susan launius obituaryderrick waggoner the wire
She narrowly survived the Wonderland murders, being beaten so badly that she could not remember anything about the incident. . 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. John Holmes was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in March 1982, after his handprint was found in one of the bedrooms. Let others know about your loved one's death. Detectives said they had talked to Susan Murphy Launius, 29, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where she is in critical condition with gashes in her head and neck. Mrs. Launius enjoyed working on the gardens at her home, which she treasured. There are other suspects that we feel are involved. Manson had collected his death cult from the masses of young, aimless drifters who had descended upon the West Coast in the late 1960s, entranced by the supposedly good vibes of a scene populated with other young people, hippies, and freaks not to mention, crooks and hustlers peddling free love and other illusions. Title Image Credit: Izayah Ramos for Unsplash, We like to believe that doctors, nurses, and caregivers are trustworthy and have our best interests at heart. For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. So, Nash became the target of a harebrained idea. The objective of the robbery was to steal a hoard of cash, heroin, and cocaine that Holmes claimed was in a safe embedded in Nash's bedroom floor, as well as to retrieve some antique guns the Wonderland Gang had stolen from another businessman and then subsequently, using Holmes as an intermediary, sold to Nash in exchange for drugs. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Susan B. Launius. A host of musicians, actors and artists make their homes in the rustic canyon. 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 example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Write your message of sympathy today. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. . Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Police sources said Vlick, who is charged with plssessing drugs and stolen property, is a 'fringe guy' in organized crime circles. He was one of 5 children born during the depression and times were hard. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. During Holmes murder trial in 1982, then Deputy Dist. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on . One is more often committed by men, the other, women. There was a lot of screaming going on, Holmes told his wife. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William E. Launius Sr. (Belleville, Illinois), who passed away on March 14, 2021, at the age of 77, leaving to mourn family and friends. Create an obituary. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. So, how much is Susan Launius worth at the age of 71 years old? 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. But the coke wasnt free, and he owed money all over town. Clyde Alan Vaughn (Carol), Susan Lynne Vaughn of Jefferson City, MO and Dwight Thomas Vaughn of New Orleans, LA. Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. The armed intruders robbed Nash and his 300-pound body guard, Gregory Diles, of $10,000, two plastic sacks of cocaine and other property. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. The scene: By the 1980s, Laurel Canyon had been transformed from a center of creativity and hippie lifestyles to a center for heavy drug distribution, including that favorite of the entertainment industry: cocaine. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. The moans that the moving company had heard had been from her. She enjoyed bowling, cross-stitching, and shopping. Neighbors in the canyon, where a conversation at night can be overheard blocks away, said they were used to rowdy, all-night parties in the house. The neighborhood: Laurel Canyon. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. 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. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. Holmes was quickly spirited away to Nashs house and beaten until he revealed all his secrets. . A witness testified that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. Abcarian: Mask mandates? 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. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Dr. Blythe Denham-Kieffer officiating. For others, its just a dead end. Through his attorney, Nash has consistently denied any involvement in the Wonderland Avenue killings. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. The house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue was well-known in the neighborhood, and for all the wrong reasons. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. Star-struck seekers could end up on top of the heap. Victim three, Audrey Miller was beaten to death on her bed. 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. 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"). She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, William Launius Sr.; her son William (Joan) Launius Jr. of Millstadt; her daughter Lori (Ken) Harris of Waterloo; her grandchildren William Trey Launius III, Kasey Launius, Hunter Harris, Carter Harris, Tanner Harris, and Cooper Harris; brother-in-law Darwin Kraft; beloved nieces Lisa (Craig) DeBeaumont, Rebecca (Art) Fudge, beloved nephews Todd Kraft, and Karl Eric (Sue) Kraft, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, lifelong friend Theresa Painter, and many other friends. Holmes would visit Nash at his home in Studio City and quietly leave a sliding backdoor ajar, through which the Launius crew would later (after Holmes departed) invade the house and relieve Nash of vast quantities of drugs and other valuables. He was never convicted of the Wonderland murders. Susan. 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. Here is William E. Launius Sr.'s obituary. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. After all, there are reasons the mythical Boulevard of Broken Dreams is said to slice through the heart of Hollywood. ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . Ronald S. Coen, now a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, argued that the fatal beatings were intended to avenge the humiliating armed robbery of Los Angeles nightclub owner Adel Nasrallah, also known as Eddie Nash. Because this was a neighborhood under construction, there were numerous undeveloped lots set amid modest new homes built to alleviate the housing crunch of that era. Filicide is the act of a parent killing their child. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 69 years old? Short seems to have been a drifter. She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. He said he was told he would be killed and people in the book would be killed if (Holmes) didnt do what (Nash) wanted. . 09/14/1943 - 08/10/2014 . 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. The 43-year-old actor died as a result of complications arising from his infection with the AIDS virus. 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. A gate was unlocked, and Holmes walked up the stairs to the entrance with the gunmen concealed behind him. One woman survived the attack. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the. A day or two later, Holmes gave a compressed, but similar account of what happened to Sellers, she told The Times. You knew these people.. Los Angeles and Hollywood, L.A.s evanescent city within the city casts a long shadow for strivers and dreamers. There is no photo or video of Susan Miller-Preciado.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. John Holmes, who was tried for and acquitted of the crimes, never told his wife the names of the assailants, she said. The grotesque mass murder shocked and horrified the entire neighborhood. They forcefully followed his barbaric plan. 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. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Why are we still having these debates? 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. But why are mysteries so endlessly fascinating? Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home & Valhalla Gardens, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. March 14, 2021 The Black Dahlia murder, the Manson Family spree, and the Wonderland killings are each crimes of their era with resonance that reaches to today. You could hit the lofty heights of stardom, like Tom Cruise. . Following the robbery, Holmes ended up back at Nash's home. Roland Edward Launius was born on March 17, 1926 in Bauxite, AR (although the family home of John R. and Ora Ophelia Launius was in El Dorado). It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. 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. , neither was she a prostitute. Send Flowers. 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. Funeral: Mermorial service will be held Tuesday June 7, 2011 at 11 am, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL with Rev. By light, four people - Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billy's girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson - lay dead in the house. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from her last sighting? Funeral arrangement under the care ofUtah Valley Mortuary. Launius' estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Originally, McCourt was designated to take part in the home invasion itself, but a day or so before the event, conspirator David Lind (who derisively referred to McCourt as "Titmouse Tracy") took away McCourt's handgun, and McCourt was relegated to driving duty. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William E. Launius Sr. (Belleville, Illinois), who passed away on March 14, 2021, at the age of 77, leaving to mourn family and friends. Find the obituary of Susan Miller-Preciado (1945 - 2018) from Provo, UT. Susan Launiuss income source is mostly from being a successful . How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from. . Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? 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. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Finally, he replied: The murders . Because they tease our, Start your 14-day trial of MagellanTV and get access to 2,000+ documentaries, available anywhere, on any device, For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. Or you could climb the literal heights of the Hollywood sign, as. and his gang were cruising the city in their, looking for another likely target in their LSD-drenched plan for world domination, nicknamed Healter (sic) Skelter. He had been critical of the amateurishness of the night before, and he wanted to offer his death squad an opportunity to regain his approval. You could hit the lofty heights of stardom, like Tom Cruise. The robbery was an inside job set up by Holmes, who was a close associate of Nash's, and whom Nash regularly referred to as "my brother". 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