[1] She was raised in Clatskanie, where she graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1950. [86] Furthermore, Reich's DNA did not match DNA found on JonBent's body. Jesperson claims that her name was Susanne. Reich later came out as transgender and changed her legal name from 'John Mark Karr' to Alexis Valoran Reich (or Delia Alexis Reich, according to a Washington State drivers' license). [7] She was a correspondent for Crime Watch Daily. When that did not create the attention he desired, he wrote letters to media outlets and police departments confessing to his murders, starting with a six-page letter to The Oregonian in which he revealed the details of his killings. When that did not elicit a response, he began writing letters to the media and authorities. Media reports questioned how the police handled the investigation. [10] Jesperson soon realized that this job afforded him the opportunity to kill without being suspected. [8][16] This led Phil Stanford, the journalist working the story for The Oregonian, to dub Jesperson "The Happy Face Killer". People took the blame and I'm free. Ewing, 60, was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of felony murder in the Bennett familys slaying, one in a string of seemingly random attacks across metro Denver that terrified residents during a two-week span in early 1984. Her son Bruce Bennett, daughter-in-law Debra and 7-year-old granddaughter Melissa were beaten to death the murder weapon, investigators believe, was a claw hammer. Thank you listeners! I remember bits and pieces of the last Christmas.. "[17], Another graffito of a similar nature was found in a rest stop in Umatilla, Oregon; however, they were dismissed of having evidentiary value, and not introduced in Pavlinac's trial. A month later, in Turlock, California, the body of Cynthia Lyn Rose was discovered. [34][a] Smit's theory was that someone entered the Ramsey home through the broken basement window. He enjoyed watching animals kill each other as well as the feeling he got from taking their lives. [54][64], Burke, who was nine years old at the time of JonBent's death, was interviewed by investigators at least three times. Bennett, aged 13 at the time, told the babysitter to leave . [68], The grand jury's vote to indict was not revealed publicly until October 25, 2013, when previously sealed court documents were released. Was he stalking Patricia prior to her murder? [16] She testified in court: "I started a lie, and it snowballed on me. Whoever the killer was, he had no problem attacking innocent children. Jurors were also told that Ewings DNA was recovered from the Lakewood townhome where Patricia Louise Smith, a 50-year-old interior decorator, was raped and beaten to death with a hammer six days before the Bennett killings. ", "Suspect: JonBent Ramsey's death 'an accident', "Experts incredulous over JonBent confession", "No Forensic Evidence Currently Links John Karr to JonBent Murder", "John Mark Karr's Child Porn Case Dismissed", "JonBent slaying suspect returning to U.S., media frenzy", "Media frenzy over Karr shows nothing's changed", "Karr Cleared in JonBent Case - After Media Frenzy", "John Mark Karr Email re: Jonbent Ramsey", "John Mark Karr returns to Sandy Springs", "John Mark Karr/Alexis Valoran Reich: "My passion is my work with children", "Ramseys sue Star on behalf of son: Libel suit seeks $25 million in damages against tabloid", "JonBenet Ramsey murder case: Former police chief opens up on Reddit, and now apparently regrets remarks", "Ramseys Settle Book Libel Suit: Former Boulder Detective Settles Case Out Of Court", "Northern District of Georgia's New Chief Judge Reflects on Her Career", "JonBenet Ramsey's Brother Files $150 Million Defamation Suit", "Burke Ramsey Sues Investigator Who Accused Him Of Killing Sister", "JonBent Ramsey's brother files defamation suit against pathologist", "JonBenet Ramsey's Brother Burke Sues CBS for $750 Million", "Judge allows lawsuit against CBS by brother of JonBent Ramsey to proceed", "JonBenet Ramsey's brother settles lawsuit with CBS: attorney", "Made for Each Other: The Karr fiasco is over, but Michael Tracey's quest for unlikely suspects in the Ramsey case goes on and on", "The Thomas resignation letter - "We were trying to deliver a murder case with hands tied behind our backs. "[62] In 2016, Gordon Coombes, a former investigator for the Boulder County District Attorney's office, also questioned total absolution of the Ramseys, stating, "We all shed DNA all the time within our skin cells. Investigators looked at several theories behind the dollar amount demanded, considering employees at Access Graphics who may have known of the amount of John's prior bonus. True Crime Diva covers missing persons and unsolved cases around the globe. [1], At a very early ageas young as fiveJesperson would capture and torture animals. Although he was not directly involved with the case, he said he was told not to voice opposition to the theory because he might lose his job. Those errors included loss and contamination of evidence, lack of experienced and technical staff on the investigation, evidence shared with the Ramseys, and delayed informal interviews with the parents. [13] Police originally considered her death a drug overdose. [63], Alexis Val Reich (then known as John Mark Karr) was arrested in Bangkok, Thailand on August 15, 2006 following a false confession to murdering JonBent. Defense attorneys challenged the way police handled, stored, and tested evidence and attacked the failure to look for touch DNA on a number of items the killer is believed to have handled, including a butcher knife used in the attack. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. JonBent Patricia Ramsey (August 6, 1990 - December 25 or 26, 1996) [1] was an American child beauty queen who was killed at the age of six in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. [19] On October 13, 1999, Alex Hunter, who was the district attorney at the time, refused to sign the indictment, saying that the evidence was insufficient for prosecution. While he has claimed to have killed as many as 160 people, only eight murders have been confirmed. Investigators were able to match Ewing to semen collected from the carpet and comforter in the Bennett sisters bedroom, giving prosecutors a key piece of evidence as they levied charges and tried this case. The ransom note was unusually long. The killings ended with the Bennetts. Then, this week, she got two phone calls one from someone with the Aurora Police Department, another from the District Attorneys Office. JonBent Patricia Ramsey (August 6, 1990 December 25 or 26, 1996)[1] was an American child beauty queen who was killed at the age of six in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. 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. [16][26] She died of heart failure[17] in Wilsonville on March 4, 2003, aged 70. According to Jesperson, Pentland attempted to double the fee she charged for the sex he had been engaged in with her. [3], A garrote that was made from a length of nylon cord and the broken handle of a paintbrush was tied around JonBent's neck and had apparently been used to strangle her. On 30 August 1992, the currently unidentified body of a woman Jesperson had raped and strangled was found near Blythe, California, United States. The weapon used was a hammer. I went through physical therapy. <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. Samantha Spiegel (who gained a restraining order from Reich) alleged Reich only intended to undergo gender reassignment surgery to get closer to younger girls in a child sex cult called "The Immaculates". The evidence is compelling. We do respect your bussiness [sic] but not the country that it serves. Colorado's Governor Will Meet With Four Area District Attorneys To Decide Whether To Appoint One", "Boulder DA Stan Garnett: Another perspective on release of Ramsey indictment", "Family cleared in JonBent Ramsey's death", "JonBenet Ramsey Case: James Kolar, Former Leading Investigator Rejects Intruder Theory In New Book", "Mark Beckner opens up about JonBenet Ramsey case, then regrets it", "JonBent Ramsey series questions key DNA evidence", "Burke Ramsey responds to conspiracy theories, accusations about JonBent's murder", "Burke Ramsey's attorney in town: Brother of slain girl could be asked to give grand jury more information", "JonBent Ramsey grand jury indictment accused parents of child abuse resulting in death", "JonBent Ramsey grand jury voted to indict parents in 1999, but the District Attorney refused to prosecute", "Camera reporter sues Boulder DA seeking release of Ramsey indictment", "Judge orders Boulder DA to show why Ramsey indictment should remain secret", "Editorial: Time to unseal indictment in JonBent Ramsey case", "JonBent Ramsey's Brother Sues CBS for 'Extraordinary' $750 Million Over Docuseries", "Santa and the housekeeper: The forgotten JonBenet suspects", "Lou Smit, Detective in JonBent Ramsey Case, Is Dead at 75", "New details revealed about JonBenet Ramsey's murder in A&E documentary", "Where Is John Mark Karr, The Man Who Falsely Confessed to JonBenet Ramsey's Murder, & What Is He Doing Now? The family led a quiet, ordinary life in this smallDenver suburb. Ewing attacked the Bennett family with a hammer inside their Aurora. Why wasnt Vanessa raped? Her grandmother, Constance Bennett, went to the familys home that morning after her son and daughter-in-law didnt show up for work at the familys furniture business. John's two surviving adult children (a son and a daughter) lived elsewhere. Photography Simon Folkard. [6] The anonymous caller identified the braggart as 39-year-old John Sosnovske, but his name was misspelled in the report, which prevented a follow-up from the sheriff's office. [32] The ransom note contained specific instructions against contacting police and friends, but Patsy telephoned the police at 5:52a.m. During closing arguments, Ewings attorneys argued that one person could not have carried out this crime, and that the prosecutions evidence had been tainted over the years. [32] The series had 12 episodes. Credit: Courtesy Bennett Family. Ewing was found guilty on Aug 6, 2021 in the 1984 Bennett family Murders in Aurora, Colorado. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. Ewing faces four counts of first-degree murder in that case. 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. ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- It was 1984 when Connie Bennett found her family murdered in their Aurora home.Connie's son Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead. [12], JonBent's body was found on December 26, 1996, in her family's Boulder residence. BLAME: The Fear All These Years takes listeners back to the attacks and tells the stories of those most deeply impacted the survivors and the loved ones of the dead. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. [37], The Killing of JonBent: The Truth Uncovered, broadcast by A&E on September 5, 2016, concluded that an unidentified male was responsible for JonBent's death, based on forensic DNA analysis of evidence. "When we first looked at it, we thought that it was likely the killer was long gone," Kellner said. [15], Although Jesperson at one point claimed to have had as many as 160 victims,[16] only the eight women killed in Washington, Oregon, California, Florida, Nebraska, and Wyoming have been confirmed. He was sentenced to life in prison while Pavlinac was sentenced to no less than ten years, much more than she had anticipated. A Boulder defense attorney, Lee Hill, commented that: "The public feels that the police have coddled the Ramseys because they are rich and influential in Boulder. [100] A defamation suit was filed in 2001 against the authors and publisher of JonBent: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation (2000). The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull, she suffered severe injuries to her head, jaw and neck. The team initially believed that the child had been kidnapped, and JonBent's bedroom was the only room in the house that was cordoned off to prevent contamination of evidence. In October 2013, unsealed court documents revealed that a 1999 grand jury had recommended filing charges against the Ramseys for permitting the child to be in a threatening situation. The family originated from Ancient Greece, then eventually settled in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [43] The Ramseys have always said that Burke slept through the entire night until he was awakened several hours after the police arrived. What about the Bennetts? PHOTO BY PHILIP B. POSTON/ Sentinel Colorado. Six days before Patrica Smiths murder, on January 4,a man nearly beat to death James and Kimberly Haubenschild, in their Aurora home. American woman who falsely confessed to assisting in a 1990 murder, "Happy Face Killer - Cold-blooded self-pity", "Innocent Couple Released Man, Woman Served 4 Years In 'Happy Face Killer' Case", "What An Ugly 'Face': Ann-Margret's True Confessions Are Movie Murder", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Laverne_Pavlinac&oldid=1141042751, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, False confession to a murder and service of a prison sentence for it, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:57. 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. 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. Her parents and her sister were killed, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The mother of Bruce Bennett, 27, and grandmother of 7-year-old Melissa Bennett all killed in the 1984 home invasion, along with Debra Bennett, 26 the 87-year-old admitted she's "very. In March 2018, she was featured in an episode, titled "Put on a Happy Face", of the Investigation Discovery true crime series Evil Lives Here. They served almost 6 years before both were exonerated after serial killer Keith Jesperson confessed to Bennett's murder. The perception is that they are closer than we thought." After the verdict, Connie Bennett spoke alongside District Attorney John Kellner who said he first became involved in the case in 2013 when he was part of a cold case unit. ", Complete Coverage: The JonBent Ramsey Case, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Killing_of_JonBent_Ramsey&oldid=1152512922, Deaths by strangulation in the United States, December 1996 events in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 17:55. It's important that we still do.Sheila explains to Bonnie their family's history in Haunted. [38][39] John picked up the child's body and took it upstairs. The guilty verdicts on six all counts, which came after the jury had reached an initial impasse Thursday, is the culmination of a 37-year odyssey for the Bennett family, and another example of new DNA evidence reviving a cold case from decades ago. After all, Ewing was facing multiple counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Smith and the three members of the Bennett family. An Arapahoe County jury on Friday found Alex Ewing guilty of murder in the horrific 1984 killings of a 7-year-old girl and her parents in Aurora an emotional moment of justice nearly 40 years in the making. The 1984 Bennett Family Murder - True Crime Diva The 1984 Bennett Family Murder Published: April 18, 2015 Last Updated on January 18, 2022 Share Bruce Bennett, 27, his wife, Debra, 26, and their two children, Melissa, 7, and Vanessa, 3, resided in a quiet neighborhood in Aurora, Colorado, in 1984. [47][48], A. James Kolar, who was a lead investigator for the DA's office, said that there were additional traces of male DNA found on the cord and paintbrush that Boulder district attorney Mary Lacy did not mention, and that there were six separate DNA samples belonging to unknown individuals that were found by the test. However, the DNA match has not been linked to a specific person. RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. His attacker slit his throat before eventually delivering a final fatal blow with a hammer. [14], Pavlinac's trial began on January 24, 1991. In May 1998, he presented his findings to the Boulder police with other staff members of the DA's Office, concluding that the evidence pointed away from the Ramseys. [18] Jesperson himself also began writing letters to news and media outlets following his arrest and conviction, urging the courts to free Pavlinac and Sosnovske. "[68], Among the experts who testified in the case were DNA specialist Barry Scheck and forensic expert Henry Lee. [19] To avoid the possibility of facing the death penalty, Sosnovske pleaded no contest. [16] Sosnovske pleaded no contest to murder in order to avoid the death penalty, and was also given a sentence of life imprisonment. The bludgeoned bodies of husband and wife, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were discovered and it soon became evident that they had both attacked with a knife and beaten to death. Vanessa was 3; her sister Melissa was 7. Laverne Arlyce Pavlinac (ne Johnson; December 19, 1932 - March 4, 2003) was an American woman who falsely confessed to assisting in the 1990 murder of 23-year-old Taunja Bennett of Portland, Oregon; she also implicated her boyfriend, John Sosnovske, in Bennett's murder.Both Pavlinac and Sosnovske were convicted, with Pavlinac receiving a 10-year sentence. [58][59], On February 2, 2009, Boulder police chief Mark Beckner announced that Stan Garnett, the new Boulder County District Attorney, was turning the case over to his agency, and that his team would resume investigating it. Prosecutors allege Ewing used a hammer and a knife to kill Debra and Bruce Bennett, and their daughter, who also was raped. [30] Michael Baden, a board-certified forensic pathologist, who had consulted with both sides of the case, said he had never seen a note like it in his 60-year experience and that he did not think it was written by an outside stranger. It is not clear if the January 4th attacks were tied tothe same killer, although it is very likely. Ewing has been locked up since. [85][87][88][j], On October 26, 2006, Reich sent an email to Bill Hammons of Bill's List seeking a literary agent to help "publish a manuscript that some might find controversial. [6] Approximately one year later, Jesperson was swimming in a lake when another boy held him underwater until he blacked out. On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. Bonnie says her paternal side of the family (the Hopkins) are boring, though she might just be referring to them as such in comparison with her magical maternal side (the Bennetts) of the family. I cant remember her name, but she said your parents killer had been caught, she said. Ultimately, he decided to send the panel of six women and six men home for the evening, instructing them to rest and return Friday morning to continue their deliberations. In Search Of. Bruce had been slashed several times and hit in the head with a hammer. He also said that Lacy strongly supported the intruder theory and talked about it with the staff. Kiszla: One-hit wonders? Little Vanessas jaw was crushed,sending jagged bones into her windpipe. [20], On 7 January 1996, more than five years after their conviction, Pavlinac and Sosnovske were released from prison after Jesperson and his attorney offered his confession with convincing evidence of his guilt. Kiszla: Avs embarrass themselves with silence about Valeri Nichushkin's mysterious absence following reported 9-1-1 call. [35] JonBent's mouth was covered with duct tape, a nylon cord was found around her wrists and neck, and her torso was covered by a white blanket. [6], In 2002, the DA's successor took over investigation of the case from the police and primarily pursued the theory that an intruder had committed the killing. He was known as the "Happy Face Killer" because he drew smiley faces on his many letters to the media and authorities. The bludgeoned bodies of husband and wife, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were discovered and it soon became evident that they had both attacked with a knife and beaten to death. [36], One of the individuals whom Smit identified as a suspect was Gary Howard Oliva, who was arrested for "two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and one count of sexual exploitation of a child" charges in June 2016, according to Boulder's Daily Camera. [79], It was determined that there had been more than 100 burglaries in the Ramseys' neighborhood in the months before JonBent's murder.

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