By then, he was assigned to the finance corps, from where he was discharged in 1952. The Twisted Mind of Family Annihilator John List - America's Most Haunted 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. [32][34] Welfare was an unacceptable option, he reasoned, because it would expose him and his family to ridicule and violate his authoritarian father's teachings regarding the care and protection of family members. Flanery lived next door to John List, who was going by Robert Clark, and his second wife, Delores Clark, in Aurora, Colorado from 1985 to 1988. Police in Virginia arrested mass murderer John List on June 1, 1989, a mere nine days after Americas Most Wanted aired his case. One friend, unidentified by the newspaper, said that List had told Delores Clark he had been married before to an alcoholic who died of cancer. After driving John Frederick home, List shot him repeatedly because, as misfire evidence showed, his son attempted to defend himself. He refused to go on welfare, as it would entail excruciating embarrassment in the community and violate the principles of self-sufficiency that he learned at his fathers knee. Cindy wrote a book about her family, "The Cash Family Scrapbook." Cindy married three times, and shares a daughter, Jessica, with her first husband, Cris Brock. John Emil List (September 17, 1925 March 21, 2008) was an American mass murderer[1] and long-time fugitive. Body of killer John List remains unclaimed - nj.com After gruesomely murdering his entire family, John List had begun living a normal life again. When the police entered the house, on December 7th, the bodies had begun to decompose. He killed Patricia when she returned home from school, then the youngest son, Frederick. New Jersey prosecutors had come up with a plan. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. His mother, Alma was overprotective and dominating that would forbid him to go outside and play with the other children because he might get sick. Robbins is one of Pitt-Bradford's . Soon after his high school graduation, he joined the United States Army during the Second World War, where he worked as a laboratory technician. Returning home, he made several calls to explain that the family had gone to North Carolina to visit his wife's ailing mother, and that he was planning to follow by car. [23][16] The segment featured an age-progressed clay bust, sculpted by forensic artist Frank Bender, which turned out to bear a close resemblance to List's actual appearance. Born in 1925 in a conservative Lutheran family, single child John List was a fairly shy, odd and obsessed with military books child from Michigan. He murdered his mother, wife and three children in November 1971, due to financial distress and other issues within the family, and fled. John and Helen married on December 1, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland, the family moving to northern California. Then, he went to the bank to close his accounts and cash his mother's savings bonds. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Their faces were covered. . March 2 (UPI) -- A Minnesota police officer came to the rescue of a raccoon he spotted running around with a jar stuck over its head. Early life [ edit] Katherine (left) and Madeleine Force. Psychologists theorized that List would wear the same spectacles he wore as a younger man to remind him of more successful days. Joshua Boucher/The State via AP, Pool. Then, he went up to the third floor and murdered his mother in her bed. Its hard to believe the solution he arrived at would have been more acceptable to his father, but John List would later say it seemed to him the only option: the murder of his mother, wife, and children. A deputy sheriff at the Henrico County Jail was tasked with watching John List after his arrest in 1989. When his daughter and youngest son came home, he shot them in the back of the head. He was apprehended 18 years later in 1989 and was sentenced to five terms of life sentence. [17] From 1979 to 1986, he was the comptroller at a paper box manufacturer outside Denver. Overdue book returned to Massachusetts library after 56 years. [33], A court-appointed psychiatrist testified that List suffered from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and that he saw only two solutions to his situation: accept welfare, or kill his family and send their souls to heaven. Authorities never found the cause of the fire, and a new house was built on the property years later. In 1950, John List was recalled to active military service. he is the biggest con man who ever walked the Earth, another unidentified friend told the paper. He slept in the mansion where his family lay dead, then walked out the door the next morning and wasnt seen again for 18 years. 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. If no one claims List's body, Fedekenheuer said, "we call the local funeral director, and that person will have the body cremated. John List with his wife and three children. Born in an extremely strict Lutheran family, John was raised as a single child. The neighbours called the police when Johns daughter Patricias dancing teacher came home to see why Patricia was not coming to the classes. March 3 (UPI) -- A New Brunswick couple who initially thought a burglar had broken into their home discovered the invader was actually a panicked deer. But his defence was rejected and he was imprisoned at the New Jersey State Prison. Their faces were covered. He had drained his and his mothers bank accounts and fled, changing his identity. The note John List wrote excusing his children from school. [11], Westfield, where few violent crimes had been recorded since 1963, received national attention as the site of one of the most notorious felonies in New Jersey since the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby. They'll either have forgiven me or won't realize, you know, what happened," List told Downtown's Connie Chung in an interview at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, where he is serving five life sentences. On November 9, 1971, he killed his wife, mother, and three children at their home in Westfield, New Jersey, and then disappeared; he had planned the murders so meticulously that nearly a month passed before anyone suspected that anything was amiss. Under Review. No one has stepped forward to claim the body of mass murderer John List, who died while serving a life sentence for killing his Westfield family in 1971, authorities said today. Specifically: I am a member of St Lorenz Lutheran Church with access to burial records. John List appeared to be the perfect son, husband, and father. He was not, however, willing to suffer the earthly consequences of his actions. Forensic artist Frank Bender uses photographs to sculpt an aged bust of mass murderer John List. John List, going by the name Robert Clark, rented a room in this house in Richmond, Virginia from S. Wallace Parsons, until he and Delores Clark moved into their new home. "I'm sure that if we recognize each other that we'll like each other's company just as we did here, when times were better.". The new lovers wed on 1 December 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. ", Woman wins $100,000 lottery prize 11 hours after $11,000 casino jackpot. After seeing all his children off to school, John List set his plan in motion. The mansion in New Jersey where John List lived with his family burned down several months after the murders. In 1971, John List lost his job at the bank at age 46. Interview statement on List's confession to his second wife. After making himself lunch, List drove to his bank to close both his and his mother's bank accounts, and then to Westfield High School to watch his elder son John Frederick, 15, play in a soccer game. The bust created of John List, right, next to the real John List, left. List is accused of killing his wife, his three children and his mother in 1971. He then drove his son back to the house and emptied both the guns on him, shooting him in his head and chest repeatedly. List assumed a new identity, remarried, and eluded justice for nearly 18 years. In addition, it will contact the Social Security Administration, Veteran's Administration and Public Welfare for any possible death benefits. Net Worth in 2021. "There has been no communication from any family member of John List. [13] List also stopped milk, mail, and newspaper deliveries. John List - Biography - IMDb He spent his days at the train station reading, napping, and wondering how to get his family out of their financial mess. But he fled to Colorado, assumed a new name and remarried, managing to elude a nationwide manhunt for 18 years. He joined a local Lutheran church and, in 1985, married a widow named Delores Clark, with whom he moved to Richmond, Va. Then he sat down and wrote a confession letter to his pastor explaining his financial problems. He defended himself saying that he was not mentally stable. 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. After light bulbs began burning out one by one, they called the police. 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. [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. Her story put an end to the 18-year-long mystery. The 14th and final defense witness was the defendant's brother John . First Patty, 16. When authorities entered the Westfield, New Jersey house on December 7, 1971, they heard organ music piped through the intercom system. John List was a devoutly religious man, and provided for his family in the town of Westfield, New Jerseywhere they lived in a 19-room mansion called Breeze Knoll. In an effort to baffle the police, he cleaned the crime scenes and used scissors to remove his image from every photo in the mansion. List, Patricia List, place of death: Trenton, New Jersey, United States, education: University Of Michigan, Ann Arbor. [26][27] List continued to stand by his alias for several months, even after his 1989 extradition to Union County, New Jersey; finally, faced with irrefutable evidence including a fingerprint match with List's military records, as well as evidence found at the crime scene he confessed his true identity on February 16, 1990. He went upstairs and shot his 84-year-old mother. 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. He believed that it was his failure as a man to be unable to provide for his family. Financial troubles combined with his discontentment with his family over many issues caused severe depression to John, who then decided to take a drastic step to end everything once and for all. [15] Destroyed along with the home was the ballroom's stained glass skylight, rumored to be a signed Tiffany original, worth at least $100,000 at the time (equivalent to $650,000 in 2021). The research in this book is outstanding, and Sharkey clearly put a great deal of time and effort into it. John Sr. drove over to his school and watched him playing in a soccer game. For the economist, see, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, Dupont de Ligonns murders and disappearance, "Wanted: A Killer Disappears Into Another Life", "John List, famous murderer The Crime Library", "Breeze Knoll: The John List Murder House", "John E. List, 82, Killer of 5 Family Members, Dies", "In Hiding for 18 Years, a Wanted Man Is Caught by the FBI and a TV Posse", "Prosaic Life of Suspect in '71 New Jersey Murders", "Real Estate Assessment Data for 13919 Sagewood Trace", "Notorious AMW Fugitive John List Dead at 82", "Frank Bender, 'Recomposer' of Faces of the Dead, Dies at 70", "John List Bust Remembered as Sculptor Faces Death", "The List Murders Stun Westfield In 1971", "Slaying Suspect Saw 2 Choices, Doctor Testifies", "I Know That What Has Been Done Is Wrong", "Killer of Family Gets 5 Life Terms: Court: Judge sentences accountant who murdered his mother, wife and children 18 years ago to the maximum sentence", "Judge Sentences Family Killer to Life in Prison", "The boogeyman of Westfield, a ghost story that won't end", "How Profitable Sequels Succeed: They Just Bring 'em Back Alive", "The Watcher's Grisly John Graff Murder Sequence Is Based on True Story of a Family Massacre. "[37] When asked why he had not taken his own life, he said he believed that suicide would have prevented him from going to heaven, where he hoped to be reunited with his family. [41] A 2003 episode of the A&E series American Justice also detailed the case and featured an interview with List. John List, The Mass Murderer Who Killed His Family So Hed See Them In Heaven. Then he sat down and ate lunch at the same table where he had shot his wife hours before. John Schneider Nursed His 'Miracle' Wife Back to Health after He was the only child born to German-Americans John Frederick List and Alma Maria Barbara Florence List. List left a confession letter at the scene, so police had little doubt as to who was responsible for the killings. Spouse/Ex-: Delores Miller Clark (m. 19851989), Helen List (m. 19511971), children: Frederick List, John, Jr. 07, 2022, 8:00 a.m. Delores Miller (wife) and John List are divorced. He has also appeared on television shows such as Your Worst Nightmare and American Justice. [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. Edward Saresky told the jury Thursday that he heard Helen List taunting her husband by telling him that if he was 'half the man her first husband was the family wouldn't have the troubles they were having. He married Helen and raised three children with her, while working as an accountant in many places, such as New York and New Jersey. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. [30] As the year progressed, the family's financial problems became more strained; List encouraged his children to seek part-time work, ostensibly to teach them maturity and responsibility, but in actuality to help keep the family financially solvent. John List may refer to: John A. Eventually, he took a decently paying job with a paper company at Kalamazoo, Michigan, and settled there with his family. Alex Murdaugh murder trial: The jury finds him guilty on all counts : NPR He canceled all deliveries and contacted his childrens schools to let their teachers know the family would be on vacation for a few weeks. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). In an interview, he stated that he did not kill himself because suicide prevents one from going to heaven. 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. 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. John List A Killer's Secret Life Exposed by Art - George Pallas [5] By 1959, List had risen to general supervisor of the company's accounting department; but Helen, an alcoholic, had become increasingly unstable. After making the decision, List says, there was no turning back. When they met, she led a simple life working as an Army PX clerk. He says today he felt he was letting the family down. They got him down in Virginia.. My Life With John Steinbeck - Gwen Gonger - The Forgotten Wife Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Based on information gleaned from dozens of interviews and hundreds of pages of police and FBI documents, Father Wants Us Dead is an in-depth and chilling narrative from two reporters with more than 25 years of combined experience. He later moved to California, and then Detroit, where he worked as an accountant in a local firm. Aside from a few extra wrinkles, the bust was spot on. List's home, a. John fled the house after putting all the bodies on sleeping bags, turning the house lights on and putting on some classical music. "I wish I had never done what I did," he told Connie Chung in 2002. In a three-sentence statement to the court, he said he was sorry for "the tragedy that happened in 1971." Realizing he was overhearing an important conversation between List and his second wife, the young officer took notes and later related what he heard to investigators from New . The neighbors tipped the police after a month of not seeing anyone entering or leaving the house. Fast forward 18 years to 1989. Hopefully they would go to heaven, and then maybe I would have a chance to later confess my sins to God and get forgiveness.". But back in Denver, his former neighbors did recognize him, and called police. When police officers entered the home on Dec. 7, 1971, they heard organ music on an intercom system and found the bodies of Mr. List's wife, Helen, 46; his daughter, Patricia, 16; his sons. In February 1988, the couple moved to a house in the Brandermill neighborhood of Midlothian, Virginia, where List, still using the name Bob Clark, resumed work as an accountant at a small accounting firm, Maddrea, Joyner, Kirkham & Woody. [44], In 2022, NJ Advance Media released "Father Wants Us Dead," a podcast serial on the events.[45]. They attended church every Sunday as devout Lutherans and List taught Sunday school. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. He left his mother's body in her apartment in the attic. He then shot his wife in the back of the head as she enjoyed her final sips, careful to ensure that her last moments were free of suspicion. All That's Interesting is a Brooklyn-based digital publisher that seeks out stories that illuminate the past, present, and future. "It was my belief that if you kill yourself, you won't go to heaven," he said. He was 82. On 9 November 1971, John murdered his wife, mother, and three children by shooting them. We have estimated John A. List's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets. At sixty-four, John's father was twenty-six years older than Alma, whom he had married one year earlier, after his first wife died of cancer. ", John List, famous murder The Crime Library, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_List_(murderer)&oldid=1139169038, American people who died in prison custody, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, People extradited within the United States, People with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by New Jersey, Prisoners who died in New Jersey detention, United States Army personnel of World War II, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 19:09. Feb. 20, 2002 -- Thirty years ago, accountant John List methodically murdered his whole family his mother, his wife, and their three children. He worked as an accountant, bringing a stable income back to his Victorian mansion; home to himself, his wife, three children and his mother. 'He faced limited options and like a small rubber band, he snapped. Several films and documentaries have been made to cover the details of the List murders. Then he made a sandwich, drove to the bank, and disappeared for 18 years. American Criminal John List was born John Emil List on 17th September, 1925 in Bay City, Michigan, USA and passed away on 21st Mar 2008 Trenton, New Jersey, USA aged 82. 1971 Family Killer Breaks Silence - ABC News 'His wife's behavior, coupled with the loss of his job -- he was threatened with the inability to support his family as he had been trained to do from childhood. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, meticulously murdered his mother, wife and three kids. videos, Wikimedia CommonsJohn List with his wife and three children. The family later moved to Rochester, New York, to work with Xerox. "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. "[36] The judge was unpersuaded: "John Emil List is without remorse and without honor," he said. He was sentenced to five consecutive life prison terms. 'It's as if you're on a race track going around and around with no way out,' Miller told the jury in Union County Superior Court. [4], After completion of his second tour in 1952, List worked for an accounting firm in Detroit, and then as an audit supervisor at a paper company in Kalamazoo, where his three children were born. He is most remembered for Murdered his entire family in 1971. He described a woman whose brain was deteriorating and who was going blind, who was addicted to tranquilizers and drank four or five glasses of Scotch a day, who remained in bed because she was afraid of falls but who retained enough social skill to act normally in casual relationships. Gwyn Conger Steinbeck - Who was She? [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. Authorities went to Clarks home and spoke to his wife, whom he met at a church social gathering. He then walked up to the third floor and shot his 85-year-old mother, Alma. "So eventually I got to the point where I felt that I could kill them. It took Johns fingerprints to match with the military records to convince the authorities that he was John List. WhenAmericas Most Wantedaired the story of the John List murders on May 21, 1989, an audience of 22 million saw Frank Benders sculpture. . Gallery - Father Wants Us Dead: A True Crime Podcast From NJ Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. March 3 (UPI) -- A Massachusetts library said a book was recently returned with a note apologizing for the tome being 56 years overdue. In 1965, they moved again to Breeze Knoll, a 19-room mansion in Westfield. National Park Service: 'Never push a slower friend down' in a bear encounter, March 2 (UPI) -- The National Park Service offered some sage advice for park visitors who encounter bears: "Never push a slower friend down.