Over two decades, four women disappeared and one was raped along the same stretch of road in rural Oregon. After leaving drama school in Birmingham in 1970, John worked for 10 years or so in repertory theatres all round England, playing dozens of roles. He said he didnt know. Structurally, why did you decide to break here for a biography of Ackroyd? Once in a while, Bart Swanson makes his way to the isolated logging road where Sheilas body was found just feet from her friend, Melissa Sanders. What the heck happened to you? Laront asked. He saw another highway worker driving through Camp Sherman that morning. What lay behind that decision? The woman demurred. My editor tells me I usually write with economy and directness, so it was also more of my natural style to hone and hone some more. Read millions of eBooks and audiobooks on the web, iPad, iPhone and Android. 'Messy,' Murderous Story of John Ackroyd Comes to an End The Oregonian has published the 1977 polygraph reports for both John Arthur Ackroyd and Marlene K. Gabrielsen, who credibly alleges that he raped her at knifepoint. It was scary. Her mother left behind a short list of chores. Ackroyd heaved his body out of the chair. Actually, the beginning and the ending were the most rewritten parts of the series, as we knew they would be. Mike Harmon, a longtime investigator with the Linn County Sheriffs Office, worried Ackroyd had a shot at parole. So you dont know where shes at, he asked. We were smacked by paddles and a lot of people who are are like, Oh big deal, a paddle. No, there was paddles that were designed with holes drilled in them and stuff and they would brag about it helps cuts through the air and you get a harder spanking. Ackroyd was very predominant in discipline. We worried about this constantly. Ackroyd had offered his hunting buddy, Roger Dale Beck, as his alibi, but another jury found Beck guilty of murder in the Turner case, too. In 1992, he was sentenced to five life terms in prison for the abduction and murder of Kaye Turner. Over two decades, four women disappeared and one was raped along the same stretch of road in rural Oregon. Eliot, Charles Dickens, William Blake, Wilkie Collins, Thomas More and, most recently, Charlie Chaplin. Most nights, the pair could be found at Sharis in Lebanon, where teens and adults gathered to talk on CB radios and drink coffee. How to pronounce John Arthur Ackroyd | HowToPronounce.com Im just asking you., I have never killed anybody in my life, Ackroyd said. They were still after him when Ackroyd died alone in his prison cell two years ago. She handed police a brown paper bag with clothes Marlene wore on the night of the attack. When the men turned them down, Melissa and Sheila said theyd hitchhike instead. Over time, the two made painstaking progress. I wanted him to know that the reporting was continuing and that a story would likely appear sometime in the coming months. To read the story without annotations, click the Hide all annotations button, which youll find just below the social media buttons in the top right-hand menu, or at the top of your mobile screen. Kelley Benham French read one of those footnoted drafts and suggested that we publish them all. This time you dramatize the action instead of summarizing it. She saw it as a way of letting readers know how much work went into this series. I remember him spanking her over one of those old school windup alarm clocks and it got broke and he was trying to fix it in and stuff and him and mom were talking about it and they were both getting heatedmom said to line them up and spank them until (one confesses) They were getting ready to line us up. He drew an orange grid, each column dedicated to a victim assaulted or killed, likely by Ackroyd. I tried to picture this scene. Was that a conscious decision? We talked to grieving loved ones. A dozen or so work crews called the junction home. Do you or any of the detectives have any suspicions why it was sealed? Shes finally believed and theres satisfaction that comes with that. Its ugly to describe and imagine these killings. There was a tremendous amount of secrecy. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results John Arthur Ackroyd (1902 - 1997) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. The interview sputtered to a halt. Plus reading it aloud again and again and producing a condensed online timeline helped uncover themes and discrepancies. The story reaches its powerful chronological conclusion. Even before hunters had stumbled upon the teens remains, Ackroyd told a friend: They are assuming its me.. He had an older and younger sister. Margaret runs a very busy team that does all breaking news, all crime and justice coverage and enterprise. The cause: heart disease. Seemed like the most hopeful note on which to end a series that didnt offer much light. Their stories have another connection: John. It was on one of them that hed raped Marlene Gabrielsen a year before Kaye Turner disappeared. They had to get him. I wanted the reader to hear Ackroyds reaction when confronted with the detectives suspicions. I wanted to show that at this point Ackroyd was a very sick man. You shift now to the killer. The answer was no. This is another of the few times when we read extended dialogue, a hallmark of classic narrative. I heard the river on one of those trips and took the liberty of saying he would have heard it too if his windows were rolled down. In 1992, he was sentenced to five life terms in prison for the abduction and murder of Kaye Turner. He took off a couple days the week Melissa and Sheila had gone camping. Detectives didnt dwell on the highway worker. It was great, Ackroyd would later tell detectives. Over two decades, four women disappeared and one was raped off the same stretch of road in rural Oregon. They simply felt they had enough. His wife sat by his side. As the truck motored west, the man in the passenger seat wanted out. Ackroyd was raised in the small logging town of Sweet Home, Oregon. A used rivet was discovered near her body. He recalled the blood, Ackroyds unlikely story and the odd timing. I knew from the time Id spent with her that shes a strong person, and Day 1 of this series didnt capture that. No one was ever charged. She encountered Ackroyd and his hunting partner on a deserted road. Harmons manner was low-key and friendly as he tried to gauge Ackroyds interest in pursuing parole. For a long time, the lead was a scene from his cell immediately after his death. The beginning because you have to engage and explain but not overpromise, all the while getting the tone right. At a time when journalists credibility is under assault, extensive footnotes seemed like a compelling way to show our work. It wasnt far from where the teens remains were found. I have the audio of this conversation. After one year, the couple divorced, but they continued to live together with Linda's children. She listened to pop stars Debbie Gibson and Wilson Phillips in her bedroom and teased her brother, who was her protector and playground companion. Hed pored over Ackroyds police interviews from 1979 when the highway worker admitted he was the last person to see Kaye Turner. The detectives who handled her disappearance retired. Why? John Arthur Ackroyd, Serial Killer - OverDrive They were there because they were investigating the killing of Kaye Turner, the woman who is the subject of Day 2. I knew this would be an essential scene. Those footnotes helped me sleep at night. Why? Police and court records. Hanlon, whod spent his career practicing law in rural Oregon, knew of Ackroyd from reading a slim three-ring binder stashed in a cardboard box left behind by his predecessor. Were other approaches considered? He drove off as she banged frantically on the door. He was the main suspect, but the case had vanished from local news reports even though her disappearance triggered one of the largest search efforts in the countys history. I knew from his coworkers that his truck likely didnt have AC. John Arthur Ackroyd (died December 30, 2016) was an American murderer and may have been a serial killer. We talked to grieving loved ones. Ackroyd obviously is the catalyst of destruction. Karens mother, Violet Gillmore, long believed Ackroyd was behind her daughters disappearance. He stuffed his cell with food from the prison commissary dozens of packages of processed meats and cheese, candy bars and beans. Hooper's aunt in Wisconsin called him to share the details of the gruesome finds inside Gein's house, some of which he . Didnt do anything to Channy? the cop pressed. How were you able to describe his breathing? John Arthur Ackroyd was born on month day 1902, at birth place, to George Ackroyd and Annie Ackroyd (born Sharp). Shed gone around town hanging missing posters but hadnt called police. In 1977, Ackroyd raped Marlene Gabrielsen. Wasnt it strange that he was the last person to see Kaye and Rachanda alive? At this point in the story, I didnt want to reveal too much about why the cops were taking another look at Marlenes rape. They tracked down Marlene Gabrielsen, who easily could have been the killers first victim but managed to escape after Ackroyd brutally raped her in 1977. Interviews with Rachanda Pickles brother, Byron, and one of her childhood friends. Do you or any of the detectives have any suspicions why it was sealed? The men drove by Santiam Junction, slowing as they passed the eastern edge of the highway compound where Ackroyds manufactured home backed up to the woods. Sense of smell is so evocative, yet writers rarely take advantage of its power. Killen had. The investigators called Marvin Laront. Actor: Emmerdale Farm. In late December, as the case wrapped up, the investigators read the news: Ackroyd was dead. Ackroyd has three brothers and one sister. Kaye Turner's killing became a faded memory. The conference room where we met to discuss this story features a wall-sized whiteboard. "This . The cold case investigation was current and provided real-time detective work that was an aspect of the story that we hadnt yet explored. The dialogue and scene-setting details how Ackroyd tapped his leg with his knife, for instance came from interviews with Marlene. Why did you decide to use Benson and Snow as a vehicle to transmit all this background? Ackroyd earned low grades in school; his high school diploma was marked special education. He was a loner, bullied and beaten by classmates. They were turned over to her husband and cremated. When the couple pulled into the compound that evening, Rachanda wasnt hanging around outside like she had the day before. Sheila Swanson was 19 and from nearby Lebanon. They led her into a small room with a desk. Her father, Richard Sanders, kept her jewelry box, which looked like a miniature china cabinet, under a counter in the old trailer where he lived outside Sweet Home. These are key characters in this story. How odd, they thought. In 1992, he was sentenced to five life terms in prison for the abduction and murder of Kaye Turner. They had to be named first it should be a shock to the conscience that women were vanishing like this and someone was getting away with it. Kayes husband Noel remarried. John Arthur Ackroyd (October 3, 1949 - December 30, 2016) was an American murderer and suspected serial killer. I lied like hell back then, she told McAnulty. Why did Pam Ramirez lie when first interviewed by the cops? Their deaths exposed Ackroyd as a serial killer and raised the possibility of other killings. Actually, the beginning and the ending were the most rewritten parts of the series, as we knew they would be. The larger person had dragged the smaller person away. She stepped into the sunshine, the frosty air heavy with the scent of ponderosa pine. John Ackroyd - People Directory - 192.com It was a single handwritten sentence. Over time, the story took on even darker tones. In late 2016, then-director of news Therese Bottomly was presented a freelance story about a retired prosecutor who ran every Christmas Eve in memory of a murdered jogger whose killer he helped put behind bars for life. Who was this guy and what made him tick? A young deputy played Kaye. This United States biographical article related to crime is a stub. I was taken aback by how much emotion and support there was for Marlene in the room. This is what we heard at the Youth Club in the early 1970's through to the late 1980's, when most nights were party nights, men were men and girls were girls and you met on the dance floor. Ackroyd returned to the periphery. If I put 50 dollars on a gamble that there wasnt punishment in a week I would lose that 50 dollars. When John snapped, it was scary. Its also a newspaper story, not a book. What was your greatest writing challenge? How can you say with certainty that he would have heard the river? When he returned to the house at approximately 12:45 p.m., Rachanda had vanished. Ackroyd had indeed come across Kaye but didnt go to police, even though he saw posters with her picture at the nearby Santiam Junction highway compound, where he lived. You felt a tremendous obligation to the victims and their loved ones in telling this story. For now, I just want the reader to know something triggered their interest in what happened to Marlene and leave it at that. Then Rachanda Pickle went missing from the desolate highway compound where she lived, never to be seen again. You were able, one wrote, to give voice to so many people who have largely gone unheard (until now). He had an older and younger sister. The Oregonian/OregonLives five-part series on John Ackroyd details crimes that include sexual abuse, rape and murder. It seemed like decent shorthand for conveying the remoteness of this area. We relied on each other for support. Then he said he left. This was looking forward. Marlene put them on, holding tight to the waist to keep them from slipping off. The Life Summary of John Arthur. You use just 67 words to effectively condense the details of a crime that must have been full of detail. Linda and John Ackroyd left for work, she as a housekeeper at Black Butte Ranch, a resort community about 30 minutes away, and he as a highway mechanic. She was a bright and witty woman who seemed destined to live a full life. You could, I assume, have used sources to describe this scene. I relied on interviews with a detective and the woman deputy to reconstruct this scene. You know, he said, both of you sitting there pointing your fingers at me, and I didnt do nothing.. Ackroyd was later charged with Kaye's murder -- the only killing he was ever prosecuted for. The reporting team pored over thousands of police reports and court records, interviewed dozens of witnesses, survivors and investigators and traveled out of state to confront a critical source who hadnt responded to their requests for information. They mingled with another set that belonged to what appeared to be a large man. The clue bore a chilling similarity to two of Ackroyds earlier assaults: Rape victim Marlene Gabrielsens boots and underwear were sliced and so was the waistband on Kaye Turners yellow jogging shorts. To some, she seemed lost, almost invisible. He struggles to breathe and its clear he takes time to move around. His friends became sick at the sight and left. I knew from the time Id spent with her that shes a strong person, and Day 1 of this series didnt capture that. Kaye Turners killing became a faded memory. They continued to live together, though, raising Lindas two kids, Rachanda and her older brother, Byron. The sisters knew why she was afraid. She recalled how Marlene had arrived at her house, sobbing, saying something terrible had happened. The men at first said theyd hunted coyotes but later changed their stories to say they were poaching deer. In a war with the French king Philip II, he lost Normandy and almost all his other possessions in France. Books similar to John Arthur Ackroyd, Serial Killer: A collection of The responsibility of speaking for Rachanda rested with her brother, Byron Pickle, then 37. He worried hed become a burden for his family. So instead of hundreds of footnotes, we ran about 150 in a separate version of the story that also links to original source material. One time, she made a scene when it was time to go. So here: Whos responsible for this carnage? Over two decades, four women disappeared and one was raped on the same stretch of road in rural Oregon. This is heartbreaking. During his school years, he was a loner who was bullied. How did you decide which characters to include in the epilogue? The girl, 13 years old, had never been found. This time Ackroyds lawyer responded. www.opendialoguemediations.com. Explore genealogy for John Ackroyd born 1839 Halifax, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom died 1921 Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand including father + descendants + more in the free family tree community. Occasionally, Ackroyd would reach for one of the Fireball candies he carried in his pocket. Initially, he told police hed passed Kaye without stopping. Their final call in the spring of 1977 came from a pay phone in Lebanon. Just weeks later Ackroyd was arrested for the murder of Kaye Turner. But those relationships shifted over time. Her hair was matted with sticks and dirt. I found her through Nexis, I think. Marlene suspects it was rooted in their bias against Native Americans. The prosecutor, Bill Hanlon, and newspaper accounts. They were thin slats of wood. There was so much information to move through. He runs in Kayes memory every Christmas Eve. In the end, they identified four victims who investigators believe died by Ackroyds hands, and documented a history of police and prosecutorial incompetence that allowed Ackroyd to go on a killing spree for two decades. At a time when journalists credibility is under assault, extensive footnotes seemed like a compelling way to show our work. Rachandas mother, Linda, didnt make the trip and the girls father wasnt around. You end this section by withholding what happened with the grand jury. This is a messy story that jumps around in time. Old coworkers told Benson and Snow how theyd seen Ackroyd around a highway project near a gravel logging road off Highway 20. What happened?. The cops cheered. This is a crucial moment where Ackroyd is confronted with one of these crimes, in this case Rachandas disappearance. For a long time, the lead was a scene from his cell immediately after his death. Laront remembered the night when a bloodied Ackroyd came into the shop. So we had to make clear to the reader why we were telling these stories. Word reached police in Lebanon, Sheilas hometown, that she, too, hadnt shown up. He told Linda to wait until the next day to call police. Burly and barrel-chested, Ackroyd favored jeans and blue work shirts from the local Sears. Pretty bleak. He hadnt told his wife the full story of Rachandas life and how he remained tormented that he hadnt hugged his kid sister the last time he saw her. When you have one you really hang tight to them. What role did she play? Like Kayes watch and her hair in the birds nest, this Fireball detail is one I knew I would use. The next day, Hanlon hopped in a car with a Jefferson County deputy for a briefing on the search for Rachanda. Once home from the Army, he got a state job, where he earned generally positive reviews, though supervisors noted his occasional laziness and frequent time off. She always made the project a priority and didnt make me feel like, Oh, God, Im not contributing or my colleagues are having to pick up the slack. Organization, extensive footnoting and a decent system for records that involved seven three-ring binders helped me keep it all straight. Court and police files contained several references to Jane. What was your reaction when you discovered it? John Ackroyd - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages No one listened all those years ago. Ackroyds name emerged early on. Its dramatic and I wanted to draw it out for the reader. She had two children, Rachanda and Byron. john arthur ackroyd childhood - opendialoguemediations.com It was the day before Christmas. She wrote it down on a pack of cigarettes. Besides the journalism awards, what was the reaction? Sheilas ankles were bound with leggings. To do that in a way that was going to keep a readers interest through five installments was herculean. The trackers noticed two sets of footprints preserved in the frozen ground. But the work of discovery keeps you going as well as the realization (maybe anxiety) that you must make a fair and supportable case and do justice to the time involved, the expense and most of all, the material. The Turner case file filed a metal file cabinet and was a reporters dream as far as narrative details. . In the courtroom, she turned to face Ackroyd. She answered right away and was willing to tell me about her experience so the three of us headed to Salem to interview her. When he got home, I explained the purpose of our visit, what the series would report and how it would include details about his wifes killing that would be upsetting. In class, she counted down the minutes, a sense of dread rising as the end of the school day approached. It felt clunky to me to stop and quote a source. The freelancers anniversary story, she realized, opened the door to more; he agreed to take a substantial kill fee so The Oregonian could pursue that more complicated piece. Later, Ackroyd would drive back roads, shooting squirrels and cutting off their tails. So I went back to Marlene and slow-walked her through her preparations for going out that night. A father himself now, Byron gets a catch in his voice when he talks about it. John Arthur Ackroyd (died December 30, 2016) was an American murderer and may have been a serial killer. Was he ready to talk? He married a local woman named Linda and they lived with her young kids, Byron and Rachanda. I like how direct, clean and certain Hanlons quote is here. She invited us in and we waited for Noel to return from running an errand. Ackroyd was raised in the small logging town of Sweet Home, Oregon. Prosecutors didnt have a body. Its also a testament to the human need to find answers and how these disappearances and Ackroyd himself affected people who knew there had to be a connection. The testing, unavailable at the time of her killing, showed shed been shot and stabbed. That beating she got was over, over the top. They dont want the stigma and the shame associated with these crimes. The investigators sifted through the evidence collected from the woods where hunters came across Melissa and Sheilas bodies. We talked all along about how graphic to be. His stretch of it twisted through Bend, logging towns, Corvallis and on to the coast. Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian/OregonLive Ackroyds low libido was the source of such open conflict that Lindas teenage son, Byron, knew of their troubles. John Arthur Ackroyd - 1 proven victims 3 potential victims - Wickedness