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. He went into the process of requesting extradition of the suspect, with the request soon going to the governors office and the process taking up to a couple of months. Now we know that Patricia's murder is connected to the Bennett Family murders in Aurora, Colorado. Law enforcement today is actually better than it was then. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. 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. It was a case that they were not giving up on and were continuing to move forward on, he said. 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. This killer strikes with such violence that it is difficult to understand, see or know of a possible motive. It would be nearly twenty-four hours total before she was found. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! This call is important because not only did it occur during an EAR quiet period, but this attack is connected by DNA. 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. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. Camper reviewed the timeline that led to the arrest, which included a DNA profile from the Bennett case generated in 2001 and uploaded to CODIS (the national FBI DNA database), a profile developed from the Smith case is 2010 that matched the Bennett profile, and the strides that Nevada has made in testing their current prison population, which directly led to Ewings DNA being uploaded into CODIS. Victim #7received a phone call, and she recognized the voice on the other end as the voice of the rapist. 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. Peter Weir, District Attorney of the 1st Judicial District, oversees the area where the Smith murder occurred. In 2002, Arapahoe County filed a John Doe arrest warrant for the perpetrator of the Bennet murders based on the DNA profile. 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. The killer was practicing, he was unsure of himself and he was unsure of the weapon he would eventually use. This killers only motive was to kill. A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. 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. Bruce had mentioned wanting to run to the store before bed. Apparently when the killer lifted Melissa Bennett, an imprint from his shirt was made in the blood that had resulted from his assault on her. Vanessa Bennett sat under a picnic shelter on a muggy Arizona morning and talked for the first time about the physical and emotional toll she bears as the only surviving victim of one of. The jury agreed, and on Aug. 6, 2021, they found Ewing guilty of murder in the three deaths. Hed been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. The couples youngest daughter, 3 year old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer wielding assailant. 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, Vanessa Bennett ~ 3 ~ Found Alive,Jaw Crushed, Severly Beaten About the Face. They need renewed media attention. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. While closure and peace may be forever out of reach, the panelists hope for a sense of justice among those affected. 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. HE had to get knife in addition to the hammer just to ward off Bruce who was trying to protect his family. On night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. Her body was found in a basement . In just two days,. 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. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. Caller: Do you want fuck? August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM The attacker retrieved a butcher knife from the kitchen and began stabbing Bruce in various places on his upper body, and once Bruce was incapacitated again the offender used the knife to slit his throat from ear to ear. He faced six . 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 attacked the couple with a hammer, bludgeoning them with it and leaving them for dead. On the night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. On the other side of the coin, while all of these calls are believed to be genuine, theres a chance that some of them might be coincidence or pranks. She said in an interview that she has big plans for the future, and reminds us that "its never too late to achieve big things. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora. I dont I think they are just waiting on a dna match thats all they ever do. The following tests were performed on the EAR calls: Long story short inconclusive. Bruce and the intruder fought up and down the stairwell, and at some point Bruce was struck multiple times by a hammer. She was quickly and carefully taken to the hospital in an ambulance. 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. John Hickenlooper to request Ewings extradition today but the process could take weeks or months depending on a host of legal factors. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. Your email address will not be published. The Attack happened between midnight and 6 a.m. on Jan. 16, 1984. Ewing massacred a family but left a key to his identity, Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard told the jury. He tore her clothes off, tossed them about the garage, and then he raped her on the concrete floor. Then in 2010, cold case investigators, who long theorized that the person who killed Patricia Smith in Lakewood was the same person who had committed the crimes in Aurora, compared the DNA from the Patricia Smith murder to the DNA found at the Bennett household. She was born August 12, 1946 in Mississippi. Later autopsies would reveal that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. Flatbed Trucking Company Bennett Motor Express is the premier open deck general freight carrier in the US. Here are a few of the notable phone calls: January 15th, 1979 The 1982 call is important, because the offender hadnt killed for over a year, and it was thought that he mightve been incarcerated. They were living in Aurora and planned to make a life together there. A hammer. The police found footprints in the snow that led up to and away from other homes in the same area and on the same street, leading them to believe that the offender was simply looking for an easy opportunity to lash out. It seems that Debra was the next victim, and she may have even been approached and incapacitated in the middle of Bruces struggle with the killer. 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. During the rape series, he primarily used shoelaces. March 14, 2022 5:04pm Updated The Murdaugh family property where a mother and son were found dead lists for $3.9 million. They were Holly Chromey, 49, and her children, Katie Zapzalka, 18, and Jared Zapzalka, 16. She suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw, and neck. She was numb and cold, and somehow was able to get to her feet and go inside the house. During the winter in Colorado its difficult to find a construction crew working well into the night. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. 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 FAIR School, Minneapolis Public Schools and West Metro Education Program. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. About six weeks later, hunters came upon their bodies in a remote location in the woods near a logging road. The couple, especially Ron, wanted to show that their love was truly for better or for worse and that it would survive any challenge. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. He'd been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. 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. He stayed on the prosecution team with Storgaard and Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer. Aurora police Chief Nick Metz said the case has haunted the families involved. Ramirez heads to Sierra Madre, CA, where he attacks Whitney Bennett, 16, with a tire iron as she sleeps. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. District Attorney John Kellner filed the murder charges against Ewing when he headed up the Cold Case Unit in the office. Forensics determined that the hammers used in each of the attacks were different, and that there didnt appear to be anything terribly useful in the way of fingerprints or other evidence. 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. Ewing, then 23, was arrested again two days later about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away by park rangers at Lake Mead. Darkness had just fallen. 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. Victim #24received a call from a voice that she identified as the EARs. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. Constance entered the home, encountered the grisly scene, and immediately dialed the authorities. 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. Alexander Ewings list of seemingly endless violent crimes are described throughout the many articles published about him since he has been identified as the man behind the murder of the Bennett family. SOMERVILLE Sandra G. Bennett, 76, died March 2, 2023. I believe he killed again no way he stopped. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. 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. Bruce had been attacked with a knife and hit in the head several times with a hammer or blunt object. He viciously struck the young child in the head with a hammer. It was determined that she had been killed sometime between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Its our hope that something can come from this new push that will finally solve it. 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. Tamara Lich's trial on multiple charges related to the Freedom Convoy protests is set to start in the fall. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. Part of our book involves some very in-depth detective and forensic work. The blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. 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. Begins: Fri, 03/03/23 10:00 AM EST. There was no sign of the couple and theyve never been found. At the press conference, they informed the public that when authorities in Nevada went back and retroactively began swabbing and entering their inmates DNA into CODIS, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation got a hit and thats whats led to the development in this case. Investigators had collected and stored the killers DNA from the crime scene back in 1984 and since they did not know the hammer killers identity at the time issued a warrant for the arrest of John Doe on three counts of murder, attempted murder, felony murder, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of child sexual assault in the hope that technology in the future could aid in identifying the assailant. Both men were fiercely dedicated to seeing this case solved, and Conner started an effort to use every technology available to him to identify the offender. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. Thank you listeners! 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. 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. I wouldtear everything down and start over with the evidence, the crime scene and so on. for sure the les should listen to what you say and take another look this is a refreshing take on profiles. 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 The crime scene is the Bennett Family home where 3 out of 4 family members were murdered in January 1984. We often times want answers that fit into a box and I am sorry to say in this case we will not get them. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. Second Crime Scene 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. 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. This killer is indiscriminate in terms of who he kills, attacks or rapes. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. I just read this article and Im completely blown away so much of what you speculated turned out to be spot on. 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. He was immediately alarmed at the scene in the garage her clothes, purse, and even some of the mail was by her car. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. Autor do artigo Por ; Data do artigo estranged from family and happy; benson funeral home worthington, mn obituaries em bennett family murders address em bennett family murders address Currently all 50 states have to collect DNA for certain types of Felony crimes and submit it to CODIS. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. She was naked, curled up in a fetal position and groaning. Damien Bendall, 31, is now alleged to have raped and murdered Lacey Bennett . / CBS Colorado. Before exiting the vehicle, she turned to grab her flight attendant uniform, which was hanging in the back. Not only was she left with physical injuries and scars as a reminder of the attack, she was also left with ADHD, PTSD and bipolar disorder. For some reason the killer had to or wanted to be near this artery more so than the major arteries through and around Denver at that time. 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. Investigators had collected and stored the killer DNA from the crime scene back in 1984 and since they did not know the hammer killers identity at the time issued a warrant for the arrest of John Doe on three counts of murder, attempted murder, felony murder, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of child sexual assault in the hope that technology in the future could aid in identifying the assailant. 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. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way in Aurora. It was a match, proving that the same unknown offender had killed all four victims. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. 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. Date: September 5th, 1989 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. I would not limit the list to any type of profession or lack of any type of profession until suspects can be eliminated. An autopsy found that Debra died from blunt force trauma. Seemingly, nothing they did showed investigators any reason someone would want to kill them. One of the signature trademarks of an EAR/GSK attack was the use of ligatures. These crimes in Colorado are this killers first stages at killing a human. 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. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado ~ January 16, 1984 The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. The fact that the murders took place between Highline Canal and the Alameda Corridor is curious, in fact, I am drawn to this fact about the case more so than any other fact. Dotted with impressive bridges and blanketed by thick trees, it usually provides year-round beauty and convenience for travelers. She survived. 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. Donna underwent several operations. He may have been in the system at some point but it is difficult to determinewhether it would have been on felony charges or misdemeanor because his crimes may have stopped altogether. He picked all of his victims for a reason, something about them attracted him to them, they all had one common denominator that drew him to those specific individuals. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. Order your tickets today to see Small Town Murder in Atlanta, GA. Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. 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. July 5, 1985 Survivor In Sierra Madre. Tabernacle. What are Dr. Bennett's areas of care? Note: We cover the Armour case and the other Visalia Ransacker crimes in our new book, Secret Origin of the Golden State Killer: Visalia Ransacker. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. She slumped over onto the passenger seat. So I guess Ill be the first to post. Bruce was 27 years old and Debra was 26 in 1984. <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. The severity of her injuries cant be understated. Read more true crime, cold cases and unsolved mysteries from meHERE<<. 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 husband ran outside but he was gone. From 1987 to 1991, a serial offender known as Mr Cruel abducted children around Melbourne, Australia. 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She was last seen at about 8:30 PM while on her way to meet friends. He also appealed to other district attorneys and lawmakers who might be watching (singling out Montana briefly) to change their DNA collection laws and practices and to begin participating in CODIS. A photo of the Bennett family. Amazingly, it was thought that spending so many hours naked on the garage floor in the freezing temperatures may have kept her from bleeding to death. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. The colossal 1,772-acre South Carolina hunting farm where Maggie and Paul. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. In just two days, Melissa would turn 8 years old. Minneapolis and Crystal, MN. This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community, he said. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. Its quite possible that he changed his method of killing in an effort to keep police from tying him to these murders on the off chance he was caught for lets say rape. I hurt myself. Her purse was found nearby some money had been stolen from it. He is awaiting extradition to Colorado, police and prosecutors announced Friday. They remain married to this day. alone. 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. The intruder, apparently thinking she was dead, began to make his escape. 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. All rights reserved. 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 . You see it in the last known crime that the killer committed. Dont you feel cheated a little? 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). These crimes, which took place in January 1984, were part of a series of assaults that tore through the Denver area and have remained unsolved for thirty-four years. He was brought to Colorado to face trial for the deaths of the Bennett family. "I didn't just lose my parents and my sister," Vanessa opened up. Umesh Pal murder case: Bulldozer action against Atiq Ahmad's close aides continues in Uttar Pradesh. The Colorado killings followed two other attacks near Denver that either involved or were suspected of involving a hammer. I also believe this is the killers first stint at killing humans he most likely as with most serial killers did in fact kill animals earlier in life. All four family members were assaulted, only one survived. 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. These were quite commonplace, but as folks who havent read my book are learning, there were quite a few instances where he actually spoke with victims, potential victims, or even Law Enforcement. He fed the need. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (link).. Almost six days later, tragedy struck Aurora once again. He either got turned on by the prospect of killing or used the rapes as a way to cover up the true motive which was to murder. Even to this day, she has absolutely no recollection of the next several hours. A hammer lay next to her. The first sign of trouble came in the afternoon, when Patricia failed to pick them up. Another resident, Donna Dixon, was also struck with a hammer. The cases are commonly known as the 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders. Shed left the garage door open and most likely left the door unlocked as she went upstairs, removed her wig, and turned the television on. Did you know that one of the most popular places to rob are construction sites? 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. Family medicine doctors are primary-care physicians trained. 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.
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