Write your message of sympathy today. for better and for worse. Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home & Valhalla Gardens, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. There was "a lot of screaming going. 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. Ill never forget that as long as I live, she said. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Coroner Thomas Noguchi said early autopsy results on the bodies found Wednesday -- 12 hours after the neighbors ignored the screams for mercy -- indicated the victims had been beaten to death. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. . We have estimated They raised seven children: James Glenn and his wife, Vanneary, David Glenn, Christopher Glenn, Susan Carson, Frances Green, Albert and his wife, Cecile Glenn and Charles and . . Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. He is from . Lt. Ron Lewis discounted speculation that the slayings could be 'random killings' such as the Tate-LaBianca murders committed by the Manson Family in 1969. According to her testimony shed never seen the residence before the day of June 30, 1981. These years 1947, 1969, and 1981 werent the only years of infamy in Hollywoods history, but each produced a memorable crime of the century though by L.A. standards, perhaps they were just the most notable crimes of their decades. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Nash was separately convicted of cocaine possession and served about two years in state prison. None other than larger-than-life porn star (and fulltime coke fiend) John Holmes, known professionally as Johnny Wadd. No visits to agents, no casting call appearances, no registration in acting classes have been discovered. . Susan Launius was born on 1951. Visitation: Friends may call Monday June 6, 2011 from 5-8 pm, at First United Presbyterian Church, 1303 Royal Heights Road, Belleville, IL 62223. She was later unable to identify her attackers. Ronnie Lee Launius Birth 18 May 1944 Death 1 Jul 1981 (aged 37) Los Angeles County, California, USA Burial Lodi Memorial Park and Cemetery Lodi, San Joaquin County, California, Police sources said Vlick, who is charged with plssessing drugs and stolen property, is a 'fringe guy' in organized crime circles. In the weeks before the killings, Coen told the jurors, Holmes ferried property stolen by the Wonderland Avenue gang to Nashs heavily secured home in Studio City, where he exchanged it for drugs. As the 1980s began, and Holmes became more heavily involved in cocaine, his absences grew longer. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Susan Launius's net worth ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. But we have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land. A host of musicians, actors and artists make their homes in the rustic canyon. The 43-year-old actor died as a result of complications arising from his infection with the AIDS virus. She served as a deacon and Read More, Submit an obit for publication in any local newspaper and on Legacy. . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home 3412 Frank Scott Pkwy W, Belleville, IL 62223. 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. As of January 2017, Susan Launius is both the sole survivor of the Wonderland murders and the only living member of the Wonderland Gang. 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. As Betty strolled past lots both finished and untouched, she saw what first looked like a mannequin splayed near the sidewalk. Miss Miller's shiny white 1969 Mercedes 280 SL was used to deliver narcotics to her customers, detectives said. But Detective Tom Lange of the Los Angeles Police Department, the lead investigator on the case, said, There is no mystery, because we know who is involved and we know why. At 71 years old, Susan Launius height not available right now. For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. Would you like to offer Susan Miller-Preciados loved ones a condolence message? By light, four people Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billys girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson lay dead in the house. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. Another woman who had a lengthy intimate relationship with Holmes told The Times recently of a separate, parallel admission made by the actor shortly after the killings, an account she gave to police in 1981. Although he was often away from home, I was his safe place, Sharon Holmes said. But we have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land. In 1990, Nash was charged in California state court with having planned the murders, and Diles was charged with participating in the murders, but both men were acquitted in 1991. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. There is no photo or video of William E. Launius Sr..Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. . Valhalla Read More, 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. Breaking into Hollywood And Breaking Apart, Doing Harm: Doctors Who Murder and Maim Their Patients, Jim Jones: The Twisted Story of the Man behind the Jonestown Massacre. Holmes told his wife that he rode with three armed men to the address on Wonderland Avenue. 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. For a much deeper examination of the twisted world of Charles Manson and his infamous band of followers, take a look at. (Image Credit: The Village Voice). He is survived by : his children, William Launius Jr. (Joan) of Millstadt and Lori Harris (Ken) of Waterloo; and his grandchildren, William "Trey" Launius III, Kasey Launius, Hunter Harris, Carter Harris, Tanner Harris and Cooper Harris. Make a life-giving gesture. Then Holmes hit on a more direct way to make money. He is currently single. . We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. So Holmes summoned his wife into the bathroom, drew steaming water into the tub, slipped in, and began to talk. I know who did it.. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from. A witness testified that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. . She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Confoundingly, after all these years we still havent been able to close the book on this investigation. They forcefully followed his barbaric plan. The home invasion was successful, and Launiuss boys got away without being identified by Nash and his crew. The scene: A long-settled middle-class area on L.A.s Eastside, this neighborhood was largely developed with apartments and single-family homes in the 1920s and 30s. Charlie told the driver to head to Los Feliz, with which he was familiar after spending a drug-fueled evening there a year before. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary, nee Bell, Haywood; a sister Mary Jane Haywood; and a sister-in-law Nancy Kraft. Holmes would visit Nash at his home in Studio City and quietly leave a sliding backdoor ajar, through which the Launius crew would later (after Holmes departed) invade the house and relieve Nash of vast quantities of drugs and other valuables. 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. Prosecutors charge that Nash, then a wealthy nightclub owner, ordered the murders . Susan Launius, who lay wounded with severe head injuries for hours before being discovered in the house by neighbors last July 1, testified during Holmes' preliminary hearing that she could. Lind's position in the drug underworld was and remains murky due to allegations by rival drug dealers that he worked as a police informant. Los Angeles and Hollywood, L.A.s evanescent city within the city casts a long shadow for strivers and dreamers. 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 . Would you like to offer William E. Launius Sr.s loved ones a condolence message? No one but Holmes has ever been charged in the murder case. . She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. The moans that the moving company had heard had been from her. Click or call (800) 729-8809, Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Later she worked with her husband at Launius Marketing. Charlie told the driver to head to. Short seems to have been a drifter. Send Flowers. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 69 years old? Roland Edward Launius - Obituary & Service Details. did in 1932, peering over the edge at the expanse of Los Angeles as you prepare to leap to your undying infamy. Sellers agreed to talk to The Times on the condition that the paper not reveal her true name. to the late Clyde and Jottie Williams Launius. 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. Discover Susan Launius's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Dr. Blythe Denham-Kieffer officiating. Sympathy Ideas. Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. 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. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. Holmes told his wife that he was held against a wall, at gunpoint, while the three men beat to death Launius, 37; William DeVerell, 42; Joy Audrey Miller, 46; and Barbara Richardson, 22. On December 17, 1948 in Sikeston, MO. It was in prison that David Lind met Ron Launius. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Abcarian: Mask mandates? Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern IL, PanCan.org, or First United Presbyterian Church Building Fund. Above all, she was a fun-loving "Gram and enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her grandchildren. 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. Officers made casts of the victims' wounds to help determine the weapon or weapons used in the attack. Elizabeth Short became known as "The Black Dahlia" after her brutal murder. Launius, 36, was a Vietnam Veteran who had been dishonorably discharged after the Air Force discovered he had been smuggling heroin back to the states from overseas in the body bags of deceased servicemen.Married to his second wife Susan, Launius was basically on a crime spree throughout most of the 1970s including one incident in Mexico where . Tragically, this merry band of druggies stumbled their way through life and into a bloodbath. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Her husband, Ron, 37, of the. Roland Edward Launius. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. (77 years old). Sign up for service and obituary updates. Share Obituary. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from her last sighting? Launius' estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. She is the sole survivor of the brutal Wonderland attack the night of July 1, 1981; she suffered severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger following the attack. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary, nee Bell, Haywood; a sister Mary Jane Haywood; and a sister-in-law Nancy Kraft. You could hit the lofty heights of stardom, like Tom Cruise. In essence, what they wanted him to do was . That version of the story, Sharon Holmes said, is fiction. Rosemary and Leno LaBianca were brutally murdered in their Los Feliz home by members of the Manson Family in 1969. Kevin Martin is Senior Writer for MagellanTV. She worked in real estate for over 25 years and was a member of the Belleville Board of Realtors. She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Loud music and constant commotion marked it as a benighted residence, and the impact on the area was undeniable. Manson, along with his henchman Tex Watson, easily walked into the home and surprised both Leno and Rosemary. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. The objective of the robbery was to steal a hoard of cash, heroin, and cocaine that Holmes claimed was in a safe embedded in Nash's bedroom floor, as well as to retrieve some antique guns the Wonderland Gang had stolen from another businessman and then subsequently, using Holmes as an intermediary, sold to Nash in exchange for drugs. By light, four people - Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billy's girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson - lay dead in the house. And yet, according to the evidence, neither was she a prostitute. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. 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. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Filicide & Familicide: What Drives Men and Women to Family Annihilation? He went out of his life denying, said Sharon Holmes, (saying) I had no involvement., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws. Prior to her disappearance, shed packed up all her earthly possessions and locked then up in the downtown Greyhound bus station. He was a lifelong member of Zion Evangelical Church in Millstadt, Ill., American Legion Post 502 in Millstadt, Ill., Progressive Mine Workers Local 76, and the Operating Engineers Local 520. Early in the morning of the robbery, Holmes visited Nash's mansion ostensibly to party and to buy drugs, but on his way out, left the patio door to the kitchen unlatched. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. The multiple homicide shocked the city, which was still somewhat innocent and trusting at the end of the halcyon hippie days. 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". Have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land generated families. 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