On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. January 10th, 1984 started just like any other day, with Patricia dropping off her daughter and grandkids at work/school. 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 . 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. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! After multiple surgeries,Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. Photo: 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images, Inside Idaho Murder Suspect's Alleged Chat Room Posts: I Can Do 'Whatever I Want with Little Remorse', Chilling Details Revealed as Probable Cause Affidavit is Released in University of Idaho Murder Case, 'Why Did You Kill My Daddy? That is very clear. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. Lauers Chevy Nova was later discovered heading AWAY from the beach. The family overall lead a very quiet and peaceful life. Vanessa Bennett was shocked to receive the phone call identifying the man who murdered her entire family and attempted to murder her in 1984and admits it hasnt quite sunk in. 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. So I guess Ill be the first to post. 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. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. These crimes in Colorado are this killers first stages at killing a human. The Bennett family was attacked in their home in Aurora, Colorado in Jan. 16,1984. Investigators said he also sexually assaulted Melissa before she died from being beaten. A murder inquiry has been launched, and one man - a 31-year-old from Killamarsh, who was known to the family - is in custody. 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. Her clothes were tossed everywhere. Alex Christopher Ewing Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Alex Christopher Ewing, 61, for killing the couple and their 7-year-old daughter in 1984. Ronald worked as a pilot. ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - It was 1984 when Connie Bennett found her family murdered in their Aurora home. Serve as lead administrator of a K-3, 9-12 urban site . Investigators believed the killers attacks escalated from just beating someone with a hammer to actually murdering them. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. Would you like to contribute as an editor or a writer on our site? James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. The first sign of trouble came in the afternoon, when Patricia failed to pick them up. Some of the ligatures matched across scenes. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. Victims: David Knobling (20) and Robin Edwards (14) Not one part of this familys life would indicate such a violent predator was going to kill them. Second Crime Scene She was also raped. The world turned a painful red and Donna began to lose consciousness. The Deadly Night of Incident For Bennet Family On the night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. "A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. 2019 Sentinel Colorado. I also believe he continued to kill peeps because he is so violent he couldnt have just stopped. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado ~ January 16, 1984 The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. How did you know? Onsale to General Public. 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. 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. My best friend lived around the corner from the Bennetts, and that previous night (or night of) after dinner when she was cleaning the kitchen, she saw a man staring at her through the window. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. 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. Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. One lab felt that the letters were RICHAR. Another lab felt that it said PETAW C, with a space or fold between the W and the C and perhaps another fold in there as well. bennett family murders addressithaca high school lacrosse roster. The caller whispered harshly into the phone, saying You know who this is or Do you know who this is? The victim was on the line with him for about a minute. For years the case was cold, until in 2018 a DNA profile from semen the killer left at the scene was matched to Ewing. The family got a ride from someone else. Since they could find no signs of forced entry, police felt that the killer entered through the unlocked door and attacked her. Damien Bendall, 31, is now alleged to have raped and murdered Lacey Bennett . I wouldtear everything down and start over with the evidence, the crime scene and so on. 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. 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. What are Dr. Bennett's areas of care? Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. 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. 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. But what about his second? 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. 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 kept the hammer. The press conference panel continually emphasized the destruction that this case has left on the lives of those affected. 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. Date: April 9th/10th, 1988 March 14, 2022 5:04pm Updated The Murdaugh family property where a mother and son were found dead lists for $3.9 million. ~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. 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. Your email address will not be published. She was also sexually assaulted and the intruder left a small hammer near her body. Coincidence is just an illusion that we all tell ourselves myself included, when we are unable to explain how something actually came to be. For over thirty years, this killer has remained unidentified. In Aug 2018, Alexander Christopher Ewing was accused and charged in both cases. 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. & Safdar Ali was allegedly involved in selling weapons to gang members of Atiq Ahmed. 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. According to property records, the couple stayed in the same house after the attack. It was dusted for prints, but none were found. Other Information While everyone is looking for a motive it was always looking right back at investigators. This is a harsh, cold fact profilers must learn if they are to more accurately profile. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (, Summary of Press Conference on 1984 Hammer Murders, you can review my extensive post from yesterday, Secret Origin of the Golden State Killer: Visalia Ransacker, High-resolution version of Mr Cruels mask, Tribute to Robert Offerman and Debra Manning, Ligatures Used by the East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer, he almost always forced his penis into his victims bound hands, Audio Comparison of EAR Calls The Results, Phone Calls where the East Area Rapist Spoke, https://www.coldcase-earons.com/phonecalls.php, Visalia Ransacker Incident Chart: Prowlings vs Ransackings over time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Amazingly, it was thought that spending so many hours naked on the garage floor in the freezing temperatures may have kept her from bleeding to death. This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community, he said. Jason Bennett described his heartbreak following the deaths of son John and daughter Lacey in Killamarsh. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. When they did, they noticed that the garage door was still open. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. 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 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 article in the Denver post describes how after he murdered the Bennetts he went on to enter the house of a man in Kingman, Arizona and attempted to bludgeon the man to death with a 20lb rock. Debra Marie Bennett, twenty-six years old, had married Bruce before his Navy deployment in 1976. Required fields are marked *. The womens bodies were found inside Thomas vehicle. How to Become a Crime Scene Investigator in India? Or any of the other angles he was pursuing? 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. Over 200 Million Downloads! A man accused of murdering a mother and three children has also been charged with raping one of the victims, who was 11. Here are a few of the notable phone calls: January 15th, 1979 She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. He either got turned on by the prospect of killing or used the rapes as a way to cover up the true motive which was to murder. Despite the trauma of the attack and losing an incredible amount of blood, the doctors and nurses were able to save her life.
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