Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. You knew these people.. Dr. Blythe Denham-Kieffer officiating. Share Obituary. 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. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. 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 . Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. . Clyde Alan Vaughn (Carol), Susan Lynne Vaughn of Jefferson City, MO and Dwight Thomas Vaughn of New Orleans, LA. He would have to take them to the house.. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. Prior to her disappearance, shed packed up all her earthly possessions and locked then up in the downtown Greyhound bus station. 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. 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. John Holmes, who was tried for and acquitted of the crimes, never told his wife the names of the assailants, she said. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary, nee Bell, Haywood; a sister Mary Jane Haywood; and a sister-in-law Nancy Kraft. judith goss parcells; Home Uncategorized susan murphy launius. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. None other than larger-than-life porn star (and fulltime coke fiend) John Holmes, known professionally as Johnny Wadd. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Police, however, believe that Holmes actually took part in the fatal beatings. Biography Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. for better and for worse. Charlie told the driver to head to. there just isnt enough clear evidence to point to any one suspect in particular. She would survive her wounds. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Send Flowers. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. And with overnight lows in the 40s, theres no chance of slipping on treacherous, ice-slick streets. In the still unpublished official version of his life, Holmes is quoted as saying that he was held at gunpoint at another house while the killers, whose names he did not know, went to the home on Wonderland Avenue. Holmes spent a good portion of his days (and nights) partying with the Wonderland crew. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com. Let others know about your loved one's death. . 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. John Holmes recounted how he led three thugs to the tightly secured drug house on Wonderland Avenue, escorted them in, and stood by as they bludgeoned the five people inside, spattering Holmes with blood. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. The address: Waverly Drive. At least two of the four people beaten to death at the yellow two-story house in rustic Laurel Canyon had narcotics records and the blonde woman who rented the house delivered drugs in her shiny white Mercedes, court records indicated Friday. She served as a deacon and Read More, Submit an obit for publication in any local newspaper and on Legacy. 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. 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. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern IL, PanCan.org, or First United Presbyterian Church Building Fund. Holmes was quickly spirited away to Nashs house and beaten until he revealed all his secrets. March 17, 1926 - October 31, 2020. 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. She narrowly survived the Wonderland murders, being beaten so badly that she could not remember anything about the incident. He told me that he had set up the robbery. In May 1974, he was arrested for and charged with the 1973 murder of a reputed police drug informant who had been killed over a botched drug deal. Launius was married in November 1954 to the love of his life, Cecelia Irene Rutkoski from Marlin, TX. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Finally, he replied: The murders . Theres somebody out there who wants to kill me, Holmes told Sharon, his wife of 16 years. 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. Haltingly, Holmes confessed to his wife that he had played a central role in four brutal murders earlier that month in a drug dealers hillside home in Laurel Canyon. She was later unable to identify her attackers. Susan Bell Launius. Heres a list, Greek transportation minister resigns over train collision that killed at least 36, Ohios senators to unveil rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment, After months of pounding, Ukrainian official says military may pull back from Bakhmut. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. The house, tucked deep in Laurel Canyon, was a suspected drug den where parties raged around the clock. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Court records and pllice statements indicated two of the four victims were under prosecution for dealing in cocaine, heroin and Quaaludes. Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home 3412 Frank Scott Pkwy W, Belleville, IL 62223. The news coverage of the brutal Benedict Canyon murders was disturbing to them, and Rosemary had retired to their bedroom while her husband stayed up reading the paper. 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. With St. Clair County COVID mandate in place, guests will be required to wear masks and the maximum number of 50 guests will allow for proper social distancing. Create an obituary. 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. Make a life-giving gesture. Nash was separately convicted of cocaine possession and served about two years in state prison. He spent considerable time in the Colorado prison system, but when he was free he operated a successful mobile phone franchise. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 69 years old? Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Launius, 36, was a Vietnam Veteran who had been dishonorably discharged after the Air Force discovered he had been smuggling heroin back to the states from overseas in the body bags of deceased servicemen.Married to his second wife Susan, Launius was basically on a crime spree throughout most of the 1970s including one incident in Mexico where . 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. 'We have interviewed her but we're not going to say anything about it.'. (Image Credit: Wikimedia). . If the LaBiancas were spooked by the grisly events of the previous night, they werent concerned enough to lock their back door. Tragically, this merry band of druggies stumbled their way through life and into a bloodbath. 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. fishing with canned anchovies; pros and . They raised seven children: James Glenn and his wife, Vanneary, David Glenn, Christopher Glenn, Susan Carson, Frances Green, Albert and his wife, Cecile Glenn and Charles and . Basically, he said, Im going to have to run, Sharon Holmes recalled, And I said, Youre going to have to tell me. . 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. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. But Sharon Holmes and Jeanna Sellers insist that it is true. Would you like to offer Susan Miller-Preciados loved ones a condolence message? Then, reeling from the shock of seeing a nude and clearly tortured, bisected body, Betty covered her daughters eyes and ran to the nearest neighbors home to phone the police. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. 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. She worked in real estate for over 25 years and was a member of the Belleville Board of Realtors. Laurel Canyon had its share of free-spirited, drug-friendly residents, but had never seen this level of violence and brutality. In 1990, Nash was charged in California state court with having planned the murders, and Diles was charged with participating in the murders, but both men were acquitted in 1991. The neighborhood: Los Feliz. Victim three, Audrey Miller was beaten to death on her bed. Susan Launius (1951-) was the girlfriend of Ron Launius and an associate of the Wonderland Gang. According to her testimony shed never seen the residence before the day of June 30, 1981. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. The Dignity Memorial online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. During Holmes murder trial in 1982, then Deputy Dist. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. He was born on April 10, 1930 in Bloomfield, MO. After a key witness for the prosecution died in an unrelated police shootout, the murder charges against Launius were dropped. . Holmes told his wife that he rode with three armed men to the address on Wonderland Avenue. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Sellers agreed to talk to The Times on the condition that the paper not reveal her true name. The actors wife paused. She is survived by : her parents, Clyde Crandall and Fern Crandall. Susan A. Murphy Launius, 30, while not an official member of the gang, was married to gang member Ron Launius and had a drug habit. This time, flipping the script, Holmes would gain access to Launiuss Wonderland Avenue pad for Nashs ultraviolent retribution. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Launius' estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. By light, four people - Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billy's girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson - lay dead in the house. But the new accounts cast doubt on the story Holmes told a biographer before his death March 13. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on . With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. The grotesque mass murder shocked and horrified the entire neighborhood. that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. I know who did it.. . 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. For others, its just a dead end. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Bill was a member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. William "Bill" Edward Launius Sr., 77, of Belleville, born in East St. Louis on September 29, 1943, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2021 at Cedarhurst in Waterloo IL, with his children by his side. But Detective Tom Lange of the Los Angeles Police Department, the lead investigator on the case, said, There is no mystery, because we know who is involved and we know why. Short seems to have been a drifter. (John) was so much of a liar . Funeral: 10:00am Friday August 15, 2014 at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville IL. Susan Launius was born on 1951. The overnight discovery of the bodies of Sharon Tate and her friends at the Benedict Canyon home she shared with husband Roman Polanski was all over the next days news. 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. 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. Then Manson left to return to the getaway car and sent in the other executioners, cautioning them to make certain each of them had an equal share in the gore. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. For example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. 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