prosecutors said they will ask Gov. Apparently, although the authorities never followed up on this, there were a series of murders just like this across the country just off of I-70. The colossal 1,772-acre South Carolina hunting farm where Maggie and Paul. She slumped over onto the passenger seat. The scene in the home traumatized the daughter and grandchildren for life. 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. 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. Bruce worked at the family-owned furniture store and was also taking classes to become an air traffic controller. This guy is not going to be easy to find because he can easily change his MO and would change it if need be. There are a few very notable ones, particularly because they occurred during quiet periods where the offender wasnt attacking. They also looked across state lines looking for similar or like crimes and to date, they have not one suspect. 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. 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. Currently all 50 states have to collect DNA for certain types of Felony crimes and submit it to CODIS. Hed been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. Nevada inmate accused of Colorado murders says he'll fight extradition. The last family member left around 9:00 PM. Debra was savagely beaten to death with a hammer. Were happy to at least have a little bit of science behind us on this and it was worth exploring, even though the result was inconclusive. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. The killer murdered two parents - Bruce and Debra Bennett - and their 7-year-old, Melissa, and left their other child severely injured. 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. April 6th, 2001 One of the most terrifying aspects of the case is the sketch of his mask, made with the assistance of survivors who caught a glimpse of him. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. Victim #24received a call from a voice that she identified as the EARs. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (link).. It was taken in Arizona 11 days after the attack. 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. 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 . She was born August 12, 1946 in Mississippi. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. 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. He utilized the bindings in another distinct way he almost always forced his penis into his victims bound hands. Before he was sentenced, Ewing declined the chance to speak to the victim's family members, who were present in the courtroom including Vanessa Bennett, who is now 41. Part of our book involves some very in-depth detective and forensic work. ~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. His use of ligatures were fairly distinct and helped tie a lot of the crimes together. Not only was he hanging on the situation for any sign of improvement, but he was afraid that the killer would find out that she survived, might be able to identify him, and might come back to attack her again. Im your biggest fan. But thanks to modern technology and the incredible talent and dedication of several individuals, it seems this case has finally been solved. 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. On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. "A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. Dr. Bennett's office is located at UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH. The mandatory minimum sentence for each count is life with possibility of parole after 20 years, according to the prosecution. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. 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.