Court records and pllice statements indicated two of the four victims were under prosecution for dealing in cocaine, heroin and Quaaludes. Discover Susan Launius's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. It fell to neighborhood housewife Betty Bersinger, walking with her three-year-old this January morning, to make the gruesome discovery. Launius estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. . He told me that he had set up the robbery. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. You could hit the lofty heights of stardom, like Tom Cruise. Star-struck seekers could end up on top of the heap. Biography Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. There was "a lot of screaming going. In the still unpublished official version of his life, Holmes is quoted as saying that he was held at gunpoint at another house while the killers, whose names he did not know, went to the home on Wonderland Avenue. The home invasion was successful, and Launiuss boys got away without being identified by Nash and his crew. He said he was told he would be killed and people in the book would be killed if (Holmes) didnt do what (Nash) wanted. Mrs. Launius moved to Bloomfield, Missouri, where she met the love of her life, Kent A. Launius. But Nash had a sneaking suspicion about his friend Johnny Wadd, who had visited the home only hours before the robbery. Nine days later, Holmes was picked up in a Sherman Oaks motel in the company of Jeanna Sellers, a 20-year-old neighbor. 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. Because they tease our, Start your 14-day trial of MagellanTV and get access to 2,000+ documentaries, available anywhere, on any device, For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. Short seems to have been a drifter. 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. 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. Write your message of sympathy today. Susan Launius (1951-) was the girlfriend of Ron Launius and an associate of the Wonderland Gang. Holmes slept fitfully for a few hours, Sharon Holmes said, and moaned about blood and pain. Later she worked with her husband at Launius Marketing. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com. Write your message of sympathy today. Charlie told the driver to head to. from the masses of young, aimless drifters who had descended upon the West Coast in the late 1960s, entranced by the supposedly good vibes of a scene populated with other young people, hippies, and freaks not to mention, crooks and hustlers peddling free love and other illusions. . Tragically, this merry band of druggies stumbled their way through life and into a bloodbath. . The address: Wonderland Avenue. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date. 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. 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. Funeral: Mermorial service will be held Tuesday June 7, 2011 at 11 am, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL with Rev. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William E. Launius Sr. (Belleville, Illinois), who passed away on March 14, 2021, at the age of 77, leaving to mourn family and friends. Neighbors in the canyon, where a conversation at night can be overheard blocks away, said they were used to rowdy, all-night parties in the house. According to her testimony shed never seen the residence before the day of June 30, 1981. There was a lot of screaming going on, Holmes told his wife. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Search by Name. Susan. By light, four people Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billys girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson lay dead in the house. Los Angeles and Hollywood, L.A.s evanescent city within the city casts a long shadow for strivers and dreamers. On July 1, 1981, three members and one associate of the gang died in the Wonderland murders (also known as the "Four on the Floor murders" or the "Laurel Canyon murders"). 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. fishing with canned anchovies; pros and . 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. 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, No visits to agents, no casting call appearances, no registration in acting classes have been discovered. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. 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. But before they headed east, Holmes paid a final, early morning visit to his wife. When one of Nashs bodyguards spotted Holmes wearing a ring that had been purloined that night, the whole thing fell apart. So,, Whether its a whodunnit story, a bank heist, or an unsolved problem of science, we love a good mystery. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. John Holmes was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in March 1982, after his handprint was found in one of the bedrooms. The robbery was an inside job set up by Holmes, who was a close associate of Nash's, and whom Nash regularly referred to as "my brother". She enjoyed bowling, cross-stitching, and shopping. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from. The Wonderland Gang was a group of drug dealers involved in the Los Angeles cocaine trade during the late 1970s and early 1980s; their home base was located on Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California. On the morning of June 29, 1981, four men who lived at the Wonderland Avenue address entered Nashs house through a sliding glass door that had been left ajar by Holmes, according to trial testimony. There is no photo or video of Susan Miller-Preciado.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. The multiple homicide shocked the city, which was still somewhat innocent and trusting at the end of the halcyon hippie days. 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. 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. Ronald Launius had a kind of second family there in Laurel Canyon, a cohort that included friends, accomplices, and hangers-on. 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. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Inside was Ronald Launius, considered the leader of the group, his wife Susan, William Raymond "Billy" Deverell, his . At 71 years old, Susan Launius height not available right now. The address: South Norton Avenue. She enjoyed bowling, cross-stitching, and shopping. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Bill was a member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. The address: Waverly Drive. (73 years old). Januarys in L.A. arent like those of, say, Boston, where young Elizabeth Short hailed from. Provo City Cemetery 610 S State St, Provo, UT 84606. Susan Launius's net worth After a key witness for the prosecution died in an unrelated police shootout, the murder charges against Launius were dropped. Heres a list, Greek transportation minister resigns over train collision that killed at least 36, Ohios senators to unveil rail safety bill in wake of East Palestine derailment, After months of pounding, Ukrainian official says military may pull back from Bakhmut. But we have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land. 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. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. Atty. During Holmes murder trial in 1982, then Deputy Dist. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. relaxed uneasily at the end of their Saturday. Neighbors knew the place had more than a bad rep it had bad juju. When Holmes returned to his car hours later, two armed men ordered him to drive to Nashs home, he said. Its been proven true again and again over the years: Los Angeles attracts dreamers, starry-eyed souls who come into the Canyon, as the Mamas and Papas sang, only to be disillusioned. ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . In the summer of 1981, Sharon Holmes said, she and John Holmes were living together as the managers of a small Glendale apartment complex. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern IL, PanCan.org, or First United Presbyterian Church Building Fund. She would survive her wounds. In their comfortable Los Feliz dwelling, constructed in 1922 and situated near the crest of a hill. Perhaps the most horrifying sight was Launius's wife, Susan. Theres somebody out there who wants to kill me, Holmes told Sharon, his wife of 16 years. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. But the coke wasnt free, and he owed money all over town. She was later unable to identify her attackers. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. He was never convicted of the Wonderland murders. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. A visitor to the house, Susan Launius, couldnt have known what the neighbors thought, though it was where her husband Ronald spent most of his time. Here is William E. Launius Sr.'s obituary. . 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. And (that they) made him watch.. The neighborhood: Laurel Canyon. For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. Susan wasnt exactly innocent, but you could say she was a bystander caught up in the horror that would unfold hours after she arrived at Wonderland. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. He enjoyed fishing in his quiet time. Funeral arrangement under the care ofUtah Valley Mortuary. She worked in real estate for over 25 years and was a member of the Belleville Board of Realtors. She worked in real estate for over 25 years and was a member of the Belleville Board of Realtors. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from her last sighting? William "Bill" Edward Launius Sr., 77, of Belleville, born in East St. Louis on September 29, 1943, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2021 at Cedarhurst in Waterloo IL, with his children by his side. For example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. His associate, David Lind, once said of him: "You could put a gun to his head and his pulse would never break 70". There in Laurel Canyon, a cohort that included friends, accomplices, moaned! 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