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 brother, Anthony, 22, and a family friend, Michael Gunn, 27, are serving life sentences after having been found guilty of first-degree murder in separate trials for their involvement in . Curt Brown's tales about Minnesota's history appear each Sunday. I lost the two best friends I ever had. He remembered the meeting exactly as Shearing had described it. Using investigative research combined with primary audio, Morbidology takes an in-depth look at true crime cases from all across the world. They were Bob and Jackie Johnson, their two daughters (Janet, 13 and Karen, 11), and Jackie's parents, George and Edith Bentley. The logging road was near Battle Mountain Road, thirteen aerial miles from Bear Creek and north of the town of Clearwater. Investigators had also discovered that Sarahs socks were spattered with Dianes blood despite the fact that Sarah claimed she did not go near the bodies out of fear of what she would find. 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. On August 16, 1982, Bob Johnson failed to return to work at Gorman Brothers Lumber in Westbank. 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. Heather Ennis claims her husband deserves a second chance, I have seen so much change in this man since we met (in 1993). The same as I didnt have any right to go into Mr. Shearings house. He drove the car to a secluded spot and burnt it. This is how I know that Sarah Marie Johnson is not guilty of the murders of her Parents,Alan Scott Johnson & Diane Marie Johnson. An investigation revealed deep secrets and a grudge Sarah had been holding over her parents. I put the bodies in the car, four in the back seat, and the two little ones in the trunk. There are no ameliorating or mitigating factors. However, investigators had sealed off the street and turned away the garbage truck which was making it rounds shortly after the shooting. Crucially he handed the police a .22 caliber Remington pump-action rifle, which was forensically matched as the murder weapon. We do not really know, but it seems it was to rob and kill. 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. Sadly it was the last family vacation they were ever to go on. Mary Lea was born in 1926 to blue-eyed, titian-haired society girl Ruth Dill Johnson, the first of the three wives of J. Seward Johnson, a playboy and one of the early barons of the then family . 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. We do not really know, but it seems it was to rob and kill. Shearing said he saw the family when they set up camp and spent several days spying on them, with a fantasy to have sex with Janet and Karen. In September 2008, David Shearing was up for parole - 24 years after his conviction for the murders. It would have been quite a coincidence that the house just happened to go up in flames at precisely that moment of desperation.". 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. 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. The RCMP posted a $7,500 reward, printed 10,000 posters and sent them to police detachments and post offices across North America. I know the mans heart is in the right place and Im just here to back him up.. 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. He remembered the meeting exactly as Shearing had described it. Daniel Rees, 57, was arrested last week and charged with the murder of Rachael Johnson, a 23-year-old woman who was found burned in Akron, Ohio on March 30, 1991. He drove the car to a secluded spot and burnt it. Allegedly, Alan and Diane had threatened to have Bruno arrested if Sarah didnt cut ties with him. We had no reason to suspect him.. 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. Its not clear either way. Eerily, a crucifix that fell from the wall lay on top of the murder weapon. Author Brian Johnson: But the Pinkertons, for all their guile and experience, were no match for Albin Johnson. Constable Leibel said in an interview 25 years after the murders, Thats how close everyone was to them. Most worrying of all was the fact that Albin Johnson, Alviras husband, was nowhere to be found. He went home and returned either that night or the next with a loaded .22 rifle. To double-check the story, Eastham found the prison guard. The following story was inspired by Murder in Chisago County: The Unsolved Johnson Family Mystery by Brian Johnson, who chronicles the investigation of his great-uncle Albin Johnson and the still-unsolved, suspicious death of Albins wife Alvira and their seven children in 1933. Some beer caps of the brand known to be drunk by Bob Johnson were also found as well as full bottles cooling in a nearby stream. Shearing then applied again in 2014, then withdrew the request a month before the hearing. You told me some time ago that you would consider telling me the rest of the story after you were sentenced. He first toyed with writing a novel, but "I could never make up anything as compelling as the true story of the Albin Johnson case. Thats why the traditional age of adulthood was 21!!! As part of the guilty plea, Shearing stated in a written statement: I walked out of the bush from behind the camper and started shooting. Instead, Shatiek Johnson is up for parole after serving nearly 25 years in prison. 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 bodies were found in January 1990. Leibel found them next to a second set, JJ, for 13-year-old Janet Johnson. In response to the murders of 17-year-old Ruth Shelton, 20-year-old Jayne Friedt, 16-year-old Mark Flemmonds, and 16-year-old Daniel Roy Davis, Burger Chef offered the public a $25,000 reward for any clues that could lead to an arrest. Police created an exact replica of the Bentley 1981 Ford camper down to the last detail, including the aluminum boat strapped to the roof. The guard noticed nothing unusual. Sick Robert Brown is up for automatic release later this year - just 13 years into . Mike Eastham whose book about the investigation was published in 1999. Shearing lived three miles from the site of the murders and the police had never released the information about the bullet hole. At the time of the interview, the murder weapon, Shearings .22 caliber rifle, hung on the wall of the family home. Find The Otero Family Murders stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. David Shearing or David Ennis remains in prison at Bowden Institution, south of Red Deer, Alberta, now aged 61 years of age. Cops responded to the home at about 8:20 a.m.. The accident was never reported to the police. Shearing did not appeal his sentence. By Hailey Fuchs. This sparked what would be the most expensive and highly-publicized manhunt in Canadian history. On the 29th of August, Sarah hadnt come home and claimed she was staying overnight at a friends. Then he crawled into the tent with the girls. And yes I say innocent because the judicial system has declared who the killer is. The prosecution refuted the claims that Bruno was involved, stating that there was absolutely no evidence to connect him to the crime scene or even the home. I dont have any right to go into your house and examine your guns. The RCMP posted a $7,500 reward, printed 10,000 posters and sent them to police detachments and post offices across North America. Many hours were wasted on these "wild goose" chases as the public phoned in thousands of sightings which all needed to be investigated. Eventually, they got him to confess to the crimes by getting him to relax and defer appointing a lawyer. Despite his reputation and criminal record, Shearing came from a respectable family. Eastham what really happened. This was the maximum possible penalty for second degree murder and the first time in Canadian history that it had been handed out. Judge, I would like to see the maximum sentence because after tomorrow I dont want to have to hear about her or this event again. Credits: Research: Haley Gray 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. S., Minneapolis, Amazon Link: tinyurl.com/MurderinChisagoCounty, Publishers link: arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467142335, Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See The Johnson Family Murders Pt. On February 16, 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson fatally stabbed his landlord Alan Bono and then said the Devil made him do it. Bentley truck Bear Creek, Trophy Mountain. 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. 2, One of the first officers on the scene was Marshall Randy Tremble. The location re-confirmed a local was most likely involved as outsiders would have been unlikely to find the isolated spot. He was taken into custody for questioning. Im gonna take a wild guess and say the police knows their job, and youre being delusional. Locals had seen the family camped at Bear Creek and a search of the area by the RCMP resulted in six spent .22 caliber ammunition shells being located. A Parent's Murder and a 16-Year-old Daughter's Conviction: The Sarah Johnson Parricide Case On 2 September 2003, 16-year-old Sarah Johnson called 911 from her neighbor's house telling the operator her parents had just been shot by an intruder by Fiona Guy 14 June, 2022 in Family Violence & Homicide Reading Time: 8 mins read A A Shearing had graduated from high school and had successfully completed a heavy mechanic's course. But Shearing hid the girls behind the door and told them to stay quiet. This clue would make Sarah, at the very least, an accomplice since the gun safe was locked but then unlocked by Sarah. But not before a. In 1995 he married a woman from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Sarah Never Said About Wanting The Keys To The Gun Safe & She Never Even Touch Those Keys,Linda Vavold Was Bribed By Jim Thomas Into Making It Up. Sometimes, however, a case needs a little more manpower than the public sector can provide. The wreckage was similar to the car that the Johnsons were driving. 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. 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. Eastham told Shearing, You know why Im here, David. 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. On September 13, the Johnson family car was found burned in a clearing off a mountainside logging road, thirteen aerial miles from Bear Creek. Unfortunately, even the group that took on Jesse James and Butch Cassidy may have met their match. Pinkerton's Persistent PI's His father, since deceased, had once been a prison guard and his brother was a sheriff. Authorities said . 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. Well, Im here to collect, David, and Im not taking no for an answer.. Walter E. Ellis Wikipedia Ellis, known as the Milwaukee North Side Strangler, raped and strangled at least 7 women. The Murdaugh family. Shearing initially stated in his confession that he shot the four adults as they sat around their campfire, then shot the girls as they slept in the tent, saying he only wanted to rob them. Hence he was not ready for freedom. I could just slap this stupid child. My response to your comment is ha ha, very funny as I hope it is a person who has nothing to do all day and decided to enflame the comment section. Tuesday's post-conviction. (The Canadian Press) A man convicted of the mass murder of a family nearly 40 years ago revealed chilling details of his crime Wednesday as the Parole Board of Canada once again rejected his. The burnt remnants provided no clues, but the location was of interest. However, like all states, we have seen our fair share of bad folks, including these 10 infamous Kansas serial killers and homicides that won't soon be forgotten. Albin's relatives accused authorities of botching the investigation, insisting Albin died in the fire. This case is at the upper range of culpability. The charges were filed in so-called absentia because he had vanished for good. WEST PALM BEACH Corey Johnson apologized Thursday for killing 13-year-old Jovanni Sierra at a 2018 sleepover. In April 1983, a television re-enactment of the killings was filmed on the site of the murders, which was then broadcast across Canada. 1. The victims were unknown to the prisoner. The National Parole Board ruled that he still had violent sexual fantasies and hadn't completed sex offender treatment. The apparent confession was a complete fabrication and at the time the RCMP had had little choice but to accept Shearings version of events due to lack of evidence. The fire that killed Alvira Johnson: Depression-era murder, or tragic accident? Eventually, they got him to confess to the crimes by getting him to relax and defer appointing a lawyer. I put the bodies in the car, four in the back seat, and the two little ones in the trunk. I think you sexually abused those girls before you killed them. 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. The bodies were so consumed that they were eventually interred together in one child-sized casket. They never returned home. 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. When entire families are murdered, it's often a case of familicide, in which the mass murderer is a family member. Home True Crime The Johnson Family Murders. "I know I contributed to the spread of evil in this world," Johnson, now 21, told the court. There was a trail of blood and footprints on the carpet leading from the bathroom to the bedroom. He told the girls to turn around so he could urinate, then shot each sister in the back of the head. In rich detail, he lays out clue after clue explaining how Albin's father had just evicted the family from the house. An investigation revealed deep secrets and a grudge Sarah had been holding over her parents. But for a cruel act of fate, those two precious little girls would be alive today.. The family's patriarch, Albin Johnson, was strangely missing, and the police desperately searched for him as their . As part of the guilty plea, Shearing stated in a written statement: I walked out of the bush from behind the camper and started shooting. By that timewhile the brain is still growing and developing it has reached a certain level of stability!!! You can still see the Agencys wanted poster on the wall! Fellow workers reported that Bob was missing to the RCMP on August 23, 1982. I guess there is honor among thieves. I think you sexually abused those girls before you killed them. AN ACCUSED killer was "hiding in plain sight" for years after he allegedly murdered a young woman decades ago then befriended her family in the nearly 30 years since. 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. Jeffrey Dahmer Wikipedia Dahmer dismembered and murdered at least 17 boys and men. The family last contacted relatives on August 6 when Edith called a second daughter, according to retired RCMP Sgt. In May 1983 they drove the camper from British Columbia to Quebec, again in the hopes someone would see it and remember something relating to the case. Showing all 1 items Jump to: Summaries (1) Summaries. ; Ellison, mayors urge recalls. 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. The gun safe was also unlocked, not broken into, and with Sarah being the one with the key its pretty self explanatory. The other charges they were referring to was controlled substance charges.6. Eastham told Shearing, You know why Im here, David. It sounds like youre in inmate with this convicted criminal. 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. However, many were perplexed that the sentences were concurrent, giving him the chance to escape the prison system in later life. Questions, investigations and lawsuits have abounded in the years since Johnson's body was discovered at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Ga., in January 2013. Replica of the Bentley 1981 Ford camper used to publicise the missing vehicle. Morbidology is a weekly true crime podcast created and hosted by Emily G. Thompson. Initially, he was led to believe the arrest was related to a hit and run incident which he quickly confessed to before the detectives confronted him with the Bennett-Johnson case. During the sentencing phase, Dianes sister, Debbie Davis, addressed Sarah: I hope your father looking into your eyes when he was shot will be burned in your mind forever, while Alans sister, Lynne Murrill, said: She is a spoiled rotten brat that thinks only of herself. The National Parole Board ruled that he still had violent sexual fantasies and hadn't completed sex offender treatment. Murderpedia. The Bender Family. Forensic investigation of the bone fragments found that they had been shot with a .22 caliber gun. Her defense, however, was alleging that it was Bruno who had killed Alan and Diane. Alan was shot twice in the chest, while Diane was shot in the head. Morbidology Podcast The article continues below In August, 1982, Shearing shot dead George, 66, and Edith Bentley, 59, of Port Coquitlam, B.C., their daughter Jackie Johnson, 40, son-in-law Bob, 44, and grandchildren Janet, 13, and Karen, 11, of Kelowna as the family camped in Wells Gray Provincial Park, 75 km north of Kamloops. The two girls were already in their tent, ready for bed. It has begun to rely more on thought than emotion!!! -- Tammy Arishenkoff is a bundle of emotions when she speaks about the mass murder of the Johnson and Bentley families in British Columbia's Cariboo region 30 years ago. She recalled that as soon as she opened the door, she smelt a strange odor. 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. "I think her family, who presumably ordered the marker, was making a statement that they'd been murdered on the 10th before the house was torched in the early hours of the 11th," says Richfield author Brian Johnson. The logging road was near Battle Mountain Road, thirteen aerial miles from Bear Creek and north of the town of Clearwater. For example, two scruffy French-Canadian men were seen driving in a camper van east towards Quebec but it turned out this was an unrelated vehicle. He first shot his 49-year-old girlfriend Rebecca K. Dieter, who was the only . The Johnsons and Bentleys were last heard from on August 6th, 1982. Where: Diamond Lake Lutheran Church, 5760 Portland Av. Foul play, residents in the close-knit Swedish immigrant community cried. It Might Now Be Time For Sarah To Make Her Escape From Prison,Perhaps Similar To How It Was Done In The Shawshank Redemption,Except Maybe She Could Use A Poster Of Michael Jackson To Hide The Opening To Her Freedom. 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. You told me some time ago that you would consider telling me the rest of the story after you were sentenced. 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. The 54-year-old attorney is standing trial on two counts of murder in the shootings of his wife and son at their Colleton County, S.C., home and hunting lodge on June 7, 2021. Thats a very dangerous girl. When deputies pulled up to the family home on Riebel Ridge Road in Ohio Township around 9:40 a.m. Monday, Theresa Cain was standing on the patio outside, the sheriff said. Other theories point to Albin poisoning the family. Shearing said he saw the family when they set up camp and spent several days spying on them, with a fantasy to have sex with Janet and Karen. On September 2, 2003, Alan Scott Johnson and Diane Johnson were shot to death in their Bellevue, Idaho, home. In 1933, Alvira Johnson and her seven children were killed in a rapid blaze that burned down their Minnesota home. I honestly have no idea how you think Sarah is innocent andRead more . The enormity of the crimes demand the maximum sentence.. Sadly it was the last family vacation they were ever to go on. When they opened the door, they discovered Johnson,. Marvin was tried and convicted of double-homicide in 2013, Jenelle and Barbara in 2015 in a joint trial. 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. Eastham later wrote a book with Ian McLeod about the case called The Seventh Shadow, in which the author goes into great detail about all aspects of the case. What's the story behind Minneapolis' smaller houses with huge front yards? Sarah Didnt Do It,She Did Not Pull The Trigger. May they Rest In Peace. Pictures: Fla. mom killed her 4. 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. 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. But a peculiar absence made some suspect that this fire was not an accident after all.
Wayne State Football Coaches,
Who Is Mankiewicz Wife,
Most Wimbledon Titles Including Doubles,
When Will Fresh Harvest Buffet Open,
Tetrachromacy Test At Home,
Articles T