bennett family murders address bennett family murders address

I write about old, unsolved cases from the pre-DNA era. Currently all 50 states have to collect DNA for certain types of Felony crimes and submit it to CODIS. 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. Blood near the front door sent him into a panic. 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. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. Required fields are marked *. 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. John Hickenlooper to request Ewings extradition today but the process could take weeks or months depending on a host of legal factors. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. The money was never claimed. Additionally, an audio expert associated with an upcoming television show that were a part of was able to isolate the background sounds of the Gonna Kill You phone call, and there was a tiny bit of a surprise in there. The four of them lived together in a townhome off of West Bayaud Avenue. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. 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 #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. She was happy to be home for a while, and eagerly awaiting the next day when her boyfriend, Ronald Holm, would be home. Your email address will not be published. This call is important because not only did it occur during an EAR quiet period, but this attack is connected by DNA. They immediately knew something was wrong. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head- and the murder weapon? One thing that hasnt been said would be that during the winter in Colorado construction slows and sometimes between Jan-March it slows to a crawl, a lot of guys get laid off or work inconsistently during the week. 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. July 23, 1993. Required fields are marked *. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. About six weeks later, hunters came upon their bodies in a remote location in the woods near a logging road. Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. October 21st, 1982 Taking a good long hard look at the evidence again and compare it to someone who was in and/or around that artery in Denver at the time would help to narrow the suspect list or in this case open it up. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. Police examining the scene were able to reconstruct the basic chain of events. Order your tickets today to see Small Town Murder in Atlanta, GA. 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. Become a Patreon Supporter for bonus content! The couple, especially Ron, wanted to show that their love was truly for better or for worse and that it would survive any challenge. Prosecutors alleged Ewing raped Melissa Bennett before killing her. 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. 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. There is no innocent explanation for how you explain all of the evidence.. Youve done this with other cases to. Over 200 Million Downloads! An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Bruce had mentioned wanting to run to the store before bed. 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. Caller: Hi, its me again. . & AURORA | Police and prosecutors say they have solved the brutal 1984 hammer slayings of the Bennett family in Aurora, one of the citys most-shocking and tough-to-crack cold cases. 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. Ronald worked as a pilot. While everyone is looking for a motive it was always looking right back at investigators. 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. This killer strikes with such violence that it is difficult to understand, see or know of a possible motive. The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. 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. 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. He likes that violent way of killing so going from a hammer to a gun would be a jump for this killer and simply would not be the first choice for him. 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. Police are still looking for information on the cases connected to Ewing and are asking the public for help. 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. First published on August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM. Hed been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. Tamara Lich's trial on multiple charges related to the Freedom Convoy protests is set to start in the fall. A hammer. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! I didnt just lose my parents and my sister, she said. 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. The jury found Ewing guilty on. 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. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. Rather than wait until 2019 when the book will be published, we thought wed at least share the results with you. The crime scene is the Bennett Family home where 3 out of 4 family members were murdered in January 1984. Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Twelve Twenty-Six Seventy-Five by Tony Reid, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. The investigators and the CBI were safe to guess that it might have been a construction worker that had been working in the area. Please keep them and their families in your thoughts tonight. 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. For an overview of the case, you can review my extensive post from yesterday which covered many of the details. There wasnt anything notable stolen from the scene, and the attack had all the hallmarks of a random crime. WordPress. Bruce and Debra Bennett lived with their daughter Melissa and younger daughter, Vanessa. Never profile someone using the box as your guide. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. "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.". Lightening the speech with a quasi-political jab at Al Gores inventing the internet, he went on to describe cooperation from Clark County Nevada and Mojave County Arizona, which were other jurisdictions whod had Ewing pass through their systems. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. This horrific and cold case of Aurora, Colorado has kept everyone wondering about the culprit while this horrendous incident kept sending chills to the bones of people all around the world. A man accused of murdering a mother and three children has also been charged with raping one of the victims, who was 11. The life sentences will be served consecutively. The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. 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. Blood was all over the garage floor. Your email address will not be published. Although she had no memory of the attack, what happened that night in 1984. While meeting with the families in regards to this case reopened many old wounds and horrific memories, the Aurora Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the 18th Judicial District, and the 1st Judicial District is committed to seeing that justice is served in this case. Vanessa, now 38 years old, received a call from the Aurora sheriffs department informing her that her parents killer had been identified as 57 year old Alexander Christopher Ewing. This killer did in fact re-offend, the issuehe was in the learning phase of actually killing humans during this time frame in Colorado. The case lacked any apparent motive. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. 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. The rapes are secondary crimes. 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. 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. 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. 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. The family got a ride from someone else. 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 is a case that goes back more than three decades. A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. According to property records, the couple stayed in the same house after the attack. Bizberg Themes, Forensic Science and Cyber Forensics Quiz (Free). Bruce and Debra were both probably dead by the time the killer entered Melissas bedroom. Most likely it appears quite small in your browser window simply click on it to enlarge it. 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. There was no sign of forced entry. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. He raced inside and quickly found Donna in the middle of the blood-soaked bed. The blow was so severe that her jaw was shattered and her skull was fractured in several places. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. 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. Jun 2004 - 201612 years. The same night he escaped, he broke into yet another couples house and attacked the male of the home. With time, multiple surgeries and the support her extended family, Vanessa began to recover from her physical injuries, but living a normal life after losing both her parents to a murderer who had yet to be captured and convicted made childhood difficult. The 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.. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Bennett family was attacked in their home in Aurora, Colorado in Jan. 16,1984. Bruce Bennett tried to climb the staircase several times in an attempt to ward off the perpetrator and save his young family. He tossed it onto the seat of the car and began pulling her from the vehicle. 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. It was a match, proving that the same unknown offender had killed all four victims. Despite the trauma of the attack and losing an incredible amount of blood, the doctors and nurses were able to save her life. 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. Its also interesting to note that the first incidence of violence, the Snelling murder, didnt stop him, but he did seem to be gradually slowing down after what appears on the surface to be the 1975 peak. The intruder, apparently thinking she was dead, began to make his escape. Wedged between the bed and the wall was three-year-old Vanessa, choking of fragments of her own jaw bone and barely clinging to life. A neatly-folded Winnie the Pooh comforter lay under her, a portion of it obscuring her head. This killeris more the type that would self medicate more than likely be a heavy drinker as opposed to taking medication. Shippers choose our flatbed, step deck, RGN or other specialized trailers to move freight that is too large to be 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. On Friday, August 10th, 2018 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time, a press conference was held to announce that two different jurisdictions in Colorado were filing charges against a man named Alex Christopher Ewing for the Patricia Smith and Bennett family homicides. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. Coincidence is just an illusion that we all tell ourselves myself included, when we are unable to explain how something actually came to be. 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. One of the interesting parts of the East Area Rapists MO was that he seemingly made many, many hang-up phone calls to victims, usually in the weeks before an attack, but sometimes afterward as well. ~ Jan. 4, 1984, a man snuck into an Aurora home and used a hammer to beat James and Kimberly Haubenschild. She slumped over onto the passenger seat. Yvonne Woods was on the stand for more than three hours . 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. Onsale to General Public. If you were living in La Jolla in the early 80s, you knew the Brodericks. 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. 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. Smith was attacked in the condo she shared with her daughter and grandchildren and the hammer was left behind. 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. At around 8:00 PM on January 10th, 1984, her boyfriend Ron Holm arrived home. Investigators were able to determine that the girl had died by drowning, but at first they couldnt agree on whether it had been accidental or whether there was foul play involved. They both survived. Other Information Ewing massacred a family but left a key to his identity, Chief Deputy District Attorney Garrik Storgaard told the jury. / CBS Colorado. They also looked across state lines looking for similar or like crimes and to date, they have not one suspect. I was a drug addict for so many years. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. 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. Advancements in DNA evidence led investigators to a match with Ewing and samples collected from the crime scene as well as one of the victims 34 years later. Ramirez heads to Sierra Madre, CA, where he attacks Whitney Bennett, 16, with a tire iron as she sleeps. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. Family medicine doctors are primary-care physicians trained. It was a beautiful area, with clean, crisp air and the mountains rising up to the west. 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. Ax Handle Attacker Alex Ewing Named Suspect in Bennett Family Murders. It would be nearly twenty-four hours total before she was found. 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. Victims: David Knobling (20) and Robin Edwards (14) This is a harsh, cold fact profilers must learn if they are to more accurately profile. "The Crown prosecutor who is prosecuting my case in September seems like a dog with a . Debra Marie Bennett, twenty-six years old, had married Bruce before his Navy deployment in 1976. He was arrested for the crime but went on to escape from prison transport during a gas station break. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. Twenty-eight-year-old Donna Dixon, fresh off a shift working as a flight attendant, had been out running some errands. On Jan. 4, 1984, a couple in Aurora woke up to see a man in their bedroom who hit each of them with a hammer before fleeing. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Patricia still wore her sweater and boots, but her jeans were pulled down. Sole survivor of 1984 Aurora hammer attack testifies on opening day of murder trial 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. But what about his second? 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. Only 3-year-old Vanessa, at. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. 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. The hammer struck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. January 10th, 1984 started just like any other day, with Patricia dropping off her daughter and grandkids at work/school. They pledged to continue to support the families via their victim services organizations. As she got older, unresolved anger issues caused Vanessa to clash with her grandmother who had become her primary caretaker after the death of her parents. It was Colorado Bureau of Investigation Director John Camper who got to break the news to Aurora PD that there had been a DNA match. The garage door was still open. Is it not true that you usually get police closer to a suspect faster than they ever could without using dna? 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. 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