Even to this day, she has absolutely no recollection of the next several hours. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. Police examining the scene were able to reconstruct the basic chain of events. Your email address will not be published. It was dusted for prints, but none were found. Family photo Police say DNA evidence links Alex Ewing to the 1984 murders of three members of Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa, left. Two different crime labs analyzed the fuzzy imprint, and they came up with different results. He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. The case lacked any apparent motive. Bennett Family Murders: three life sentences - Defrosting Cold Cases 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. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado - thecrimeshop In the papers, the most attention is paid to the last state witness, the DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. Would you like to contribute as an editor or a writer on our site? Date: April 9th/10th, 1988 But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. In 2011, Agnes Dupont de Ligonnes and her four children, ages 13 to 21, were shot and killed with a .22 rifle with a silencer on it while asleep in their beds in Western France, along with their two Labradors. This call is important because not only did it occur during an EAR quiet period, but this attack is connected by DNA. Even after he was struck and injured severely, Bruce continued to struggle valiantly with his attacker, and it seems he climbed the stairs after him even after the intruder thought that he was unconscious or dead. Flatbed Trucking Company Bennett Motor Express is the premier open deck general freight carrier in the US. The world turned a painful red and Donna began to lose consciousness. 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. 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. It was a case that they were not giving up on and were continuing to move forward on, he said. There was no sign of Lauer or Phelps. Thankfully, this community, these families and everyone impacted by the horrific crimes now knows this defendant will never hurt anyone ever again.". Youve done this with other cases to. His sentence runs through 2037 but he would be eligible for parole in 2021. Sandra G. Bennett | Obituaries | decaturdaily.com She was numb and cold, and somehow was able to get to her feet and go inside the house. Recently, the Sun-Gazette has reported that Joseph DeAngelo, the man arrested for the Visalia Ransacker / Golden State Killer crimes, has been added to the suspect list. They lived on the other side of the Denver metro area, but their home and Smith's home were both near a main east-west road, Alameda Avenue, leading investigators to suspect the killer used that route. The crime scene is the Bennett Family home where 3 out of 4 family members were murdered in January 1984. 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. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. Or any of the other angles he was pursuing? The couple's 3-year-old daughter Vanessa was also beaten but survived with permanent injuries. Family killed in Killamarsh: Everything we know after three At the conclusion of his comments, he introduced his former boss, Peter Weir. 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 Bennett family. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. Rather than wait until 2019 when the book will be published, we thought wed at least share the results with you. You got the age closer than the fbi and police you described exactly what the guy was feeling when he was killing them. Alexander "Hammer Killer" Ewing Charged with 1984 Bennett Family Murders 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. Thank you listeners! His attacker slit his throat before eventually delivering a final fatal blow with a hammer. ColdCaseWriter.com - A blog about True Crime Investigators believed the killers attacks escalated from just beating someone with a hammer to actually murdering them. Ewing was convicted of killing 27-year-old Bruce and 26 year-old Debra Bennett, as well as their 7-year-old daughter Melissa, in Aurora. This was the last time the Bennetts were seen alive. A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. It, and the floor around it, was soaked in blood. He is awaiting extradition to Colorado, police and prosecutors announced Friday. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. How to Become a Crime Scene Investigator in India? Bennett Family Then, just as the community was reeling from this attack, 50-year-old Patricia Smith became a murder victim at her Lakewood, Colorado, home on January 10, 1984. This mans only motive was to inflict as much pain as possible and kill his victims. Dr. Bennett's office is located at UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH. Although she had no memory of the attack, what happened that night in 1984 would negatively impact the rest of her life. Small Town Murder at Tabernacle in Atlanta Sep 8th, 2023 - presale code First published on August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM. James and Kim divorced divorced in the fall of 1987. Your email address will not be published. The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. 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. Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. Alexander Christopher Ewing is now the behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. 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. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. The Aurora Hammer Slayer SOLVED! | The Theorem Factory Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. Ewing, then 23, was arrested again two days later about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away by park rangers at Lake Mead. Bruce was 27 years old and Debra was 26 in 1984. 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. About a week later, a different hammer was used to kill the Bennetts and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora. This killers only motive was to kill. Police are still looking for information on the cases connected to Ewing and are asking the public for help. Victim Tearfully Tells Night Stalker Jurors of Attack in Bedroom District Attorney John Kellner filed the murder charges against Ewing when he headed up the Cold Case Unit in the office. Before exiting the vehicle, she turned to grab her flight attendant uniform, which was hanging in the back. 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. is finished: Fri, 09/08/23 09:00 PM EDT. Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. Smith was attacked in the condo she shared with her daughter and grandchildren and the hammer was left behind. Just your average everyday normal family. 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 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. After multiple surgeries,Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. If they were used shoelaces, youd expect to find a vast array of particles and wear-and-tear. Investigators were able to piece together the details of the horrendous ordeal through study of the evidence and the crime scene. Dont profile by. Those were the sentencing rules in 1984, and since these crimes were committed at that time, Ewing is grandfathered into those standards. "This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community," Kellner said in a statement. 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. She slumped over onto the passenger seat. 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. Obviously, this guy was looking for his next target. Bennett Family | The Vampire Diaries Wiki | Fandom Begins: Fri, 03/03/23 10:00 AM EST. The FAIR School, Minneapolis Public Schools and West Metro Education Program. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. Safdar Ali was allegedly involved in selling weapons to gang members of Atiq Ahmed. Fourth Crime Scene There were reportedly no signs of robbery or sexual assault both women were clothed and their purses were still with them. 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. WordPress. The Bennett Family Murders | Audio Length: 52:47 He said the detectives who have worked it over the years, in particular Detective Steve Conner, the departments cold case investigator, never quit on. This call occurred over a month after her attack. This is a harsh, cold fact profilers must learn if they are to more accurately profile. 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. She was last seen at about 8:30 PM while on her way to meet friends. 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. Boyfriend charged with murder of mum and three children found dead at On the night of Jan. 15, a stranger broke into their home and viciously assaulted and attacked the family. 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. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. The rapes are secondary crimes. SOMERVILLE Sandra G. Bennett, 76, died March 2, 2023. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. Ewing has been behind bars in Nevada since the summer of 1984 after he escaped there while being transported to Kingman, Arizona, from St. George, Utah, for a court appearance on attempted murder and burglary charges. They both survived. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. 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. I should also note that the data becomes a bit skewed in that month because of the fact that the Snelling murder, being a homicide investigation, resulted in a much more thorough sweep of the area and more prowling incidents were recorded that wouldve otherwise been left unreported. Other attacks had occurred off of this main road, and its believed that the killer couldve entered the area from that point. 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. Kevin Vaughan on Twitter: "NEW TONIGHT: #9WantsToKnow has obtained this mugshot of Alex Christopher Ewing, the suspect in two 1984 hammer murders. 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. 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. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. You can also see what seems to be escalation and a frenzy of activity at certain points. The killer was practicing, he was unsure of himself and he was unsure of the weapon he would eventually use. Sadly, technology was not as advanced in the mid-eighties as it is today, and the case went cold, remaining that way for over 30 years. The blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. 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. Because of these phone calls, we can start to determine whether the offender was incarcerated or not at certain times (most likely he wasnt), and even where he lived due to the locations of the victims during the time period that he called them. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. The intruder, apparently thinking she was dead, began to make his escape. Why was she the lone survivor? Bennett Family Murders: the prosecution rests - Defrosting Cold Cases MPR: Two men charged in Long Prairie, Minneapolis murders Both survived. 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 house of Safdar Ali, who is allegedly a close aide of Atiq Ahmad, was demolished by the administration. The Murder of Jaye Potter Mintz Feb 23, 1987 Leland N.C. A Catastrophic Cyber Event in the Next 2-Years. 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). Youre going to suck my cock again.. He raced inside and quickly found Donna in the middle of the blood-soaked bed. / CBS Colorado. The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. 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. He was brought to Colorado to face trial for the deaths of the Bennett family. July 23, 1993. There was no sign of the couple and theyve never been found. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. From 1987 to 1991, a serial offender known as Mr Cruel abducted children around Melbourne, Australia. 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. In 2002, Arapahoe County filed a John Doe arrest warrant for the perpetrator of the Bennet murders based on the DNA profile. In that homicide, DNA evidence was found matching Ewing. 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. It was Monday evening, January 9th, 1984. The jury found Ewing guilty on Aug. 6 of killing three members of the Bennett family with a hammer. But thanks to modern technology and the incredible talent and dedication of several individuals, it seems this case has finally been solved. Ewing, who was convicted of the murders on Aug. 6, broke into the family's new home the night of the killings. I look in the mirror every day and look at myself and I hate who I am. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Between 9 p.m. January 15, 1984 and 10 a.m. January 16, 1984, twenty-seven year old Bruce Bennett, his twenty-six year old wife, Debra and their seven year old daughter Melissa, were brutally murdered inside their home located in the 16300 Block of East Center Drive. The same night he escaped, he broke into yet another couples house and attacked the male of the home. As of December 2021, the Boulder Police Department has processed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence related to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. ~The very same day, a man using a hammer attacked flight attendant Donna Dixon in the garage of her Aurora home, leaving her in a coma. We wanted to know if there was any way that we could determine whether the voices matched or not. Ronald worked as a pilot. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. 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.. 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. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. The prints taken from the Bennett crime scene were fuzzy and not usable, the concrete floor they took that had a footprint would be unusable at this point. View the map. She was happy to be home for a while, and eagerly awaiting the next day when her boyfriend, Ronald Holm, would be home. She suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw, and neck. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | wqad.com 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. Killing on this level requires some level of planning on the part of the perpetrator. January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. 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. Your email address will not be published. Bruce's mother would discover the family the next day inside the home, after no one answered calls to their landline. The couples youngest daughter, 3-year-old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer-wielding assailant. Her body was found in a basement . Tarot Spread To Ask A Question; Peut On Boucher La Vue D'un Voisin; Thirty Eight Snub Meaning Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. Donna was rushed to the hospital while police worked the scene. Expand the list of suspects because on this case it was always bigger than investigators thought it was and the killer was always the least obvious or least likely to stand out. Closing arguments begin in hammer attack murder trial She too worked at the family-owned furniture store, and was happily helping raise the couples two children, Melissa (seven-years old, about to turn eight) and Vanessa (three years old), with the man that she loved. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | 12news.com I'm a very strong person, though, but when it comes to my family that was the most important thing to me in the whole world.". 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. He also discarded the knife hed used to kill Bruce. Learn how your comment data is processed. The child died from her injuries. Three members of the Bennett family were brutally killed in their Aurora home. 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 known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. 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. Denver Post Archive Aurora Coroner's officers and police officers remove one of the three bodies from house at. ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - It was 1984 when Connie Bennett found her family murdered in their Aurora home. ~Then on Jan. 10, 1984, someone used a hammer to strike 50-year-old Patricia Louise Smith several times in the head in her Lakewood home thus killing her sometime between 3pm and 5pm. He further explained the nature of the coordinated and combined effort that contributed to the identification of this suspect, and the initial ease at which the system has thus far moved. </p> Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. 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. 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. "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.". 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. The Military also submits DNA for specific types of crimes committed by its members. Two young boys were asleep in other rooms in the house. Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead. DeAngelo was a police officer in nearby Exeter at the time, and has been confirmed by police to be tied to a string of over 100 burglaries, a murder, and an attempted murder that occurred in Visalia in 1974 and 1975. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. Jury Finds Alex Ewing Guilty On All Counts In 1984 Murder Of Aurora Family
