This mans only motive was to inflict as much pain as possible and kill his victims. Broderick was denied parole for a second time just this past January. It begins with a woman killed with a hammer in Lakewood and, a week later, a family killed the same way. July 5, 1985 Survivor In Sierra Madre. Bruce and the intruder fought up and down the stairwell, and at some point Bruce was struck multiple times by a hammer. MPR: Two men charged in Long Prairie, Minneapolis murders 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. You see it in the last known crime that the killer committed. 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. 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. Ewing is arrested and incarcerated. She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into a coma. There are a few very notable ones, particularly because they occurred during quiet periods where the offender wasnt attacking. 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. Amazing!!!!!!!! Kevin Bennett - Senior Program Officer and Racial Equity Lead - GHR 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. This is a very unique activity, and it helps tie the EARONS crimes together based on M.O. 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. Then in 2010, cold case investigators, who long theorized that the person who killed Patricia Smith in Lakewood was the same person who had committed the crimes in Aurora, compared the DNA from the Patricia Smith murder to the DNA found at the Bennett household. Calls Toyota Celica was found at a river overlook several hours after he and Hailey went on their first date. Its probably nothing that will move the case forward, but that show is coming out pretty soon so youll be able to find out what that is in just a couple months! 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. Alexander Christopher Ewing is already behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. Date: April 9th/10th, 1988 I'm a very strong person, though, but when it comes to my family that was the most important thing to me in the whole world.". 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. A photo of the Bennett family. I hurt myself. The Bennett family murders is a case that goes back more than three decades. 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.. Look at the area, the artery that the crimes were committed along. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to professionals. Read more true crime, cold cases and unsolved mysteries from meHERE<<. Two young boys were asleep in other rooms in the house. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado - thecrimeshop Alexander Christopher Ewing is now the behind bars, serving 40 years for two counts of attempted murder in the state of Nevada. 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. See them as the killer did, see the victims as the killer did at that moment. They are more likely to begin work before sunup rather than stay much after sundown. He stayed on the prosecution team with Storgaard and Senior Deputy District Attorney Megan Brewer. Debra Marie Bennett, twenty-six years old, had married Bruce before his Navy deployment in 1976. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | wqad.com 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. Matthew Nicholas, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, January 20, after being found guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault of a child under 13. Additionally, an audio expert associated with an upcoming television show that were a part of was able to isolate the background sounds of the Gonna Kill You phone call, and there was a tiny bit of a surprise in there. Murderer of Aurora's Bennett family sentenced to life in prison In the papers, the most attention is paid to the last state witness, the DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Sole survivor of 1984 Aurora hammer attack testifies on opening day of murder trial Sometime between 1990 and 1992 Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. 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. He'd been in the Navy, where he worked on high-tech sonar equipment at Pearl Harbor. Alex Ewing Ordered To Serve 3 Life Sentences For 1984 Murder Of - MSN It was a case that they were not giving up on and were continuing to move forward on, he said. He also shattered the face of Bruce Bennetts 3-year-old daughter, Vanessa. Police examining the scene were able to reconstruct the basic chain of events. Colorado Cold Case Files - Case Detail: Bruce Bennett The killer was practicing, he was unsure of himself and he was unsure of the weapon he would eventually use. After multiple surgeries,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).. Whatever the case, this person was in and around this area for at least the first part of January and most likely stayed in the area during that time. The Bennett family was attacked either the night of Jan. 15 or the morning of Jan. 16. He assured the public that theyll move with all appropriate speed.. 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. I didnt just lose my parents and my sister, she said. Ewing, then 23, was arrested again two days later about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away by park rangers at Lake Mead. Juliana Kenney, 75, her husband Clayton Kenney, 83, and Mrs. Kenney's 44- year-old daughter, Adrienne Arnot, were beaten and stabbed to . Please keep them and their families in your thoughts tonight. He also isnt killing with this level of violence often enough to track. A coworker informed Bruces mother, Constance, about their absence. The case got very little press, and unfortunately, it was never solved. Her head was constantly swimming with thoughts of her parents. 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. If he had not done that, they may have been the unfortunately victims. ColdCaseWriter.com - A blog about True Crime The life sentences will be served consecutively. Dr. Angela M. Bennett, MD | Cleveland, OH | Family Medicine Doctor | US 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. A childhood photo of Vanessa Bennett, who survived the hammer attack, and Alex Ewing as seen in a mid-1980s booking photo . Order your tickets today to see Small Town Murder in Atlanta, GA. The family originated from Ancient Greece, then eventually settled in the town of Salem. There is no innocent explanation for how you explain all of the evidence.. With time, multiple surgeries, and the support of her extended family, Vanessa began to recover from her physical injuries but living a normal life after losing both her parents to a murderer who had yet to be captured and convicted made childhood difficult. 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. The truck was in a designated parking area with the radio and windshield wipers turned on. 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. SOMERVILLE Sandra G. Bennett, 76, died March 2, 2023. 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. Here are the days of the week the alleged killer struck each victim (s). Why was she the lone survivor? The child died from her injuries. Weve published this page today to show you the details and origin of the ligatures used in the EAR/GSK attacks. But new technology is getting detectives closer and closer to solving the brutal mystery. Alex Ewing Ordered To Serve 3 Life Sentences For 1984 Murder - CBS News Safdar Ali was allegedly involved in selling weapons to gang members of Atiq Ahmed. Dont you think the police could have gotten the guy long ago had they given you the evidence they had? DNA at both the Bennett crime Scene and the Smith crime scene were matched to the same killer in 2010. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its unfortunate le didnt get him back then. Coincidence is just an illusion that we all tell ourselves myself included, when we are unable to explain how something actually came to be. He took Debras purse and went out the front door, then dumped the contents out onto the snow. 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. 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. "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. I believe he killed again no way he stopped. At some point, either when the intruder entered the couples bedroom or before, Bruce was alerted to the intruders presence and a tremendous struggle took place. Unsolved: The Bennett family murders | 12news.com 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. 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. On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph . You got the age closer than the fbi and police you described exactly what the guy was feeling when he was killing them. 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. He further explained the nature of the coordinated and combined effort that contributed to the identification of this suspect, and the initial ease at which the system has thus far moved. There are some instances where a strange phone call was received, but its not thought to be the offender. Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein is at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where. The Aurora Hammer Slayer SOLVED! | The Theorem Factory March 14, 2022 5:04pm Updated The Murdaugh family property where a mother and son were found dead lists for $3.9 million. When she first woke up, she had the mentality of a two-year old. She had to relearn how to talk and couldnt speak a full sentence for almost six months. Ronald worked as a pilot. That, and the knots he used, provide a link among several scenes. 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. About six weeks later, hunters came upon their bodies in a remote location in the woods near a logging road. Her clothes were tossed everywhere. 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 hammer struck her in the jaw, shattering the bone which splintered in an explosion of small fragments that punctured her windpipe. Investigators did not forget about the hammer murders, however, nor did the town of Aurora; 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. / CBS Colorado. April 6th, 2001 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. Bruce finally succumbed to his injuries and the family was left vulnerable. 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. He also discarded the knife hed used to kill Bruce. The very famous, more than three decades old case of Bennet family murders has recently been in the news. Your email address will not be published. We move long-haul and short-haul loads to anywhere in the lower 48 states for commercial and government entities. This killer is indiscriminate in terms of who he kills, attacks or rapes. Its also interesting to note that the first incidence of violence, the Snelling murder, didnt stop him, but he did seem to be gradually slowing down after what appears on the surface to be the 1975 peak. A hammer lay next to her. 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. 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. No other motive like robbery could be found as the only items missing were the knife used to cut Bruce and Debras purse, yet the contents of the purse were strewn in the front yard. Here are the Small Town Murder show particulars: Small Town Murder. Forensics determined that the hammers used in each of the attacks were different, and that there didnt appear to be anything terribly useful in the way of fingerprints or other evidence. The cases are commonly known as the 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders. Famous Unsolved Murders of Families - Ranker Its quite possible that he changed his method of killing in an effort to keep police from tying him to these murders on the off chance he was caught for lets say rape. 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. 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.