He viciously struck the young child in the head with a hammer. 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. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. The very famous, more than three decades old case of Bennet family murders has recently been in the news. He didnt hate his victims and quite frankly he didnt know any of them personally, he just wanted to kill. 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. 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. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. Add some text book, some psychological profiling and presto, they have a profile. The Attack happened between midnight and 6 a.m. on Jan. 16, 1984. 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. She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into a coma. There was evidence of a struggle in the bedroom. Lauer and Phelps disappeared on Labor Day weekend while on their way to Virginia Beach. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. It seemed that robbery was not the primary motive only the personal jewelry that Patricia was wearing was missing from the scene. 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. It could be the store they all shopped in, the road that they all traveled daily to and from work, school, library they attended etc. For an overview of the case, you can review my extensive post from yesterday which covered many of the details. 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 taken in Arizona 11 days after the attack. The youngest girl, Vanessa, only three years old until March, was also struck violently in the face with the hammer. 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. 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. 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. Theres no such thing as coincidence. 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 cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head- and the murder weapon? I would not limit the list to any type of profession or lack of any type of profession until suspects can be eliminated. It was a case that they were not giving up on and were continuing to move forward on, he said. 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. 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. I look in the mirror every day and look at myself and I hate who I am. 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. "The Crown prosecutor who is prosecuting my case in September seems like a dog with a . 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. & "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.". Murders at this level are not just random. That, and the knots he used, provide a link among several scenes. The wheels were put into motion to submit dozens of pieces of evidence to the FBI lab. The killer pummeled and sexually assaulted his 26-year-old wife, Debra, and 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. A hammer lay next to her. File photo Editor's note: At an August 10 press conference, authorities revealed that Nevada inmate Alex Ewing has been named in an arrest warrant for the. Second Crime Scene ~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. Juliana Kenney, 75, her husband Clayton Kenney, 83, and Mrs. Kenney's 44- year-old daughter, Adrienne Arnot, were beaten and stabbed to . "This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community," Kellner said in a statement. 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. He faced six counts of first-degree murder. Rather than wait until 2019 when the book will be published, we thought wed at least share the results with you. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. She recently gave an interview, which you can view here (link).. He assured the public that theyll move with all appropriate speed.. You called it in a recent case again how did you know? If you are just simply looking at it, you miss the most critical and important clues. ", She added: "I lost my sanity. This killers only motive was to kill. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. Not one part of this familys life would indicate such a violent predator was going to kill them. She left her hometown and moved to Arizona, at one point spending half a year homeless, living under a bridge. 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. 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. During the winter in Colorado its difficult to find a construction crew working well into the night. 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). 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. 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. The house was not ransacked, but the contents of her purse were strewn about. 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. The husband then got a lock for the gate and made sure their house was locked and secure. Nevada inmate charged in 1984 hammer killing of Lakewood grandmother. 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. 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. They were almost always in good shape/new condition, and lab analysis revealed almost nothing about them except the occasional hair. Obviously, this guy was looking for his next target. 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. He picked all of his victims for a reason, something about them attracted him to them, they all had one common denominator that drew him to those specific individuals. Alex Ewing on trial for the murder of three members of the Bennett family (credit: Aurora Sentinel). Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. Dont you think the police could have gotten the guy long ago had they given you the evidence they had? As one of the investigations were doing for the book,we hired an audio expert to do some work on the three recordings attributed to EAR: The dumb fuckers call, the Is Ray there? call, and the Gonna Kill You call. The police found her posed with her arms crossed over her chest, as if she was in a coffin. The prints taken from the Bennett crime scene were fuzzy and not usable, the concrete floor they took that had a footprint would be unusable at this point. James Haubenschild suffered a fractured skull, and his wife had a concussion. The last family member left around 9:00 PM. This killer did in fact re-offend, the issuehe was in the learning phase of actually killing humans during this time frame in Colorado. She too survived the attack, although she was first in a coma for some time. As blood poured out of her body, he lifted her up from the bed, unknowingly leaving an imprint from his shirt on her blood-soaked pajamas. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. Smith was attacked in the condo she shared with her daughter and grandchildren and the hammer was left behind. He then found the couples oldest daughter, 7 year old Melissa, who tragically suffered the same terrible fate as her mother. No fingerprints or any other usable evidence could be found at the scene. Currently all 50 states have to collect DNA for certain types of Felony crimes and submit it to CODIS. A murder inquiry has been launched, and one man - a 31-year-old from Killamarsh, who was known to the family - is in custody. In just two days,. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. He fed the need. 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 Arapahoe County District Judge Darren Vahle spoke directly to Ewing before announcing the sentence. Ewing was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. All rights reserved. That is what drove him into such an uncontrollable frenzy so fast and that is precisely what stopped the attacks so fast. They lived on a peaceful cul-de-sac where most of the houses had recently been finished and were yet to be sold. Donna underwent several operations. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. She suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw, and neck. The case got a jolt in 2009 when a retired FBI photographer used graphic images from the crime scenes during a class lecture. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. 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. Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close. Her clothes were tossed everywhere. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. Recently, the Sun-Gazette has reported that Joseph DeAngelo, the man arrested for the Visalia Ransacker / Golden State Killer crimes, has been added to the suspect list. I dont believe that. While closure and peace may be forever out of reach, the panelists hope for a sense of justice among those affected. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. Years later, strides would start to be made in the crime lab. The family overall lead a very quiet and peaceful life. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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. CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - A judge sentenced Alex Ewing to three life sentences on Tuesday after he was found guilty in the 1984 murders of three people in Aurora. Late on Jan. 9 or early on Jan 10, a flight attendant was beaten, possibly with a hammer, and sexually assaulted after she pulled into the garage of her home in Aurora. 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. 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. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. 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. The Vampire Diaries Wiki Explore Main Page Discuss The victim was fifty-year-old Patricia Louise Smith. Victim #7received a phone call, and she recognized the voice on the other end as the voice of the rapist. 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. 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. DNA evidence ties Ewing to the crime. Just your average everyday normal family. Sometime between 1990 and 1992 Killing on this level requires some level of planning on the part of the perpetrator.
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