He resides in Glendale, California. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Roland Edward Launius was born on March 17, 1926 in Bauxite, AR (although the family home of John R. and Ora Ophelia Launius was in El Dorado). So, Nash became the target of a harebrained idea. Long-lost ship found at the bottom of Lake Huron, confirming story of tragic collision, TikTok to set default daily time limit of up to 60 minutes for minors, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Jaguars, narcos, illegal loggers: One mans battle to save a Guatemalan jungle and Maya ruins, TikTok faces bans in a number of countries over security fears. 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. . Once you find the obituary you are looking for, you can get important information about upcoming services, share a favorite photo or memory, and send flowers or gifts to the family. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 69 years old? She was an associate of the Wonderland Gang, hanging around the Wonderland apartment, where she was savagely beaten by criminals with lead pipes on the night of 1 July 1981. 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. When Holmes returned to his car hours later, two armed men ordered him to drive to Nashs home, he said. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. LOS ANGELES -- The lone survivor of the massacre of four people in the swank Laurel Canyon home of an attractive blonde woman suspected of dealing in drugs was under a 24-hour hospital guard Friday as the star witness in the case. Prosecutors charge that Nash, then a wealthy nightclub owner, ordered the murders . judith goss parcells; Home Uncategorized susan murphy launius. On June 29, 1981, the Wonderland Gang, comprising Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, David Lind, Tracy McCourt, and their associate, John Holmes, conspired to launch a home invasion and robbery upon Eddie Nash, a reputedly powerful organized crime figure who usually referred to himself in the third person as "The Nash". And (that they) made him watch.. Add a Memory. Three grisly murder cases spread across the 20th century have come to define Los Angeles and Hollywood as a town of shadows more than sunlight. In the following decades, the Canyon has retained little of its innocent charm as professionals of all stripes have gentrified the neighborhood and tightened up its vibe. Susan Launius 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. By light, four people - Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billy's girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson - lay dead in the house. He said, They stuck a gun to my head and they made me go back in (to the Wonderland Avenue house) and open the door. Thats what he told me. Title Image Credit: Izayah Ramos for Unsplash, We like to believe that doctors, nurses, and caregivers are trustworthy and have our best interests at heart. relaxed uneasily at the end of their Saturday. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the. Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home & Valhalla Gardens, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Clyde Lee Launius, age 92, passed away on January 23, 2023 at La Bonne Maison Assisted Living Facility in Sikeston, MO. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Charismatic, autocratic Jim Jones ruled with brute force, leading his followers to madness and beyond., Familicide is the act of killing family members, including children. . , money, salary, income, and assets. Above all, she was a fun-loving "Gram and enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her grandchildren. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. Discover Susan Launius's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. The armed intruders robbed Nash and his 300-pound body guard, Gregory Diles, of $10,000, two plastic sacks of cocaine and other property. The LAPD estimates that over the years theyve received. She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, William Launius Sr.; her son William (Joan) Launius Jr. of Millstadt; her daughter Lori (Ken) Harris of Waterloo; her grandchildren William Trey Launius III, Kasey Launius, Hunter Harris, Carter Harris, Tanner Harris, and Cooper Harris; brother-in-law Darwin Kraft; beloved nieces Lisa (Craig) DeBeaumont, Rebecca (Art) Fudge, beloved nephews Todd Kraft, and Karl Eric (Sue) Kraft, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, lifelong friend Theresa Painter, and many other friends. There are other suspects that we feel are involved. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern IL, PanCan.org, or First United Presbyterian Church Building Fund. Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. Ill never forget that as long as I live, she said. I know who did it.. With St. Clair County COVID mandate in place, guests will be required to wear masks and the maximum number of 50 guests will allow for proper social distancing. Find the obituary of Lois Marjorie Launius Vaughn (1924 - 2019) from Dexter, MO. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. A host of musicians, actors and artists make their homes in the rustic canyon. Charlie told the driver to head to Los Feliz, with which he was familiar after spending a drug-fueled evening there a year before. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. September 29, 1943 - ? In the summer of 1981, Sharon Holmes said, she and John Holmes were living together as the managers of a small Glendale apartment complex. Funeral: 10:00am Friday August 15, 2014 at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville IL. Would you like to offer Susan Miller-Preciados loved ones a condolence message? He enjoyed fishing in his quiet time. They forcefully followed his barbaric plan. He was never convicted of the Wonderland murders. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Its a miracle that, despite the thousands of hopeful souls who attempt to break in to the stardom proffered by the architects of Hollywoods dream factory, there arent more tragic tales of disheartened dreamers losing it all. Visitation: Friends may call Monday June 6, 2011 from 5-8 pm, at First United Presbyterian Church, 1303 Royal Heights Road, Belleville, IL 62223. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. . Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. She was the only survivor of the Wonderland murders, although she suffered severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger following the attack. Susan was a lifelong member 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Find an Obituary. We are sad to announce that on December 23, 2018, at the age of 73, Susan Miller-Preciado (Provo, Utah), born in Rupert, Idaho passed away. Search by Name. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 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. John Holmes, who was tried for and acquitted of the crimes, never told his wife the names of the assailants, she said. March 14, 2021 That version of the story, Sharon Holmes said, is fiction. 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. The overnight discovery of the bodies of Sharon Tate and her friends at the Benedict Canyon home she shared with husband Roman Polanski was all over the next days news. for better and for worse. He was one of 5 children born during the depression and times were hard. The address: Wonderland Avenue. (Image Credit: Wikimedia). The news coverage of the brutal Benedict Canyon murders was disturbing to them, and Rosemary had retired to their bedroom while her husband stayed up reading the paper. Location of the so-called 5th victim, Susan Launius was found at the foot of her husband's bed. 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. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. . Charlie and Watson tied the LaBiancas up, convincing the couple theyd be safe if they cooperated. By the time of the Wonderland murders, Lind had been incarcerated several times for armed burglary, forgery, assault, and assault with the intent to commit rape. . Finally, he replied: The murders . The actors wife paused. John Holmes himself never offered a public account of what happened on that July night. Holmes slept fitfully for a few hours, Sharon Holmes said, and moaned about blood and pain. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. The multiple homicide shocked the city, which was still somewhat innocent and trusting at the end of the halcyon hippie days. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Based on the material given to us by John Holmes (for the book), that version of the facts is not an accurate one, Eisenman said. He has had a long career as a journalist and communications specialist with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. 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. Launius' brazen and fearless nature led both to his dominance of his chosen profession as well as his demise, stemming from the events leading up to his death in the Wonderland Murders. If the LaBiancas were spooked by the grisly events of the previous night, they werent concerned enough to lock their back door. Or you could climb the literal heights of the Hollywood sign, as. Clyde Alan Vaughn (Carol), Susan Lynne Vaughn of Jefferson City, MO and Dwight Thomas Vaughn of New Orleans, LA. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. And the character that caused all this trauma? It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. And yet. Sign the Guest Book. From Crime Stories to Our Place in the Universe: Mysteries Exist for Us to Solve. As of January 2017, Susan Launius is both the sole survivor of the Wonderland murders and the only living member of the Wonderland Gang. For a time, John Holmes was silent. Manson, along with his henchman Tex Watson, easily walked into the home and surprised both Leno and Rosemary. Then Holmes hit on a more direct way to make money. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Originally, McCourt was designated to take part in the home invasion itself, but a day or so before the event, conspirator David Lind (who derisively referred to McCourt as "Titmouse Tracy") took away McCourt's handgun, and McCourt was relegated to driving duty. By light, four people Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billys girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson lay dead in the house. She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, William Launius Sr.; her son William (Joan) Launius Jr. of Millstadt; her daughter Lori (Ken) Harris of Waterloo; her grandchildren William Trey Launius III, Kasey Launius, Hunter Harris, Carter Harris, Tanner Harris, and Cooper Harris; brother-in-law Darwin Kraft; beloved nieces Lisa (Craig) DeBeaumont, Rebecca (Art) Fudge, beloved nephews Todd Kraft, and Karl Eric (Sue) Kraft, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, lifelong friend Theresa Painter, and many other friends. Susan. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. There was a lot of screaming going on, Holmes told his wife. As the wife of a drug dealer on the rise, she was protected from the gritty details of the life while enjoying its benefits for one, the money was great. John Holmes died of AIDS complications in 1988. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. He told me that he had set up the robbery. The neighborhood: Los Feliz. 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. Here are four who, Over 900 people died gruesomely at Jonestown, a symbol of doomsday cults. I was involved. (73 years old). The news coverage of the brutal Benedict Canyon murders was disturbing to them, and Rosemary had retired to their bedroom while her husband stayed up reading the paper. She was an associate of the Wonderland Gang, hanging around the Wonderland apartment, where she was savagely beaten by criminals with lead pipes on the night of 1 July 1981. James M. Eisenman, a Century City attorney who represents Holmes estate and his second wife, said he doubts Sharon Holmes story. A unique and . Biography Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. 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