The 1982 call is important, because the offender hadnt killed for over a year, and it was thought that he mightve been incarcerated. The last family member left around 9:00 PM. Your email address will not be published. Here are the Small Town Murder show particulars: Small Town Murder. There are a few very notable ones, particularly because they occurred during quiet periods where the offender wasnt attacking. In 2015, information leaked that there was important clue found at the Bennett scene. She made her way to the bedroom and went to bed. Why was she the lone survivor? 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. 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. District Attorney John Kellner said the murders had shocked the community, adding that he was glad to see justice for the victims after 37 long years. Family medicine doctors are primary-care physicians trained. Only the calls or phone events where the caller was believed to be the rapist are included. Detective Steve Conner has investigated this case for many years, taking over from an investigator named Marv Brandt. For the first time, Stetson Bennett is publicly addressing his January arrest for public intoxication in Texas. Never profile someone using the box as your guide. Prosecutors alleged Ewing raped Melissa Bennett before killing her. Become a Patreon Supporter for bonus content! Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. He kept the hammer. This killeris more the type that would self medicate more than likely be a heavy drinker as opposed to taking medication. Broderick was denied parole for a second time just this past January. The child died from her injuries. We didnt just look for all three to match, but also looked for a Ray to Gonna Kill You match, a Ray to Dumb Fuckers match, etc. Later autopsies revealed that the Bennetts had died due to blunt force trauma and that their attacker had likely used a hammer. . The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. Often times a profilerwill come up with a profile that fits into a box, the box was made from materials that were provided by profiles obtained from past criminals who committed similar crimes, which is a really great place to start. His use of ligatures were fairly distinct and helped tie a lot of the crimes together. Begins: Fri, 03/03/23 10:00 AM EST. ~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. 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. Aurora police Chief Nick Metz said the case has haunted the families involved. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. They immediately knew something was wrong. 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. 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. Just your average everyday normal family. The rapes were opportunities and only that. Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. We offer a suite of trucking and specialized logistics services, from flatbed and step deck trucking, driveaway, manufactured housing transport and RV delivery to 3PL/4PL logistics, customs brokerage . <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. These crimes in Colorado are this killers first stages at killing a human. Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. The severity of her injuries cant be understated. He is more introverted when he is sober and an extrovert when he isnt. Your email address will not be published. The FAIR School, Minneapolis Public Schools and West Metro Education Program. Is it not true that you usually get police closer to a suspect faster than they ever could without using dna? Let us know all the details about yourself and send us a message. It helps bring the other EAR phone escapades into the fold. At the conclusion of his comments, he introduced his former boss, Peter Weir. 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. He stayed on the prosecution team with Storgaard and Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer. ~ Jan. 4, 1984, a man snuck into an Aurora home and used a hammer to beat James and Kimberly Haubenschild. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. Long Prairie, Minn. Long Prairie is a town of about 3,000 people in central Minnesota's Todd County. 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. They both survived. You called it in a recent case again how did you know? 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. 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. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. Caller: Hi, its me again. It was a beautiful area, with clean, crisp air and the mountains rising up to the west. Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. A 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa, was injured and survived. Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein is at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where. Your email address will not be published. Constance, her grandmother, immediately set up a vigil (which she kept up for days) as the paramedics, nurses and doctors worked feverishly to save the girls life. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. Thankfully, this community, these families and everyone impacted by the horrific crimes now knows this defendant will never hurt anyone ever again., 2022 - DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE 18 JUDICIAL DISTRICT, Murderer of Auroras Bennett family sentenced to life in prison, Victim Impact Statement and Restitution Information, Bad Check Restitution Program DISCONTINUED, Senior Law & Safety Summit: May 21, 2022, Peace Officer Credibility Disclosure Notification. Designed by Debra Marie Bennett, twenty-six years old, had married Bruce before his Navy deployment in 1976. On the 4th of January James and Kimberly Haubenschild were also attacked with a hammer at their home in Aurora, but both survived. Dont you feel cheated a little? Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. Did you know that one of the most popular places to rob are construction sites? They pledged to continue to support the families via their victim services organizations. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. The crimes appeared to be sexually motivated, judging by the assaults that occurred on Debra and Melissa. Apparently when the killer lifted Melissa Bennett, an imprint from his shirt was made in the blood that had resulted from his assault on her. 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. 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 . In the papers, the most attention is paid to the last state witness, the DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Upon the capture of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, Conner again turned to genealogical databases. 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. Apparently, although the authorities never followed up on this, there were a series of murders just like this across the country just off of I-70. The womens bodies were found inside Thomas vehicle. 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. 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. 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. 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. 21-year-old Polish national, Julia Faustyna, claims to be Madeleine McCann- the story so far, CCTV Footage from New Jersey Gas Station Shows Woman Escaping Alleged Captor, Two men arrested in connection with the 1975 murder of Indiana teenager Laurel Jean Mitchell. The house of Safdar Ali, who is allegedly a close aide of Atiq Ahmad, was demolished by the administration. 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. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. All three were beaten to death with a claw hammer. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. 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. 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. During the winter in Colorado its difficult to find a construction crew working well into the night. Shippers choose our flatbed, step deck, RGN or other specialized trailers to move freight that is too large to be The blow was so severe that her jaw was shattered and her skull was fractured in several places. On the night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. January 16, 1984: Bennett family is attacked in their Aurora, Colorado home with 3 out of the 4 family members murdered by an intruder wielding a hammer. DENVER- The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. He noticed a gaping wound on the left side of her skull. Medical professionals werent sure if the hammer attack would leaveVanessa with permanent brain damage or not, but the girls family held on to the hope that she would make a full recovery. It was later determined to be the murder weapon. 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. The case got very little press, and unfortunately, it was never solved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Date: September 19th/22nd, 1987 Investigators believed the killers attacks escalated from just beating someone with a hammer to actually murdering them. Juliana Kenney, 75, her husband Clayton Kenney, 83, and Mrs. Kenney's 44- year-old daughter, Adrienne Arnot, were beaten and stabbed to . He then tries to strangle her with a telephone . Bruce finally succumbed to his injuries and the family was left vulnerable. I hurt myself. He didnt hate his victims and quite frankly he didnt know any of them personally, he just wanted to kill. Two young boys were asleep in other rooms in the house. 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. Third Crime Scene Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. 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. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . There was no sign of forced entry. How did you know? 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. 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. Thought to be the work of a serial killer, the crimes have remained unsolved for thirty years. The cases are commonly known as the 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders. 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. Nothing else appeared to be missing. The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. Toward the end of that series and during the murders, he began experimenting with different types of bindings plastic ties, twine, drapery cord, etc. After a string of several burglaries and escalating events on this night, the offender crossed the line to murder and he never looked back. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. Nevada court records show a jury found Ewing, under the name Alex C. Ewing, was guilty of escaping from the custody of two Arizona sheriffs deputies at a gas station in Henderson, Nevada, southeast of Las Vegas on Aug. 9, 1984, and entering an unlocked home and severely beating a woman and her husband with an ax handle in their bedroom. 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. 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. It was taken in Arizona 11 days after the attack. It is deeper than that. This was the end of the first day of what would become a futile week-long dig for the body of Keith Bennett, who was 12 years old in 1964 when he was killed by the Moors murderers, Ian Brady and . bennett family murders addressithaca high school lacrosse roster. Dixon survived. 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. The family overall lead a very quiet and peaceful life. Blood near the front door sent him into a panic. Like all of the EARONS victims, they were taken from this earth far too soon. 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. He'd been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. Ewings DNA profile was entered into CODIS (the FBI's database) this year (2018 as I write this) and the following morning his profile was matched to the DNA found at the crime scenes of both the Bennett family and Patricia Smith. The Bennett family. Fourth Crime Scene Furthermore, the loving grandmother had been sexually assaulted. Second Crime Scene Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close.