Manson had collected his death cult 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. The Dignity Memorial online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. 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. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. In May 1974, he was arrested for and charged with the 1973 murder of a reputed police drug informant who had been killed over a botched drug deal. One woman survived the attack. 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. Would you like to offer William E. Launius Sr.s loved ones a condolence message? 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. Detectives said they had talked to Susan Murphy Launius, 29, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where she is in critical condition with gashes in her head and neck. In the still unpublished official version of his life, Holmes is quoted as saying that he was held at gunpoint at another house while the killers, whose names he did not know, went to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. And yet, virtually since its founding as an entertainment capital of the world, misfortune and misadventure have stalked far more of its denizens than Dame Fortune has smiled upon. 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. 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. None other than larger-than-life porn star (and fulltime coke fiend) John Holmes, known professionally as Johnny Wadd. A witness testified that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. When one of Nashs bodyguards spotted Holmes wearing a ring that had been purloined that night, the whole thing fell apart. . Visitation: 4 8pm Thursday August 14, 2014 at Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home, Belleville IL, and 9 10am Friday August 15, 2014 at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville IL. David Clay Lind was a biker, heroin addict, and member of the Aryan Brotherhood who befriended Launius when the two men served time in prison together. 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. 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. It almost worked. . Tracy Raymond McCourt was the driver of the stolen 1975 Ford Granada that carried the Wonderland Gang to Eddie Nash's home on the night of the robbery. This time, flipping the script, Holmes would gain access to Launiuss Wonderland Avenue pad for Nashs ultraviolent retribution. The house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue was well-known in the neighborhood, and for all the wrong reasons. And yet. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. He is a member of famous with the age 71 years old group. Susan Launius was born on 1951. . James M. Eisenman, a Century City attorney who represents Holmes estate and his second wife, said he doubts Sharon Holmes story. And the character that caused all this trauma? She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. Susan B. Launius. Though she presented herself as an aspiring actress, no evidence exists of any actions to back up that claim. 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. And (that they) made him watch.. 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. Visitation from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Miss Miller's shiny white 1969 Mercedes 280 SL was used to deliver narcotics to her customers, detectives said. But Sharon Holmes and Jeanna Sellers insist that it is true. Another victim, William DeVerell, 44, who lived at the house, had an arrest record in the 1950s, mostly for narcotics but had not been arrested in the recent case. In their comfortable Los Feliz dwelling, constructed in 1922 and situated near the crest of a hill, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca relaxed uneasily at the end of their Saturday. . 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. She was scheduled to appear in court this month on drug charges. He resides in Glendale, California. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Victim three, Audrey Miller was beaten to death on her bed. Holmes slept fitfully for a few hours, Sharon Holmes said, and moaned about blood and pain. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. , money, salary, income, and assets. 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. Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. Biography Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. 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. Detectives said they had talked to Susan Murphy Launius, 29, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where she is in critical condition with gashes in her head and neck. She was found covered in blood on the floor next to the bed that held her dead husband's body, her skull bashed in but, miraculously, still alive. She was the only survivor of the Wonderland murders, although she suffered severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger following the attack. 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. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Location of the so-called 5th victim, Susan Launius was found at the foot of her husband's bed. After Holmes negotiations for an immunity deal with police and prosecutors fell apart, the actor made plans to leave town with Sellers. . 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". Funeral homes; Help and advice. Ronald Launius had a kind of second family there in Laurel Canyon, a cohort that included friends, accomplices, and hangers-on. Here is William E. Launius Sr.'s obituary. He said he was told he would be killed and people in the book would be killed if (Holmes) didnt do what (Nash) wanted. Above all, she was a fun-loving "Gram and enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her grandchildren. Susan Launiuss income source is mostly from being a successful . She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. Nine days later, Holmes was picked up in a Sherman Oaks motel in the company of Jeanna Sellers, a 20-year-old neighbor. So, how much is Susan Launius worth at the age of 71 years old? Officers made casts of the victims' wounds to help determine the weapon or weapons used in the attack. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. He said, I had to stand there and watch what they did, Sharon Holmes recalled. . December 23, 2018 did in 1932, peering over the edge at the expanse of Los Angeles as you prepare to leap to your undying infamy. In the following decades, the Canyon has retained little of its innocent charm as professionals of all stripes have gentrified the neighborhood and tightened up its vibe. 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". He was one of 5 children born during the depression and times were hard. 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. Mrs. Launius enjoyed working on the gardens at her home, which she treasured. She was an associate of the Wonderland Gang, hanging around the Wonderland apartment, where she was savagely beaten by criminals with lead pipes on the night of 1 July 1981. She narrowly survived the Wonderland murders, being beaten so badly that she could not remember anything about the incident. 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. . For example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. I know who did it.. 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, He is from . They forcefully followed his barbaric plan. His associate, David Lind, once said of him: "You could put a gun to his head and his pulse would never break 70". Lind and his girlfriend, Barbara Richardson, rode down to the Wonderland house on Lind's motorcycle and slept on the living room sofa. ? No charges have ever been filed in the Black Dahlia case, but that hasnt stopped people from confessing. 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. Roland Edward Launius was born on March 17, 1926 in Bauxite, AR (although the family home of John R. and Ora Ophelia Launius was in El Dorado). Susan Launius (1951-) was the girlfriend of Ron Launius and an associate of the Wonderland Gang. In essence, what they wanted him to do was . Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? John C. Holmes, the worlds premier pornographic film star, sobbed as he sat in a steaming bathtub early one morning in July, 1981. Confoundingly, after all these years we still havent been able to close the book on this investigation. But Nash had a sneaking suspicion about his friend Johnny Wadd, who had visited the home only hours before the robbery. According to our Database, He has no children. Loud music and constant commotion marked it as a benighted residence, and the impact on the area was undeniable. . LAUNIUS, JUNE E. Flushing Age 90 of Flushing, died Thursday, June 21, 2012 at St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw. Some heard a woman's screams coming from the house Tuesday morning, but ignored them in the belief someone was playing a joke, partying or having a nightmare. Sympathy Ideas. Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. 1969: The Manson Family Killing Spree; Night 2 Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. 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. . Filicide & Familicide: What Drives Men and Women to Family Annihilation? 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Its not like there is a shortage of theories on her murderer there just isnt enough clear evidence to point to any one suspect in particular. Perhaps the most horrifying sight was Launius's wife, Susan. that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. He is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Find the obituary of Lois Marjorie Launius Vaughn (1924 - 2019) from Dexter, MO. He could not be reached for comment on the killings. By light, four people - Ron Launius, his accomplice Billy DeVerell, Billy's girlfriend Joy Miller, and Barbara Richardson - lay dead in the house. Make a life-giving gesture. Let others know about your loved one's death. Roland Edward Launius. But before they headed east, Holmes paid a final, early morning visit to his wife. 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. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. (77 years old). Charlie told the driver to head to Los Feliz, with which he was familiar after spending a drug-fueled evening there a year before. As a result, she suffered permanent amnesia and had a part of her skull and portions of a finger surgically removed. Launius was known for remaining composed under pressure. It fell to neighborhood housewife Betty Bersinger, walking with her three-year-old this January morning, to make the gruesome discovery. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. A host of musicians, actors and artists make their homes in the rustic canyon. Charismatic, autocratic Jim Jones ruled with brute force, leading his followers to madness and beyond., Familicide is the act of killing family members, including children. In the years following the Wonderland murders, McCourt was reported to have moved to Colorado. Funeral, time pending, Friday at First Presbyterian. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. 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. 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. Through his attorney, Nash has consistently denied any involvement in the Wonderland Avenue killings. Why are we still having these debates? She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. Launius estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. Police sources said Vlick, who is charged with plssessing drugs and stolen property, is a 'fringe guy' in organized crime circles. Then Manson left to return to the getaway car and sent in the other executioners, cautioning them to make certain each of them had an equal share in the gore. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Southern IL, PanCan.org, or First United Presbyterian Church Building Fund. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. September 29, 1943 - March 17, 1926 - October 31, 2020. 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 . After all, there are reasons the mythical Boulevard of Broken Dreams is said to slice through the heart of Hollywood. He enjoyed fishing in his quiet time. Though many questions about Shorts final weeks in Los Angeles have been answered, the circumstances of her demise and the post-mortem mutilation of her corpse are yet unknown. In the summer of 1981, Sharon Holmes said, she and John Holmes were living together as the managers of a small Glendale apartment complex. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com. 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. John Holmes recounted how he led three thugs to the tightly secured drug house on Wonderland Avenue, escorted them in, and stood by as they bludgeoned the five people inside, spattering Holmes with blood. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. At the same time, two-bit hustler and self-styled guru Charlie Manson and his gang were cruising the city in their 59 Ford Galaxie looking for another likely target in their LSD-drenched plan for world domination, nicknamed Healter (sic) Skelter. He had been critical of the amateurishness of the night before, and he wanted to offer his death squad an opportunity to regain his approval. The day after the robbery, someone who knew Nash apparently spotted Holmes in Hollywood, wearing a piece of jewelry that had been stolen from Nashs home, he told his wife. ; her grandchildren, Kristina Meltvedt (Robert), Front . Thorson claimed to have witnessed Nash order Diles to beat Holmes, and said Nash threatened to kill Holmes and his family, until Holmes identified the people behind the robbery. One is more often committed by men, the other, women. Interment will follow in Valhalla Gardens of Memory, Belleville IL. 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. 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. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, Ill Read More, SUSAN LAUNIUS Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. Grief Support. For others, its just a dead end. 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