After years of speculation and rumour, for the first time the real-life expose about this famous series of murders in Adelaide can be told by the man who solved the case. Man sentenced to life in prison in Ripley County quadruple murders, Former police chief charged with felony after selling gun to pawn shop, Weekly Flu Report: ADH releases information on 2022-23 flu season, Weekly Report: Arkansas Dept. The 33-year-old McLean mother waited until the older girl was asleep and shot her multiple times, the detective told a judge at a preliminary hearing. Couldn't put this book down. Whatever the source of contention, Billy Gibbs later told police Henry Bratcher had shoved him off a tree stump. My intention in writing this story is not to stir up things better left alone, but to provide a complete and accurate recounting, compiled from court records and newspaper archives, so that a piece of history, regardless of its unsightliness, remains factual and does not become distorted fiction. Soon confusion was added to concern when Charles Bratcher received disappointing answers from those he asked if they had seen his parents and daughter. We are a blog for hire New for 2019. By 2015, Ronald Youngblood had been transferred to the Navys offices at the Navy Yard in the District, according to court records. In 1978 I had the joy of being picked up by this creep, Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018. We are sorry. He is currently completing his doctoral dissertation about police serving as peacekeepers in Cyprus, and has written numerous articles about policing. In 2019, he released another EP, The Underrated Youth.His second album, Weird!, was released in late 2020 and peaked at the top of . Well written. The hearing was done in complete secrecy, with Gibbs being snuck into town by law enforcement officials. When all was said and done, the verdict was announced before a standing-room-only crowd on May 26, 1995, declaring Billy Gibbs guilty of murdering 10-year-old Lily. In 2012, David Youngblood pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He was last seen while hitchhiking being picked up by a white HQ Holden sedan carrying three or four people. [15] A post-mortem examination revealed that Muir had died of massive blood loss from an anal injury, likely caused by the insertion of a large blunt object[16] and Noctec was found in his blood. I'm sure lots of my memories have been enhanced by conversations over the years but nonetheless I do recall first hand knowledge of the event. Still running, Gibbs aimed the rifle at Henry and fired, and the 44-year-old Henry Bratcher crumpled to the ground. Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2022. This book haunted me, for more reasons than the content. Well worth reading .. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Young Blood: The Story of the Family Murders. So sad. Its never been said what matters were discussed between the fishermen during their morning excursion, but no doubt at some point the subject of Gibbs newborn twin daughters, born just hours earlier, found its way into the conversation. The head was tied to the torso with rope passed through the mouth and out through the neck. Why? This book haunted me, for more reasons than the content. He was roused from his bed during the early Saturday morning hours and taken to the Warren County Jail. South Australia has an international reputation for being the home of some very strange murders. This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location. No one he asked knew anything about baby Charlotte being sent to Nashvillean oddity in the small, close-knit town. Following an unsuccessful appeal, Billy Gibbs was put to death by electrocution only minutes after midnight on Tuesday, May 7, 1957just two years, one month and 14 days after the murders. Her obituary shows she was a woman of many strengths, especially her Christian Faith and should serve as an inspiration for us all. Couldn't put this book down. Enhanced typesetting improvements offer faster reading with less eye strain and beautiful page layouts, even at larger font sizes. pity the author didn't go for the jugular on the judge he mentions . Glad someone took the time to write it. The search ended with the discovery of Henry Bratchers bullet-riddled body. 'But the family, the dad just makes me feel uncomfortable.'" William Lee Youngblood, Sr., also a lawyer, often called the . No one he asked knew anything about baby Charlotte being sent to Nashvillean oddity in the small, close-knit town. Couldn't put this book down. No one can ever know why Vassie Bratcher did as Gibbs instructed and threw her granddaughter into the farms cistern. He was in the barn when the rumblings of a school bus announced the return of Lily May Bratcher, the youngest of the murdered couples four children, from school. All rights reserved. Vassie Bratcher was dead before her body fell to the ground. Mark Andrew Langley, aged 18,[17] murdered in February 1982. The couple filed for divorce in 2016, according to court records, but their relationship appeared to grow more turbulent. On Friday, March 25, 1955, two days after the murders, Charles Henry Edward Bratcher went to his parents' home to visit with his daughter. The unemployed and destitute Korean War veteran was appointed the services of local attorneys William G. McDonough and George Mason Beaver who successfully argued their client would not receive a fair trial in Warren County. Its likely the grandmother weighed the known end result against the hope of a probability and dropped Charlotte Ann into the deep, dark, water-filled hole. By the time the defendant in Warren Countys most vicious murder was executed, the small town had already headlined a few more murders and was trying to forget about the horrific tragedy. First to be discovered was the body of little Charlotte Ann, who was floating in the barns cistern. Something of such great significance cannot, however, simply be swept under the rug and forgotten. Mother refuses to attend hearing in killing of daughters. A doctor evaluating the sanity of a Fairfax County mother charged in the 2018 deaths of her two daughters can't rule out the possibility that Veronica Youngblood is malingering. A well-documented account of a largely-forgotten series of murders. In 1978 I had the joy of being picked up by this creep, Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2018. [5][9] The cold case review was completed in November 2010 with no charges being laid against any of the three key suspects. He said Youngblood gave Sharon, 15, and Brooklynn, 5, sleeping pills and tucked them into bed. Officers cited a Virginia law that prohibits them from releasing information about juveniles without the written permission of family members. The hearing followed months of delays in the case that were prompted by Youngblood, who had refused to leave the jail to attend two previous hearings. Following the two convictions, the defense and District Attorney Fred Gilliam reached an agreement wherein Gibbs pleaded guilty to murdering Henry Bratcher and was sentenced to an additional 20 years and one day, for a total prison sentence of 218 years and 3 days. Butorac had sought to have the court allocate money to allow the hiring of clinical psychologist Michael Hendricks as an expert witness, since he was experienced in murder cases in which the defense is considering a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Again Gibbs was found guilty of murderbut for only one of the two counts. Some of what I thought I knew was mistaken. As a detective, he worked in the Drug and Major Crime Squads and knows the many sides'good and bad'of the city of Adelaide and its people. Well written. Please use a different way to share. Detective details Va. mothers alleged killing of two daughters, Caps cant find a goal late, end up with a deflating loss to the Wild, Capitals rally from three-goal deficit, clip Islanders in OT, For Victor Robles and the Nats, a thorny offseason storyline returns, Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) |. Officials say additional charges are expected to be filed as the investigation continues. Counts 5-8 will be served concurrently with each other and consecutively to the sentences in counts 1-4. Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2014. Having defended a much-hated client through two grueling trials, attorneys McDonough and Beaver asked the judge to release them from Gibbs defense. [21] Among the mutilations was a wound that appeared to have been cut with a surgical instrument that went from his navel to the pubic region and part of his small bowel was missing. Something was very wrong. Third time was not a charm for Billy Gibbs. It had been a frenzied day for the new father of two and he needed to rest. Sheriff Eldridge H. Youngblood immediately gathered his deputies and instructed them to began investigating the disappearance of one the areas most well-known and respected families. Terrible. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. Fearful her cries would draw attention, Gibbs grabbed the young girl and silenced her by bashing her head repeatedly with a hammer. The killings followed a protracted divorce and child-custody dispute between Youngblood and her ex-husband, Ronald, who was a Navy officer at the time of the killings. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. Instead of exploring whether that issue was related to Ms. Youngbloods mental illness and the factors to consider regarding sanity at the time of the offense, Dr. Snably just moved on with her interview, wrote Butorac. David Youngblood, his wife Melissa, his 17-year-old daughter Chantale, and 18-year-old Keith Boyles, Chantale's boyfriend are charged with the murder of Edgar Atkinson and Bonnie Chase. The Fairfax County Police Department did not release the names or ages of the two victims. The murder weapon now out of his hands, Gibbs returned to the Bratcher farm and began rounding up livestock. 13 reviews the Story of the Family Murders No one has been able to put the whole saga of the notorious so-called Family murders together before now. [2] The suspects and their associates were linked mainly by their shared habits of "actively [having] sought out young males for sex," sometimes drugging and raping their victims. The couple separated the same year, but continued to live together in an Oakton, Va., home so they could raise the children together and because Veronica did not have a full-time job. Some of what I thought I knew was mistaken. At least with modern forensics it hopefully could be nipped into the bud before several killings Talks about a horrific series of murders in Australia. Let's hope this type of thing doesn't happen again. Too bad they can't all be this easily done! Powered by. The Chief Medical Examiner was on scene working with detectives. Youngblood allegedly shot her daughters, 5-year-old Brooklynn Youngblood and 15-year-old Sharon Castro, in their McLean, Virginia, apartment in August 2018. Based on the print edition (ISBN 073226913X). I Always heard about murdered Bratchers when I was growing up, but I had no idea how horrific this event really was until I stumbled onto this article. Sensing the danger, Mrs. Bratcher held the toddler close to her body and began to run toward the barn. [20] His mutilated body was found in scrub in the Adelaide foothills nine days after his disappearance. My intention in writing this story is not to stir up things better left alone, but to provide a complete and accurate recounting, compiled from court records and newspaper archives, so that a piece of history, regardless of its unsightliness, remains factual and does not become distorted fiction. A single shot to the head ended the womans life. In 2013, Melissa was convicted after a jury found her guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. Leaving the bodies where they lay, Gibbs climbed into Henry Bratchers truck and pointed it toward McMinnville, the more populated county seat of Warren County, and sold the very rifle hed used to murder two people just a couple of hours earlier. Dr. [5] Others, who have examined the cases, however, argue that there were many more victims. Investigators have not shared a possible motive for the shootings. Sha'Darrion Youngblood was shot and killed in late August. Get help and learn more about the design. The WASP Nest Murders book. Brooklynn was pronounced dead at the scene. My Dad went to his electrcution. Boyles acted on it on June 23, 2010 by shooting and killing both victims and then burning the house in an attempt to cover up the evidence. Once there, he first hid Henrys body in a pile of scrapped cane stalks. Billy Gibbs sits with his attorneys during a trial recess. Campaign and Rock Island earned a bad reputation during this period. Suspect 2, a former male prostitute and close friend of von Einem known as Mr B. Again Gibbs was found guilty of murderbut for only one of the two counts. Too bad they can't all be this easily done! Terrible. [16][22] The sedative-hypnotic drug Mandrax, popular in the 1970s disco scene, was found in Langley's blood. Trace evidence, including hair and fibres from von Einem's home, was found on Kelvin's body and clothing. But during the 1970s this capital city was shocked when a series of young men, all fit and healthy, disappeared from its streets one by one. Shed no more began to make her way to the pond when Gibbs topped the hill, fire in his eyes and gun in his hand. The results of that hearing have been sealed. In 1978 I had the joy of being picked up by this creepwho tried his hardest to lure me back to his house. Bob O'Brien served in the South Australian Police Force for 33 years. Youngblood and Bailey face between 65 and 70 years in prison. their bodies were found dumped in the countryside outside the city. Fascinating. But they grow apart as adultsone with self-disappointment, the other with satisfying success. Within just a short time, investigators learned Billy Gibbs had sold two mules and some pigs known to belong to Henry Bratcher, so a theft warrant was issued against Gibbs. Arrived quickly and well packaged. In 2013, Chantale pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the second-degree for her more limited role in the murders. Couldn't put this book down. Although the winters in this area would be described as mild summers by those above the Mason-Dixon line, to southerners any weather requiring more than one layer of clothing is enough to send them scrambling indoors until the mercury rises. Bob O'Brien is the detective who solved the most famous of all the Family murders. Anger from one toward the other's happiness in life turns hatred into murder. This book was recommended to me as a good read for real crime interest and at first glance, it looks like it will be a solid read. The dispatcher was heard saying that the suspect is there saying she just killed her two daughters. Terrible. Please contact George Molnar at publicfiledc@hubbardradio.com or (202) 895-5120. On Kindle Scribe, you can add sticky notes to take handwritten notes in supported book formats. Their request was denied. Fascinating. "Caller is advising they were shot by their mother. My Dad went to his electrcution. Mr..Bratchers body was buried with old cane stalksthe little girl was taken from the sistern in the crib of the barn..the collie dog was laying in back of the barn..with his head chopped open with an axI CAN NEVER EVER FORGET THAT DAY.. ALL THESE PEOPLE WAS NEIGHBORS THAT I HAD GROWN UP WITH!! Trying to prevent any more bloodshed, Sheriff Youngblood quickly moved Gibbs to an undisclosed location, later learned to be the Coffee County jail in nearby Tullahoma. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. After years of speculation and rumour, for the first time the real-life expose about this famous series of murders in Adelaide can be told by the man who solved the case. However, a VA law passed last year prohibits us from identifying juvenile victims of a crime, even indirectly. The post-mortem revealed that Langley had died from a massive loss of blood from gross injuries to his anus, similar to Barnes. Later dated a nephew of the Bratchers and got to hear the stories pertaining to these hortrible murders. While the men went about their fishing, Mrs. Vassie Fields Bratcher stayed behind to tend to her household chores: cleaning, preparation of lunch and the evening meal, and taking care of her 20-month-old granddaughter Charlotte Ann Bratcher whom she and her husband had been caring for since the unexpected passing of their daughter-in-law 16 months earlier. Veronica Youngblood, 33, of McLean, was charged with murder after last nights shooting in the 1500 block of Lincoln Circle. So far, Youngblood has been charged only in the killing of Brooklynn, but that could change after the grand jury proceedings. pity the author didn't go for the jugular on the judge he mentions . Having heard the repeated gunshots, Mrs. Bratcher, with little Charlotte on her hip, rushed out the rear door of her home to investigate the ruckus. When Gibbs caught up to the man, he saw the extent of the wounds he had inflicted on his cousin. Victims Fairfax County Police Department Veronica Youngblood is accused of shooting her own daughters in Fairfax County, Virginia, killing one of them. Youngblood was also moving so that they could continue to share custody, but reportedly did not want to go. Reviewed in Australia on 12 September 2015. Youngblood, who is from Argentina, married Ronald Youngblood in 2009 in Las Vegas, according to court records. This book haunted me, for more reasons than the content. As word spread throughout the county of the quadruple murder, citizens vocalized their outrage and rumors abounded about vigilantes who intended to enact swift justice. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. @FairfaxCountyPD responded to Lincoln Circle in McLean at 10:15pm Sunday. It is standard practice to test for malingering if there is even the hint that it may exist., In last Augusts court hearing, Butorac said Youngblood had a long history of mental health issues, as well as suicide attempts and a trauma background., In the February motion, Butorac said on the night Youngbloods children were killed, She also intended to kill herself that night but did not follow through with that plan., Butorac said Snably had acknowledged in conversations that Youngbloods actions on Aug. 5, 2018, could have been, at least in part, attributable to depression exacerbated by earlier abuse. Although he had no final words, Gibbs handed the warden a sealed envelope which he asked be given to his father, Walter Gibbs, following his death; the contents have never been revealed. Family members of Sammy Youngblood believe they know who killed the 18-year-old . I was only 5 years old but I remember this. 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