bennett family murders address

There was evidence of a struggle in the bedroom. As she turned to leave the car, she felt a tremendous blow on the left side of her head. Like all of the EARONS victims, they were taken from this earth far too soon. Thieves like to hit them for the tools the guys leave at the sites overnight. 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. is finished: Fri, 09/08/23 09:00 PM EDT. The bodies of John Paul Bennett, 13, Lacey Bennett, 11, their mother Terri Harris, 35, and Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, were discovered at the property near Sheffield, on Sunday morning.. Coincidence is just an illusion that we all tell ourselves myself included, when we are unable to explain how something actually came to be. She screamed because he would have had to go through an open gate into their yard. They were living in Aurora and planned to make a life together there. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. Police said in a Friday morning press conference that they linked Ewing to the crimes this year shortly after Nevada authorities uploaded his DNA to a national database. 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. About six weeks later, hunters came upon their bodies in a remote location in the woods near a logging road. James and Kim divorced divorced in the fall of 1987. All four family members were assaulted, only one survived. My heart hurts that this happened! But some states were slow to add DNA to CODIS and the Damn ACLU had to butt its nose into it and doesnt like how some states collect DNA beyond certain felony charges or convictions. The Bennett family was attacked in their home in Aurora, Colorado in Jan. 16,1984. Caller: Do you want fuck? A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. One of those techniques was an innovative imaging tool by Parabon Nanolabs which provides an approximation of what they offender mightve looked like at both the time of the crimes and in the current day. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. 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. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 The jury agreed, and on Aug. 6, 2021, they found Ewing guilty of murder in the three deaths. Being able to track the victim down (the call occurred at her workplace) meant that most likely, he was a free man and had stopped killing of his own volition. Killing on this level requires some level of planning on the part of the perpetrator. In the papers, the most attention is paid to the last state witness, the DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. They pledged to continue to support the families via their victim services organizations. Its bloody, painful for the victim and brutal. Victim #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. 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. WordPress. January 10th, 1984 started just like any other day, with Patricia dropping off her daughter and grandkids at work/school. Bruce and Debra were both probably dead by the time the killer entered Melissas bedroom. The 3-year-old sister, Vanessa, was the only survivor. It was a match, proving that the same unknown offender had killed all four victims. The Ramsey family, who originally bought the . . Minneapolis and Crystal, MN. There was no sign of forced entry into the home, some articles you come across say that the killer entered through an unlocked garage door. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. I dont I think they are just waiting on a dna match thats all they ever do. 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. Youve done this with other cases to. At some point, either when the intruder entered the couples bedroom or before, Bruce was alerted to the intruders presence and a tremendous struggle took place. On night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. He kept the hammer. Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. De Ligonnes Family. 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. Peter Weir, District Attorney of the 1st Judicial District, oversees the area where the Smith murder occurred. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado ~ January 16, 1984 The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. Its believed that the EAR bought his shoelaces new from the store or from some other source. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. His sentence runs through 2037 but he would be eligible for parole in 2021. 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. The killer was never brought to justice. That, and the knots he used, provide a link among several scenes. Two different crime labs analyzed the fuzzy imprint, and they came up with different results. Prosecutors alleged Ewing raped Melissa Bennett before killing her. 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 2015, information leaked that there was important clue found at the Bennett scene. . 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 Bennett Family (Latin: Benedictus; English: Benedict; translates as "blessed" or "one who is blessed") is one of the main families in The Vampire Diaries and a matriarchal bloodline of powerful witches. Bruce and Debra Bennett lived with their daughter Melissa and younger daughter, Vanessa. Did you know that one of the most popular places to rob are construction sites? No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals. 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. Patricia still wore her sweater and boots, but her jeans were pulled down. Atlanta, GA. Fri, Sep 8, 2023 08:00 PM. The hammer stuck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. Weve published this page today to show you the details and origin of the ligatures used in the EAR/GSK attacks. Dont profile by LOOKING AT the behavior in an attempt to findclues to his or her psychology in an effort toaid in capturing a criminal. In June 2002, former Arapahoe County Colorado, District Attorney Jim Peters obtained a John Doe arrest warrant in the Bennett killings based on the DNA. The scene in the home traumatized the daughter and grandchildren for life. This is a harsh, cold fact profilers must learn if they are to more accurately profile. A photo of the Bennett family. does anyone think they are actually looking though? 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 found her posed with her arms crossed over her chest as if she was in a coffin. He thought about murder for a long time, he daydreamed about it and more than likely attempted several times prior to these specific attacks to commit murder but for whatever reason didnt go through with it or was unable to because his victim fought him off, fear of being seen or heard etc. A childhood photo of Vanessa Bennett, who survived the hammer attack, and Alex Ewing as seen in a mid-1980s booking photo . 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. It was dusted for prints, but none were found. 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. Furthermore, the loving grandmother had been sexually assaulted. How did you know? In 2018, a DNA match linked Alex Ewing to the Jan. 15, 1984, killings of Bruce and Debra Bennett, as well as their daughter Melissa. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. A hammer. It was determined that she had been killed sometime between the hours of 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. The rapes were opportunities and only that. They ended up determining that Armour had been killed, and the Fresno Bee (along with the Fresno Guarantee Savings and Loan Association) set aside $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer. 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. A hammer lay next to her. The family originated from Ancient Greece, then eventually settled in the town of Salem. Ramirez heads to Sierra Madre, CA, where he attacks Whitney Bennett, 16, with a tire iron as she sleeps. 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Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. The Bennetts didnt show up for work on Monday. Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead. It is deeper than that. The first sign of trouble came in the afternoon, when Patricia failed to pick them up. Bruce Bennett tried to climb the staircase several times in an attempt to ward off the perpetrator and save his young family. Ronald worked as a pilot. 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. Sole survivor of 1984 Aurora hammer attack testifies on opening day of murder trial Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . Remember me? So I guess Ill be the first to post. Caller: Hi, its me again. By far, easier prey lay in wait just north which would be Colfax Ave and at the time might not have hit the news like the murder of the Bennett family did had the crime occurred in a neighborhood more near Colfax. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (link).. Ive provided a complete listing of known phone calls where the East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer actually spoke at this link:https://www.coldcase-earons.com/phonecalls.php. Debra was savagely beaten to death with a hammer. Why was she the lone survivor? Dr. Bennett's office is located at UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. I agree with you. On Sunday, January 15th, 1984, several family members gathered at the Bennett home to have a birthday part for Melissa, who wouldve turned eight on Tuesday. 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. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. Camper explained that the CBI does a nightly check of all of their profiles against the CODIS system, and at that point, in early July, there was a match. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. Dr. Robert Offerman and Dr. Debra Manning were young and had bright futures. EAR brought his own ligatures to almost every attack he didnt rely exclusively on what was found at the scene. That is very clear. Onsale to General Public. Why did they have to get murdered? We wanted to know if there was any way that we could determine whether the voices matched or not. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. It was Monday evening, January 9th, 1984. I just read this article and Im completely blown away so much of what you speculated turned out to be spot on. 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. 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. A neatly-folded Winnie the Pooh comforter lay under her, a portion of it obscuring her head. She was born August 12, 1946 in Mississippi. 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. 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. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. Despite the trauma of the attack and losing an incredible amount of blood, the doctors and nurses were able to save her life. The large hammer was recovered, still on the seat of the car where the attacker had left it. Investigators believed the killers attacks escalated from just beating someone with a hammer to actually murdering them. Only 3-year-old Vanessa, at. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. The Attack happened between midnight and 6 a.m. on Jan. 16, 1984. There is no punishment that is too harsh for you and I will do everything in my power to make sure you never draw a free breath ever again.. There was blood all over the car. It, and the floor around it, was soaked in blood. I have seen all kinds of evil and wickedness nothing compares to the level of depravity that your actions show in this case, Vahle told Ewing. This guy is not going to be easy to find because he can easily change his MO and would change it if need be. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. 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. The couple, especially Ron, wanted to show that their love was truly for better or for worse and that it would survive any challenge. 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. 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 was taken in Arizona 11 days after the attack. Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. His attacker slit his throat before eventually delivering a final fatal blow with a hammer. Law enforcement today is actually better than it was then. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. She too survived the attack, although she was first in a coma for some time. 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 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. 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. 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. Juliana Kenney, 75, her husband Clayton Kenney, 83, and Mrs. Kenney's 44- year-old daughter, Adrienne Arnot, were beaten and stabbed to . Vanessa Benn. Determine the level of organization/disorganization of each crime scene. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. Immediately she went over the home to investigate. 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. Rather than wait until 2019 when the book will be published, we thought wed at least share the results with you. 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. A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. Police examining the scene were able to reconstruct the basic chain of events. You see it in the last known crime that the killer committed. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community, he said. 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! The case lacked any apparent motive. 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. The slain girl's younger sister, Vanessa Bennett, who was 3 at the time, survived the life-threatening injuries she sustained in the vicious beating. Now She's Speaking Out, Mass. They had recently purchased a new home in Aurora for their young family, consisting of Melissa and a younger sister who was 3 years old. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. Murderer of Aurora's Bennett family sentenced to life in prison August 17, 2021 It took 37 years, but on Tuesday, the families of Bruce and Debra Bennett saw justice served. This call is important because not only did it occur during an EAR quiet period, but this attack is connected by DNA. 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. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. The prosecution compared the Bennett family murders to another murder where a woman, Patricia Smith of Lakewood, was also murdered with a hammer earlier that same month. 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. There was no sign of forced entry. Alex Ewing on trial for the murder of three members of the Bennett family (credit: Aurora Sentinel). Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. 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. Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. I would not limit the list to any type of profession or lack of any type of profession until suspects can be eliminated. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. The FAIR School, Minneapolis Public Schools and West Metro Education Program. 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. He was among many who worked the case tirelessly for many years and is directly responsible for using some of the innovative DNA technologies, such as the Parabon Nanolabs imaging that came out a few years ago. According to some sources, they were able to match a shoe print from the Bennett household to a shoe print found in the garage at the Donna Dixon assault. Although she had no memory of the attack, what happened that night in 1984. Bruce and the intruder fought up and down the stairwell, and at some point Bruce was struck multiple times by a hammer. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. 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. 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. About a week later, a different hammer was used to kill the Bennetts and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora. Learn how your comment data is processed. Patricia had come home from work for lunch, stopping at Wendys on the way. The killer then ascended the staircase and entered the couples bedroom where attacked Bruces wife, 26 year old Debra, who he raped before bludgeoning to death. While everyone is looking for a motive it was always looking right back at investigators. HE had to get knife in addition to the hammer just to ward off Bruce who was trying to protect his family. DNA at both the Bennett crime Scene and the Smith crime scene were matched to the same killer in 2010. 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). 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. When he did use something at the scene (electrical cord, towel, husbands shoelaces, necktie) it was only to supplement the ligatures that he had brought himself. I look in the mirror every day and look at myself and I hate who I am. 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. The couples youngest daughter, 3 year old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer wielding assailant. The story has a silver lining though on another case we explored with this team, theBrandon Lawsoncase, we were able to not only make a sketchy part of his 911 call understandable, but possibly a major break in the case by preparing for LE some scientific evidence that there was another person present when he disappeared. The father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes, immediately became the prime suspect, as he abruptly disappeared after the . 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. You got the age closer than the fbi and police you described exactly what the guy was feeling when he was killing them. Its quite possible that she wasnt even conscious for any of it. Victims: Daniel Lauer (21) and Annamaria Phelps (18). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. They lived on a peaceful cul-de-sac where most of the houses had recently been finished and were yet to be sold. 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. Become a Patreon Supporter for bonus content! She was also raped. Kevin Vaughan on Twitter: "NEW TONIGHT: #9WantsToKnow has obtained this mugshot of Alex Christopher Ewing, the suspect in two 1984 hammer murders. The caller whispered harshly into the phone, saying You know who this is or Do you know who this is? The victim was on the line with him for about a minute. Why did they have to get murdered? 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. The press conference panel continually emphasized the destruction that this case has left on the lives of those affected. The house was not ransacked, but the contents of her purse were strewn about. Thankfully, this community, these families and everyone impacted by the horrific crimes now knows this defendant will never hurt anyone ever again.". 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. Toward the end of that series and during the murders, he began experimenting with different types of bindings plastic ties, twine, drapery cord, etc. They immediately knew something was wrong. The blow was so severe that her jaw was shattered and her skull was fractured in several places. 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.

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