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[5] By 1959, List had risen to general supervisor of the company's accounting department; but Helen, an alcoholic, had become increasingly unstable. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. [15][16], In 1971, as the FBI later discovered, List had traveled by train from New Jersey to Michigan and then to Colorado. [43], The movie A Killer Next Door, based on the events that led to the capture of John List, was released In July 2020. Over the years, the John List murders have been featured in films such as Judgment Day: The John List Story and The Stepfather. [24][25] On June 1, less than two weeks after the broadcast, List was arrested at a Richmond accounting firm after a Denver neighbor recognized the description and alerted authorities. List had a masters degree in accounting, but lacked social skills and had a history of losing jobs. Specifically: I am a member of St Lorenz Lutheran Church with access to burial records. "I grew up with the idea that you should provide for your family and to do that you had to be a success in the job that you had or you're a failure, and that was not a good thing to be," he said. "I've regretted my action and prayed for forgiveness ever since. On November 9, 1971, after the children left for school, List shot his wife Helen in the back of the head as she was drinking her coffee. He did not mention his wife, his mother, or his children. 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 coffee. John confessed to committing the murders in February 1990. Born In: Bay City, Michigan, United States. Aside from a few extra wrinkles, the bust was spot on. If no one claims List's body, Fedekenheuer said, "we call the local funeral director, and that person will have the body cremated. He murdered his mother, wife and three children in November 1971, due to financial distress and other issues within the family, and fled. 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. In 1965, they moved again to Breeze Knoll, a 19-room mansion in Westfield. [14] All reliable photographs of List had been destroyed. He killed them to save their souls so they would go to heaven. He later took a job as the vice president at a bank in New Jersey, where the family finally got settled. [16], List eventually expressed a degree of remorse for his crimes. 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. John Emil List, a.k.a. Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool. John List was born John Emil List, on September 17, 1925, in Bay City, Michigan, to John Frederick List and Alma Barbara Florence List. Born in an extremely strict Lutheran family, John was raised as a single child. Joe Sharkey's DEATH SENTENCE is an account of the life of John Emil List who, in a case that was well known in the 70s, killed his mother, his wife, and their 3 children. Discover The 33 Scariest Animals In The World, From The Deep Sea To The Tropical Skies, The Story Of Caril Ann Fugate And Charles Starkweather's Natural Born Killing Spree, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. The devout Lutherans attended church every Sunday, and List taught Sunday school. The undertaker keeps the remains for a year and if nobody comes to claim them, they are put in a concrete vault and buried in a grave (at the state cemetery) on Cedar Lane in Trenton.". Oct 9, 2018. List, who grew up in a strict Lutheran community in Bay City, Mich., was 'immersed in his religion,' he said. videos, The mansion in New Jersey where John List lived with his family burned down several months after the murders. He was previously married to Delores Miller and Helen List. [35], List filed an appeal of his convictions on grounds that his judgment had been impaired by post-traumatic stress disorder due to his military service. Details of Delores life before she married John List are unavailable. He later moved to California, and then Detroit, where he worked as an accountant in a local firm. Those who knew List, including in his second life: Kathleen "Kay" Ciarfello, Randy Mitchell, Les Wingfield, the Rev. 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. He then walked up to the third floor and shot his 85-year-old mother, Alma. ', Suspected burglar inside New Brunswick home was a panicked deer. 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. When they met, she led a simple life working as an Army PX clerk. British bus driver stops to give loose sheep a lift. Contents 1 Background 2 Familicide, Capture, and Incarceration 3 Modus Operandi 4 Known Victims 5 Notes 6 On Criminal Minds 7 On Suspect Behavior 8 Sources The list of retirees in the second half of 2022 isn't very long, but the years of service add up into the hundreds. But what led Delores husband to commit such a chilling crime? 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. His lawyer, Elijah Miller Jr., argues that knowing his wife suffered from syphilis helped drive the deeply religious man over the edge. He took a new identity and also joined a Lutheran church, where he met his second wife, Delores Miller. He then drove his son back to the house and emptied both the guns on him, shooting him in his head and chest repeatedly. The Rev. List laid the bodies of his wife and three children on sleeping bags according to size in the home's ballroom, went to sleep after dinner, and fled the next day. 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. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, meticulously murdered his mother, wife and three kids. The family were devout Lutherans. March 3 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Britain responded to a home to rescue a horse that had fallen into its owner's swimming pool and was unable to get itself out. In addition, it will contact the Social Security Administration, Veteran's Administration and Public Welfare for any possible death benefits. It was the biggest story he could remember, and the local fervor for information was immediate. After the June 7, 2021, killings of Maggie . Daly said that if no one comes forward, the remains would eventually be returned to the state Department of Corrections, which has had custody of List since his conviction in 1990. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Joseph Vought, Ludwig "Lou" Silbermann, Jerome Kendall, George Corbett,. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Their faces were covered. I thought I was being real clever," he said. Login Although it is a work of fiction, much of the character John Graff was borrowed from the story of the John List murders. . [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. Delores Miller (wife) is an American Homemaker. A former Denver neighbor alerted the police, who made the arrest later. He left his mother's body in her apartment in the attic. In an interview in 2008, parents told a reporter in New Jersey that children will not walk past that property, nor do they even want to live on the same street. He made himself a sandwich, closed out his bank accounts, and cheered for his only surviving son, John, at his high school soccer game. A month passed before neighbors, curious about the constantly burning lights and empty windows, began to suspect something was wrong at the List mansion. They attended church each week with List's mother, a strict Lutheran who lived with them. Delores Miller (wife) is an American Homemaker. The neighbours called the police when Johns daughter Patricias dancing teacher came home to see why Patricia was not coming to the classes. [7] In 1965, List accepted a position as vice president and comptroller at a bank in Jersey City, New Jersey, and moved with his wife, children, and mother into Breeze Knoll, a 19-room Victorian mansion at 431 Hillside Avenue in Westfield. 2023. The new lovers wed on 1 December 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland. A deputy sheriff at the Henrico County Jail was tasked with watching John List after his arrest in 1989. 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. After learning about the murders committed by John List, check out the story of Dale Cregan, the one-eyed killer. 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. John List (murderer) and Delores Miller (wife), See He worked as an accountant, bringing a stable income back to his Victorian mansion; home to himself, his wife, three children and his mother. "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." John Emil List, 63, was profiled on the TV program Americas Most Wanted May 21. John Emil List was born in Michigan, in 1925, the only child of John and Alma List. Then he sat down and ate lunch at the same table where he had shot his wife hours before. But unlike the other members of the List family who dropped instantly, John Jr. struggled. He imposed a sentence of five terms of life imprisonment, to be served consecutively, the maximum permissible penalty at the time. "[38], Over the years, List and his crimes have furnished inspiration for documentaries, television dramas and feature films. He was apprehended 18 years later in 1989 and was sentenced to five terms of life sentence. John Sr. drove to the field and watched him play, then gave him a ride home. 7-year-old baseball umpire seeks Guinness World Record. 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. 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. The crime remains one of the most gruesome acts of all time. John List was an American mass murderer, who became infamous in the 1970s for killing his mother, wife and three children. This is either the most unbelievable mix-up or . 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. Then he drove to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where he left his car as a false lead and took a bus into the city. List methodically murdered his wife Helen, his mother Alma, and their three childrenPatricia, 16; Frederick, 13; and John Jr., 15. Afterwards, he dragged his wifes body to the ballroom and made himself lunch and ate it. 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. [41] A 2003 episode of the A&E series American Justice also detailed the case and featured an interview with List. He died in the prison hospital at the age of 82, in 2008. Delores Miller (wife) and John List are divorced. He has also appeared on television shows such as Your Worst Nightmare and American Justice. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. "[36] The judge was unpersuaded: "John Emil List is without remorse and without honor," he said. [8], On November 9, 1971, List murdered his entire immediate family, using his own 9mm Steyr 1912 semi-automatic handgun[9] and his father's Colt .22 caliber revolver. The episode aired on May 21, 1989 (Opens in a new tab), catching the eye of a neighbor who called the police and warned Clark's second wife, who seemed "stunned." (Opens in a new tab) List was . He is most remembered for Murdered his entire family in 1971. news, New Jersey prosecutors had come up with a plan. The inconspicuous accountant was arrested without incident Thursday at work. He had saved the souls of the people he loved. March 3 (UPI) -- A sheep spotted wandering loose on a British highway was given a lift back to its owner by a concerned bus driver on her first day on the job. John List was on the run when they met in 1985 after having murdered his family members about 14 years before. Jurors deliberated for about . Spouse/Ex-: Delores Miller Clark (m. 19851989), Helen List (m. 19511971), children: Frederick List, John, Jr. I was shocked to hear about Bobs arrest and what he is charged with, the statement said. He grew up as an only child with strict German parents, he had an overly protective and domineering mother (sort of like Norman Bates). Their faces were covered. Moreover, his wife was a heavy drinker and she had also contracted Syphilis from her first marriage. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. He had drained his and his mothers bank accounts and fled, changing his identity. "It's just like D-Day, you go in, there's no stopping after you start," he said. Hence, his severe lack of social skills cost him jobs after jobs. Currently, the morgue is storing the body of "Thrill Killer" Richard Biegenwald, who died March 10 while serving a murder conviction for killing five victims - two teenage girls, two young women and one man - in Monmouth County from Oct. 31, 1981, to Nov. 20, 1982. Corrections spokeswoman Deirdre Fedkenheuer said the social services unit at New Jersey State Prison, where List was an inmate, will attempt to find the nearest relative to see if that person would claim the body. 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. 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. Police in Virginia arrested mass murderer John List on June 1, 1989, a mere nine days after Americas Most Wanted aired his case. He married his second wife Delores in 1985. WhenAmericas Most Wantedaired the story of the John List murders on May 21, 1989, an audience of 22 million saw Frank Benders sculpture. . The research in this book is outstanding, and Sharkey clearly put a great deal of time and effort into it. His father-in-law had heard from the county sheriff: After nearly 18 years, List had been caught. Simring said List showed "no evidence of anything that approached genuine remorse," adding, "He's a cold, cold man.". [13] List also stopped milk, mail, and newspaper deliveries. Examples include "Savior," the season 6, episode 16 of the television series Law & Order; the 1987 film The Stepfather and its 2009 remake; the 1993 film Judgment Day: The John List Story, in which List was portrayed by Robert Blake;[39] and the character Keyser Sze in the 1995 film The Usual Suspects.[40]. 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. 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 defended himself saying that he was not mentally stable. His father was a devout Lutheran who also taught at a local Sunday School in Bay City. Later, John took a lucrative job at Xerox and moved to New York and lived there with his family for a few years. When the children left for school, he shot his wife and his mother to death. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. List is accused of killing his wife, his three children and his mother in 1971. Authorities later revealed that John kept lying to his family about his jobs. He murdered his mother, wife and three children at their home in Westfield, New Jersey on November 9, 1971. Delores and John divorced in 1989, probably following his arrest on 1 June. In 1989, Fox network broadcasted a TV show titled Americas Most Wanted, where an episode featured the New Jersey mass murders of John by his family. He then cleaned the various crime scenes, removed his own picture from all family photographs in the house, tuned a radio to a religious station, and departed. His lawyer hopes to convince the jury that List should not be held legally responsible for the deaths because he thought he was saving his family's souls by killing them. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Interview statement on List's confession to his second wife. On April 12, 1990 he was found guilty on five . But his defence was rejected and he was imprisoned at the New Jersey State Prison. List caught the tail end of the show with his wife, who did not know his past. "[21][22] List was questioned by FBI investigators after his capture, but he denied any involvement in the Cooper case. He believed that killing them would assure their souls a place in Heaven, where he hoped to eventually join them. It turned out that List had changed his identity and moved to Colorado under the assumed name Robert Clark. Then he made a sandwich, drove to the bank, and disappeared for 18 years. Officers entered through an unlocked window leading to the basement and discovered the family's bodies. During that time, he was associated romantically with a number of celebrities, including a nine-year affair with actress Merle Oberon. YouTubeThe bust created of John List, right, next to the real John List, left. BAY CITY, MI Before killing his mother, wife, and three teenage children in his 19-room New Jersey mansion, John E. List began life in Bay City. The trail went cold. Liss summarized Helen List's medical reports for the jury. Although the destruction was officially ruled arson, it remains officially unsolved with no suspects. Bank Vice President and Sunday School Teacher. This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, 17 things to do in Santa Cruz, the old-school beach town that makes for a charming getaway, Best coffee city in the world? The List house burned down several months after the List family bodies were discovered there. Westfield police did not discover the bodies until nearly a month later. The wife of Robert P. Clark--whom the FBI says is really John List, a man who killed his family in 1971--says his arrest is unbelievable and that the alleged killer is not the man I know.. Helen had turned into an alcoholic, which caused them to engage in a lot of fights. Bender gave him a hawk nose, grizzled eyebrows, and horn-rimmed glasses. She is famous for Second wife of murderer John list. After making the decision, List says, there was no turning back. Help us build our profile of John List (murderer) and Delores Miller (wife)! There, he eventually became director of accounting services. John was arrested and extradited to New Jersey. [1] She was the second wife and widow of businessman John Jacob Astor IV . When his daughter and youngest son came home, he shot them in the back of the head. 'He faced limited options and like a small rubber band, he snapped. List assumed a new identity, remarried, and eluded justice for nearly 18 years. Austin Goodrich, an ABCNEWS consultant who is writing a book with John List, contributed material for this report. The couple had three children together, while Helens daughter Brenda left home in 1960 after her marriage. 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. He went upstairs and shot his 84-year-old mother. Then John, 15, after the boy put his bookbag down on a kitchen countertop. Under Review. "The Boogeyman of Westfield", was an American family annihilator and mass murderer who killed five members of his family on November 9, 1971, in Westfield, New Jersey. 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 that 'like a small rubber band, he snapped,' a psychiatrist said. John List was born on September 17, 1925 in Bay City, Michigan, USA. March 3 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts library said a book was recently returned with a note apologizing for the tome being 56 years overdue. John was a strict Lutheran and hence, when he came to know about Helens pregnancy, he right away proposed to her for marriage. At one religious gathering, he met an Army PX clerk named Delores Miller and married her in 1985. He murdered his mother, wife and three children in November 1971, due to financial distress and other issues within the family, and fled. He. They were shot methodically one by one. "I remember talking about funerals and cremation and burials. Then Frederick, 13. In 1971, John List lost his job at the bank at age 46. List's home, a. Pending. 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. Robbins is one of Pitt-Bradford's . Helen and her three children were buried at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. The New Jersey mansion he inhabited with his mother, wife, and three children had 19 rooms, including a ballroom, marble fireplaces, and a Tiffany skylight. He took a break and made himself lunch. John List and his family were the definition of the American Dream in 1965; they seemed to have it all. He watched John Jr. play soccer at school, then drove him home and killed him, too. "I feel when we get to heaven we won't worry about these earthly things. He joined a local Lutheran church and, in 1985, married a widow named Delores Clark, with whom he moved to Richmond, Va. Helen was first. He said they were going to North Carolina to visit an ailing relative. If things had gone on who knows if that would be the case," he wrote. [6] In 1960, his stepdaughter Brenda married and left the household, and List moved with the remainder of his family to Rochester, New York, to take a job with Xerox. 07, 2022, 8:00 a.m. The new lovers wed on 1 December 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland. List (born 1968), American economist. John List appeared to be the perfect son, husband, and father. In a second attempt at love, he was lucky enough to find a business and life partner in Allain, a producer and hairstylist.