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John Hickenlooper to request Ewings extradition today but the process could take weeks or months depending on a host of legal factors. The four of them lived together in a townhome off of West Bayaud Avenue. Alex Ewing on trial for the murder of three members of the Bennett family (credit: Aurora Sentinel). Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. Patricia Smith had been laid straight, her arms crossed over her chest as if on display in a funeral home. 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 couple's 3-year-old daughter Vanessa was also beaten but survived with permanent injuries. Bruce and Debra Bennett lived with their daughter Melissa and younger daughter, Vanessa. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. 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. Smith was attacked in the condo she shared with her daughter and grandchildren and the hammer was left behind. 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. Bruce was 27 years old and Debra was 26 in 1984. Blood was all over the garage floor. 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. Theres no such thing as coincidence. Perhaps one of the most famous murders in La Jolla history, the story of Daniel and Linda Broderick's death in 1989 shocked the seaside community and reverberated throughout San Diego. The house was not ransacked, but the contents of her purse were strewn about. It was a case that they were not giving up on and were continuing to move forward on, he said. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. The next thing Donna remembered was waking up naked in the garage. The jury found Ewing guilty on. James, who posts online from time to time, discusses how vividly the case still haunts him even to this day. January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. 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. Patricia missed her husband Oliver, who stayed behind in Nebraska, but she loved being with her daughter and two grandchildren in a bustling city. As one of the investigations were doing for the book,we hired an audio expert to do some work on the three recordings attributed to EAR: The dumb fuckers call, the Is Ray there? call, and the Gonna Kill You call. Keith Hunter Jesperson (born April 6, 1955) is a Canadian-American serial killer who murdered at least eight women in the United States during the early 1990s. 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. There wasnt anything notable stolen from the scene, and the attack had all the hallmarks of a random crime. 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. The severity of her injuries cant be understated. As blood poured out of her body, he lifted her up from the bed, unknowingly leaving an imprint from his shirt on her blood-soaked pajamas. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. Listen and Subscribe to The Generation Why Podcast! No other motive like robbery could be found as the only items missing were the knife used to cut Bruce and Debras purse, yet the contents of the purse were strewn in the front yard. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. He faced six . Ron kept vigil and kept guard in her hospital room day and night. Over 200 Million Downloads! Dotted with impressive bridges and blanketed by thick trees, it usually provides year-round beauty and convenience for travelers. 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. Its our hope that something can come from this new push that will finally solve it. I would not limit the list to any type of profession or lack of any type of profession until suspects can be eliminated. Murdaugh, 54, is accused of shooting his wife Maggie, 52, and youngest son, Paul, 22, at the kennels of their 1,800-acre hunting estate in Moselle, South Carolina on the night of June 7, 2021. Bruce and Debra were both probably dead by the time the killer entered Melissas bedroom. Investigators have been quoted as saying this was a random crime, vicious and random. Quite frankly if the suspect wasnt on the original list, spoken to or even noticed in this case it may come down to just DNA unless police have enough evidence and suspect info they can rework the case from scratch. Become a Patreon Supporter for bonus content! While everyone is looking for a motive it was always looking right back at investigators. He also inquired about searching various genealogical databases for a hit, but was advised at the time not to pursue that angle due to privacy issues. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. 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. More details will be forthcoming in the case as more is learned about the alleged killer and an affidavit is circulated containing the evidence used to charge him with these crimes. Almost six days later, tragedy struck Aurora once again. 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. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. It was a blitz attack for no reason, said Marvin Brandt, who investigated the case as a homicide detective between 1984 and when he retired from the Aurora Police Department in 2002. One of the signature trademarks of an EAR/GSK attack was the use of ligatures. The force of the impact threw her head into the steering wheel. After multiple surgeries,Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. 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. He went on to continually beat the mans wife as she attempted to shield her husband from the blows of an ax handle while simultaneously on the phone to 911. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. The hammer stuck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. This mans only motive was to inflict as much pain as possible and kill his victims. Long Prairie, Minn. Long Prairie is a town of about 3,000 people in central Minnesota's Todd County. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era. 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 world turned a painful red and Donna began to lose consciousness. 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. James and Kim divorced divorced in the fall of 1987. EAR brought his own ligatures to almost every attack he didnt rely exclusively on what was found at the scene. On August 7th, 2018, it was announced that there were significant new developments in the Smith/Bennett case, and that a news conference would be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 10th with more information. Before Donna Dixon was even found, another crime had taken place 26 miles to the west in the city of Lakewood. Patricia had come home from work for lunch, stopping at Wendys on the way. 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. Only the calls or phone events where the caller was believed to be the rapist are included. Which is why a more beneficial profile from the onset is more important in fact, its critical. Her body was found in a basement . Dont you feel cheated a little? Broderick was denied parole for a second time just this past January. This killer is indiscriminate in terms of who he kills, attacks or rapes. 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. "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.". Why was she the lone survivor? Bruce had mentioned wanting to run to the store before bed. A 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, was injured and survived. 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. She was last seen at about 8:30 PM while on her way to meet friends. Reporters and detectives subsequently learned that very little of the evidence from the scenes had been combed through using modern forensic technology, including DNA testing. Miraculously, both of them survived the assault, though James suffered from a fractured skull and his wife suffered a concussion. Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. 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. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. Before exiting the vehicle, she turned to grab her flight attendant uniform, which was hanging in the back. Thought to be the work of a serial killer, the crimes have remained unsolved for thirty years. In just two days, Melissa would turn 8 years old. 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). They immediately knew something was wrong. If they were used shoelaces, youd expect to find a vast array of particles and wear-and-tear. Peck Funeral Home assisted the family . "A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. This was the last time the Bennetts were seen alive. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. 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. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (, Summary of Press Conference on 1984 Hammer Murders, you can review my extensive post from yesterday, Secret Origin of the Golden State Killer: Visalia Ransacker, High-resolution version of Mr Cruels mask, Tribute to Robert Offerman and Debra Manning, Ligatures Used by the East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer, he almost always forced his penis into his victims bound hands, Audio Comparison of EAR Calls The Results, Phone Calls where the East Area Rapist Spoke, https://www.coldcase-earons.com/phonecalls.php, Visalia Ransacker Incident Chart: Prowlings vs Ransackings over time. If you are just simply looking at it, you miss the most critical and important clues. Law enforcement today is actually better than it was then. The court heard how . The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. 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. A murder inquiry has been launched, and one man - a 31-year-old from Killamarsh, who was known to the family - is in custody. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. The rapes were opportunities and only that. The victims may not have ever known one another but the killer found them somehow, it was not random although it appears that way. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. Full cooperation from Nevada Law Enforcement led to a confirmation of the DNA match. It was Monday evening, January 9th, 1984. 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. 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). The police found her posed with her arms crossed over her chest as if she was in a coffin. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. Nevada inmate accused of Colorado murders says he'll fight extradition. 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. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. Not one part of this familys life would indicate such a violent predator was going to kill them. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. 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. At the conclusion of his comments, he introduced his former boss, Peter Weir. 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. 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. We wanted to know if there was any way that we could determine whether the voices matched or not. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. Patricia still wore her sweater and boots, but her jeans were pulled down. Nevada inmate charged in 1984 hammer killing of Lakewood grandmother. / CBS Colorado. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? The news that the killer had been identified this year left Metz elated, he said. 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. Ewing massacred a family but left a key to his identity, Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard told the jury. The following tests were performed on the EAR calls: Long story short inconclusive. It was dusted for prints, but none were found. 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. The crime scene is the Bennett Family home where 3 out of 4 family members were murdered in January 1984. Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein is at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where. Vanessa, after a wait of 3 decades received a call from the Aurora sheriffs department informing her that her parents killer had been identified as 57-year-old Alexander Christopher Ewing. Victim #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. There are some instances where a strange phone call was received, but its not thought to be the offender. The family got a ride from someone else. 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. Kevin Vaughan on Twitter: "NEW TONIGHT: #9WantsToKnow has obtained this mugshot of Alex Christopher Ewing, the suspect in two 1984 hammer murders.