Serial killer who murdered entire family hid in plain sight for years He murdered his mother, wife and three children in November 1971, due to financial distress and other issues within the family, and fled. "I remember talking about funerals and cremation and burials. 2023. The family did not have a lot of visitors and it took the neighbours 29 days to notice that something was off in the house. He believed that it was his failure as a man to be unable to provide for his family. In November 1971, the mass murderer and long-time fugitive killed his wife, mother, and three children at their home in Westfield, New Jersey. The man I know is kind, loving, a devoted husband and a dear friend. Want more true crime? Helen List lied to her doctors during several hospitalizations, Liss said. While there is no set timetable on when that might happen, Daly said the remains of other prison inmates have been stored for up to roughly three months by the medical examiner's office. Expert psychologists believed rather that List was going through a mid-life crisis and as the prosecution pointed out, that was no excuse for killing five innocent people. Helen lived with her daughter Brenda near Fort Eustis in Virginia, where John served. John E. List, 82, Killer of 5 Family Members, Dies His middle son, John Jr. who was also his favorite suffered the most brutal death. John A. List Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family He killed Patricia when she returned home from school, then the youngest son, Frederick. In 1989, America's Most Wanted featured List and a forensic sculptor's impression of how he would look then, 18 years after the murders. Where Is John List Now? 'The Watcher' John Graff True Story, Real John List's confession to his 2nd wife revealed in new episode of 'Father Wants Us Dead' podcast Published: Jun. [42] In 2015, the story was covered in the season 2, episode 2 of the Investigation Discovery TV series Your Worst Nightmare. [16] In reporting his death, the New Jersey Star-Ledger referred to him as "The Boogeyman of Westfield. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. John confessed to committing the murders in February 1990. 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John Emil List Birth 17 Sep 1925 Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, USA Death 21 Mar 2008 (aged 82) Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey, USA Burial Burial Details Unknown. Cindy wrote a book about her family, "The Cash Family Scrapbook." Cindy married three times, and shares a daughter, Jessica, with her first husband, Cris Brock. A deputy sheriff at the Henrico County Jail was tasked with watching John List after his arrest in 1989. In 2008, John Walsh, the host of America's Most Wanted, donated the age-progressed bust by Frank Bender that played a pivotal role in List's apprehension to a forensic science exhibit at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment in Washington, D.C., whose collection was later moved to Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. John List was an American mass murderer, who became infamous in the 1970s for killing his mother, wife and three children. [32], On April 12, 1990, List was convicted of five counts of first degree murder. He murdered his mother, wife and three children at their home in Westfield, New Jersey on November 9, 1971. A nationwide manhunt was launched. He imposed a sentence of five terms of life imprisonment, to be served consecutively, the maximum permissible penalty at the time. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "After 18 years, five months and 22 days, it is now time for the voices of Helen, Alma, Patricia, Frederick and John F. List to rise from the grave." He also argued that the letter he left behind at the crime scene, essentially his confession, was a confidential communication to his pastor and therefore inadmissible as evidence. YouTubeThe List house burned down several months after the List family bodies were discovered there. Aside from a few extra wrinkles, the bust was spot on. The neighbours called the police when Johns daughter Patricias dancing teacher came home to see why Patricia was not coming to the classes. 'To find his wife having a veneral disease was morally, ethically and religiously a very hard thing for him to accept,' the psychiatrist said. My Life With John Steinbeck - Gwen Gonger - The Forgotten Wife His father was a devout Lutheran who also taught at a local Sunday School in Bay City. Specifically: I am a member of St Lorenz Lutheran Church with access to burial records. After seeing all his children off to school, John List set his plan in motion. He lined up the four bodies in the ballroom (he said his mother's body was too heavy to move), put music on the internal intercom, and cleaned up meticulously. Like her sister, Rosanne Cindy inherited her father's musical talent, and by the time she was 16 she was already performing on stage with Johnny and his second wife June Carter. He became increasingly depressed. The list of retirees in the second half of 2022 isn't very long, but the years of service add up into the hundreds. John was arrested and extradited to New Jersey. The family were devout Lutherans. he is the biggest con man who ever walked the Earth, another unidentified friend told the paper. In addition to the financial distress, his eldest daughter wanted to become an actress, which was not acceptable by John owing to his Conservative upbringing. John List (murderer) and Delores Miller (wife), See Next he went upstairs, to where his 84-year-old mother was having breakfast, kissed her ("like Judas," he told Downtown), and shot her in the head. He married his second wife Delores in 1985. [11], Breeze Knoll remained empty until it was destroyed by fire in August 1972, nine months after the murders. That same year, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a laboratory technician during World War II. After making the decision, List says, there was no turning back. But, during a four-hour interview, he sought to explain how worries that financial hardship would split his family and turn them away from their faith forced him to make a tough decision. The John List Murders - Historic Newspapers The family car was found parked at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City, but police found no evidence that List had boarded a flight. List diverted money from his mother's bank accounts to avoid default on his mortgage. By the late 1950s, the family was in a good financial situation as John had been promoted to the position of a general supervisor in the company. Additionally, the financial burden on the family was increasing, causing him severe psychological distress. Westfield police did not discover the bodies until nearly a month later. Because this is one of the most. Delores Miller Clark lived a simple life in Denver before she met and married John List, who then went by the name Robert Peter Bob Clark. Authorities later revealed that John kept lying to his family about his jobs. Delores Clark, asking reporters to respect my right to my personal privacy during this very dramatic and uncertain time, issued a statement that was copyrighted Friday by the Richmond News Leader. It took Johns fingerprints to match with the military records to convince the authorities that he was John List. He had drained his and his mothers bank accounts and fled, changing his identity. Financial troubles combined with his discontentment with his family over many issues caused severe depression to John, who then decided to take a drastic step to end everything once and for all. He also claimed to be suffering from PTSD. 1971 Family Killer Breaks Silence - ABC News He then cleaned the crime scenes, removed his pictures from all family photographs, turned the lights and the radio on, and departed. Bender gave him a hawk nose, grizzled eyebrows, and horn-rimmed glasses. The Star-Ledger reporter, who loved to chat about the infamous murderer with the locals on his Union County beat, was grabbing a sandwich for lunch when he got a tip of his own. Following the end of the war, he resumed his studies and enrolled into the University of Michigan, from where he completed his bachelors degree in business administration. Once inside the kitchen, John Sr. shot him in the back of the head. Although the destruction was officially ruled arson, it remains officially unsolved with no suspects. 'Father Wants Us Dead' podcast extras: Never before seen List - Nj Judge William L'E. It was the biggest story he could remember, and the local fervor for information was immediate. "I knew it was wrong. Born in an extremely strict Lutheran family, John was raised as a single child. During his years on the run, List went by the name Robert Clark. At sixty-four, John's father was twenty-six years older than Alma, whom he had married one year earlier, after his first wife died of cancer. . Unlike the others, John didn't go quietly, his body jerking as List emptied both the 9 millimeter and the .22 into his son. He says he wanted to spare them the shame of losing their New Jersey mansion and to make sure they got to heaven. There, he eventually became director of accounting services. The first seven episodes of Father Wants Us Dead are available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can subscribe on those platforms to be alerted when new episodes drop every Tuesday through June 21. John List - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays After extradition to New Jersey, he was convicted on five counts of first degree murder and sentenced to five consecutive terms of life imprisonment, making him ineligible for parole for nearly 75 years.[2]. He was portrayed in the 1993 film Judgment Day: The John List Story by actor Robert Blake, who, ironically, was later convicted of killing his own wife. YouTubeThe bodies of John Lists wife and three teenage children were found laid out on sleeping bags in the ballroom. The unlikely story of his capture, the tip that led to it and the wild coincidences Gluck encountered as he followed the story are told in the latest episode of Father Wants Us Dead, an investigative true crime podcast about the List killings from NJ Advance Media. A former Denver neighbor alerted the police, who made the arrest later. She had a young daughter from her previous marriage. She is famous for Second wife of murderer John list. Alongside his close friend and colleague Steven Levitt, List has committed to studying the way people behave in the real world, instead of understanding economics as a theory-based field. The video above will play a live video stream of the Monday, Feb. 27 proceedings in the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial or a replay upon completion. They attended church every Sunday as devout Lutherans and List taught Sunday school. WhenAmericas Most Wantedaired the story of the John List murders on May 21, 1989, an audience of 22 million saw Frank Benders sculpture. Soon after his high school graduation, he joined the United States Army during the Second World War, where he worked as a laboratory technician. Her story put an end to the 18-year-long mystery. American Criminal John List was born John Emil List on 17th September, 1925 in Bay City, Michigan, USA and passed away on 21st Mar 2008 Trenton, New Jersey, USA aged 82. He was previously married to Delores Miller and Helen List. List died in prison in 2008 at the age of 82. Psychologists theorized that List would wear the same spectacles he wore as a younger man to remind him of more successful days. Spouse/Ex-: Delores Miller Clark (m. 19851989), Helen List (m. 19511971), children: Frederick List, John, Jr. To avoid sharing this humiliating development with his family, List engaged in the same routine and dress as when employed, leaving home each morning on schedule and spending the day at job interviews or at the Westfield train station, reading newspapers until it was time to come home. Hopefully they would go to heaven, and then maybe I would have a chance to later confess my sins to God and get forgiveness.". Alex Murdaugh trial updates: John Marvin faults SLED, doesn't believe He did not mention his wife, his mother, or his children. List is accused of killing his wife, his three children and his mother in 1971. [26][27] List continued to stand by his alias for several months, even after his 1989 extradition to Union County, New Jersey; finally, faced with irrefutable evidence including a fingerprint match with List's military records, as well as evidence found at the crime scene he confessed his true identity on February 16, 1990. "I finally decided the only way to save them from that was to kill them," he said. March 3 (UPI) -- A 7-year-old Louisiana boy with a firm grasp of baseball rules is seeking a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest umpire. He later completed his masters degree in accounting and worked as an accountant in the military. No one has stepped forward to claim the body of mass murderer John List, who died while serving a life sentence for killing his Westfield family in 1971, authorities said today. The bodies of John Lists wife and three teenage children were found laid out on sleeping bags in the ballroom. He worked hard as an accountant at a nearby bank to provide for his family. When they met, she led a simple life working as an Army PX clerk. Then he made a sandwich, drove to the bank, and disappeared for 18 years. The devout Lutherans attended church every Sunday, and List taught Sunday school. He took a new identity and also joined a Lutheran church, where he met his second wife, Delores Miller. Authorities walk John List to a plane in Richmond, Virginia in 1989 before transporting him to New Jersey to stand trial.Steve Helber/AP. But unlike the other members of the List family who dropped instantly, John Jr. struggled. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Delores and John divorced in 1989, probably following his arrest on 1 June. "It was my belief that if you kill yourself, you won't go to heaven," he said. He waited for Helen to come down for her morning coffee. He was arrested in 1989 after a former neighbor recognized him from a profile on the syndicated TV show America's Most Wanted. [44], In 2022, NJ Advance Media released "Father Wants Us Dead," a podcast serial on the events.[45]. John List | Criminal Minds Wiki | Fandom March 3 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts library said a book was recently returned with a note apologizing for the tome being 56 years overdue. The Case of John List. Born in 1925 in a conservative Lutheran | by After the June 7, 2021, killings of Maggie . Afterwards, he dragged his wifes body to the ballroom and made himself lunch and ate it. John List (murderer) and Delores Miller (wife) Bank Vice President and Sunday School Teacher. The Twisted Mind of Family Annihilator John List - America's Most Haunted After the June 7, 2021, killings of Maggie . 'List believed doing what he did do to his family was allowed because he was sending them to join God and saving them from the embarrassment of having to be on the public dole.'. Delores Miller (wife) is an American Homemaker. A 1996 episode of the series Forensic Files discussed the List murders. However, he was a loner who was not socially active and had very few friends in school and his locality. When the children left for school, he shot his wife and his mother to death. After driving John Frederick home, List shot him repeatedly because, as misfire evidence showed, his son attempted to defend himself. His lawyer, Elijah Miller Jr., argues that knowing his wife suffered from syphilis helped drive the deeply religious man over the edge. 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'True Romance' actor Tom Sizemore dead at 61, 3 children killed, 2 hospitalized in North Texas domestic incident, Dozens killed, injured as Jakarta fuel depot fire engulfs neighborhood, To cut costs, Amazon delays completion of second headquarters, closes retail stores, Migrant woman dies after U.S. Coast Guard stops vessel carrying 54. Delores kept a low profile after Johns arrest, and it is unclear what happened to her. Also in 2022, Netflix released a seven-part dramatic fictional miniseries called The Watcher. In a three-sentence statement to the court, he said he was sorry for "the tragedy that happened in 1971." Then Frederick, 13. "[36] The judge was unpersuaded: "John Emil List is without remorse and without honor," he said. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, meticulously murdered his mother, wife and three kids. Authorities went to Clarks home and spoke to his wife, whom he met at a church social gathering. List, 64, faces multiple life sentences if he is convicted. He took a break and made himself lunch. Then List waited downstairs to kill his children, one by one, as they came home. John was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and five terms of life imprisonment. So he spent his days at the train station, reading the newspaper and secretly skimming money from his mothers bank accounts to pay the mortgage. List had a masters degree in accounting, but lacked social skills and had a history of losing jobs. His father died in 1944. The Lists might have appeared to be the ideal American family, but everything was not as it seemed. Their faces were covered. Johnny Cash Fathered 5 Children with 2 Wives Meet All His Kids Flanery lived next door to John List, who was going by Robert Clark, and his second wife, Delores Clark, in Aurora, Colorado from 1985 to 1988. The 14th and final defense witness was the defendant's brother John . Under Review. He turned on the lights and the radio, leaving religious hymns playing in the houses empty rooms. John Sr. shot him nine more times before dragging him into the ballroom with the rest of his family. I thought I was being real clever," he said. Robbins is one of Pitt-Bradford's . March 3 (UPI) -- A Kentucky man who stopped to buy some breakfast said he lost his appetite when he won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket. [35] At his sentencing hearing, he denied direct responsibility for his actions: "I feel that because of my mental state at the time, I was unaccountable for what happened. At Fort Eustis in Virginia, he met Helen Morris Taylor, the widow of an infantry officer killed in action in Korea, who lived nearby with her daughter, Brenda. A manhunt for John was declared, but it was not until 18 years that he was arrested. John List may refer to: John A. He. This is either the most unbelievable mix-up or . Alex Murdaugh's defense rests after 14 witnesses over two weeks in First Patty, 16. He died in the prison hospital at the age of 82, in 2008. ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Accused family-killer John Emil List, who had always looked to his religious faith for answers, was so overwrought over the discovery that his wife had advanced syphilis. and more from FamousFix.com. List left the bodies of his wife, his mother, Alma, 84, and his children, Patricia, 16, John, 15, and Frederick, 13, and several confessions and apologies in his Westfield home in November 1971 and disappeared for 17 years. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? John List (murderer) - Wikipedia After seeing his daughter and two sons off to school, List walked into the kitchen of his 19-room HIllside Avenue mansion on Nov. 9, 1971, and shot his wife, Helen, as she sipped her morning. He then called his childrens school to grant them leave to visit their grandmother in South Carolina. March 3 (UPI) -- A New Brunswick couple who initially thought a burglar had broken into their home discovered the invader was actually a panicked deer. Helen had turned into an alcoholic, which caused them to engage in a lot of fights. For the economist, see, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, Dupont de Ligonns murders and disappearance, "Wanted: A Killer Disappears Into Another Life", "John List, famous murderer The Crime Library", "Breeze Knoll: The John List Murder House", "John E. List, 82, Killer of 5 Family Members, Dies", "In Hiding for 18 Years, a Wanted Man Is Caught by the FBI and a TV Posse", "Prosaic Life of Suspect in '71 New Jersey Murders", "Real Estate Assessment Data for 13919 Sagewood Trace", "Notorious AMW Fugitive John List Dead at 82", "Frank Bender, 'Recomposer' of Faces of the Dead, Dies at 70", "John List Bust Remembered as Sculptor Faces Death", "The List Murders Stun Westfield In 1971", "Slaying Suspect Saw 2 Choices, Doctor Testifies", "I Know That What Has Been Done Is Wrong", "Killer of Family Gets 5 Life Terms: Court: Judge sentences accountant who murdered his mother, wife and children 18 years ago to the maximum sentence", "Judge Sentences Family Killer to Life in Prison", "The boogeyman of Westfield, a ghost story that won't end", "How Profitable Sequels Succeed: They Just Bring 'em Back Alive", "The Watcher's Grisly John Graff Murder Sequence Is Based on True Story of a Family Massacre. 07, 2022, 8:00 a.m. [16], List eventually expressed a degree of remorse for his crimes. Upstairs, the body of List's 84-year-old mother Alma was found. Gallery - Father Wants Us Dead: A True Crime Podcast From NJ March 2 (UPI) -- A Florida woman earned a Guinness World Record when she completed 23 ultra-marathon runs -- 31.1 miles -- in a 23-day period. Delores and John moved to a house around Brandermill, Midlothian, Virginia, where her husband worked as an accountant at an accounting firm. List gave critical financial problems, as well as his perception that his family members were straying from their religious faith, as his motivations for the murders. The bust created of John List, right, next to the real John List, left. John Emil List, a.k.a. Body of killer John List remains unclaimed - nj.com [23][16] The segment featured an age-progressed clay bust, sculpted by forensic artist Frank Bender, which turned out to bear a close resemblance to List's actual appearance. He watched John Jr. play soccer at school, then drove him home and killed him, too. He killed his immediate family since he could not pay the mansions mortgage after losing his job and did not want them to face ridicule. Assistant Prosecutor Eleanor Clark strongly protested telling the jury of Helen List's syphilis during bitter legal arguments over several days. Salary in 2021. He spent his days at the train station reading, napping, and wondering how to get his family out of their financial mess. Dr. Sheldon Miller, who examined List after his arrest last year, described him Friday as a man who had already been hit by the loss of his job and then learned that his wife had deceived him for years about her medical condition. [12], He was also dealing with his wife's alcoholism and her untreated tertiary syphilis, contracted from her first husband and concealed for 18 years. In 1971, John List lost his job at the bank at age 46. Everything looked great on the surface. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A month passed before neighbors, curious about the constantly burning lights and empty windows, began to suspect something was wrong at the List mansion. He defended himself saying that he was not mentally stable. He was sentenced to five consecutive life prison terms. It was a masterful depiction of John List. Madeleine Talmage Astor ( ne Force; later Dick and Fiermonte; June 19, 1893 - March 27, 1940) was an American socialite and a survivor of the RMS Titanic. On November 9, 1971, John Emil List murdered his mother, his wife, and their three children at their Westfield, New Jersey home using his 9mm Steyr 1912 semi-automatic handgun and his. John died aged 82 in March 2008 of complications from pneumonia while still imprisoned. Login [12], The murders were not discovered until December 7, nearly a month later, due in part to the family's reclusive tendencies, and in part to notes sent by List to the children's schools and part-time jobs claiming that the children would be visiting their ailing maternal grandmother in North Carolina for a few weeks. Los Angeles, 12 reasons why Sycamore Avenue is L.A.s coolest new hangout, Fox News finally reveals its kryptonite: the bottom line, The Week in Photos: California exits pandemic emergency amid a winter landscape, Snowboarder dies at South Lake Tahoe resort, California to alter COVID rules in healthcare settings: Masks and vaccinations not required, Welcome to the world, baby Winter, born amid a snowstorm in Lake Arrowhead, Gripped by grace: Thousands gather for Bishop OConnells funeral Mass. Net Worth in 2021. "At least I'm certain that all have gone to heaven now. Liss summarized Helen List's medical reports for the jury. John List is a revolutionary experimenter whose unique methods and ideas have changed how the field of economics functions. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. He worked as an accountant, bringing a stable income back to his Victorian mansion; home to himself, his wife, three children and his mother. Suspect in Family Slaying 'Not Man I Know,' Wife Says He was arrested 11 days later, and, after a jury rejected his diminished capacity defense, convicted and sentenced. He made himself a sandwich, closed out his bank accounts, and cheered for his only surviving son, John, at his high school soccer game. He was caught after the television show "America's Most Wanted" air a segment on the murders. He said they were going to North Carolina to visit an ailing relative. In an interview, he stated that he did not kill himself because suicide prevents one from going to heaven. March 2 (UPI) -- A Minnesota police officer came to the rescue of a raccoon he spotted running around with a jar stuck over its head. He says today he felt he was letting the family down. Bradford Patricia Colosimo (23 years), director of arts programming Jon Draeger (35 years), associate professor of chemistry Andrea Robbins (40+ years), instructor of chemistry and algebra, Division of Physical and Computational Sciences. John List was a devout Lutheran who lived with his wife, mother and three children. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. As his daughter Patricia, 16, and younger son Frederick, 13, arrived home from school, List shot each of them in the back of the head. During that time, he was associated romantically with a number of celebrities, including a nine-year affair with actress Merle Oberon. List assumed a new identity, remarried, and eluded justice for nearly 18 years. With his first wife, John Frederick had had a son, William George, who happened to be the same . Early life [ edit] Katherine (left) and Madeleine Force. "I don't know whether it was only because he was still jerking that I wanted to make sure that he didn't suffer, or that it was sort of a way of relieving tension, after having completed what I felt was my assignment for the day," List said. He later took a job as the vice president at a bank in New Jersey, where the family finally got settled. John List passed away on March 21, 2008, after suffering from pneumonia. She was born 25th October 1916. He feared his family, confronted with a world full of evil and poverty, would turn from God; this was the only way to ensure their safe arrival in heaven.