bennett family murders wiki
[14], Pavlinac's trial began on January 24, 1991. In 1998, the police and district attorney (DA) both said that JonBent's brother Burke, who was nine years old at the time of her death, was not a suspect. The jury had indicated it was deadlocked Thursday afternoon, but District Judge Darren Vahle asked them to go home for the night, rest, and return Friday to continue deliberating. <p>Bruce Bennett, 27, was fatally stabbed and bludgeoned. [19][67] The public thought that the grand jury investigation had been inconclusive. Tension in the marriage increased, and after fourteen years, while Jesperson was on the road, Hucke packed up her and her children's belongings and drove 200 miles away to live with her parents in Spokane, Washington. Critics have questioned this theory, because there was an intact cobweb in the basement window. 9NEWS has not located a previous criminal record for Ewing in Colorado. Move to another state. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) told the police that it was very unusual for such a note to be written at the crime scene. The Bennett Family (Latin: Benedictus; English: Benedict; translates as "blessed" or "one who is blessed") is one of the main families in The Vampire Diaries and a matriarchal bloodline of powerful witches. Abby, a vampire, and Bonnie Bennett are the last living members of the Bennett family. Prior to the verdict being read, Ewings attorneys attempted to have the case declared a mistrial, arguing Friday that the jurors were coerced by being forced to deliberate a second straight day after reaching an impasse Thursday evening. The Bennett family was attacked in their home in Aurora, Colorado in Jan. 16,1984. 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. Questions still remain in the Bennett-Smith cases: Anyone with information is asked to contact Aurora Police Detective R.J. Wilson, the lead investigator on the case, at 303-739-6106 or the Lakewood Police Cold Case hotline at 303-987-7474. 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. Speaking to anyone about your situation, such as Police, F.B.I., etc., will result in your daughter being beheaded. @9WantsToKnow #9NEWS pic.twitter.com/sy989l4z06. Jesperson claims that her name was Susanne. 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. [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. In the documentary, DNA and forensic scientist expert Lawrence Kobilinsky stated that "an unidentified male committed this crime". [38][39] John picked up the child's body and took it upstairs. Her father, John, found the girl's body in the basement of their house about seven hours after she had been reported missing. Ewing was not identified as a suspect until a DNA hit in July 2018 linked him to semen left at the crime scene. 911 call and initial search for the child. It's important that we still do.Sheila explains to Bonnie their family's history in Haunted. 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. [10] Pavlinac's story was also at odds with several eyewitness accounts which placed Bennett at a bar approximately 25 miles (40km) from where Pavlinac claimed Sosnovske met Bennett. [g], The Case of: JonBent Ramsey, a show broadcast on CBS on September 18 and 19, 2016, used a group of experts to evaluate the evidence. You will be scanned for electronic devices and if any are found, she dies. He faced six counts of first-degree murder. The films Ruthless People, Ransom, Escape from New York, Speed[23] and Dirty Harry[24] have acceptance as sources. The claim that JonBent was drugged further cast doubt on the confession because the autopsy indicated no drugs were found in her body. Her jeans were pulled down, and her boots were still on her feet. [12] Inside the Vista House, Pavlinac stated she held a rope around Bennett's neck while Sosnovske raped her, eventually strangling her to death. The perception is that they are closer than we thought." [15] Pavlinac was ultimately convicted of Bennett's murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment[16] on January 31, 1991. [15] His first marriage ended in divorce in 1978. She was a previously-unidentified woman named Patricia Skiple,[12] who, he claimed, was named "Carla" or "Cindy". 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. [86] Furthermore, Reich's DNA did not match DNA found on JonBent's body. [19] He pleaded guilty and was convicted of Bennett's murder on November 2, 1995, after formally confessing to police in September. [33], One theory is that Patsy struck JonBent in a fit of rage after a bedwetting episode, and strangled her to cover up what had happened, after mistakenly thinking she was already dead. [53] The police saw no evidence of a forced entry, but they did see evidence of staging of the scene, such as the ransom note. John opened the latched door which Officer French had overlooked and found his daughter's body in one of the rooms. Bennett, aged 13 at the time, told the babysitter to leave . The family had been celebrating Melissas birthday that night. The other kids at school would tease her, telling her the hammer man was going to come and finish her off. Keeler: Avs fans, could we please skip Valeri Nichushkin, Nazem Kadri revisionist history? Sheila, Beatrice, Lucy, Ayana, and the Witch of the Five, along with a dozen or so other Bennett witches, had found peace and returned from peace, briefly, to aid Bonnie as. [35][53][c], Lou Smit was a detective who came out of retirement in early 1997 to assist the Boulder County District Attorney's office with the case. Dixon also survived. RELATED: She was the sole survivor of one of Colorado's most brutal crimes. Photo Credits: Mamamia The real-life story of Paris. Wood said he would also file a suit against CBS at the end of October 2016. At the time Ewing was identified as a suspect in the Bennett and Smith cases, he was still serving a 110-year sentence for a late-night ax handle attack on a couple in Henderson that occurred about seven months after the Bennett murders. [39], The autopsy revealed that JonBent had been killed by strangulation and a skull fracture. Both survived. "[7] In the midst of Pavlinac's trial, a graffito was found inside a rest stop bathroom in Livingston, Montana, which read: "I killed Tanya [sic] Bennett Jan. 21, 1990 in Portland, Oregon. Upset that he was not getting any media attention, Jesperson drew a smiley face on a bathroom wall hundreds of miles from the scene of the crime and wrote an anonymous letter confessing to Bennett's murder, providing proof. [5], That desire manifested in two attempted murders. Jesperson reported that he was raped at age 14. [33][64] However, Patsy did not have a known history of uncontrolled anger. Why wasnt Vanessa raped? [76], Author Stephen Singular in his book Presumed Guilty (1999, revised 2016)[78]refers to consultations with cyber-crime specialists to argue JonBent attracted the attention of child pornographers and pedophiles affiliated with the child pageant scene. They sought $250 million in compensatory damages and $500 million in punitive damages. [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. [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. Alex Christopher Ewing, 61, received life sentences for killing Colorado couple Bruce Bennett, 27, and Debra Bennett, 26, and raping and killing their 7-year-old daughter Melissa, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The killings ended with the Bennetts. Stay & Bennett Family Murders. A review by a child psychologist stated that it appeared that the Ramseys had "healthy, caring family relationships". Dont forget to follow Generation Why on FB [X] , Instagram [X] and Twitter [X]. Pavlinac set up a meeting with investigators and gave a false confession, using the details she had read in the newspaper to give a detailed story of how Sosnovske forced her to help him rape, murder, and dispose of Bennett's body. She was buried at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Georgia, on December 31. "[53] Gordon Coombes joined the office as an investigator under Lacy when they were testing JonBent's clothing for touch DNA. A month later, in Turlock, California, the body of Cynthia Lyn Rose was discovered. [16][26] She died of heart failure[17] in Wilsonville on March 4, 2003, aged 70. Some time later, at a public pool, Jesperson attempted to drown the boy by holding his head under the water until a lifeguard pulled him away.[6]. 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). I had tubes in my nose to eat. Keith Hunter Jesperson (born April 6, 1955) is a Canadian-American serial killer who murdered at least eight women in the United States during the early 1990s. He was found guilty on all counts, and in August, was handed down three consecutive life sentences. 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. [75] In a 2003 defamation lawsuit related to the case (Wolf v. Ramsey), involving the Ramseys publicly identifying an early suspect in the case, Judge Julie E. Carnes wrote: Lou Smit, a detective in the case, assessed the evidence and concluded that an intruder had committed the crime. The Bennett family has been linked to both the Salvatore and Petrova families since 1st Century B.C. 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. 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 The story of the assaults, the search for a killer, and the anxiety that gripped the survivors and altered life in the Denver metro area is the subject of a 9Wants to Know investigative podcast. The killer then ascended the staircase and entered the couples bedroom where attacked Bruces wife, 26 year old Debra, who he raped before bludgeoning to death. [4] The investigators had never considered him a suspect. [52], Errors that were made in the initial investigation complicated the resolution of the investigation and applicable theory. permitting the child to be in a threatening situation, Getting Away with Murder: The JonBent Ramsey Mystery, "JonBenet Ramsey: What to Know About the Beauty Queen's Murder 20 Years Later", "Burke Ramsey not suspect in killing, DA's office says", "Grand Jury heard from JonBent's brother", "Papers: Grand jury in 1999 sought to indict JonBent Ramsey's parents", "Reports Sought In Jonbenet's Sister's Death", "JonBenet Ramsey Case Timeline: 19962012", "Police drop some potential suspects in Ramsey killing", "JonBenet Ramsey Murder - The Ransom Note", "JonBenet Ramsey case: 9 things the ex-police chief just revealed", "Experts Dissect JonBenet Ramsey Ransom Note", "JonBenet Ramsey case: Former Boulder police chief Mark Beckner says police botched initial handling", "Bungled JonBent Case Bursts a City's Majesty", "Patricia Ramsey's handwriting 'set off bells', "Wolf v. Ramsey, 253 F. Supp. The jury got the case shortly after noon on Thursday. [34][a], Officer Rick French went to the basement and came to a door that was secured by a wooden latch. 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. [6] Although Jesperson was not successful with girls in high school, having never even attended a school dance or his prom, he did enter into a relationship after high school. At this time we have your daughter in our posession [sic]. Bruce, his wife Debra and 7-year-old Melissa were found dead. Prosecutors argued there is no innocent explanation for the presence of Ewings DNA on carpeting where Melissa Bennetts body was found and on a comforter covering her. Photography Simon Folkard. Police announced Friday that they have issued an arrest warrant for Ewing, who is currently serving a sentence of eight to 40 years at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City. 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. After the body of his first victim, Taunja Bennett, was found, media attention surrounded Laverne Pavlinac, a woman who falsely confessed to having killed Bennett with the help of her abusive boyfriend, John Sosnovske. Weve been waiting a long time for this, Bennett said. [11] These eyewitnesses stated that they saw Bennett playing pool with two unidentified men, neither of whom was Sosnovske. 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. [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. [96][97][98], Lin Wood, the Ramseys' family libel attorney, filed defamation lawsuits against several people and companies that had reported on the case, starting in 1999. Murder in Halifax: Who killed Tanya Jean Brooks? 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. However, shesurvived the attack. I hope that this case is a testament to all those who have lost someone, and are waiting and hoping, Kellner said after the verdict. The city's mayor Leslie L Durgin said, "I'm extremely concerned about the relationship between the district attorney's office and the Ramsey attorneys. [25], Pavlinac, along with Sosnovske, was released from prison on November 28, 1995. In the early hours of January 16, 1984, between midnight and 6:00 a.m., an intruderentered the Bennett home and viciously attacked the entire family. Melissa Bennett, left, and her parents, Bruce and Debra Bennett, were murdered the night of Jan. 15, 1984. At age 35, standing 6feet 7inches (2.01m) and weighing approximately 255 pounds (116kg),[9] Jesperson began working toward the goal of joining the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), but an injury suffered while training ended this endeavor. [21], Following Bennett's murder, as all the attention was going to Pavlinac and Sosnovske, Jesperson wrote a confession on the bathroom wall of a truck stop and signed it with a smiley face. After all, Ewing was facing multiple counts of first-degree murder for the killings of Smith and the three members of the Bennett family. "It just seemed weird the whole premise of this attempt to influence the entire agency," he stated. 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. [11] JonBent's first name combines her father's first and middle names, and her mother's first name was used as her middle name. She said in an interview that she has big plans for the future, and reminds us that "its never too late to achieve big things. Alex Christopher Ewing, 60, faces multiple counts of first-degree murder in the Jan. 16, 1984, killings of Bruce and Debra Bennett and their 7-year-old daughter, Melissa. The Bennett Family Murders ~ Aurora, Colorado ~ January 16, 1984 The Bennett family was your average middle class family living the American dream. He paused for a moment in front of the door, but walked away without opening it. Our family fled Salem in 1692 and relocated here. [7] Jesperson continued to spend time with his children when he was in town. Keith Hunter Jesperson (born April 6, 1955) is a Canadian-American serial killer who murdered at least eight women in the United States during the early 1990s. New Millenium Press, 1999, ISBN 1893224007. She too survived the attack, although she was first in a coma for some time. Hundreds of DNA tests were performed to find a match to the DNA recovered during her autopsy. Ewing, 60, faces life in prison but, under 1984 sentencing laws, will be eligible for parole after 20 years. [65] The first two interviews did not raise any concerns about him. Why did they have to get murdered? Over 200 Million Downloads! RELATED: Bennett family murders: Full coverage of suspect's trial. [1], At a very early ageas young as fiveJesperson would capture and torture animals. For the American noise rock outfit from Houston, Texas, see. I had braces on my legs.. On night of January 16th, 1984 a gruesome discovery was made at a house on 16300 East Center Drive, Aurora, Colorado. It is not clear if the January 4th attacks were tied tothe same killer, although it is very likely. Jesperson's father denied being an abusive parent; however, while investigating for his book on the killer, author Jack Olsen was able to confirm much of the claimed abuse with other family members. Little Vanessas jaw was crushed,sending jagged bones into her windpipe. Ewing is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 17 to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 20 years. French later explained that he was looking for an exit route used by the kidnapper, which the closed inside peg ruled out. [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. [20], According to statements that Patsy gave to authorities on December 26, 1996, she realized that her daughter was missing after she found a two-and-a-half-page handwritten ransom note on the kitchen staircase at the Ramsey family's Boulder residence. [] Our major crimes unit has received and reviewed or investigated over 20,000 tips, letters or emails. 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. [77] There were also cobwebs in the tracks of various windows, and dust and debris were on some sills. [42] However, neither John nor Patsy said they remembered putting the bowl on the table or feeding pineapple to JonBent. "It's just like a weight has been lifted off.". He enjoyed watching animals kill each other as well as the feeling he got from taking their lives. [32] The series had 12 episodes. According to an arrest affidavit, Ewing said it's "got to be a mistake" when he was told his DNA was found at the scene of a 1984 Lakewood homicide that had previously been linked to the Bennett family deaths. Devin Booker sulked. Melissa, 7, was sexually assaulted in the attack. The official cause of death was "asphyxia by strangulation associated with craniocerebral trauma. [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. She had an older brother named Burke (born 1987). [18] Three years prior to his arrest, Jesperson wrote a series of letters to The Oregonian detailing his killing spree, including specific details of Bennett's murder. 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. [49] Former Adams County, Colorado, District Attorney Bob Grant, who has assisted the Boulder DA's office on the case for many years, also believes that the DNA evidence is significant, saying that any resolution of the case would have to explain how the DNA showed up on several pieces of JonBent's clothing. A weight was lifted off today, an emotional Connie Bennett said after the verdict. 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. You will also be denied her remains for proper burial. [102], In November 2006, Rod Westmoreland, a friend of John Ramsey, filed a defamation suit against an anonymous web surfer who had posted two messages on Internet forums using the pseudonym "undertheradar" implicating Westmoreland in the murder. [5] Through police correspondence with Sosnovske's parole officer,[5] it was determined that the caller who implicated him was Laverne Pavlinac, Sosnovske's 58-year-old girlfriend. The police and the prosecutors followed leads for intruders partly due to the unidentified boot mark left in the basement room where JonBent's body was found.[35]. The oldest child, Melissa, was ten years old. I think its too early to do that.. [16] She testified in court: "I started a lie, and it snowballed on me. "Every time we keep going back to the well with DNA and genetic genealogy, we get better and better at this and we find the people responsible for these heinous crimes who think they got away with it," Kellner said. Andrew Cogliano out for Game 7 with fractured neck after Jordan Eberle's hit leaves Avalanche miffed at lack of suspension, Denver airport makes Food & Wine's list of top 10 U.S. airports with best restaurants, Celebration of life for Alexa Bartell, killed by rock thrown through windshield, draws hundreds to Arvada church, Colorado lawmakers "belly flop" on water crisis, opting for further study of Colorado River over action, experts say, Skier killed in avalanche near Breckenridge, With Andrew Cogliano out for rest of Stanley Cup Playoffs, Kraken's Jordan Eberle discusses hit that fractured Cogliano's neck, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The crime is still considered a cold case and remains an open investigation with the Boulder Police Department. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. [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. [1] She was raised in Clatskanie, where she graduated from Clatskanie High School in 1950. Hawaii Cold Case: Who killed Jubilee Lum in 1999? She was enrolled in kindergarten at High Peaks Elementary School in Boulder, Colorado. The same night he escaped, he broke into yet another couples house and attacked the male of the home. He then sought work again as an interstate truck driver after relocating to Cheney, Washington. There were 38 registered sex offenders living within a 2-mile (3.2km) radius of the Ramseys' home. [10], Following Sosnovske's arrest, a forensic analysis of Pavlinac's vehicle was completed, but no evidence indicating a body had been transported in it was found. Ewing has been locked up since. The court will not grant a mistrial at this point, Vahle said. Don't underestimate us John. The couple divorced in 1990.[8]. Ewing faces four counts of first-degree murder in that case. A hammer was lying nearby. "[8] He also stated that the unknown DNA from JonBenet's clothing "has got to be the focus of the investigation" at this point in time and that, until one can prove otherwise, "the suspect is the donator of that unknown DNA. Ewing was found guilty on Aug 6, 2021 in the 1984 Bennett family Murders in Aurora, Colorado. Three-year . It can be deposited anywhere at any time for various reasons, reasons that are benign. Don't try to grow a brain John. However, the evidence fell short of a definitive conclusion. They served almost 6 years before both were exonerated after serial killer Keith Jesperson confessed to Bennett's murder. Ewing is scheduled to go on trial in Smiths murder in October in Jefferson County. He went on to continually beat the mans wife as she attempted to shield her husband from the blows of an ax handle while simultaneously on the phone to 911. Whoever the killer was, he had no problem attacking innocent children. According to Jesperson, Pentland attempted to double the fee she charged for the sex he had been engaged in with her. She is safe and unharmed and if you want her to see 1997, you must follow our instructions to the letter.You will withdraw $118,000.00 from your account. Many of his victims were sex workers and transients who had no connection to him. [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. [28][29] According to a Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report, "There are indications that the author of the ransom note is Patricia Ramsey." She was also left with a shattered pelvis and fell into in a coma. They were unable to successfully challenge the police department's belief that the Ramseys were guilty. He was arrested for the crime but went on to escape from prison transport during a gas station break. Their house bordered an apple orchard, and Jesperson killed stray cats and gophers that wandered nearby. In the days following, Jesperson decided that he was certainly going to be arrested, and after two suicide attempts turned himself in hoping it would result in leniency during his sentencing. On the 4th of January James and Kimberly Haubenschild were also attacked with a hammer at their home in Aurora, but both survived. [8], Pavlinac accompanied law enforcement to the truck stop, where she identified the specific location she claimed to have seen Sosnovske standing with Bennett's body;[9] she also accompanied them to the location where Bennett's body had been found, accurately identifying it. But science and progress keeps marching on.. 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. Contact 9NEWS reporter Kevin Vaughan with tips about this or any story:kevin.vaughan@9news.comor 303-871-1862. 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. One day, she watched, horrified, as he hung stray kittens from the family's clothesline. "[95], Reich later sent emails under numerous pen names, including Daxis the Conqueror, Drk Prnz, and Alexis. [6] Approximately one year later, Jesperson was swimming in a lake when another boy held him underwater until he blacked out. 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. Both Pavlinac and Sosnovske were convicted, with Pavlinac receiving a 10-year sentence. [45] That DNA belonged to an unknown male person, and excluded the DNA of each of the Ramseys. [66][e], A Colorado grand jury voted in 1999 to indict the parents. One is the family member theory. Vanessa Bennett sat under a picnic shelter on a muggy Arizona morning and talked for the first time about the physical and emotional toll she bears as the only surviving victim of one of Colorados most brutal crimes. [8] Pavlinac claimed the two rolled Bennett's body into a shower curtain that she had brought, and disposed of her body along the Old Columbia River Highway, around 20 miles (32km) east in the Columbia River Gorge. What about the Bennetts? [6] He graduated from high school in 1973, but did not attend college because his father did not believe he could do it. His fourth victim was another sex worker, Laurie Ann Pentland of Salem, Oregon, whose body was found in November 1992. And we didnt have much hope then. The suit against Don Davis, Steven Thomas, and St. Martin's Press was settled out of court the following year. 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. Singular further believes the investigation was overly-focused on the Ramsey parents, hampering investigation into alternate scenarios, and the Ramseys were not responsible for the murder other than perhaps unwittingly exposing their daughter to sexual predators. / 33.95501; -84.55637. [7] He had watched and laughed as the kittens clawed each other to escape, then he killed them. [35], With JonBent still missing, John made arrangements to pay the ransom. 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.