Cecelia passed away on January 22, 2012, and is buried in Marlin, TX. Location of the so-called 5th victim, Susan Launius was found at the foot of her husband's bed. Ronald Launius had a kind of second family there in Laurel Canyon, a cohort that included friends, accomplices, and hangers-on. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Here are four who, Over 900 people died gruesomely at Jonestown, a symbol of doomsday cults. Neighbors knew the place had more than a bad rep it had bad juju. Launius was married in November 1954 to the love of his life, Cecelia Irene Rutkoski from Marlin, TX. 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. 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. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. John Holmes, who was tried for and acquitted of the crimes, never told his wife the names of the assailants, she said. Short seems to have been a drifter. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Miss Miller's shiny white 1969 Mercedes 280 SL was used to deliver narcotics to her customers, detectives said. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Finally, he replied: The murders . It changed the nature of Laurel Canyon. Search by Name. From Crime Stories to Our Place in the Universe: Mysteries Exist for Us to Solve. Accounts vary as to how and why Holmes arrived there; according to some sources, Holmes went there himself to try to make himself appear innocent, whereas others claim Holmes was kidnapped by Nash's henchmen when they recognized him walking around wearing some of Nash's jewelry. Gov. . This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. A witness testified that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. 1969: The Manson Family Killing Spree; Night 2 Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. 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 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. They enjoyed a 56 year union until Mr. Launius passed away on January 29, 2003. Police, however, believe that Holmes actually took part in the fatal beatings. . 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. The 43-year-old actor died as a result of complications arising from his infection with the AIDS virus. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com. Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. As the 1980s began, and Holmes became more heavily involved in cocaine, his absences grew longer. Edmund Brown Jr. owns a house about a mile from the scene of the murders. Add a Memory. As we pull away from the streets of Los Feliz in our time-traveling tour bus, lets offer a little prayer for the LaBiancas and all the others whose lives were snuffed or derailed by their connection with Charles Manson. Sign the Guest Book. In 2001, he reportedly had been wanted by the Colorado Springs Police Department for "assault with a deadly weapon and failure to comply on the original charge of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance". 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. And (that they) made him watch.. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. (Image Credit: Wikimedia). They were married on May 26, 1946. 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. The house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue was well-known in the neighborhood, and for all the wrong reasons. There was a lot of screaming going on, Holmes told his wife. The LAPD estimates that over the years theyve received more than 500 confessions that have all been proven false. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 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. Holmes told his wife that he was held against a wall, at gunpoint, while the three men beat to death Launius, 37; William DeVerell, 42; Joy Audrey Miller, 46; and Barbara Richardson, 22. The address: South Norton Avenue. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? So Holmes summoned his wife into the bathroom, drew steaming water into the tub, slipped in, and began to talk. And with overnight lows in the 40s, theres no chance of slipping on treacherous, ice-slick streets. Holmes slept fitfully for a few hours, Sharon Holmes said, and moaned about blood and pain. She enjoyed bowling, cross-stitching, and shopping. After Holmes negotiations for an immunity deal with police and prosecutors fell apart, the actor made plans to leave town with Sellers. . So,, Whether its a whodunnit story, a bank heist, or an unsolved problem of science, we love a good mystery. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the Topanga Canyon area of Los Angeles, was one of the victims. For example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. A day or two later, Holmes gave a compressed, but similar account of what happened to Sellers, she told The Times. Nine days later, Holmes was picked up in a Sherman Oaks motel in the company of Jeanna Sellers, a 20-year-old neighbor. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. He said that (Nash) told him if he ever talked to the police that (Nash) would kill someone in his family. The detective added that Holmes said he was there when the murders happened, but that he himself did not hurt anyone.. 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. 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. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. John Holmes died of AIDS complications in 1988. . Star-struck seekers could end up on top of the heap. Court records and pllice statements indicated two of the four victims were under prosecution for dealing in cocaine, heroin and Quaaludes. Lind and his girlfriend, Barbara Richardson, rode down to the Wonderland house on Lind's motorcycle and slept on the living room sofa. 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 . So, Nash became the target of a harebrained idea. He writes on a wide variety of topics, including outer space, the fine arts, and modern history. And what fiendish sadist could have inflicted such pain prior to her death, and then carefully exsanguinated the corpse, washed her thoroughly, and carved her in two? John C. Holmes, the worlds premier pornographic film star, sobbed as he sat in a steaming bathtub early one morning in July, 1981. It was in prison that David Lind met Ron Launius. But before they headed east, Holmes paid a final, early morning visit to his wife. He could not be reached for comment on the killings. Susan Bell Launius. Share Obituary. ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . Burial in Valhalla Gardens of Memory, Belleville. As Betty strolled past lots both finished and untouched, she saw what first looked like a mannequin splayed near the sidewalk. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. 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. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. You knew these people.. A host of musicians, actors and artists make their homes in the rustic canyon. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. 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". 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. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. She would survive her wounds. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. He was one of 5 children born during the depression and times were hard. Although he was often away from home, I was his safe place, Sharon Holmes 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. 'We'll probably find a real motive,' he said. He said he was told he would be killed and people in the book would be killed if (Holmes) didnt do what (Nash) wanted. It almost worked. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. The final victim was Barbara Richardson, 22, Sacramento, Calif. Court records revealed that a codefendant in Miss Miller's narcotics case was John 'Ricco' Vlick, 53, who lives in a wood-shingled house only two blocks from the scene of the killings. Prior to her disappearance, shed packed up all her earthly possessions and locked then up in the downtown Greyhound bus station. Officers made casts of the victims' wounds to help determine the weapon or weapons used in the attack. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. Victim three, Audrey Miller was beaten to death on her bed. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. There is no photo or video of Susan Miller-Preciado.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. 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 narrowly survived the Wonderland murders, being beaten so badly that she could not remember anything about the incident. The neighborhood: Leimert Park. Inside was Ronald Launius, considered the leader of the group, his wife Susan, William Raymond "Billy" Deverell, his . Confoundingly, after all these years we still havent been able to close the book on this investigation. Funeral arrangement under the care ofUtah Valley Mortuary. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. No visits to agents, no casting call appearances, no registration in acting classes have been discovered. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from her last sighting? . 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. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Nash was separately convicted of cocaine possession and served about two years in state prison. Would you like to offer Susan Miller-Preciados loved ones a condolence message? She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. Susan. 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. Scott Thorson, who was buying drugs at Nash's home, wrote in his memoir My Life with Liberace (1988) that Nash had ordered Diles to bring Holmes to Nash's house, which Diles did after finding Holmes walking around Hollywood wearing one of Nash's rings. In the summer of 1981, Sharon Holmes said, she and John Holmes were living together as the managers of a small Glendale apartment complex. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. 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. 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. 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