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. January 10th, 1984 started just like any other day, with Patricia dropping off her daughter and grandkids at work/school. The backyard of the home was the only one in the area without a fence, and it backed up to a dark and lonely portion of Alameda Avenue. This mans only motive was to inflict as much pain as possible and kill his victims. She was naked, curled up in a fetal position and groaning. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 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. 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. </p> He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. Dixon survived. This was the last time the Bennetts were seen alive. 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. She was found bludgeoned with a hammer, with about 17 wounds to the head. Sometime between 9:00 PM on the 15th and 10:00 AM on the 16th (most likely between midnight and six), an intruder entered the Bennett home. She too survived the attack, although she was first in a coma for some time. At approximately 2:00 AM on January 4th, 1984, an intruder came through an unlocked garage door. 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. April 6th, 2001 Alexander Christopher Ewing is now the behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. James and Kim divorced divorced in the fall of 1987. Not only was he hanging on the situation for any sign of improvement, but he was afraid that the killer would find out that she survived, might be able to identify him, and might come back to attack her again. Her clothes were tossed everywhere. They lived on a peaceful cul-de-sac where most of the houses had recently been finished and were yet to be sold. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and the murder weapon? "This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community," Kellner said in a statement. A typical way one would see this is that he likes control, that is wrong. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. This call occurred over a month after her attack. Before exiting the vehicle, she turned to grab her flight attendant uniform, which was hanging in the back. 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. She was numb and cold, and somehow was able to get to her feet and go inside the house. 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. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. 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. Perhaps, though put in tp the system (and hopefully still there, maybe for good), his DNA was never taken to match the DNA from the crime scenes. July 23, 1993. Just your average everyday normal family. 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. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. He attacked the couple with a hammer, bludgeoning them with it and leaving them for dead. The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. Then in 2010, cold case investigators, who long theorized that the person who killed Patricia Smith in Lakewood was the same person who had committed the crimes in Aurora, compared the DNA from the Patricia Smith murder to the DNA found at the Bennett household. The Colonial Parkway is a scenic highway in Virginia that runs through historic areas like Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. A hammer lay next to her. 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On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. He noticed a gaping wound on the left side of her skull. Detective Steve Conner has investigated this case for many years, taking over from an investigator named Marv Brandt. Investigators have been quoted as saying this was a random crime, vicious and random. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . No services are scheduled at this time. Your email address will not be published. August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM Like all of the EARONS victims, they were taken from this earth far too soon. 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. He shouted her name, but she could only groan in response. The child died from her injuries. 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. I didnt just lose my parents and my sister, she said. 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. A photo of the Bennett family. 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. Donna was rushed to the hospital while police worked the scene. There was evidence of a struggle in the bedroom. He raced inside and quickly found Donna in the middle of the blood-soaked bed. If you are just simply looking at it, you miss the most critical and important clues. She suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw, and neck. 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. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals. Those were the sentencing rules in 1984, and since these crimes were committed at that time, Ewing is grandfathered into those standards. 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. 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. When a telephone call came for Steve Bennett on the afternoon of July 4, 1985, his daughter, Whitney, opened her bedroom window to summon her father, who was outside watering the front yard. 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). Designed by 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 need renewed media attention. alone. A hammer. What are Dr. Bennett's areas of care? Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close. The jury found Ewing guilty on all counts. Your email address will not be published. Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. 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. The Murder of Jaye Potter Mintz Feb 23, 1987 Leland N.C. A Catastrophic Cyber Event in the Next 2-Years. Begins: Fri, 03/03/23 10:00 AM EST. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. We wanted to know if there was any way that we could determine whether the voices matched or not. 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. Let us have a look at this unforgettable case of the Bennet family murders. 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. On the night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora. 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. Law enforcement today is actually better than it was then. There were reportedly signs of a struggle in the first case, and there may be workable DNA evidence from up to three of the scenes. This guy is not going to be easy to find because he can easily change his MO and would change it if need be. 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. 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. We often times want answers that fit into a box and I am sorry to say in this case we will not get them. The garage door was still open. 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. 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. Mendelian Genetics | Mendelian Theory, Principles & Applications, The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: Composition & Important Sections, Indian Penal Code, 1860: Amendments, Composition & Provisions, Difference Between Autonomous vs Automate Process With Examples, Indian Evidence Act, 1872: Amendments & Important Sections. Shippers choose our flatbed, step deck, RGN or other specialized trailers to move freight that is too large to be The crime spree known as the Colorado Hammer murders seemed to begin in Aurora in the early morning hours of January 4th, 1984. After investigating, the police found similarities between the attack at the Bennett home and nearby random attacks that happened days earlier along the Highline Canal and Alameda Avenue corridor. 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. Most likely it appears quite small in your browser window simply click on it to enlarge it. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The hammer struck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. Book Synopsis . Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. The court heard how . Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. Victims: Richard Keith Call (20) and Cassandra Lee Hailey (18) 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. 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. Special recognition was given to Detective Steve Conner from the Major Crimes Unit who, incidentally was at the scene of the Bennett crime as a young deputy, and who has worked the case for many, many years. Now She's Speaking Out, Mass. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. 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. Between 1986 and 1989 though, a crime spree took place that left three pairs of travelers missing and another pair of travelers gone without a trace. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. The first sign of trouble came in the afternoon, when Patricia failed to pick them up. When he arrived in Aurora almost four years ago Metz said he spoke to detectives about the citys cold cases and this one, which he said shocked the conscience of the community, stuck with him. Let us know all the details about yourself and send us a message. 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. Here are a few of the notable phone calls: January 15th, 1979 The Visalia Ransacker, a unique brand of offender who terrorized a very small area of California for a period of over two years, caught my attention a long time ago due to the cases possible association with the East Area Rapist. It was believed that the main garage door was left open throughout the night and that the door leading from the garage to the house was possibly left unlocked. Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. There are some instances where a strange phone call was received, but its not thought to be the offender. Donna underwent several operations. Hecontinued to attack the child causing severe injuries, but the 3 year old held on to life and was alive the next morning when she was discovered by her grandmother. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. You called it in a recent case again how did you know? 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. Did you know that one of the most popular places to rob are construction sites? Profiling like that is a great place to start, yet it can also mean that its a great place to leave a crime long enough that it goes cold. Evidence that an aristocrat has gone missing--and was possibly murdered--near Sandringham House sets Queen Elizabeth II on the path to discover unsavory family secrets and much more in this new installment of the series the New York Times Book Review calls "sheer entertainment." Queen Elizabeth II is looking forward to a traditional Christmas gathering with her family in . Please keep them and their families in your thoughts tonight. March 14, 2022 5:04pm Updated The Murdaugh family property where a mother and son were found dead lists for $3.9 million. Full cooperation from Nevada Law Enforcement led to a confirmation of the DNA match. 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. Man Gets Life in Prison for 2016 Killing of Google Employee Vanessa Marcotte, Lone Survivor of 1984 Colorado Hammer Killer Attack Misses the Family He Stole: 'Inside I Cry Every Day', Man Sentenced for 1982 Ax Murder of His Wife After the Case Went Unsolved for Nearly 40 Years, Colo. Woman Applied for Restraining Order Against Ex Days Before He Allegedly Killed Her Family Members, JonBent Ramsey's Father Is Optimistic DNA Advances Will Catch Daughter's Killer, Slams Boulder Police, Man Who Shot Lady Gaga's Dog Walker During Dognapping Sentenced to 21 Years: 'I Do Forgive You', N.C. Man Killed Girlfriend's Daughter, 3, with Chloroform in Attempt to Get Her to Sleep.
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