susan launius obituary

We have never heard the whole truth (about the killings) and we never will hear the whole truth, said attorney Earl L. Hanson, who, along with partner Mitchell W. Egers, successfully defended Holmes against the murder charges. Finally, he replied: The murders . He is survived by : his children, William Launius Jr. (Joan) of Millstadt and Lori Harris (Ken) of Waterloo; and his grandchildren, William "Trey" Launius III, Kasey Launius, Hunter Harris, Carter Harris, Tanner Harris and Cooper Harris. Funeral homes; Help and advice. Prior to her disappearance, shed packed up all her earthly possessions and locked then up in the downtown Greyhound bus station. Find the obituary of Lois Marjorie Launius Vaughn (1924 - 2019) from Dexter, MO. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. But Nash had a sneaking suspicion about his friend Johnny Wadd, who had visited the home only hours before the robbery. As the wife of a drug dealer on the rise, she was protected from the gritty details of the life while enjoying its benefits for one, the money was great. On December 17, 1948 in Sikeston, MO. No visits to agents, no casting call appearances, no registration in acting classes have been discovered. Susan Launius Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, Ill., born Sept 14, 1943, in Belleville, Ill., died Sunday Aug. 10, 2014, at her residence, surrounded by her husband and children. , money, salary, income, and assets. Launius' estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. COVID origins? Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. But why are mysteries so endlessly fascinating? Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Two days later, Coen alleged that Holmes, acting on Nashs orders, led the killers to the Wonderland Avenue address and then helped murder the occupants. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. I know who did it.. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He enjoyed fishing in his quiet time. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, born in Belleville on 9-14-1943, died Sunday August 10, 2014 at her residence, surrounded by her husband and children.Susan was a lifelong member. Write your message of sympathy today. On July 1, 1981, three members and one associate of the gang died in the Wonderland murders (also known as the "Four on the Floor murders" or the "Laurel Canyon murders"). is robert peston married to charlotte edwardes. ? Some heard a woman's screams coming from the house Tuesday morning, but ignored them in the belief someone was playing a joke, partying or having a nightmare. He writes on a wide variety of topics, including outer space, the fine arts, and modern history. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Launius estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Face of Ron Launius (May 18, 1944 - July 1, 1981) Ronald Lee "Ron" Launius was the leader of the Wonderland Gang, a squad of drug dealers that operated out of a dope house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California, moving large amounts of cocaine and small amounts of heroin. As the wife of a drug dealer on the rise, she was protected from the gritty details of the life while enjoying its benefits for one, the money was great. In a recent interview with The Times, Sharon Holmes, who divorced the late actor in 1984, described for the first time the story her husband told her less than three weeks after the July 1 killings. Discover Susan Launius's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Edmund Brown Jr. owns a house about a mile from the scene of the murders. Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. 'We have interviewed her but we're not going to say anything about it.'. The address: Wonderland Avenue. Together, the womens descriptions of what Holmes told them largely corroborate the Los Angeles Police Departments theory of what happened on Wonderland Avenue. of Cabot, AR. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. At Holmes murder trial, Tomlinson testified that Holmes told him that after the robbery had occurred at Ed Nashs house, that Nash had made (Holmes) tell him who the people were that robbed him. Or you could climb the literal heights of the Hollywood sign, as. Reportedly, at the time of his death, police investigators throughout California, largely in the Sacramento area, had 27 open homicide cases they believed were perpetrated by Launius. At the house, Holmes told his wife, Nash pored over Holmes address book, and stopped when he came to the pages that listed addresses in Ohio, where Holmes was born and where his mother and other relatives still lived. The moans that the moving company had heard had been from her. If the LaBiancas were spooked by the grisly events of the previous night, they werent concerned enough to lock their back door. Januarys in L.A. arent like those of, say, Boston, where young Elizabeth Short hailed from. As the 1980s began, and Holmes became more heavily involved in cocaine, his absences grew longer. They were married on May 26, 1946. Susan wasnt exactly innocent, but you could say she was a bystander caught up in the horror that would unfold hours after she arrived at Wonderland. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the. They all took part in the constant cocaine transactions and, violating the first rule of drug dealers not to get high on their own supply, they were all users too. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the Topanga Canyon area of Los Angeles, was one of the victims. The closest snow gets to the streets of L.A. is the glimpse of faraway, snow-capped mountains in the San Bernardino range thats visible from certain parts of town. . The armed intruders robbed Nash and his 300-pound body guard, Gregory Diles, of $10,000, two plastic sacks of cocaine and other property. I was involved. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Share Obituary. (John) was so much of a liar . As a result, she suffered permanent amnesia and had a part of her skull and portions of a finger surgically removed. In their comfortable Los Feliz dwelling, constructed in 1922 and situated near the crest of a hill, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca relaxed uneasily at the end of their Saturday. But the new accounts cast doubt on the story Holmes told a biographer before his death March 13. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Holmes buzzed an outside intercom box and asked someone inside to let him in. The LAPD estimates that over the years theyve received more than 500 confessions that have all been proven false. . She narrowly survived the Wonderland murders, being beaten so badly that she could not remember anything about the incident. A visitor to the house, Susan Launius, couldnt have known what the neighbors thought, though it was where her husband Ronald spent most of his time. . Breaking into Hollywood And Breaking Apart, Doing Harm: Doctors Who Murder and Maim Their Patients, Jim Jones: The Twisted Story of the Man behind the Jonestown Massacre. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Click or call (800) 729-8809, Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Thorson claimed to have witnessed Nash order Diles to beat Holmes, and said Nash threatened to kill Holmes and his family, until Holmes identified the people behind the robbery. It was in prison that David Lind met Ron Launius. . He was predeceased by : his wife Susan; his parents, Carl and Fern; his sister Nancy; and his brother-in-law Darwin Kraft. The neighborhood: Laurel Canyon. A visitor to the house, Susan Launius, couldnt have known what the neighbors thought, though it was where her husband Ronald spent most of his time. Loud music and constant commotion marked it as a benighted residence, and the impact on the area was undeniable. She worked in real estate for over 25 years and was a member of the Belleville Board of Realtors. Funeral: 10:00am Friday August 15, 2014 at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville IL. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. for better and for worse. He is currently single. Susan Launiuss income source is mostly from being a successful . By light, four people Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billys girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson lay dead in the house. Here are four who, Over 900 people died gruesomely at Jonestown, a symbol of doomsday cults. Officers made casts of the victims' wounds to help determine the weapon or weapons used in the attack. Lind's position in the drug underworld was and remains murky due to allegations by rival drug dealers that he worked as a police informant. You could hit the lofty heights of stardom, like Tom Cruise. He did not testify at his trial, and his later secret testimony before the Los Angeles County Grand Jury remains sealed. 'When you're talking about the star witness in a case like this I think you can safely assume that we've got her pretty well guarded,' a pllice spokesman said. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. John Holmes himself never offered a public account of what happened on that July night. He would have to take them to the house.. There are, however, plenty more stories, to be sure, and theyll continue as long as young people are seduced by the allure of Los Angeles, seeking the fruition of their own dreams . Court records and pllice statements indicated two of the four victims were under prosecution for dealing in cocaine, heroin and Quaaludes. The scene: A tract of land being developed into new homes to accommodate young working-class families in postwar L.A. We have estimated Perhaps the most horrifying sight was Launius's wife, Susan. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. . Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Hanson said Holmes never told his attorneys what happened the night of the killings. Holmes was acquitted in June 1982, after a three-week trial. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. Clyde Lee Launius, age 92, passed away on January 23, 2023 at La Bonne Maison Assisted Living Facility in Sikeston, MO. And with overnight lows in the 40s, theres no chance of slipping on treacherous, ice-slick streets. These years 1947, 1969, and 1981 werent the only years of infamy in Hollywoods history, but each produced a memorable crime of the century though by L.A. standards, perhaps they were just the most notable crimes of their decades. Filicide is the act of a parent killing their child. . Lt. Ron Lewis discounted speculation that the slayings could be 'random killings' such as the Tate-LaBianca murders committed by the Manson Family in 1969. Unfortunately, thats not always the case. He resides in Glendale, California. he didnt know what the truth was anymore; about himself, about anything, Sellers said. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. It changed the nature of Laurel Canyon. ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. LOS ANGELES -- The lone survivor of the massacre of four people in the swank Laurel Canyon home of an attractive blonde woman suspected of dealing in drugs was under a 24-hour hospital guard Friday as the star witness in the case. Following the robbery, Holmes ended up back at Nash's home. There was a lot of screaming going on, Holmes told his wife. Laurel Canyon had its share of free-spirited, drug-friendly residents, but had never seen this level of violence and brutality. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. She was found covered in blood on the floor next to the bed that held her dead husband's body, her skull bashed in but, miraculously, still alive. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on . And following that, why was she transported there, posed like a cheesecake model, with a ghoulish smile cut into her cheeks, and left to be discovered, causing revulsion and terror? Short seems to have been a drifter. Valhalla Read More, Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, born in Belleville on 9-14-1943, died Sunday August 10, 2014 at her residence, surrounded by her husband and children. For a time, John Holmes was silent. But we have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land. Nash was separately convicted of cocaine possession and served about two years in state prison. Find an Obituary. The actors wife paused. We are sad to announce that on December 23, 2018, at the age of 73, Susan Miller-Preciado (Provo, Utah), born in Rupert, Idaho passed away. And yet, according to the evidence, neither was she a prostitute. The grotesque mass murder shocked and horrified the entire neighborhood. Sharon Holmes said she is convinced that her former husband was at least present when the murders took place. Launius's wife Susan was gravely injured and is the only known survivor of the attack. . The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Ill never forget that as long as I live, she said. Susan Launius Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, Ill., born Sept 14, 1943, in Belleville, Ill., died Sunday Aug. 10, 2014, at her . The Wonderland Gang was a group of drug dealers involved in the Los Angeles cocaine trade during the late 1970s and early 1980s; their home base was located on Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California. Ronnie Lee Launius Birth 18 May 1944 Death 1 Jul 1981 (aged 37) Los Angeles County, California, USA Burial Lodi Memorial Park and Cemetery Lodi, San Joaquin County, California, The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. Tragically, this merry band of druggies stumbled their way through life and into a bloodbath. As Betty strolled past lots both finished and untouched, she saw what first looked like a mannequin splayed near the sidewalk. She was an associate of the Wonderland Gang, hanging around the Wonderland apartment, where she was savagely beaten by criminals with lead pipes on the night of 1 July 1981. The day after the robbery, someone who knew Nash apparently spotted Holmes in Hollywood, wearing a piece of jewelry that had been stolen from Nashs home, he told his wife. Visitation: 4 8pm Thursday August 14, 2014 at Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home, Belleville IL, and 9 10am Friday August 15, 2014 at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville IL. Blogs; Online will; Shop. (77 years old). charles carl roberts iv obituary; list the way values can determine leadership; assign the proper even parity bit for 1010; taurus horoscope 2022 cosmopolitan; i forgot for a moment poem; billings senior high football radio. . Funeral: Mermorial service will be held Tuesday June 7, 2011 at 11 am, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL with Rev. Tracy Raymond McCourt was the driver of the stolen 1975 Ford Granada that carried the Wonderland Gang to Eddie Nash's home on the night of the robbery. Coroner Thomas Noguchi said early autopsy results on the bodies found Wednesday -- 12 hours after the neighbors ignored the screams for mercy -- indicated the victims had been beaten to death. On the morning of June 29, 1981, four men who lived at the Wonderland Avenue address entered Nashs house through a sliding glass door that had been left ajar by Holmes, according to trial testimony. . December 23, 2018 She is the sole survivor of the brutal Wonderland attack the night of July 1, 1981; she suffered severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger following the attack. John Holmes himself never offered a public account of what Holmes told a biographer before his death 13! After a three-week trial 900 people died gruesomely at Jonestown, a symbol of doomsday.! 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