Some leads generated from all the publicity through investigators seriously off the scent. Hes always worked hard and he always saw that I had everything. William Shearing, Davids father, died from cancer on March 19, 1982, about six months before the murders. The next night, her parents found her at Brunos home. Their time near the beautiful Wells Gray Park was cut short by a sadistic, brutal killer obsessed with young girls. The accident was never reported to the police. Johnson is the author of the non-fiction book, Flagstaff's Walkup Family Murders: A Shocking 1937 Tragedy, set to publish Monday. They left the cabin after they were nearly discovered. The sheriff announced that they had several persons of interest that they were wishing to speak to as soon as possible and had two or three motives which could have led to the killing. Other theories point to Albin poisoning the family. The family's patriarch, Albin Johnson, was strangely missing, and the police desperately searched for him as their . His father, since deceased, had once been a prison guard and his brother was a sheriff. "I wanted to contribute to the historical record and keep the memory of the family alive," he said in an interview. She was also a victim of domestic abuse. Pinkerton's Persistent PI's The other charges they were referring to was controlled substance charges.6. Shearing told Eastham he kept the girls alive for nearly a week, staying with them both at his ranch and at a small fishing cabin on the Clearwater River whilst repeatedly raping them. Royal Canadian Mounted Police detectives, Sergeant Mike Eastham and Constable Ken Liebel were convinced David Shearing was guilty from the beginning and tried to get his confidence. He took the bodies back to the Johnson family car, which hed hidden and put the girls bodies in the trunk. Then there's the kerosene can, found in the Chisago County sheriff's office in the 1960s and reportedly obtained on the Johnson farm after the 1933 fire. On April 17, 1984, Justice McKay sentenced David William Shearing to six concurrent terms of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Alexander Jackson, 20, is charged with three counts of murder in the triple homicide at the home in Cedar Rapids, KCRG reported, citing police. ; Ellison, mayors urge recalls. Five weeks after the families were last heard from, on September 13, 1982, a mushroom picker reported finding a burned-out car with the driver's side door open in a clearing off a mountainside logging road. The victims were unknown to the prisoner. Cops responded to the home at about 8:20 a.m.. "Facts seem to indicate that Albin Johnson snapped and killed his family," the author writes. I cant believe how she could kill the two people in the world who loved her the most., Sarahs own brother, Matt Johnson, also addressed his sister, stating: I think some honesty needs to come out of you, and you need to plead to the court for some for forgiveness. To double-check the story, Eastham found the prison guard. When entire families are murdered, it's often a case of familicide, in which the mass murderer is a family member. At dusk on August 10, 1982, walked into the campsite with his rifle and shot Bob Johnson, then Jackie, and then George and Edith in cold blood. There was quite a bit of carnage, recalled Tremble.3. He knew they were camped at the site and carefully scouted the situation. Collections; Project #ShowUs; . Eastham what really happened. 2 (2020 Podcast Episode) Plot. David Shearing or David Ennis remains in prison at Bowden Institution, south of Red Deer, Alberta, now aged 61 years of age. I put the bodies in the car, four in the back seat, and the two little ones in the trunk. Alan was 6 feet 6 inches tall & Sarah is only 5 feet 2 inches tall,meaning that she was too short to shoot him in the chest by shooting from straight across,while standing flat on the ground. She was subsequently sentenced to two concurrent life terms plus 15 years for a firearm enhancement. Her defense, however, was alleging that it was Bruno who had killed Alan and Diane. She said there wasdebris, pieces or hair, skin and a sogginess under my feet.In the main bedroom lay the lifeless body of Diane. But all eight were found in sleeping positions convincing authorities that they were dead when the fire started. The Johnsons and Bentleys were last heard from on August 6th, 1982. Over 1,300 alleged sightings were investigated, but all turned out to be false. It had been burned using an accelerant, probably gasoline mixed with something else. more of the story. He remembered the meeting exactly as Shearing had described it. Despite his reputation and criminal record, Shearing came from a respectable family. He came to the door of the cabin to tell Shearing not to be alarmed. With Albin suspected of having fled to Canada, a massive manhunt began, with newspapers as far as Texas carrying the story: but early leads turned up only red herrings and false identifications. Were proud to honor those men and women. I knelt down, and I shot the other two.. Brian Johnson puts the case in the context of the Depression and gangster era, pointing out that Albin could hide in plain sight as countless hobos and wanderers crisscrossed the country on highways and trains looking for work. An investigation revealed deep secrets and a grudge Sarah had been holding over her parents. They contended that Sarah had hoped that with her parents out of the way, she and Bruno could live on their inheritance. The RCMP started questioning possible suspects again in Clearwater. He took the bodies back to the Johnson family car, which hed hidden and put the girls bodies in the trunk. Foul play, residents in the close-knit Swedish immigrant community cried. Most worrying of all was the fact that Albin Johnson, Alviras husband, was nowhere to be found. Grandma wanted to find him She contacted them [the Pinkertons]. I dont have any right to go into your house and examine your guns. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Wells Gray area was a valued hunting ground to the Secwepemc (Shuswap),Tsilhqot'in (Chilcotin)and Canim Lake aboriginal groups. All three were sentenced to life in prison for their roles. "At times, the facts surrounding the mystery bounce through my head like the silver orb in a pinball machine. Shearing did not appeal his sentence. The media referred to the tragedy as the Wells Gray Park murders, but the actual site of the familys massacre was just outside the park entrance. The burnt remnants provided no clues, but the location was of interest. The day Shearings trial was set to begin, he changed his mind and pled guilty to six counts of second-degree murder for the 1982 Johnson and Bentley families. Sarah Was Not Even In The Guest House That Day. Supreme Court Justice Harry McKay said, What we have, very simply, is a cold-blooded and senseless execution of six defenseless and innocent victims for no apparent reason. The group traveled to the remote Wells Gray Provincial Park,a wilderness park located in east-central British Columbia,Canada, around 300 miles (478 km) to the northeast of Vancouver. The logging road was near Battle Mountain Road, thirteen aerial miles from Bear Creek and north of the town of Clearwater. "I know I contributed to the spread of evil in this world," Johnson, now 21, told the court. They did not, in any way, provoke him. Occasionally, were able to highlight the contributions of specific law enforcement personnel, such as the sergeant who cracked a case based on a single bottle of beer, or the feds who after years of investigation finally rounded up public enemy number one, Alvin Karpis. The notorious "Bloody Benders" were a German immigrant family who owned both a general store and small inn in the early 1870s in Labette County . The lead victim, Alvira Lundeen Johnsonthe authors own great-auntand her children seemed from the forensic evidence not to have been disturbed from their sleep by the flames, suggesting that they had died prior to the blaze. We had no reason to suspect him.. They left the cabin after they were nearly discovered. Over 1,300 alleged sightings were investigated, but all turned out to be false. However, he did not elaborate any further. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, Read more True Crime Stories from StrangeOutdoors, Gary Michael Hilton - The disturbing case of the National Forest Serial Killer, Highway of Tears in British Columbia, Canada, Amy Wroe Bechtel - disturbing disappearances in U.S. forests, The real "Wolf Creek" - the disturbing case of the backpacker murders in the Australian Outback, The Cowden Family - Strange and disturbing murders in the U.S. wilderness, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Gray_Provincial_Park, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Gray_Provincial_Park_Family_Murders, http://dyingwords.net/david-shearing-the-monster-from-wells-gray-park/#sthash.hUyyi6wR.PxXToWpg.dpbs, http://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/shearing-david.htm, https://www.lelandhale.com/wordpress/startling-development-british-columbia/, https://christopherdiarmani.com/14874/crime/canadian-mass-murders/david-william-shearing-slaughtered-family-of-six-in-wells-gray-provincial-park/, The Seventh Shadow: The Wilderness Manhunt for a Brutal Mass Murderer by Michael Eastham and Ian McLeod (1999, Paperback), The Wells Gray Gunman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unFwrrYLZH8, The Detectives The Wells Gray Gunman S1 E1 (Canada only)https://watch.cbc.ca/the-detectives/season-1/episode-1/38e815a-00d94f07a15, Tagged: The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders in Canada, wells gray provincial park murders, johnson and bennett murders canada, The canadian camping ground murders, johnson family murders wells gray park, bob johnson and jackie johnson murders wells gray, janet johnson and karen johnson murdered wells gray, david william shearing serial killer wells gray park, wells gray park camping murders canada, family murders wells gray park canada, George Bentley and Edith Bentley murders wells gray park, Sign up now for a one-time fee for access to over 55 exclusive member articles, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders in Canada, bob johnson and jackie johnson murders wells gray, janet johnson and karen johnson murdered wells gray, david william shearing serial killer wells gray park, George Bentley and Edith Bentley murders wells gray park, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. He remembered the meeting exactly as Shearing had described it. On August 16, 1982, Bob Johnson failed to return to work at Gorman Brothers Lumber in Westbank. Its possible that the number of theories surrounding Albins disappearance may have hindered the Pinkerton search, Johnson writes. The location was beside Fage Creek, 18 km (11.2 mi) north of Clearwater and 18 km (11.2 mi) south of the Wells Gray Park entrance on Clearwater Valley Road. "It's anybody's guess what really happened," Brian Johnson says, doubting the mystery will ever be solved. This was very unusual for the 25-year employee. On January 19, 1984, David Shearing waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Johnsons burnt out car discovered September 13, 1982. Six months after the fire, a grand jury indicted Albin in the deaths. While his surviving son Buster and other family members looked on from the public gallery, Murdaugh stood and addressed the court once again insisting his innocence of the brutal 7 June 2021 . Pictures: Fla. mom killed her 4. Eerily, a crucifix that fell from the wall lay on top of the murder weapon. Well, Im here to collect, David, and Im not taking no for an answer.. On the 2nd of September, 2003, in Bellevue, Idaho, 16-year-old Sarah Marie Johnson ran out of her home screaming that somebody had murdered her parents. I went to the tent. Crucially he handed the police a .22 caliber Remington pump-action rifle, which was forensically matched as the murder weapon. Its a remarkable story, but as Brian Johnson notes, the methods and tools that law enforcement had at the time to trace suspects movements or coordinate searches paled in comparison to what they have today. What, might you ask, does a murder in rural Minnesota have to do with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln? The charges were filed in so-called absentia because he had vanished for good. Shearing accidentally admitted to Eastham that he had heard the murders were committed at Bear Creek which was not information that had been released to the public. PALESTINE, Texas (KLTV) - A Houston Man is wanted for Murder after a Palestine woman was shot and killed Thursday night, police say. The Chisago County Press reported her body was lying near the crib of 4-month-old James her youngest. By that timewhile the brain is still growing and developing it has reached a certain level of stability!!! The charred remains were that of the Bentley and Johnson families. His father, since deceased, had once been a prison guard and his brother was a sheriff. The Johnsons and Bentleys were last heard from on August 6th, 1982. While she didnt know for sure, she said she presumed that they were dead for when she called their names, there was no response. Bentley truck Bear Creek, Trophy Mountain. 3. It had been burned using an accelerant, probably gasoline mixed with something else. Authorities said . Royal Canadian Mounted Police detectives, Sergeant Mike Eastham and Constable Ken Liebel were convinced David Shearing was guilty from the beginning and tried to get his confidence. Its not clear either way. Furthermore, when Sarah had been brought in for questioning, it was noticed that she had a bruised shoulder which was indicative of recoil from the rifle.4. An investigation of the crime scene turned up a discarded bathrobe and blood-stained latex glove that had been hidden in the garbage can outside the home. When police were questioned why they didnt seize the firearm and test it to see if casings fired from it matched those found at the scene, Inspector Vic Edwards cited basic rights. He repeated the process with Janet, the older daughter, on August 17, 1982. By Hailey Fuchs. Police created an exact replica of the Bentley 1981 Ford camper down to the last detail, including the aluminum boat strapped to the roof. But not before a coroner's inquest jury examined the bones and determined Albin's remains were not among them. The burnt remnants provided no clues, but the location was of interest. The Pinkerton National Detective Agencynone other than the folks who had uncovered the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln in 1861 (one conspirator from which already appearing on Crime Capsule)sent its agents to join the hunt. It covers 5,250 square kilometers (1.3 million acres) and is British Columbia's fourth-largest park, after Tatshenshini,Spatsizi and Tweedsmuir. Why? The Johnson Family Murders Pt. She recalled that as soon as she opened the door, she smelt a strange odor. Seven Questions for Keith Roysdon, author of The Westside Park Murders, Convicting Serial Killer Roy Melanson: The Shoddy SODDI Defense, Giovanni Chiesa: Immigrant, Miner, Martyr. Heather Ennis claims her husband deserves a second chance, I have seen so much change in this man since we met (in 1993). Presumably, Sarah had hoped that the garbage truck would have picked the garbage up. In September 2008, David Shearing was up for parole - 24 years after his conviction for the murders. He said he cleaned the campsite, then took the truck/camper back to his nearby property, only to burn it later when he discovered how difficult it was to re-register. On September 13, the Johnson family car was found burned in a clearing off a mountainside logging road, thirteen aerial miles from Bear Creek. On January 19, 1984, David Shearing waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Sometimes, however, a case needs a little more manpower than the public sector can provide. of both murders. "The more conventional view is that Johnson just slipped away," writes Brian Johnson, whose grandmother was Alvira's sister. Hey,I Already Said About How I Know That An Innocent Woman Is Mistakenly Incarcerated,Check Out The Details,Once Again & You Will See How. The guard noticed nothing unusual. There are no ameliorating or mitigating factors. Many hours were wasted on these "wild goose" chases as the public phoned in thousands of sightings which all needed to be investigated. This case is at the upper range of culpability. The sentence I impose, in conjunction with such matters as protection of the public and specific deterrence, must have proper regard for public opinion and must express, in clear terms, the revulsion felt by the great majority of our citizens for this senseless and vicious mass killing. And indeed, ultimately, Albin was never found. Select from premium The Otero Family Murders of the highest quality. I went to the tent. Unsophisticated law enforcement, meanwhile, had its hands full with Bonnie Parker, Clyde Barrow and other gangsters in 1933. I do think you should cease the slandering comments of an innocent man though. After effort and persuasion, Eastham managed to convince Shearing to confess to the six murders and he eventually agreed to re-enact the murders and even to turn over the murdered familys possessions. Even so, we can salute the combined efforts of all those searching for the suspect, public and private alike. 1:57 Family of victims of notorious Johnson-Bentley murders fight potential parole of killer In 1982, David Shearing killed six members of the same family in B.C., including two young girls. This demonstrates the fundamental reason why lowering the age to be considered an adult is stupid and dangerous!!! In advance of the campers arrival at each town or city, police held press conferences to publicize the campers arrival. Thats why the traditional age of adulthood was 21!!! What's the story behind Minneapolis' smaller houses with huge front yards? Johnson's guilt was so much he ended up going to the authorities. On November 19, 1983, The RCMP found Shearing in Tumbler Ridge, north of Kamloops, where he was due to appear in court in a few days on a possession of stolen property charge of a significant amount of tools. Harold, the oldest of her five boys and two girls, was only 10. The spot was only 15 miles from the murder site and 20 miles from where the Johnsons' car was located and on the different side of the mountain. Edward Wayne Edwards Wikipedia Edwards killed at least 5 and is suspected of many other murders. Five weeks after the families were last heard from, on September 13, 1982, a mushroom picker reported finding a burned-out car with the driver's side door open in a clearing off a mountainside logging road. He repeated the process with Janet, the older daughter, on August 17, 1982. Copyright 2019 by Arcadia Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. On the morning of the 2nd of September, 2003, 16-year-oldSarah Marie Johnsonfrom Bellevue, Idaho, ran to her neighbors home in hysterics. Alviras mother, Christine Lundeen, hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to help locate Albin. Prosecutor Thomas said that despite the fact that Sarah was being charged as an adult, he wouldnt be seeking the death penalty. Morbidology Podcast The article continues below The charred remains were that of the Bentley and Johnson families. All of the physical evidence pointed towards Sarah. The fire that killed Alvira Johnson: Depression-era murder, or tragic accident? 1. Hours after the bodies were removed on January 5, 1990, Lundgren was indicted by the county grand jury for multi-count aggravated murder, reports the News Herald. David William Shearing, 24, who lived locally was identified by someone who told police that, over a year earlier, Shearing had enquired about how to re-register a Ford pickup and repair a hole in its door. It Might Now Be Time For Sarah To Grab The Prison Chefs Butcher Knife,Take Him Over To A Wall & Hold Him Hostage,By Holding It To His Throat & Demand That Her Arrest & Conviction Be Thrown Away,With Prejudice & That She Be Released From Prison,Right Now,Saying That She Did No Such Thing To Her Parents,While Also Saying That Either Judge Richard Bevan Comes Right Over,Throws Away Her Arrest & Conviction,With Prejudice & Grants Her Release From Prison,Right Now Or Otherwise,She Will Slice The Chef,With His Own Butcher Knife. Here at Crime Capsule, we spend a lot of time looking at the criminals involved in heinous deeds (rather, misdeeds). Murder in Chisago County : The Unsolved Johnson Family Mystery - Signed | Books & Magazines, Books | eBay! While they stayed in the tent, he said, he loaded the bodies of their parents and grandparents into the back seat of the family car and covered the bodies with a blanket. In rich detail, he lays out clue after clue, True Crime Tuesday Podcast interview with Brian Johnson, If you pay attention, you can tell when someones lying. Interview with Brian Johnson Tom Barnard Show. Curt Brown Shearing did not appeal his sentence. The two girls were already in their tent, ready for bed. Shearing had graduated from high school and had successfully completed a heavy mechanic's course. By this point, Bruno had been deported to Mexico but was ordered to return to the United States when immigration officials discovered his importance to the case.5, During Sarahs trial, the prosecution alleged that Sarah had killed her parents for opposing to her relationship. Coincidentally, David Shearing was one of the first individuals to have been interviewed by RCMP after the investigation started when the two families were discovered in the car. David Shearings mother, Rose Shearing, expressed shock at the news of her sons arrest and conviction for murdering six people.I hope its a bad mistake or a bad dream. They were Bob and Jackie Johnson, their two daughters (Janet, 13 and Karen, 11), and Jackie's parents, George and Edith Bentley. On August 2, 1982, Bob Johnson, 44, and Jackie Johnson, 41, and their daughters Janet, 13, and Karen, 11, went on a two-week camping trip with Jackie's parents,George Bentley, 66, and Edith Bentley, 59. Johnson's new 120-page book "Murder in Chisago County" (The History Press) zeros in on husband and father Albin Johnson, who was charged with killing his family before fleeing during the Depression. The Murdaugh family. In addition to the DNA evidence, Dianes sister testified that just the day before the murders, Sarah had asked for the keys to the gun safe. The bodies were so consumed that they were eventually interred together in one child-sized casket. Shearing said he looked in, told them a dangerous biker gang was around and their parents had run for help. Initially, it was believed that this may have been a murder-suicide. But they never found him. Murder in Chisago County: The Unsolved Johnson Family Mystery, cracked a case based on a single bottle of beer, finally rounded up public enemy number one, one conspirator from which already appearing on Crime Capsule, Interview with Brian Johnson Tom Barnard Show, Speakeasies and Secret Lairs: Milwaukee Prohibition, Murder on the Menu: Missouris Worst Female Killers, Cold Case Cracked: Lieutenant Rita Shulers 40-Year Quest for Justice. Im just gonna destroy your entire argument with 1 clue Dianes sister (Diane was Sarahs mother) gave detectives. CREATIVE. But then on October 18, 1983, fourteen months after the murders with the trail running cold for the killer, the Bentley's camper truck was finally found by two forestry workers, near Bear Creek, on an old logging road near Trophy Mountain. The same as I didnt have any right to go into Mr. Shearings house. But the author also injects his role as a relative of the victims, recalling childhood visits to the graves of the family. Such was the situation in Minnesota in April 1933, when a woman and her seven children were found dead on a Chisago County farm, burned to death and nearly cremated in an overnight fire. "I don't know anybody who didn't get along with Bobbi." "She seemed to have a very strong sense of right and wrong, a very srong, moral value system." The guard noticed nothing unusual. The sentence I impose, in conjunction with such matters as protection of the public and specific deterrence, must have proper regard for public opinion and must express, in clear terms, the revulsion felt by the great majority of our citizens for this senseless and vicious mass killing.
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