He said he was "brainwashed" into killing Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson in the letters. Edward Harold Bell, a convicted killer who in 2011 admitted to killing two Galveston teenagers in the 1970s, died Saturday. Nearly 20 years ago, in letters he wrote to local prosecutors, Texas murderer Edward Harold Bell claimed the Marine he'd shot and killed in 1978 was not his only victim. r . Edward Harold Bell, 79, a serial sex offender and self-described serial killer, was serving time for the murder of ex-Marine Larry Dickens, whom he shot to death on Aug. 24, 1978 in Pasadena, Tex. The Australian soap is set to make a comeback on Amazon Freevee, with . After the incident, the police came out and took a report from Sue. Adams ordered him to stop, and he did. In Bell's truck, police found the murder weapons and pornography. Parent (s) Elizabeth A. Edward Harold Bell was married with three children and secretly following young girls, exposing himself to them for many years before he murdered 26-year-old Larry Dickens on 24 August 1978 in Pasadena, Texas. wife. As she pulled closer, they made eye contact. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Aliases: Butch My father tried to brainwash me into killing myself.". Madge is survived by her daughter Joy Boudreau (and husband Greg) from . Bell claims not to know the names of other girls. Daily Mail Reporter, Father who survived Connecticut home invasion walks out of court as coroner describes 'significant pain' suffered by his young daughter, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Real Name: Edward Harold Bell Aliases: Butch Wanted For: Murder, Indecency with a Child Missing Since: October 1978 Details: Bryan, Texas, is the type of place that people have in mind when they dream of escaping the big city. Search in titles only Search in Other Serial Killers only. His revelations was met with mixed feelings by some of the victims' family members, who were left unsure whether the killer was being genuine or was just using a ploy, due to his requirement that he be given legal immunity in exchange for a full confession. Her body was found in January 1973. On April 20, 2019, he died from heart failure at the Wallace Pack Unit, aged 79. [12] Despite these gruesome claims, the letters were "kept secret" until 2011, when they were finally revealed by retired Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige to the public in an attempt to uncover any potential leads that could verify Bell's accounts. son. Their abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down and left their bodies in the bayou. He was only convicted of one murder from 1978. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was under investigation in the unsolved deaths of several missing girls has died after collapsing at a Texas prison. In interviews with Lise Olsen, Edward Bell denies killing anyone, even Larry Dickens. They were last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop from a man driving a white van. The Sentinel reported that it took nearly 20 years to get a conviction for the murder, because when Bell was out on bail, he fled and lived under assumed names for years. son. He fired a shot in the air, then shot Larry several times in the chest. There are conflicting reports on Edward Bell's birth date; from what I've been able to gather, I presume the year he was born to be 1937. She says that he was strong and very special to all of them. As reported by Lise Olsen of the Houston Chronicle, who is one of the central investigators in The Eleven, when Bell had skipped bail, "[He] roamed coastal towns in Mexico and Central America, guiding dive trips, and living aboard a sailboat. Despite being shot multiple times, Larry tried to go after Bell and stop him again. As she pulled up to a stop sign near their house, she saw Bell cross the street to the edge of their driveway. He allegedly shot them, then dumped their remains close to a deserted bridge. series Unsolved Mysteries. Two viewers recognized Edward Bell and called in with tips when this story aired. One said he had recently met Bell during a business trip to Panama City, Panama. Investigators Lise Olsen and Fred Paige are on a mission to examine the confessions of inmate Edward Harold Bell. Adams testified that Bell was very calm and had no marks on his face. 11:17 GMT 27 Sep 2011. Through the mid-to-late 1970s, Bell was repeatedly arrested for flashing and masturbating in front of young girls in Lubbock, Pasadena, Plainview, Bacliff, Houston and Gretna, Louisiana, but was either never charged or the cases were dropped altogether. He was caught by police shortly afterwards and interned to await trial on a $125,000 bail bond; however, when the trial date came about, Bell did not appear and was thereafter designated as a wanted fugitive. After completing a Houston driver's education course, she disappeared. In the reflection, she saw a man walking into the bathroom. When he was interviewed for the documentary The Eleven in 2017, he claimed that he had made up his confessions in order to get the death penalty. To employ every one who wants to work in the . Possible serial killer Edward Harold Bell is due to be released from parole in the fall of 2017. Edward Harold Bell, now 72, called his victims the "Eleven that went to Heaven." Show More Show Less 2 of 11 Glenda Willis walks through the Forest Park East Cemetery looking for the . His marriage finally ended, as did contact with his children. He has been seen only once since then, when entered Sue's home in Bryan in September 1984. He assumed the identity of a dead cousin named Cecil Boyd and told people to call him 'Wally.'". O P I N I O N . He pointed the gun at Larry again. He pulled out a gun and demanded his keys, threatening to shoot him if he did not hand them over. She first thought that he was one of Larry's friends looking for their address. She felt that once that happened, they would all be able to go on with their lives. The man who wrote the letter, Edward Harold Bell, was never questioned by the police. All four of the female victims disappeared near Bell's apartment. It's " where two middle school students, Georgia Geer, 14, and Brooks Bracewell, 12, were last seen in 1974." As he walked toward Larry, Larry backed up toward the house. April 20, 2019. They asserted that they could not confirm his confessions. Additionally, he resisted cooperating with the authorities. Dickens ran outside and grabbed the keys from Bell's . Kimberly Rae Pitchford, 16, disappeared after taking a driving class before her body was found in 1973. Following his capture in Panama City, Panama in 1993, he was extradited, convicted and sentenced to a 70-year term for the murder of a Marine in 1978, and later confessed to killing eleven girls during the 1970s. At this time, it was reported that he worked at a dock in the port town of Cristbal. It was submitted to the show by Investigator Boucher. [13] According to him, some of the case details found in the letters had not been released to the public. By Lise Olsen . I was going to let the state kill me, he said. claimed he thought it was a false confession, saying, "I just didn't think that he did it. At that same time, his mother, Dorothy Lang, was standing at the kitchen window. [2] There, he became acquainted with Doug Pruns, a surfer who made custom boards out of his shop based in the area, who allowed him to become a silent partner in the business, despite his reservations about his friend's behavior. He told the reporter that he was actually responsible for eleven murders, calling them the "eleven that went to Heaven". Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Murderers In Texas: The Shocking True Stories of Killing Out Of . Yet another is speculated to be Suzie Bowers, who vanished from Galveston in 1977. Both cases were dropped. Bell spent his time in the mental ward baiting underage patients. At Bell's trial, the prosecution's chief witnesses were Dorothy and Dawna. Bell murdered Dickens and remained on the run for 16 years. He died a suspect in . Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. But was he really their killer? Despite the fact that some thought he was a publicity-seeking "kook," others were certain he was the murderer. Dorothy came out and Dawna asked her if he was dead. Matthew later discussed his Unsolved Mysteries . Dorothy finally felt that she would be able to face him in court and say, "We finally got you in custody, and I hope they throw the book at you, because you deserve it." Bell, who is up for . He was eventually arrested in Panama just months after an episode of Unsolved Mysteries aired, renewing public attention on his case. At this time, Bell was eighty-years-old, frail, and pasty. EDWARD HAROLD BELL, Appellant. Despite the violent nature of the crime against Dickens, Bell's bond was set at $125,000. Not knowing is heartbreaking." By the time of his release, now divorced and forbidden contact with his children, Bell married a 17-year-old female patient and the pair moved a beach house in Galveston. Bell sent prosecutors in Texas letters containing his confession in 1998 but they have remained secret until now. Two 14-year-olds, Sharon Shaw and Rhonda Renee Johnson, also disappeared from the area at the same time. She vanished after taking a driver's ed class in Houston. After his death was announced, Galveston Police Officer Michelle Sollenberger wrote on Facebook, Today these girls may finally rest in peace because their killer has gone to hell, the Chronicle reports. He then turned and ran out of the garage. He was employed by Greer Industries for many years as an operator for 42 years. Self's conviction was shrouded in confusion as Edward Harold Bell confessed to killing 11 girls during the 1970s. However, no charges were ever filed against him in theirs or any other cases. Mrs. Edwards was dying of cancer and had previously discovered her . The autopsy of Larry Dickens showed that he had been shot twice in the head, in both elbows, in the right thigh, and the back. Larry gave him the keys, and then he fired the final shot at him. After his confessions, he told the Houston Chronicle reporter that he would provide proof to back up his claims only if he was given immunity from prosecution. He wrote: 'I was "Brainwashed" into killing Deby (sic) Ackerman and Maria Johnson in November 1971.'. He is likely to respond violently to any confrontation. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. NAVASOTA, Texas (AP) A man serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston who was also under investigation in the unsolved killings of several missing girls has collapsed and died in a Texas prison. His granddaughter Anna Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt. "The police killed Larry Dean Dickens and blamed me," Bell claimed, despite all evidence to the contrary. "I was going to let the state kill me," he said. Along with Panama, he also had lived in Mexico and other parts of Central America. She then tried to block his exit with her car. "They wanted me to rape girls and rob banks and rob people. Show 6 article text (OCR) THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW 6 Fri., April 27, 1945. Self was denied parole in 1994 and eventually exhausted his appeals. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Russian Roulette. Private investigators are investigating his written confessions of "The Eleven who went to Heaven"; which was the term Bell gave his alleged victims in a written . I have not killed anyone.". Edward Harold Bell, in prison for murder, responds to a theory from two investigators that he might be a serial killer responsible for numerous murders of young women in and around Galveston in . However, some of the investigators involved in the case now believe that his confession was coerced and that he was wrongly convicted. Edward Harold Bell parked his truck in a residential neighborhood in Pasadena, Texas. Edward "Buck" Harold Koontz, Jr, 79, of Masontown, WV, passed away, January 9, 2021 at Morgantown Health & Rehabilitation. Now that Bell has died, some are hopeful additional witnesses may come forward with information about the cases. By He has yet to stand trial for the shocking murder that took place on August 24, 1978. He was 79 years old. 1. Some investigators claimed they long believed he was a serial killer and found evidence to corroborate his claims. As she opened up the newspaper one morning, she saw a picture of the intruder. As The Houston Chronicle reported, "Bell blamed the crimes and carnage in his life on a systemic program of abuse, lies and brainwashing [allegedly] begun by his father. Michael Hagerty is the senior producer for Houston Matters. His actions caught the attention of 26-year-old Larry Dean Dickens, a Marine with a young daughter, who rushed in and got hold of the man's keys in an attempt to prevent him from fleeing. Apr 20, 2019. Dawna said that the wounds will never heal and the hurt of losing Larry will always be there. Nearly 20 years ago, in letters he wrote to local prosecutors, Texas murderer Edward Harold Bell claimed the Marine he'd shot and killed in 1978 was not his only victim. In 2011, he wrote the Houston Chronicle claiming to have killed a string of girls he referred to as Eleven who went to Heaven in Dickinson, Houston, Clear Lake and Alvin, Texas, the paper reports. She forced the intruder from the bathroom and then drove him out of the house at gunpoint with a gun from her nightstand. New York, NY, United States. Missing Since: October 1978. ", Bell believed the "program" to be far-reaching, having allegedly included family members and people he's dated. When they opened up the back door of the police car, she immediately knew that he was Larry's killer. He turned around and began to pursue the vehicle. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel says 79-year-old inmate Edward Harold Bell died Saturday at the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota. Dorothy ran in to help him. The facility located about . The victims were young girls from the Texas counties of Houston, Galveston, Webster and Dickinson. (Amazon) Neighbours is set to welcome some big names back to Ramsay Street for the soap's reboot, with Ian Smith, Melissa Bell and Annie Jones all joining the cast. [7], Despite several investigations into his claims, Bell was never charged with any other murder besides Dickens'. That's what Edward Harold Bell wants us to believe. He identified another of his victims as a reddish-blonde girl named "Pitchford," kidnapped near Glufgate Mall in Houston. Years after their deaths, the series reports that a man named Edward Harold Bell penned a letter to authorities claiming that he had allegedly been brainwashed into killing two of the girls. With Edward Harold Bell as their number one suspect, investigators Lise Olsen and Fred Paige are determined to find . He also listed former scoutmasters, a cousin, and three of his ex-wives as part of "the program." Additionally, he made a purchase at a surf shop they frequently frequented. His defense claimed that Larry was a "mean" and "unstable" man who attacked Bell and threatened to kill him. Desel added that there was no foul . Edward had 6 siblings: William Harold, John Harold and 4 other siblings. In fact, he said, there were seven others, all . This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. In anger, she tried to attack him, yelling, "I hate you! I didn't want statutory rape on top of the flasher charge." The investigators finally decided to release the letters to the public in an attempt to uncover any leads that could verify his accounts. A spokesperson with TDCJ said the 80-year-old convicted . Together with his wife, Judy Bell, they taught over 6000 students collectively. He has given a chilling confession from his prison cell where he is serving a 70-year sentence for the murder of a former Marine in 1978. Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. The two head wounds and the back wound were all fatal. Other economic assets include timber (mainly hardwoods), agriculture (livestock, fruit, and truck farming), and lead and zinc mining. [12] In addition to this, Panamanian authorities announced that they considered him a suspect in four rape-murders committed in their country: two while he was residing in Boquete, and another two in Panama City. Sue fired at the intruder as he ran down the stairs to the main floor. Bell worked at Doug's Dive and Surf Shop and lived in an apartment along Offatts Bayou when the girls disappeared. Lang was still watching from the window and witnessed the man shoot her son five times; Larry staggered back towards the garage. These unverifiable claims and allegations introduced doubt into these alleged confessions, but many investigators and detectives involved reportedly believe that Bell is responsible for what he claims to be. Harold, or Hank, as his friends called him, was the husband for over 68 years of his beloved wife . She turned toward him, saw that he was holding a large hunting knife and he slashed her with it. Bell identified another victim as "Pitchford", who was later determined to be sixteen-year-old Kimberly Rae Pitchford. He declared the murder was pinned on him, and the police were responsible for shooting Dickens. Five murders occurred in 1971 and six more occurred from about 1974 to 1977. Next, according to Bell, he seduced a seventeen-year-old patient in Room 417. 1,890,000 TO SEEK NORTHWEST JOBS Legion Confers on Post-War Employment Plans. The identity of the remaining three victims are unknown. You can help Serial Killer Database Wiki by expanding it. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. Lena Madge Crain crossed the divide to her Heavenly Home on Saturday, February 25th after several months of home health care. As Newsweek points out, Edward Harold Bell confessed to 11 girls, but like Hedrick, he was never charged due to a lack of evidence. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season five with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. However, she was happy to know that Bell would be facing justice. He claimed to not know the names of the other victims. During interviews, Bell blamed his heinous actions on a systematic program of abuse, lies, and brainwashing begun by his father. Prosecutors in Galveston, though, declined to show a grand jury his written admissions. At that very instant, the officers heading to the scene recognized his truck. She ran to him as Bell turned around and drove off. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! They commanded him to pull over, but he kept driving. Reports revealed that Ackerman and Johnson's abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down, and left their bodies in the bayou exactly as Bell had claimed. Instead, for the next 14 years, Bell roamed coastal towns in Mexico and Central America, guiding dive trips and living aboard a sailboat. Edward Harold Bell confessed to murdering 11 Texas girls. This article is a stub. She immediately called the police and reported him. In January 1985, the Texas governor's office released a roster of the state's most wanted criminals. When asked about the letters he wrote in 1998, Bell said he was suicidal and wanted the state to execute him; he supposedly made it all up. Elizabeth Edwards "collapsed in a ball" in an airport parking lot and tore off her shirt in a fit of anger, the witness said. A Houston Chronicle reporter spoke with Bell in July and September of that year. [10] This argument was disproven, and Bell was subsequently convicted and sentenced to 70 years imprisonment. Suzie Bowers, who disappeared from Galveston in 1977, is thought to be a further victim. According to Investigator Larry Boucher, Bell is not leaving a paper trail. He is a formidable fugitive. Harris County medical examiner's records reveal Kimberly Pitchford, a sixteen-year-old, didn't return home after a driver's ed course. Finally, Dorothy got them from Larry and gave them to him. [5], For the next fourteen years, Bell travelled around various locations in Mexico and Central America using a sailboat, posing as a dead cousin named Cecil Boyd. The pair was able to uncover circumstantial evidence that linked Bell to the crimes, but found no definitive proof. He assumed the identity of a dead cousin named Cecil Boyd and told people to call him "Wally.". However, she did not hit him. I believe he took a life precious to me and my life has never been the same since, she said. However, Dawna agreed to do so. In April 1974, Bell exposed himself to two girls on the road near Bacliff and pursued them in a Volkswagen rental as they ran. . They claimed that they were unable to verify his confessions. He identified two of the 1971 victims as Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, fifteen-year-old Galveston "surfer girls" who disappeared after hitchhiking. [6] After spending time in Costa Rica in 1988 and 1989, Bell moved for a few months in Boquete, Panama, before finally settling in Panama City, where he married for the third time to a young girl from Chepo. Gloria Gonzales went missing in October of 1971 (her body was found near Wilson's). He gave the remaining victims their initials, hair color, and the year they were murdered. Due to a lack of evidence, neither were charged for their confessions, and . He claimed to the reporter to have actually committed eleven murders, referring to them as the "eleven that went to Heaven." In July and September 2011, Bell was interviewed by a Houston Chronicle reporter. The claims were later explored in the 2017 A&E series The Eleven, which followed the efforts of Houston Chronicle investigative journalist Lise Olsen and former Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige as they tried to determine whether there was any truth to the claims. A jury found Edward Harold Bell guilty of murder and assessed punishment at seventy years confinement. Although he was a longtime suspect, prosecutors said they did not have enough evidence to prosecute him. He reportedly called the victims the "Eleven who went to Heaven" and sent letters to prosecutors in Galveston and Harris counties where he would admit carrying out the crimes, according to The Houston Chronicle. Perhaps, The Eleven's investigations will be able to give these families what they've been waiting for nearly 40 years for: the truth. The show featured fellow Texan Matthew McConaughey as Larry Dickens in his first acting role. According to reports, Harris County prosecutors never looked into the allegations and misplaced the letters from him. Gallery. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [4] In order to avoid prosecution, he was interned at the University of Texas Medical Branch for further treatment, where he continued to romance underage patients. At the time, Bell was serving a seventy-year sentence for the 1978 murder of a 26-year-old Pasadena resident who had attempted to stop him from publicly masturbating in front of a group of . The other two primary suspects are Edward Harold Bell and Mark Stallings. Senior investigators in Galveston have believed for a long time that Bell was behind more crimes but prosecutors have not pressed charges because they do not believe they have enough evidence. She was discovered in January 1973. . Their bodies were found in a river in 1976. One, nevertheless, is thought to be Brenda Jones, who went missing in Galveston in 1971. Through their diligent efforts, they came up with the following list of potential victims: Collette Wilson went missing from Alvin, Texas, in June of 1971. He also claimed that he did not mean to kill Larry, and that he had accidentally tripped on his rifle when he shot him. degree at Texas A&M University, where he played in the Aggie Band. Pictured is the Dickinson pasture owned by Edward Harold Bell in the mid 1970s. In January 2013, he became eligible for parole, however, it was denied. Another is believed to be Gloria Gonzales, who vanished in October 1971; her remains were found in close proximity to Colette's. Birth of Harold Wilmerding Bell. The Killing Fields is a 25-acre patch of land a mile from Interstate Highway 45 in League City. Genealogy for Edward Harold Stibbs (1876 - 1944) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Unfortunately, prosecutors could not develop DNA samples or evidence to corroborate his claims in the letters and he was never charged with any of the murders. Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp. People Projects . He has since been named as a "person of interest" in the murders of six young girls in the Galveston area. v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, Appellee . 1902 July 7, 1902. Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison. [2] After graduation, he found work as a licensed diver and married his first wife in San Marcos, with the newlyweds then moving to western Texas, where they had three children. After graduation, he worked as a traveling pharmaceutical salesman and married his first wife in San Marcos. One Texas detective, Deril Oliver, told The Houston Chronicle that Bell was "the closest thing to a real suspect [for the 11 murders] that we ever had. Edward Harold was born in month 1838, at birth place, to Edward Harrold and Maria Harold (born King). Although Bell was not forthcoming in his A&E interviews, perhaps the show will be able provide answers for the families of the deceased whether things lead back to Bell or someone else. He was previously married to Esther Williams. He believes that Bell has changed his name and is living somewhere where the people around him do not know how dangerous he is. The man retreated to his truck, and Lang grabbed her son from behind and helped him lie down, then she ran inside to call an ambulance. If you are a true crime fan, you have probably heard of the Texas Killing Fields. However, after his death, many of the victims' relatives stated that they believed he was responsible for their deaths. Edward Harold Bell, left, claims he killed eleven teenage girls including Debbie Ackerman, inset left, who went missing on November 15, 1971, and her body was found on November 18, and Colette . People were afraid of him, Olsen told Houston Matters. However, in neither theirs nor any other case were any charges ever brought against him. Their abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down and left their bodies in a river. While his wife Allison . Letters. A convicted murderer suspected of killing 11 girls in Texas died Saturday morning in prison, taking any information he may have had about the young girls' deaths with him. Five weeks later, he shot Larry Dickens while masturbating in front of five Pasadena girls. One suspect was convicted murderer Edward Harold Bell, who was 72 years old in November 2011. He then began to flee on foot. As Dorothy continued talking to the police, Larry went out and took the keys out of Bell's truck in an attempt to keep him there until the police arrived. Edward Harold Bell . Another man was convicted of their murders, but some investigators now believe he is innocent. The outlet reported: Bell reportedly responded by shooting Dickens five times, per witnesses. Wanted For: Murder, Indecency with a Child In some cases he remembers the colour of their hair. Today these girls may finally rest in peace because their killer has gone to hell, one investigator wrote after hearing the news of Edward Harold Bell's death. Finally, a decade-and-a-half after Larry had been gunned down before Dorothy's eyes, his accused killer shuffled past her at the airport, shackled in hand and leg cuffs. On August 24, 1978, Dorothy Lang looked out her kitchen window while washing dishes and saw a man park his red and white GMC truck across from her house. The injury to the left cheek was from close range, nine to twelve inches away. He was an avid hunter and a champion horseshoe player.
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