My name is jason alexander, the star of bedtime stories of the angle side in a brand new scripted comedy pakistan, which I play palm springs. Hotelier mel haber through in the nineteen seventies turn the run down ingle side into the best kept secret, get away for hollywood's elite. The series also stars Brian Jordan, Alvarez Michael, the keen richard kind, lance basque, and what you can find bedtime stories of the ngos. I didn't on serious example or stitched or wherever you get your bike ass, don't forget to follow the jobs. Are you never misses episode this spring transform your outdoor space into iraq you were gathering place for you in your loved ones, with help from actually whether you're into wicker, teak or driftwood inspired furniture. We ve got the look you're going for add an accessory like string lights and beverage tabs to take your patio party from basic to gear, aided and enjoy cosy evening vibes with a new fire bit visit, ashley dot com or start by your local store and find affordable pricing and expert support. Today,

shop and save today only it actually the. Welcome to through gram garage. Where view are whatever you're doing. Thanks for listening, I'm your hosts, nick, may, as always, is a man that sings the songs that make John mayors panties drop. He is the cap

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's gotta be seen and good to see you things for listening and they the time frame, Today we are drinking fat, tire, belgian, white ale, by new belgium, brewing company garage, great three and three quarter bottle caps out of five: that's higher belgian. Why ales of wit, beer? You know, captain we ve been looking to pick something that's a little more readily available, so many the beers on true crime garage are only available in certain locales. I'm not saying that you can get this one everywhere, but this is a beer to try and you should be able to find it would just a little beer sleuthing one of my favorite go to be five point: two percent a b b and you can certainly taste hints of orange and korean, and this greatly Was brought to us by these fine folks right here. First up we have alessandra

in the bronx name was alessandra. Next, we have brandy and auburn california and heading back to the east coast. We say thank you to jesse and Nicky in stoutly massachusetts and from this Since then, we have an from palm harbour florida and we want to send a shoutout christopher from marysville california, captain Silver had a lot of nice things to say: lots of compliments about the old garage ma, don't make me think the alcohol and, last but not least, we want to give a shout out to bryce and pullman washington. So thank you to everybody for filling up the fridge for this week's show. If you want. help us out with next week's show, go to true crime, garage dot, com and click on the done, but we have a few. We like your gm shirts left if you want to check after that, true garage dot com and on the store page, I captain that's enough in the business everybody gather round, grab a share grab a beer. Let's talk some true crime.

Wednesday january fourth, nineteen eighty four

rorschach colorado. In the middle of the night, someone manage to enter the home of james and kimberly hobbled child a young married couple. They were both. Sleep when a homicidal maniac crept into their bedroom, the intruder is dressed in dark clothing. There are no lights on in their bedroom and no light coming from the hallway ass. He entered the room. He could feel his Paul start to speed up. The adrenaline in him escalating, was almost as if he could feel the blood flowing from his ass to his arms and legs, then down to his feet and hands. his breathing became louder with each step, as he slowly stepped one foot at a time until he was at the side of james and kimberly's bed. He has been thinking about this for a long time and now the time has finally come

He was prepared and ready for what was about to happen, but the married couple sleeping in the bed were not the intruder. Looked down at the sleeping man, jack his head resting on a pillow. The intruder with weapon heavy in his right hand. Slowly. is the weapon high above his head and as fast as he could, with as much might as he could muster. He brought his this down smashing the weapon into the centre of James skull, Jane. Is not moving, but the force of the object hitting the man created an earthquake effect on the bed and the tremors awaken kimberly ass. She lifted her head from her slumber. She opened her eyes the intruder bends over placing one hand on the bed sturdy himself and again, he live the heavy weapon high above his head and as fast as he could kimberly could turn and look at him? He smiled

it in our head with some kind of heavy object, knocking her unconscious, but james and kimberly were hit multiple times before the intruder left their whole. Somehow they both survived. Jameson kimberly suffered terrible head injuries due to this attack. Neither could offer much of an explanation of who could have done this. Or why but we do know is sometimes. in the middle of the night. On january, fourth, nineteen, eighty four, the terror had just begun,

In the fall nineteen. Eighty three. Fifty year old, patricia smith from Nebraska, she moved who green mountain village town homes located in lake would colorado. She was helping out her daughter, but His daughter, sherry lytton, was only twenty nine years old, sherry. What recently divorced and had moved with her two children from rural oshkosh nebraska to lakewood as well. Patricia was a loving mother and grandmother, and me,

being in with them to help them out to help them adjust from the disease worse than being relocated over three hours. away to lakewood patrician even though she was moving in with her daughter. She was happily married. Her husband, Oliver had a government job in the state of nebraska and would have to remain there. Oliver would often make the long drive to visit his wife daughter in grand kids on most of the weekends, patricia her daughter, sherry and the grand kids. This is six year old, amber and four year old, Joe, they rent town home at twelve. Six ten west, bayard avenue and lakewood lakewood is just The short drive about eight miles, south west of denver, colorado and sherry considered her mother, patricia to be her best friend,

patricia was doing her best to brighten the lives of her family members during this is very tough time for them, and this to me, captain, I think was- this wasn't going to be a short term arrangement. A you know: Patricia was stay there as long as it took to get themselves- and but it actually sounds to me. Captain like the plan may have been four per huh. and oliver to eventually move out to colorado to join the rest of the family rights, so they could be closer to their grandkids. Yet this would would be either after his contract was up with his government state or maybe upon retirement. The two had a farm patricia in her husband had a form out in nebraska. So see. This would require selling the farm as well, but patricia started up her own business, after having moved to lakewood colorado, she had, home interior design business, the family had us

published a daily routine for the school and work days. The two ladys would get the key. Ready in the morning and get in patricia car and leave the house each morning, they would first take amber to school for kindergarten, then take Joe to church. This is where he he attended a day. Care center that was set up the church right and then they would continue on and patricia would drop her daughter, sherry off at a bus station on sixth avenue, sherry used public transportation to get to and from her job Patricia would continue on and go to work in the eu, when both ladys were done, working for the day patricia would then meet sherry at the bus station, and then they would go get the kid so pretty much. The evening. Routine was the reverse order of the morning brodie yeah. Let's talk about tuesday january tenth, nineteen. Eighty four

yeah cause that evening didn't go. It didn't work out as usual. You know, sherry order she arrived? Her bus arrived at the station dropped her off, but her other who was always there waiting to pick her up. She was not. They are on this day, her mother, in the car were nowhere in sight. Shit He waited around for a bit and then started to get nervous. no matter where her mother was Sherry still needed to get her kids to go pick up, our kids, She used the pay phone and she started making phone calls. She tried to call town home. Where they lived in. There was no answer. After several try through the town home. She then called a friend the friend took her daughter from the school to the day care. She called her cousin and her cousin picked her up at the bar.

Station and from there they went to pick up the child, the children from the day care center and they drove back to their animal. Well, when they arrived at the scene in front of the house, immediately? This the scene felt strange to sherry keep in mind by now, it's it's dark out in its evening time. The fur sing. The Sherry noticed was her mothers. Car was parked in the driver, is parked out in front of the town hall. There were no outside lights on, so you know how, when there's no lights on, if there are any lights on inside the home, there's no light outside. But there's lights inside the home, you can pretty much see everything you know right away. Yeah well share could see lights, changing color and flickering coming from the upstairs bedroom window. Yeah and most people like once it starts getting dark. They turn on the outside lights, right

I like to keep everything dark and where night vision goggles, I felt like it, gives me the vantage while the light we're flickering they're coming from sherry's mothers, bedroom window so other than The odd thing of no lights it appears sherry's, mother Patricia was at the home by the now, when you say flickering, I mean this like turning on an offer, no flickr and I'm glad you asked that did the tv is on in the upstairs one of the upstairs rooms, and so when you, the lights, changing and flickering it's just the tv yeah, that's always kind of a creepy. Look by this time it's about a little after six. Fifteen p m, of course, the farming thing here captain is, if Patricia was already at the home by this time. Why had she not picked up her daughter from the bus or at the very least, picked up the when her daughter had tried calling her several times sharing

The kids got out of the car and they walked to the front door. door was locked, sherry started to get her keys out. The kids stepped in front of her both wanting to be the first to get inside out the cold colorado winter evening sherry, unlocked the door and amber her daughter, push passed her in. We'll Joe and ran inside. Unfortunately, amber was the first to find her grant her grandmother on the floor and image in her own words that she said would never leave her mind. Fifty Patricia was lying on the floor near a sofa just about four feet from the front door. Lying on top of a winning the poor comforter. The comforter was slightly folded so that part of it covered patricians head her hands and arms were crossed. her chest even too little amber's untrained. I it was clear that her grandmother had been killed, an posed

ass if she were lying in a casket left near the front door right where the next person to come in the home would immediately find her petition. Patricia genes were pulled down nearly to her ankles her boots. Worse, on and she was wearing a sweater. There was a large amount of blood on patricia s face and around her head, some one had led a hammer lying on the floor next to her sherry immediately guy third, the children and took them next door to the neighbors home, the neighbour man ran back to the town home and saw patricians dead body and upon this he returned to his. to call nine one one. The police were quick to respond. The family remained at the neighbors home, while the police searched the crime scene for clues. Guessing with a.

killer on the loose and a murder scene, they may have gone, to stay with the with their family members, you know they have in the denver area the homicide invest Geisha was pretty thorough; the they quickly determine the poultry they had been raped during the attack. There was no, sign of forced entry into the home and they figured out that she had been killed between the hours of one p m and three. I, however, the initial report was that she had been killed between the hours of three p m in five p m. When also this is eighty four saw. A lot of people are not locking their doors, especially during the day moraine, maybe more people locked doors at night, but it was those less likely or more likely that people would have unlocked doors back and eighty four, the now. So, let's talk about real, quick

the the no sign of forced entry as your as you're getting towards their couple scenarios- Two scenarios to talk about here, Patrick it was on war, her lunch break. Ok, and this is what the These were able to determine the she had gone, a wendy's restaurant, to pick up lunch for herself, she had worked and home, and she was attacked as opened her front door. This was the police theory. The problem with this police theory is there is evidence to suggest that patricia was actually home for some time before the attack took place right. First, lol remember. We talked about the tv being on upstairs her body. was found near the front door on the main level of the total. Alright, so she gets her wendy's. She goes home, she's gone out.

we watch a little daytime tv v. While she eats her lunch and then knock knock knock on the door. She answered the door, the attack happens there, Well, we write in that's what I'm pointing out here. At the very least, she couldn't have been attacked He was opening the door because she had to have enough time to get in the home. Go upstairs turn on the t v at the very least and the and if she had food and she was attacked when she gone in one and there'll be food everywhere. Okay and you you hint to something- they are very important because the family had their own theory The family suggested that patricia who had grown up and recently lived in a small town before moving to the larger city of lakewood. They said they think that the killer on the door, thinking Patricia was just a trusting person and probably would not have hesitated to open the door, letting the killer in and he attack.

To Lee as upon her opening the door to get it right and again, this would not be uncommon for nineteen. Eighty four I that you'd be that uncommon for today now you're at all, during the day, some a knock on the door. For so many of these solicitors people are opening up the door for this. Whoever I actually have a problem with both the the initial police theory and the families theory and, like I said tv being on points to me that she probably was not attacked as soon as she had opened the front door. The problem I have with her when she's gone inside than when she's going first going into the hall and in years. Why so? The police later find a receipt for the wendy's food that she picked up upstairs. So we know she went there. This wasn't it that was left on from the morning time. This was a tv.

It was turned on unless the killer, for some reason decided to take the receipt to her fast food upstairs and put it in her bedroom there. food, I believe, was found up. There is well, it sounds to me, I don't know it sounds to me like she did sit down and consume much of this meal, but where she was interrupted. Here's the thing that makes. I believe that she did not answer the door, and this makes this makes the no sign of forced entry very tricky because we're so she she may not have been attacked upon returning home and she herself didn't open the door. Patricia wore a wig. The whig was found upstairs. And you know I don't want to. I don't want to receive any crappy email for this, but there's here's my guess: okay, send nick crab email if ears I guess, if I wore a wig

if somebody knocks on my door, I'm going to put on my wig before I go answer the door. Does that sound? Like a fair statement, I thought you did wear a wig. You should see the these locks man. This is my rules not my real color madison rethink he now, but that's just a guess, I'm just guessing there maybe that's not true one hundred percent of the time all of the time, but I'm gone, I'm going off the assumption that if I were wearing away If somebody knocks on the door, I would probably put the wig on before going downstairs to open up the door alright. So your theory is that she gets food. She goes inside the house. She goes upstairs to watch tv why she's going to eat her lunch and the intruder comes in the door's unlocked yeah. That makes the most sense to me, yeah, yeah and- in and like I said at this, the idea that sometimes when, when breakin

happen and they go. There's no force no sign of four century. Sometimes people just lock the door. Hence we are, and I also want to talk about real, quick captain. Why the more real quick, though, but to me this points as ended joy, if she didn't have if she didn't consume much of her meal This is not just some random attack where he does picked this house for no reason or it's riding by on his bike and sees his lady in the window watching tv. I think this was probably somebody that saw her getting the food and you don't fancied her on some level and then followed her back to her place, and probably you know, studied the scene a little

It does kind of figure out. Is she by herself? Are there other people in the house right and and and I think they kind of got the feeling the attacker had this uh, the feeling that nope it's just her? You know just went in while the other thing to as if you're watching from the outside. Depending on how light it was out that day, you you may be able to observe the town home and see that the windows, even if the shades or closed the likely no lights on in the home, and if He returns home in your watching her, as you said, and you see boo light turn on as soon as she walks in the front door boom turn on and the upstairs bedroom you can ass. You might might assume she's the only person in the hall that there was nobody there before she returned the other evidence captain it. The autopsy showed that the cause of It was several very hard inviolate hits to her head. This, of course, consistent with the

hammer, there was found lying next to her as the most likely murder weapon. Whoever killed the woman had removed to diamond rings from her fingers and removed a gold necklace that was around her neck. Nothing was stolen from the home. In fact, the killer didn't even check the rest of the home. This is according to the police. If there were other valuables that he could take, evidence of a sexual assault was collected from the body one that her daughter, sherry, would point out in a later interview. Was that word- no defensive wounds on patricia hands and arms. This suggesting that she was down by one or more blows to the head before the sexual assault took place was get back to the case of the roar hammered slayer after this quick beer break

the. My name is jason alexander, the star bedtime stories of the english side in a brand new scripted comedy podcast, which I play palm springs, hotelier mel haber mel in who, in the turned the run down, run into the best kept secret, get away for hollywood's elite. The series also stars, Brian Jordan, Alvarez, Michael, the keen mckean richard kind, lance bass and more. You can find bedtime stories of the ingleside in on sirius, Xm, Pandora, stitcher or wherever you get your bike. S don't forget to follow the jobs. Are you never miss an episode? today's part ass to sponsored by june's journey journeys. The perfect game for those of you looking to channel the inner detective in it you'll join june, parker on the quest to solve our sisters, murder each chapter, prison a different mind, teasing puzzle is Open to an air of mystery murder,

in romance set in a roaring twenties and investigate a wide variety of characters. But that's not all you can chat and with other players by joining a detective club downloads the journey for free today on iowa an android, this spring transform your outdoor space into her you guys are in place for you and your loved ones, with help from actually whether you're into wicker, teak or driftwood inspired furniture. We ve got the look you're going for add an accessory like string lights and beverage tub to take your patio party from basic to cure, aided and enjoy cosy evening vibes with a new fire bit visit, ashley dot com or start by your local store and find affordable pricing and expert support today shop in safety. they only it actually

alright, we're back cheers mates, cheers captain stay safe out there, it's a it's all snowy, where we're at so Hopefully it sir warmer, wherever you are all right, so our time line of the hammer slayer. We have the first attack, and that is of the couple yes, so that james and kimberly hopkins child that were attacked in them. The night inside their home on january, fourth, nineteen, eighty four, but they survived yes, and then we have the second attack, which is gonna, be of patricia smith and she unfortunately didn't survive correct later that same day january tenth by now. It's evening time, the attack and murder of patricia smith took place and lake would now. I know this is the same day, but this next part of the story is going to take us back to aurora colorado. Remember from the first trailer the first attack took place

middle the night in aurora, so aurora is just about fifteen miles from lake, would give or take depend, on how far west in lake would you are and how far east you would be in aurora idle have an address for donna dixon, so we will just have to use fifteen miles distant, says something to keep in mind. in a roar twenty eight year old flight attendant donna dixon who worked for frontier airlines she is driving home, she pulled into her driveway and parked her car in her garage ass. She got out of her car. She was attacked. She was struck in the head, some

very hard smashed into her left temple. She dropped to the ground. Her attacker pulled and stripped her clothes off of her Donna was sexually assaulted. On the concrete garage floor after the attacker fled the scene. Donna Dixon was left bloodied, very badly beaten and unconscious. Her attacker had after their to bleed out or to succumb to her head injuries and die there. On the cold concrete floor, eventually donna and the bloody seen were discovered. A call was placed for an ambulance to transport port her to the nearest hospital. I was in a coma, but somehow she survived the brutal assault, but because of these severity of her injuries Donna spent weeks. We learned how to talk, which was important here: captain because

police were hoping that she could tell them who had attacked her right, later, when Donna dixon would describe the attack. She says that the occur, bashed in her head with a sledge hammer and beat her head against the wheel, well, another Curious thing, though, is that that same article that same news article where the crime reporter had asked donna to describe the attack and give her insights into the case. There is a troubling phrase in there where it is stated. Donna's, attacker or attackers had used a sledgehammer to attack her, and why is that a troubling phrase? Well, I not so much that that in particular super troubling. It's that a lot of people over the years have looked at d. you know now we ve discuss three different attacks: three separate attacks in a lot

people have looked through the details of those attacks to determine if, in fact, they are all connected if they were all committed by the same perpetrator- so some people have pointed out through the years that well, while a hammer what what, he would believe to be a traditional hammer, was left next to the body of patricia smith, and then we have this next account. The third attack, where we have the victim describing a sledge hammer, and I think, there's a cup things there to consider, first of all, if a traditional hammer was used to kill, patricia smith and was left at the scene. Well, then, the attacker just hours later would would not have that same weapon to use on his next victim. Where she says the word sledge hammer, I dont think we're looking at or thinking about the same thing that you and I would consider-

traditional sledge hammer with the long handle I'd thinking that we're probably talking about something that is just raise still short hammer correct. He can have a short hammer. Sledgehammer mean a watch property brothers before and but here's one thing that I want to point out to the listeners win win thinking about if these attacks are connected and if, in fact the details of these different attack, six could lead one to believe that or take you away from believing that with Donna dixon, in that news article there, where she gives this account years later, of how the attack went down. She is giving you information that was provided to her by the police. Ok, where, He says that she was hit in the head with a sledge hammer and pulled to the to the ground and then her head was bashed against the wheel? Well, this informed

You didn't come from her witnessing this attack. She actually had no memory of the attack at all other than getting out of her car, basically for donna Dixon. She got ever car, and then she woke up many. Days later in the hospital, and that's it. For she remembers. and I know me and I'm sure a lot of people out there in the same way that having to me the first thing, I'm asking the police's one who did this? Why did they do this industry I'm the attack to me, as the evidence points out to you, because I want to know what happened and raise prior crazy fan that you made mad well try what would have well, and I am sure that she is able to give this account, because the police are relying what they can see from evidence to two to tell her you know hey, you were attacked immediately as soon as you got out of your car. You are tat

in your garage and we can tell by blood that you left on the wheel. Well, did your head struck that we'll well at least once, if not multiple times, why a man a guest, the bright side of this, that she does not remember the tack and that she does out those men, is that would haunt her right rain. It was a long recovery, but she would make a full recovery and to live, a normal if not affected by those injuries. Many years later, I one class That is come up time and time again. Regarding this case. Regarding the hammer slayer case, is people have always been areas why the police would move the reported time of death regarding Patricia smith, remember early on it was reported that she was killed some time between three and five p m, but then later reported that she was actually killed between one and three p m. Now that

least the reason why this remains a question captain is the police, offer no information or no insight as to why they changed that time frame. I thought here if we look at the events of that day and if we look into the lives of these of the victims involved that we can probably peace. Gather why they made that change makes some inferences here and what I think I would point out is why What do we know about Patricia smith? Well, no, that she is living at that town home with the sole purpose of helping her daughter in her grand kids. We talked about their day, he routine during the work week, while their day we routine, was to get up drop off the kids drop off the her daughter at the bus station for her to go off to work so inference can we make from that is that their work day Patricia smith's war,

day and her daughter, sherry's work day is based more off of the kid schedule. What time they need to arrive at a school in what time they need to be picked up after school. So. We know that her body was discovered around six fifteen p m that night. My guess is that. Three p m around three p m was the first time that she was known to be missing. She was not where she was supposed to be. meaning she had not picked up her daughter. She wasn't waiting at the bus station phone, calls are made to the town home where we know she's ultimately found dead later. So one can assume that they came with the idea of three to five being that she was for starting at three p m and she's found by six p m dead, and we know that

had have some time for the attack to actually occur and for the attacker to flee the scene. So you come up with that three to five marker right yeah. I think I think it makes more sense to take a look at her receipt, see if there's a time on it. You know that would be the star in one in it well, and I think that's where you are exactly right, my friend, because now later going to tell you that the attack, probably most likely occurred between the hours of one p m and three bia. Ok, Well. Why would that move? We have again look at the victim in what that part was doing that day and, like you said they found a receipt, they did avatar stamp on it. It would have had a time stamp on it. Yes, This information was not released to the public, remained at the time was not released correct times to him, but what we can the inference we can make from what police did release stating that we, but If she returned home on her lunch break mean

Did there that time stamp is going to point them more towards a traditional lunch, our time, and then we know that she would have had to have been killed or most likely would have had to have been killed before three p m, because that's when she is now unaccounted for. So if you take a look at that receipt, as you have pointed out- and the receipts has twelve thirty twelve forty five- fifty and we know that she's not accounted for starting at three p m. Then it's looking like this attack occurred. time between the hours of one two three, my guess is that they had not discovered that receipt. On releasing that initial information they are possible in them, would let you said depend on what that time stamp. Is it lets say it is twelve thirty, then she has

is travel time to get back to her house and and again with the reports stating that while she didn't consume much of this food, so unless she was interrupted with phone call which would have phone records of that, and if there wasn't something I hindering her or being a hindrance, it's not even the right word. Let's go with that, let's go with that word, but for whatever reason she has her food n j drink. She didn't eat all the food you know, so you would assume that that the attack happen pretty quickly she returned home a some other things, though here captain, is that they, after these attacks they started rounding up construction workers and home builders in the area- and I mean the area of a roar an lakewood apparently both of these neighborhoods in both of these cities,

were I mean it was a housing boom for both of these cities during this time period of of late? Eighty three early, eighty four So there's a lot of homes being built in a lotta hothouses, going up everywhere beyond their thought, was the weapon. it is commonly used tall and construction. Yes, go ahead. Tough thing about this tour is it's not. This is also a household object, know most houses have a a hammer and then the question becomes What is the this, this person showing up without a hammer and finding one at the scene, or is he bringing a hammer with them? Well, that's you bring up an interesting point because, first off in the patricia smith murder, the hammer was left, meaning that when they state that the hammer was left. That means that they shown it to the people. The remaining people that lived at that home and said was this hammer here before this

that happened and to the you know the ec they're getting from these. These people, the family members of Patricia Psmith, are no that's not. That was not in this house prior to this task. then, in the situation with Donna dixon, I don't think that we have a hammer. that was left or a sledgehammer was left at the scene, there is no report of that. One thing: I wondered, though, with them rounding up all of the construction workers in the home builders, and this might sound this might sound silly, but sometimes it's the silly little things that can solve a case, or at least Have you a decent lead are ellis here, your little silly idea, okay, so we know that at least one hammer was left at a crime Seen on january tenth, would be curious to know if there, or any if they, if they spent time looking at hammer purchases. on the eleventh or the tenth or the twelfth or the thirteenth,

and the only reason why I am pointing that out is obviously like you said: common tool used by construction workers and in home builders, is in fact a hammer. or you know, anybody in that is similar trade. But my thing is: if the perpetrator, at least left one hammer at a crime scene. Is there a chance? He needs to replace that. I I mean here's what I'm getting at if Have you have an area like lakewood or a roar? and there's these attacks going on in its fairly well known that the weapon used in the murder, was a hammer that was left there and Two days later, you and I are at a site where work together. In some form of you know, we're craftsmen are were were bill, or something of that nature yeah, I e the foreman you would be boss- and I say a foreman captain and that's it go fetch me- concrete. You mule and

would go. I would I I'll fetch you the concrete, but do you have a hammer I can borrow and you'd go nick Ah, I'm tired, you shown up without your too. Let me try nick I'm tired of shown up here you gotta future. Yet wheel, skills, natural gifted begins, can't show up empty handed my my friend shop with your I'm just getting, it would be a little suspicious if all of us when these guys showing up without that very common tool, yeah, but look of theirs. Let's say: there's a hundred construction sites. That probably happens every day it might happen every day, but where I'm going as to the hardware stores and looking to see hey day, but he purchased hammers and that in the past twenty four forty eight seventy two hours, I dont think that

The idea is that silly, but I think you would want to take it one step further if there is some kind of evidence or based on the autopsy, that it was a different kind of hammer, not the traditional hammer, you know that maybe you should look into was there multiple purchases? Was there a purchase of an ah the traditional hammer and then one of the smaller sledgehammer? I think if you could find that, because those were the same day, those purchases might have been made at the same time, but it's also part it's also possible that whoever this not job is going around attack and people with a hammer is less say, he's livin with his mom is Father has passed away, but his father was an to construction. These could be tools that you know that thou be. Another question that was not reported was the hammer that was left book. What kind of condition was?

the sun was as a ten year old hammer yeah. Did it look purchase recently or yeah? That's a good, that's a good insight that will end and the reason why I wonder that is because I personally we own iona five, six different hammers right meeting, I would say on a minimum- three, maybe four, five and yet and theirs of young. They all varying age. You know- and I have a couple older hammers, I probably should throw away, but you know son, no value grasp grandpa. His hammer whatever so I I dunno that that's one thing I would like to know is: is this a new hammer you know and then then you're again guinea? They probably did this if it was new hammer rose new hammer, they're probably were check and local hardware stores right in. Like. I said, though, I also think it would be worth checking and in case this person needed to replace it immediately

for their occupation if they believe that now The other thing, though, is but we gotta keep in mind. We ve not even determined that these three attacks are actually connected, yet it's looking that way. There are similarities that would have you believe there are. There is no sign of forced entry into patricia smith home. There's no sir, forced entry into the hockins childs home. We also in than we have done a dixon whose attacked outside of her home in her garage, but there was a fourth attack. And I want to start off by saying this. You know when, when you do a very simple google search of this case- and you can look it up in under several different tags. Yeah, that's the hardest thing about this. Yeah. You could look it up under the title we chose the aurora hammer slayer I've also seen it called colorado hammer man, any of the many many different tags given to these cold cases. You will get

about one of three different articles reporting the fourth attack so what we have done for this. This portion is sort of compiled those three or popular articles regarding the fourth attacked did tell to tell you the details of that. For that and in relation to the next part of our cold case investigation, because There are plenty of questions in this case, but I think let's go through this fourth attack first and get to those questions after, but before we do the fourth attack, we have to take you back a bit to tell you about a man named bruce Bennet bruce married his school sweetheart Deborah they were, they were young, they were actually just out of high school when they got married after they married bruce, join the navy. He was there. He served a four year stationed at pearl harbor from nineteen. Seventy six to nineteen. Eighty bruce they soon are analysed,

after the navy bruce was enrolled in college and he was training or trained as an air traffic controller verses, family owned a family run, furniture store and who was working there. However, he was excited for a possible future career as an air traffic controller now bruce bennett and his wife, Deborah bennet they both enjoyed living what others would later describe as a quiet life the two who, along with their small children, we have seven year old, melissa and three vanessa they had to a nice home in the sixteen three hundred block of east sent dr in aurora, co colorado bruce Deborah, are pretty young themselves. Verses is twenty. Seven in his wife is twenty six. They moved there. Oh the course of the long thanksgiving holiday week in nineteen. Eighty three, where we left off in our case-

far as january tenth. Nineteen. Eighty four we're going to move forward to january fifteenth nineteen. Eighty four: this is a sunday militia the bennet seven year old, daughter, she's, going be turning eight years old lady in the week. So the benefits are going to celebrate mullahs. Birthday on that sunday, so they had some their family members over that day to join in the celebration no some time on sunday evening, things are winding down. People have to work in the morning. So their guests are starting to leave. I can't say for certain your what time, the last guest or guest laughed, but I do have something in my notes here, suggesting that the last guest were leaving around nine o clock, maybe as early is nine o clock or as late as ten p m, bruce and death they cleaned up the party and put the children to bed some

I'm. During the night, a cat burglar entered the home armed with a knife and a hammer, turn is still cats. Noise must have awoken bruce and upon which he went to investigate the noise verse encountered the intruder on the stairs to the home and neatly a fight ensued from the way it looks. This was was quite the fight we have intruder here with a weapon and bruce presumably unarmed, regardless of how unfair this fight is this. This would be. But what I can say is bruce did the best two he could to protect his family said the intruder had a hammer and a knife correct yeah. He he bursted the best he could to protect his family. He he had been slashed He was slash several times in this attack. He was hit over the head. The hammer, but yet

even though he had all these injuries, he were repeatedly crawled. The stairs the stairs covered in blood trying to save and protect his family. However, he was on successful. The intruder went to the asked her bedroom and he pummelled in sexually assaulted, the twenty six year old, Deborah leaving her head bashed in now, He walked the hall to seven year old militias room where he did the same, and then he walked into the youngest girls room vanessa and repeatedly hit her in the head and face with a blunt object. Presumably a hat. and fast foreign ahead a little bit to january. Sixteen that ten, a m this will be the discovery of the bodies

yeah in this happens, because bruce is not shown up for work. Yet, as we said, it's a family own business, so one of the people that works there, not sure, maybe if, if she's, the owner of the company- but this is Bruce's mother constance, and like others, I'm sure at the store was just at the bennet residence the day before for the birthday party, and it's not like bruce to miss work, certainly without notifying someone. So conscious tries calling the house several times and with no luck. She decides to go to the bennet house later, she would say that she was afraid of something like ceo poisoning. Yes, so that, you know, maybe the whole family had fallen asleep verb forever, because a ceo poison. she makes the drive amber, His body was discovered that morning by his own mother constance bennett, who immediately

odd police. Now the bennett house, it was horrible, seen as you can imagine, and in these attacks it took By that I mean the the house in the rooms, were so bloody and the victim, so badly beaten and com since having arrived at a home to see the unimaginable, while she to notice something very important that out of all the death it had taken place in, those dark early morning, hours death, it missed the little three year old girl, the nasa then it didn't know, the vanessa had sucks had survived the attack, so a paramedic rushed out of the house cradling the battered little girl in his arms. She, in very bad shape. But she was rushed off to the hospital, the other real family members of the of the bene: family bruce Deborah Ann

Listen, sadly, were killed. That night and pronounced dead at the crime scene bruce was found on the stairs debt in her bedroom and militia in her bedroom mullahs, good causes, I just it's It's so sad I mean one, you know you applaud bruce for trying. You know to save his family and his little girls, and then I think to sometimes when it's a when there are kids involved in an attack like this seems like. Ah, you know like when this feels differently than other attacks. Well, I think it's a lot too. It's really a lot. Take it all at once there and but then now we have this very young victim. That's.

Alive that maybe they could give us some information, yes and that's what that's? What we're hoping vanessa had skull fractures to both sides of her head. Her jaw was shattered, which ended up sending jagged bone. into her windpipe, and I and I dont say that to paint a horrible picture for you, I only say that to try to relate? Well, I only say to try to describe how by this is that why you're yeah? Whoever did this has to be a fuckin monster well in the thing here is captain. I point that out because I believe that whoever did this didn't know that the girl was still alive think that she probably looked so bad after he had attacked her that he believed that she was damaged a massive investigation had begun. Obviously, this per very little leads

regarding the house itself, the early reports indicated the following that their again was no signs of forced entry into the there is also no obvious motive for the killings for the police. Nothin was taken. Taken from the house, except for a knife used to slash bruce and a purse belonging to Deborah, which was scattered them content of the purse were scattered in the front yard outside in the purse, was left in the front yard as well and you'd. Think with all these attacks happening, that people would start lock in their doors, not saying that they didn't like their doors. Just because there is no sign of force. Entry right doesn't mean that some me doesn't know how to pick a lock right to the know how to get you know, I could break ins a lotta homes, and you want to know that I actually broke in their life there. To be any sign of that. Iceland has said that allowed. No, you shouldn't have regarding bruce

early report stated that he had been cut and slashed numerous times and struck in the head with a hammer. The district feed. I'm sorry, the deputy district attorney had this to say quote. It was quite clear. He had fought with the intruder its apparent here struggled with his attacker in more than one location and on. more than one floor of the house. Had numerous this is, this is This is where you like it sad, because your your sad that bruce didn't, survive the attack but you're all yours in a way kind of proud of him yeah, because, as you know, why? Because fucked then shrewder, you know well it is this is this is from the deputy district attorney's mouth She says that the bruce had new where's injuries. They could have killed him. That's how that's how hard he fought in how

badly. He was hurt during the course of that fight, any wouldn't stop fight to silly. But this you get attacked rate. I then it's time and to you know, you're down on the ground. You gotta make a decision right. Are you going to get up right, you're, going to fight you and keep fighting? You have your wife there. You have your children and I bet he pulled one- the hulk hogan moves. You know when you start waving his finger up. What brown to you know, n and yet did he did he stop 'em know but, like I said, dad intruder, he had his hands full and, and, like you said it's it's weird things is I guess say that you proud of him, but I you know, I don't know what else to call it right. Yeah, it's it. It sounds. We are to say that, but I mean there's no other way to put it for me. Ok, so let's talk about this because I said that we took kind of

No three newspaper articles of the more of the immediate ones will pull up. When you go to look into this case in china's smashed together to present the whole thing to you as far as the fourth attack and the murders of the bennett family go and I want to point out a couple things here- because men, arm chair detectives. Many webs Luther's have taken a look at this case over the years and tried to figure out a lot of things about this case bringing the details about you know we ve We heard the devil's in the details. So that's why we pour, Through the details and try to see if we can gain thing or learn anything about the potential attacker or attackers they committed these crimes. I wanted first addressed one thing:.

It has been. It has been brought up several times over the years that potentially, if, if all four of these attacks are in fact connected, the the killer was asked, lighting, meaning that he he chose to bring a knife and a hammer with him to the fourth attack where on the first second and third- there is no evidence of a knife being present, but lay in that story. We hear that the knife was probably taken from the bennet famine home, and then it was. The bloody knife was found out in front of their home was thrown down near the person. The front yard, when try to figure out this person this this attack her and if, in fact they were escalating eyes, I would suggest, maybe not because it doesn't appear that this attack or brought the knife with him. It appears that he in fact

look the knife from the bennett home and used it during the attack. My guess is that he went looking for the knife he had encountered bruce. He had this fight with bruce. He probably hit bruce in the head multiple times with the weapon. He brought with him the hammer and win bruce kept getting up some point this attack or believe that his own weapon was failing him and then he went look, and for the knife in decided. He needed to use a different, not a different weapon, a different method to kill the man that is trying to stop him inside the home. That he's entered, and we know this because bruises bruises throat was slashed, so ultimately he he used a different method to to kill bruce. However, we heard the ah deputy: u deputy district attorney stating

it suffered many injuries that would have killed most people yeah so where I say that people have question was this this attack or this intruder escalating? I would guess I would say no in for the simple fact that I think that this was an unplanned portion of this guy's attack. You know we saw the previous scenes where there was no knife used he also left all of those victims in a manner which I believe he thought they were all dead when he left there and think he broke into the home with the intention of killing who was ever inside and doing whatever he wanted. While he was in there, but see escalation here. I think that it just happened stance that those people survived and thankfully they survive. But don't you think that with some of these attacks? Third, it suggests that you would be casing the housework casing, whatever situation he's gone into,

you know we talked about that earlier, where you know you could have watched, Patricia smith's home, the outside and judging by whether she turned on lights, and there were no lights on before that? That would indicate that she was in fact alone. But the problem I have with that is. If that were the case, he could he could essentially do this in each one of these attacks. You know Donna dixon was by herself. So maybe he followed her in her car saul. Her dress! driving home decided to following her and then heap a blitz attack. Soon as she got out of her car, he could have partner her and just ran up and start of attacking her in a garage knowing that she neither was alone or if there was somebody and in sighed the home they would have. He would have a few minutes to gain control of the situation that you could have pretence. followed, Patricia smith, home and and figured out if she was in fact homer

or not these other two cases, the females, not by themselves. You know, if Fact that that was his goal. We know that there was rape involved in several of these cases if, if you're trying to get a female alone. That was not the case with the hockins child attack or the case in the bennet house. So therefore, that tells me one thing one of two things: either He's casing the house's, as you suggested, and maybe the whether there is a man present or not, does not affect his determination of going into the home right now That's what my argument would be as that to me: it's a clear sign of escalation. If the person case the house and knew that it wasn't even just to people in the house,

There are four, but there, the four and that there were children involved and that you know I wouldn't that be by definition, escalating it if it would be a bit, then you have the other situation. Part two of my answer would be: maybe he's not watching the houses and does not care who or what is inside, that he's just going, go in and take over the scene and leave a horrible horrible, bloody mass. When he's done, let's talk about question, there is one thing that we have to ask ourselves selves with with this case, because this is a you know. This is a fascinating cold case and there I've I've come across many common questions that people have come up with within the first few years after these attacks it happened now we said cold k, so you need to keep a mine. It's called for a reason. There were these four attacks that man may not be linked.

There were no more attacks that we can find that were similar. That could be linked to this, so the questions that we ve tasks- cells with answering and we're gonna have to do this in the next episode, because we're getting a little little lengthy here today, but that's a season of the of the the first question is: is it clear if all four of the january attacks are connected, so we'll try answer that one tomorrow also because there were no signs of forced entry into the homes. How did the intruder get into the bennett home or the other homes did that pillar know his victims and if not, did he how he choose these particular people or houses. Also It was the motive for these attacks are killings. Why was Patricia killed during the day and the bennets killed overnight, And then also, as we have already stated, the killings ended with the bennet family murders. Why did they did

killer die or did he just stop killing, or maybe he moved to another state, so we're going to do so additional digging and see if we can answer these questions, for you thanks for listening thanks for subscribing and thank you for telling a friend until next time be good, be kind don't let this spring. Transform your outdoor space into

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