"I lost the person who I was supposed to be. Hed been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. The last family member left around 9:00 PM. KUSA reports that Vanessa recounted for the courtroom how the critical head injuries she survived left her with a lifetime of problems, including depression, anxiety, anger and struggles with heroin abuse. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way in Aurora. They both survived. August 17, 2021 / 3:31 PM John Hickenlooper to request Ewings extradition today but the process could take weeks or months depending on a host of legal factors. Nothing else appeared to be missing. Dont you think the police could have gotten the guy long ago had they given you the evidence they had? The blow shed felt was the attacker striking her head with a hammer. Youre going to suck my cock again.. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. For the first time, Stetson Bennett is publicly addressing his January arrest for public intoxication in Texas. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Blood near the front door sent him into a panic. The husband ran outside but he was gone. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. 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. In 2018, a DNA match linked Alex Ewing to the Jan. 15, 1984, killings of Bruce and Debra Bennett, as well as their daughter Melissa. 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 . EAR brought his own ligatures to almost every attack he didnt rely exclusively on what was found at the scene. There was blood all over the car. Required fields are marked *. Flatbed Trucking Company Bennett Motor Express is the premier open deck general freight carrier in the US. 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. Bruce and Debra were brutally attacked and killed inside their home, Melissa was killed and also raped. I have seen all kinds of evil and wickedness nothing compares to the level of depravity that your actions show in this case, Vahle told Ewing. An autopsy found that Debra died from blunt force trauma. Tamara Lich's trial on multiple charges related to the Freedom Convoy protests is set to start in the fall. Her parents, Bruce and Deborah Bennett, were also killed. 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. The Colorado killings followed two other attacks near Denver that either involved or were suspected of involving a hammer. 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. 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. It was a blitz attack for no reason, said Marvin Brandt, who investigated the case as a homicide detective between 1984 and when he retired from the Aurora Police Department in 2002. The father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes, immediately became the prime suspect, as he abruptly disappeared after the . Begins: Fri, 03/03/23 10:00 AM EST. The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. Jason Bennett, who is understood to be the father of two of the. This phone call occurred 25 years after the attack. This call occurred over a month after her attack. Bruce Alan Bennett was twenty-seven years old. Vanessa, after a wait of 3 decades received a call from the Aurora sheriffs department informing her that her parents killer had been identified as 57-year-old Alexander Christopher Ewing. For an overview of the case, you can review my extensive post from yesterday which covered many of the details. He assured the public that theyll move with all appropriate speed.. The money was never claimed. Again, info is given only about the phone calls where the offender spoke. On the night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora. Donna pulled into the driveway, hit the remote to open the garage, and pulled her car in. The previous week, on the 10th of January, a woman in her fifties named Patricia Smith had also been murdered in her own home in a townhouse in Green Mountain, Lakewood, which is just a 25 minutes drive from Bennets home in Aurora. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. Miraculously, both of them survived the assault, though James suffered from a fractured skull and his wife suffered a concussion. The jury found Ewing guilty on. A hammer lay next to her. 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. 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. 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. The killer also may have completely changed his MO from victim type to weapon used, to less grisly murdering, became better at leaving no DNA behind Because he committed the murders in Colorado during his learning phase if you will it is difficult to determine what he went on to be if anything. A brief question and answer session involved the police asking any residents or witnesses to come forward with anything they might know in relation to these crimes so that the prosecution can continue to build its case. 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. 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. Youve done this with other cases to. "This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community," Kellner said in a statement. Or any of the other angles he was pursuing? Family medicine doctors are primary-care physicians trained. At approximately 2:00 AM on January 4th, 1984, an intruder came through an unlocked garage door. After multiple surgeries,Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. Alexander was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. I lost the person who I was supposed to be.. Quite frankly if the suspect wasnt on the original list, spoken to or even noticed in this case it may come down to just DNA unless police have enough evidence and suspect info they can rework the case from scratch. Its also safe to assume that up until the Bennett murders his weapon of choice was a blunt object, after those murders he quite possibly changed the weapon of choice if he had that overwhelming urge to kill again. DeAngelo was a police officer in nearby Exeter at the time, and has been confirmed by police to be tied to a string of over 100 burglaries, a murder, and an attempted murder that occurred in Visalia in 1974 and 1975. The womens bodies were found inside Thomas vehicle. The other victim murdered in the terrifying crime spree. 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. Ewing has been locked up since. Ron kept vigil and kept guard in her hospital room day and night. On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph . The killer had doused the vehicle with fuel in an apparent attempt to incinerate the crime scene, but apparently failed to start a fire. The family was discovered by Constance Bennett who has since raised little Vanessa. 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. Prosecutors said they will ask Gov. Both district attorneys addressed the possibility of capital punishment being on the table, discussing that 1984 laws do seem to allow the possibility, and that its the hardest decision that a DA has to make and it wont be one thats made lightly. 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. As an adult, she developed a drug habit and became an addict. Investigators have been quoted as saying this was a random crime, vicious and random. Police are still looking for information on the cases connected to Ewing and are asking the public for help. Police later linked the murder of the Bennett family with another rape and murder that happened just less than a week before. He used two methods, and announced a few weeks ago that hed struck out with his first attempt. Onsale to General Public. He was immediately alarmed at the scene in the garage her clothes, purse, and even some of the mail was by her car. My heart hurts that this happened! This murder, which has sat on the cold case shelves for far too long, is in desperate need of this new media attention and the new investigative resources. 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. It was a beautiful area, with clean, crisp air and the mountains rising up to the west. In fact, there was a string of unsolved crimes in the area that took place just days apart from each other. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. A day or two after receiving the DNA results, Law Enforcement met with victims and their family members. This killeris more the type that would self medicate more than likely be a heavy drinker as opposed to taking medication. This case impacted not just the victims, but it also terrorized an entire community, he said. It was dusted for prints, but none were found. Aurora police Chief Nick Metz said the case has haunted the families involved. Why did they have to get murdered? While closure and peace may be forever out of reach, the panelists hope for a sense of justice among those affected. They ended up determining that Armour had been killed, and the Fresno Bee (along with the Fresno Guarantee Savings and Loan Association) set aside $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of her killer. Sometimes it works, sometimes its sort of right, sometimes not even close. Vanessa was saved, though she went on the live with permanent physiological affects from the assault. The scene in the home traumatized the daughter and grandchildren for life. 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 killer was never brought to justice. 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. 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. Investigators had collected and stored the killer 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. Victim #42received a call that she identified as the EAR. Camper reviewed the timeline that led to the arrest, which included a DNA profile from the Bennett case generated in 2001 and uploaded to CODIS (the national FBI DNA database), a profile developed from the Smith case is 2010 that matched the Bennett profile, and the strides that Nevada has made in testing their current prison population, which directly led to Ewings DNA being uploaded into CODIS. On the night of Jan. 15, 1984, the Bennett family left their garage door open. The court heard how . That is what drove him into such an uncontrollable frenzy so fast and that is precisely what stopped the attacks so fast. Amazing!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, they verified one by one that each family member was deceased. The previous week, on the 10th of January,awoman in her fifties named Patricia Smith had also been murdered in her own home in a townhouse in Green Mountain, Lakewood, which is just a 25 minute drive from the Bennetts home in Aurora. Photo: 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office A 61-year-old man learned this week he'll die behind prison bars after being sentenced to three consecutive life sentences. A hammer. 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. District Attorney John Kellner filed the murder charges against Ewing when he headed up the Cold Case Unit in the office. The large hammer was recovered, still on the seat of the car where the attacker had left it. 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. 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. 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. Ronald worked as a pilot. Its nothing more or less than that. At least, until they came to Vanessas bed. She had no idea how she got there and she didnt feel any pain. 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. Upon the capture of a suspect in the Golden State Killer case, Conner again turned to genealogical databases. The first sign of trouble came in the afternoon, when Patricia failed to pick them up. There were very few leads to go on only a hazy physical description from Kim. The jury found Ewing guilty on. On night of January 16 th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. January 27, 1984: Ewing attacks a man in Kingman, Arizona in his home; beats man's head with a hammer. The victims may not have ever known one another but the killer found them somehow, it was not random although it appears that way. Dr. Robert Offerman and Dr. Debra Manning were young and had bright futures. How can you describe what he feels during the crime? The colossal 1,772-acre South Carolina hunting farm where Maggie and Paul. James and Kim divorced divorced in the fall of 1987. Bruce was 27 years old and Debra was 26 in 1984. The attacker retrieved a butcher knife from the kitchen and began stabbing Bruce in various places on his upper body, and once Bruce was incapacitated again the offender used the knife to slit his throat from ear to ear. On the night of Jan. 15, a stranger broke into their home and viciously assaulted and attacked the family. Which is why a more beneficial profile from the onset is more important in fact, its critical. 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. "I didn't just lose my parents and my sister," Vanessa opened up. 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 Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. Only the youngest daughter survived, with life-threatening injuries. Alexander Christopher Ewing is now the behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. Keep in mind that the offenders last known murder was in 1986, which makes the last few particularly creepy. Date: September 19th/22nd, 1987 Obviously, this guy was looking for his next target. Ron showed his commitment to Donna by marrying her in May 1984, just a few months after the ghastly attack and before she was even fully recovered. The husband then got a lock for the gate and made sure their house was locked and secure. The family overall lead a very quiet and peaceful life. Constance Bennett, the mother of murder victim Bruce Bennett, is questioned defense attorney Katherine Powers Spengler during Alex Ewing's murder trial, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in an Arapahoe County Court in Centennial, Colo. Ewing is accused of killing Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter Melissa in Aurora in January 1984. WordPress. The investigators and the CBI were safe to guess that it might have been a construction worker that had been working in the area. Connie's son Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead.. His attacker slit his throat before eventually delivering a final fatal blow with a hammer. "The Crown prosecutor who is prosecuting my case in September seems like a dog with a . I just read this article and Im completely blown away so much of what you speculated turned out to be spot on. The couples youngest daughter, 3-year-old Vanessa, was also attacked by the hammer-wielding assailant. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. Dont profile by. 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. 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. He reminded the public that John Doe warrants had been filed based on the DNA profile of the killer back in 2002, and mentioned that the John Doe charges have been updated to Alex Christopher Ewings name. Two young boys were asleep in other rooms in the house. They didnt feel that he forced his way into the home as she entered it herself due to the television, wig, and Wendys receipt being located upstairs. They were almost always in good shape/new condition, and lab analysis revealed almost nothing about them except the occasional hair. 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. They are asking tipsters who know anything about the Aurora case to call 303-739-6400 and the Lakewood case to call 303-763-6800. 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. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. 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. Sole survivor of 1984 Aurora hammer attack testifies on opening day of murder trial The jury agreed, and on Aug. 6, 2021, they found Ewing guilty of murder in the three deaths. Caller: Hi, its me again. The very famous, more than three decades old case of Bennet family murders has recently been in the news. He raced inside and quickly found Donna in the middle of the blood-soaked bed. The childs skull was caved in on the right side of her forehead and a metal plate was inserted to reshape the skull. Even to this day, she has absolutely no recollection of the next several hours. Now She's Speaking Out, Mass. 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. "A life sentence feels too light, but that is the most the justice system can offer. The couple's 3-year-old daughter Vanessa was also beaten but survived with permanent injuries. Your email address will not be published. Dont you feel cheated a little? The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado ~ January 16, 1984 The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. This phone call came just two days after the breaking news that the East Area Rapist crimes had been tied by DNA to the murders in Southern California. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. But some states were slow to add DNA to CODIS and the Damn ACLU had to butt its nose into it and doesnt like how some states collect DNA beyond certain felony charges or convictions. I should also note that the data becomes a bit skewed in that month because of the fact that the Snelling murder, being a homicide investigation, resulted in a much more thorough sweep of the area and more prowling incidents were recorded that wouldve otherwise been left unreported. 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. Victim #7received a phone call, and she recognized the voice on the other end as the voice of the rapist. No services are scheduled at this time. There were reportedly no signs of robbery or sexual assault both women were clothed and their purses were still with them. HE had to get knife in addition to the hammer just to ward off Bruce who was trying to protect his family. This mans only motive was to inflict as much pain as possible and kill his victims. Patricia missed her husband Oliver, who stayed behind in Nebraska, but she loved being with her daughter and two grandchildren in a bustling city. Add some text book, some psychological profiling and presto, they have a profile. 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. Even though Vanessas jaw was crushed, sending jagged bones into her windpipe, she survived after her grandmother, Constance Bennett, checked on the family later that morning when they didnt show up to work at a family-owned furniture store. He also isnt killing with this level of violence often enough to track. After failing with the EAR, we needed a sidebar showing that the techniques actually work because they do! 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. 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. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. How do you feel knowing this case was solved? The world turned a painful red and Donna began to lose consciousness. 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 3-year-old sister, Vanessa, was the only survivor. But he isnt going to talk about this crime to just a friend or bar mate. Bruce's mother would discover the family the next day inside the home, after no one answered calls to their landline. They also looked across state lines looking for similar or like crimes and to date, they have not one suspect. Its quite possible that she wasnt even conscious for any of it. The bodies of John Paul Bennett, 13, Lacey Bennett, 11, their mother Terri Harris, 35, and Lacey's friend Connie Gent, 11, were discovered at the property near Sheffield, on Sunday morning.. I hurt myself. Now we know that Patricia's murder is connected to the Bennett Family murders in Aurora, Colorado. About six weeks later, hunters came upon their bodies in a remote location in the woods near a logging road. A man accused of murdering a mother and three children has also been charged with raping one of the victims, who was 11. Although she had no memory of the attack, what happened that night in 1984 would negatively impact the rest of her life. Ewing, who was convicted of the murders on Aug. 6, broke into the family's new home the night of the killings. Blood was all over the garage floor. 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. Police examining the scene were able to reconstruct the basic chain of events. Evidence of wounds caused by a blade revealed that Bruce attempted to defend himself as the intruder swiped and slashed at him with a knife. She was also raped. The garage door was still open. The killer murdered two parents - Bruce and Debra Bennett - and their 7-year-old, Melissa, and left their other child severely injured. Vanessa Benn. Caller: Do you want fuck? It, and the floor around it, was soaked in blood. 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. Denver Post Archive Aurora Coroner's officers and police officers remove one of the three bodies from house at. 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. This horrific and cold case of Aurora, Colorado has kept everyone wondering about the culprit while this horrendous incident kept sending chills to the bones of people all around the world.

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