bennett family murders address bennett family murders address

Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. 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.". The child died from her injuries. 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. The following tests were performed on the EAR calls: Long story short inconclusive. Both men were fiercely dedicated to seeing this case solved, and Conner started an effort to use every technology available to him to identify the offender. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. Part of our book involves some very in-depth detective and forensic work. The four of them lived together in a townhome off of West Bayaud Avenue. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. KUSA reports that Vanessa recounted for the courtroom how the critical head injuries she survived left her with a lifetime of problems, including depression, anxiety, anger and struggles with heroin abuse. 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. 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). 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. As of December 2021, the Boulder Police Department has processed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence related to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey. 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. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. It seemed that robbery was not the primary motive only the personal jewelry that Patricia was wearing was missing from the scene. Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. The highest maximum penalty for the financial crimes is for money laundering in an amount exceeding $100,000 - which carries a potential 20-year sentence - on that front, Alex Murdaugh has . ~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. In that homicide, DNA evidence was found matching Ewing. 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. 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. The killer had doused the vehicle with fuel in an apparent attempt to incinerate the crime scene, but apparently failed to start a fire. 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. Did you know that one of the most popular places to rob are construction sites? 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. Ewing, 57, has also been charged with murder for the slaying of a Lakewood grandmother a few weeks prior to the Bennett killings, a crime police linked to the Bennett murders in 2010 through DNA. 26 miles away from the Smith murder, but very close to the other incidents, the Bennett family was still settling into their new home on East Center Drive in Aurora, Colorado. The house of Safdar Ali, who is allegedly a close aide of Atiq Ahmad, was demolished by the administration. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The couple's 3-year-old daughter Vanessa was also beaten but survived with permanent injuries. There were reportedly no signs of robbery or sexual assault both women were clothed and their purses were still with them. But what about his second? The case lacked any apparent motive. His attacker slit his throat before eventually delivering a final fatal blow with a hammer. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. Sometime between 1990 and 1992 At least, until they came to Vanessas bed. A handful spoke in court, including the surviving daughter. A 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, was injured and survived. "I didn't just lose my parents and my sister," Vanessa opened up. Never profile someone using the box as your guide. . 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. 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. During the winter in Colorado its difficult to find a construction crew working well into the night. April 6th, 2001 The Murder of Jaye Potter Mintz Feb 23, 1987 Leland N.C. A Catastrophic Cyber Event in the Next 2-Years. 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. WordPress. Her clothes were tossed everywhere. All three were beaten to death with a claw hammer. What are Dr. Bennett's areas of care? 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. "The Crown prosecutor who is prosecuting my case in September seems like a dog with a . An autopsy found that Debra died from blunt force trauma. 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. 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 press conference began with Aurora Chief Nicholas Metz, who recognized the hard work and dedication of many investigators who worked this case over the years. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. 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. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. 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. Onsale to General Public. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. It helps bring the other EAR phone escapades into the fold. Denver Post Archive Aurora Coroner's officers and police officers remove one of the three bodies from house at. The blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. Most importantly take the need to judge them and all of your own emotions and personal beliefs out of the picture. 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. The victims may not have ever known one another but the killer found them somehow, it was not random although it appears that way. Bizberg Themes, Forensic Science and Cyber Forensics Quiz (Free). 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. 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. He also isnt killing with this level of violence often enough to track. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. We often times want answers that fit into a box and I am sorry to say in this case we will not get them. 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. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. 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. Vanessa Benn. The previous week, on the 10th of January,awoman 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 minute drive from the Bennetts 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. The life sentences will be served consecutively. The investigators and the CBI were safe to guess that it might have been a construction worker that had been working in the area. For years the case was cold, until in 2018 a DNA profile from semen the killer left at the scene was matched to Ewing. Designed by The crimes appeared to be sexually motivated, judging by the assaults that occurred on Debra and Melissa. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. The couples youngest daughter, 3-year-old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer-wielding assailant. 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. They both survived. The jury found Ewing guilty on Aug. 6 of killing three members of the Bennett family with a hammer. 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. Not one part of this familys life would indicate such a violent predator was going to kill them. She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into in a coma. Theyd been strangled, their throats had been slashed, and rope marks were found on their necks and wrists. De Ligonnes Family. There was no way, given the samples that we have, to determine whether the voices match or not. She made her way to the bedroom and went to bed. Police felt that the killer brought his own weapon to the scene it didnt appear that any of the tools or hammers at the home had been rifled through. If it were me, I would explore other possibilities in terms of profiling my suspect here, explore past just some guy who was currently working construction in the area or druggies who killed in a drug fueled rage. At around 8:00 PM on January 10th, 1984, her boyfriend Ron Holm arrived home. . She was also raped. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull. August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. The investigators looked at everything from construction workers to drug addicts in the areas around the attacks because at the time a lot of construction was happening, they looked at the fact that the attacks happened around the holidays so maybe that was a trigger for this killer, even looked at the possibility that the killer was in some sort of drug fueled rage. Immediately she went over the home to investigate. All four family members were assaulted, only one survived. During the rape series, he primarily used shoelaces. One of the signature trademarks of an EAR/GSK attack was the use of ligatures. Victim #14received a phone call from a man who whispered Remember when we played? She positively identified the man as the voice of the East Area Rapist. Long Prairie, Minn. Long Prairie is a town of about 3,000 people in central Minnesota's Todd County. He faced six counts of first-degree murder. 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. For a twelve-day period in January 1984, the cities of Aurora and Lakewood Colorado were preyed upon by one of the most terrifying breeds of killers a man who would attack strangers, rape the women and children, and bludgeon them to death. Thankfully, this community, these families and everyone impacted by the horrific crimes now knows this defendant will never hurt anyone ever again.". I didnt hear it mentioned in the press conference, but forensic genealogist incidentally identified the correct surname of the alleged killer: Ewing. This information was released in an episode of On the Case with Paula Zahn earlier this year. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the murder weapon? In Aug 2018, Alexander Christopher Ewing was accused and charged in both cases. He said the detectives who have worked it over the years, in particular Detective Steve Conner, the departments cold case investigator, never quit on. Nevada inmate accused of Colorado murders says he'll fight extradition. He tossed it onto the seat of the car and began pulling her from the vehicle. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. January 10th, 1984 started just like any other day, with Patricia dropping off her daughter and grandkids at work/school. Only 3-year-old Vanessa, at. 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. Victims: Daniel Lauer (21) and Annamaria Phelps (18). The guy here fit the profile you provided over that of the fbi. 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. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. The jury agreed, and on Aug. 6, 2021, they found Ewing guilty of murder in the three deaths. 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. The killer was never brought to justice. Bruce Bennett tried to climb the staircase several times in an attempt to ward off the perpetrator and save his young family. He could have found other ways to feed the need. He faced six . Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. 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. 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. Other attacks had occurred off of this main road, and its believed that the killer couldve entered the area from that point. The news that the killer had been identified this year left Metz elated, he said.