Dotted with impressive bridges and blanketed by thick trees, it usually provides year-round beauty and convenience for travelers. 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. The family was discovered by Constance Bennett who has since raised little Vanessa. They lived on a peaceful cul-de-sac where most of the houses had recently been finished and were yet to be sold. The highest maximum penalty for the financial crimes is for money laundering in an amount exceeding $100,000 - which carries a potential 20-year sentence - on that front, Alex Murdaugh has . Why was she the lone survivor? She suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw, and neck. Theyd been strangled, their throats had been slashed, and rope marks were found on their necks and wrists. His wife, Debra, was sexually assaulted and bludgeoned. She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. Two young boys were asleep in other rooms in the house. 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. The press conference began with Aurora Chief Nicholas Metz, who recognized the hard work and dedication of many investigators who worked this case over the years. The money was never claimed. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. As she turned to leave the car, she felt a tremendous blow on the left side of her head. I believe he killed again no way he stopped. Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. The Bennett family. All three were beaten to death with a claw hammer. 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). for sure the les should listen to what you say and take another look this is a refreshing take on profiles. 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. It would also be a really good idea to look at troubled or violent teens in the area because I do not believe the killer was over the age of 25. He kept the hammer. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. "I didn't just lose my parents and my sister," Vanessa opened up. 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. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 killer was never brought to justice. How did you know? For the first time, Stetson Bennett is publicly addressing his January arrest for public intoxication in Texas. The colossal 1,772-acre South Carolina hunting farm where Maggie and Paul. The Bennett family, consisting of Bruce (27), Debra (26), and their two young daughters, Melissa (7) and Vanessa (3), were all attacked inside their Aurora home by a serial killer named Alex. Taking a good long hard look at the evidence again and compare it to someone who was in and/or around that artery in Denver at the time would help to narrow the suspect list or in this case open it up. 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. He tossed it onto the seat of the car and began pulling her from the vehicle. James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. The killer had doused the vehicle with fuel in an apparent attempt to incinerate the crime scene, but apparently failed to start a fire. 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. Required fields are marked *. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. Its also safe to assume that up until the Bennett murders his weapon of choice was a blunt object, after those murders he quite possibly changed the weapon of choice if he had that overwhelming urge to kill again. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. 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. 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. At around 8:00 PM on January 10th, 1984, her boyfriend Ron Holm arrived home. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. Residents here have lived under a dark cloud since Monday, when police found three residents dead in their home. 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 blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. 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. A hammer lay next to her. I dont I think they are just waiting on a dna match thats all they ever do. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. Learn how your comment data is processed. He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. It was a match, proving that the same unknown offender had killed all four victims. 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. The investigators looked at everything from construction workers to drug addicts in the areas around the attacks because at the time a lot of construction was happening, they looked at the fact that the attacks happened around the holidays so maybe that was a trigger for this killer, even looked at the possibility that the killer was in some sort of drug fueled rage. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head- and the murder weapon? The jury found Ewing guilty on. He viciously struck the young child in the head with a hammer. This killer is indiscriminate in terms of who he kills, attacks or rapes. He took her to the floor and sexually assaulted her. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. Dont you think the police could have gotten the guy long ago had they given you the evidence they had? "A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. All rights reserved. August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM The police swarmed through the residence, quickly assessing the condition of each family member as they cordoned off certain areas of the home to gather evidence. 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. 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. 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. He usually tied them so tightly that circulation was restricted, used the same types of knots, and would often have the wife tie up the husband (and then retie the husband himself). The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. Ewings DNA profile was entered into CODIS (the FBI's database) this year (2018 as I write this) and the following morning his profile was matched to the DNA found at the crime scenes of both the Bennett family and Patricia Smith. With time, multiple surgeries and the support 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. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. 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. Caller: Hi, its me again. 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. A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. The family got a ride from someone else. 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. 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. The truck was in a designated parking area with the radio and windshield wipers turned on. Im your biggest fan. Another resident, Donna Dixon, was also struck with a hammer. 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. This phone call came just two days after the breaking news that the East Area Rapist crimes had been tied by DNA to the murders in Southern California. 26 miles away from the Smith murder, but very close to the other incidents, the Bennett family was still settling into their new home on East Center Drive in Aurora, Colorado. But what about his second? A murder probe has opened after four people were found dead at the address yesterday, with . Bruce and Debra were both probably dead by the time the killer entered Melissas bedroom. 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. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. Powered by WordPress 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. <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. 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. 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. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . On the 4th of January James and Kimberly Haubenschild were also attacked with a hammer at their home in Aurora, but both survived. A 61-year-old man learned this week he'll die behind prison bars after being sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for the 1984 murders of a Colorado couple and their 7-year-old daughter, PEOPLE confirms. Before Donna Dixon was even found, another crime had taken place 26 miles to the west in the city of Lakewood. First published on August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora. Your email address will not be published. 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. An autopsy found that Debra died from blunt force trauma. It was determined that she had been killed sometime between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. There, lying on the floor next to the couch and just a few feet away from the front door, was the carefully posed body of their grandmother. 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 killer then ascended the staircase and entered the couples bedroom where he attacked Bruces 26 years old wife, Debra, simultaneously he raped and killed her. This killer did in fact re-offend, the issuehe was in the learning phase of actually killing humans during this time frame in Colorado. Ewing massacred a family but left a key to his identity, Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard told the jury. Sometime between 1990 and 1992 Hecontinued to attack the child causing severe injuries, but the 3 year old held on to life and was alive the next morning when she was discovered by her grandmother. 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. 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. He noticed a gaping wound on the left side of her skull. Not one part of this familys life would indicate such a violent predator was going to kill them. Ewing was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. 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. 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. But thanks to modern technology and the incredible talent and dedication of several individuals, it seems this case has finally been solved. Yvonne Missy Woods, a DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was the last of 25 prosecution witnesses called to the stand in Ewings trial on multiple counts of first-degree murder in the hammer killings of Bruce and Debra Bennett and their daughter, Melissa. They were living in Aurora and planned to make a life together there. Both survived. Those were the sentencing rules in 1984, and since these crimes were committed at that time, Ewing is grandfathered into those standards. 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. The wheels were put into motion to submit dozens of pieces of evidence to the FBI lab. 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. She made her way to the bedroom and went to bed. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. Even to this day, she has absolutely no recollection of the next several hours. It was a beautiful area, with clean, crisp air and the mountains rising up to the west. Tamara Lich's trial on multiple charges related to the Freedom Convoy protests is set to start in the fall. As of December 2021, the Boulder Police Department has processed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence related to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. Forensic evidence was hard to retrieve due to the decomposed state of the bodies, but its been reported that the two may have been stabbed to death. Alex Christopher Ewing Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Alex Christopher Ewing, 61, for killing the couple and their 7-year-old daughter in 1984. At approximately 2:00 AM on January 4th, 1984, an intruder came through an unlocked garage door. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. 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. Victim #24received a call from a voice that she identified as the EARs. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way in Aurora. 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. 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.