• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About the writer and her website
  • References
  • Archives
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Page

Defrosting Cold Cases

Research website by Alice de Sturler

  • Cold Case Research Methods
  • How to search for cases
  • Case of the Month: Charles Lee Snowden
  • Book Reviews
  • Cold Case Database
    • Index
      • Cases Index A-G
      • Cases Index H-N
      • Cases Index O-Z
    • Summaries
      • Case Summaries A-G
      • Case Summaries H-N
      • Case Summaries O-Z
You are here: Home / Archives for Bennett Family

Bennett Family

Bennett Family Murders: three life sentences

August 18, 2021 By Alice

Photography Simon Folkard 2

Yesterday, Aug 17, District Judge Darren Vahle sentenced Alexander Christopher Ewing to three life sentences, one for each member of the Bennett Family. Ewing was found guilty on Aug 6, 2021 in the 1984 Bennett family Murders in Aurora, Colorado. Ewing didn’t speak during his sentencing hearing. The life sentences will be served consecutively. As […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Aurora, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith

Bennett Family Murders: Jury Impasse

August 6, 2021 By Alice

Photography Simon Folkard 2

UPDATE: the jury found Alexander Christopher Ewing guilty on all six counts ( three counts of first-degree murder after deliberation and three counts of first-degree felony murder) on Friday August 6, 2021. Ewing faces life imprisonment however, he will be sentenced under the law as it was at the time of the crime. In 1984, […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cold Case News, Unsolved Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith

Bennett Family Murders: the prosecution rests

August 4, 2021 By Alice

The case against Alexander Christopher Ewing (60) comes down to forensic evidence. The state pointed to DNA found at the crime scene. The crime scene is the Bennett Family home where 3 out of 4 family members were murdered in January 1984. All four family members were assaulted, only one survived. In the papers, the […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith

Ewing plead not guilty

November 18, 2020 By Alice

On Nov 16, 2020 Alexander Christopher Ewing plead not guilty during his arraignment on Monday. That arraignment had been postponed several times due to Covid19. Ewing is as my readers know, the accused in two cases: the Bennett Family murders and the murder of Patricia Smith. The link between the cases is of course, DNA. […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith

Update Alexander Christopher Ewing

July 29, 2020 By Alice

Alexander Christopher Ewing

On July 28, 2020 18th Judicial District Judge Michelle Amico ruled that there is enough evidence to proceed with the trial against Alexander Christopher Ewing. He is held without bond. His next court date for the Aurora charges in the Bennett Family murders is scheduled for Aug. 27, 2020. There is no news yet about […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Cold Case News Tagged With: Alexander Christopher Ewing, Bennett Family, Colorado, Patricia Louise Smith

Break in 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders

August 10, 2018 By Alice

Alexander Christopher Ewing

Alexander Christopher Ewing (57) is accused of using a hammer to kill Bruce, Debra, and Melissa Bennett  and Patricia Smith. He faces charges for six counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of sexual assault on a child, burglary and five counts of committing a violent crime for the January 1984 killings of Bruce […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Forensics, Unsolved Tagged With: 1984 Colorado Hammer Murders, Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Patricia Louise Smith, phenotyping

Phenotyping and Cold Cases

January 23, 2017 By Alice

Parabon_Snapshot_Workflow_Diagram

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Tom Shaw. He is an IAI Certified Forensic Artist & Snapshot Account Specialist at Parabon NanoLabs in Reston, Virginia. We started talking about phenotyping and how that could advance the investigations in cold cases. There are cases that grow cold because there is no DNA match […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Forensics Tagged With: Bennett Family, French Murders, Jennifer Marie Bastian, Michella Welch, Patricia Louise Smith, phenotyping

Update Bennett Family-Patricia Smith

September 18, 2010 By Alice

Patricia Louise Smith

More details are popping up in the news about the night that the Bennett Family was murdered. Bruce Bennett apparently repeatedly climbed the staircase of his home in the early morning hours of Jan. 16, 1984, desperately fighting a man who sneaked into his home with a knife and hammer to attack him, his wife, […]

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Unsolved Tagged With: Bennett Family, Colorado, DNA, Finger Printing, Forensics, Patricia Louise Smith, Rape kits

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Dina Fort

Author Notes

On my website, I write about old, unsolved cases. Most are from the pre-DNA era and need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigation of these cases to the professionals.

My posts are about homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to these cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme and research. It remains my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more!

My database has hundreds of cases listed by the victim’s last name. You will find a brief description there as well. The database is free to the public.

All writing suggestions for cases that come in by email are added to my to-do list in the order in which they were received. Please be patient. My to-do list is very long but no case gets dropped and I will get back in touch.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the about page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you still cannot find the answer there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler

Copyright

If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

Protected by Copyscape

Categories

Top Posts & Pages

  • Owachige Elice Osceola
  • Missing: Joanna Lopez
  • Cold Case Database
  • The 1966 cold case of Valerie Percy
  • Norvel Robert Nelson III: remains found

Subscribe to DCC by email

Enter your email address to get new posts notifications in your inbox

Recent Posts

  • Bitter Blood by Jerry Bledsoe
  • Assassin’s Lullaby by Mark Rubinstein
  • Remembering Charles Lee Snowden
  • The Harvest Man by Alex Grecian
  • Guilty Verdict for Patricia Louise Smith

William Thomas Zeigler

Category: ALL POSTS

On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held to request touch DNA testing. On July 18, 2016, Judge Whitehead denied that request.

On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed with the Florida Supreme Court. On April 21, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court denied the request for touch DNA analysis.

On May 8, 2017 a motion for a rehearing with the US Supreme Court was filed. It was denied November 13, 2017.

In the summer of 2019, the appeal for DNA testing to the Florida Conviction Integrity Unit was denied.

Richard Lapointe

Category: ALL POSTS

In March 2015, the Connecticut State Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Richard lapointe. On Oct 2, 2015, International Wrongful Conviction Day, Richard was set free. The judge ruled that he cannot be retried for the 1987 rape-murder of Mrs. Bernice Martin. Richard Lapointe died on Aug 4, 2020 of Covid19 complications.

In 1987, someone killed Bernice Martin. I hope that she will not become a forgotten file.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright: Please add a link back if you use my work. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. If you need help with this, just contact me. Thank you, Alice de Sturler

Copyright © 2022 ·News Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.