A&E's The Eleven Examines Possible Serial Killer Edward Bell - PEOPLE.com Edward Harold Bell, 82, was being investigated over his . She turned toward him, saw that he was holding a large hunting knife and he slashed her with it. He got out and pointed his rifle at one of the officers. [7], Despite several investigations into his claims, Bell was never charged with any other murder besides Dickens'. On February 14, 1993, Panama police located Bell at a yacht club in Panama City and placed him under arrest. 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. But was he really their killer? He quietly liquidated his assets, and with more than $140,000 in his pocket, disappeared. According to reports, Harris County prosecutors never looked into the allegations and misplaced the letters from him. She then knelt beside him, held his hand to her face, and watched him die. Bell is an eccentric and violent convict who remains in a Texas prison today for another murder. Edward Harold was born in month 1838, at birth place, to Edward Harrold and Maria Harold (born King). It was there that Bell met Doug Pruns through a mutual friend. Bell's case is far more complicated than it initially may seem. They were last seen accepting a ride from a man driving a white van; he happened to own one at that time. Although Bell wasserving a 70-year sentence for killing Larry Dickens, an ex-Marine who was shot after confronting Bell for exposing himself to a group of neighborhood girls, hes long been suspected of other murders as well. Bell claimed in a 1998 letter to police that he had murdered 11 girls in Galveston County. She was shocked to see that he was nude from the waist down and masturbating. The third, Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp in 1971. Eerie theory 'linking' Robert Abel to Texas Killing Fields murders [2], On August 24, 1978, while driving his red and white GMC truck around Pasadena, Bell stopped in front of a group of young girls, pulled down his pants and began masturbating in front of them. Lang told the man that he better leave because the police were on their way. 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. A jury found Edward Harold Bell guilty of murder and assessed punishment at seventy years confinement. Gloria Gonzales went missing in October of 1971 (her body was found near Wilson's). Perhaps, The Eleven's investigations will be able to give these families what they've been waiting for nearly 40 years for: the truth. Holding many offices in the Masons, teaching country western dancing, participating. She pointed Bell out to him. Adams ordered him to stop, and he did. Lise Olsen, Investigative Reporter, Houston Chronicle - Houston Chronicle The man's name was Edward Bell. 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. Deed records showed that Bell owned a pasture just a few minutes drive from the store. Let the Houston Public Media newsroom help you start your day. Harold Bell, in his eighth decade, continues to lead a unique life. However, two are believed to be Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw, who vanished from Galveston a few months before Debbie and Maria. The victims were all teenage girls, and each . One girl was the thirteen-year-old daughter of a Lubbock police officer. The killer says he murdered Debbie and Maria in the letters. Marias death impacted my life more than any other single event. Dorothy had him lay on the ground in their driveway. She also went to the police station and looked through a book of mugshots. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was . Their bones were recovered in a bayou in 1976 and weren't identified until 1981. They claimed that they were unable to verify his confessions. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. Bell's first documented arrest occurred in 1966. Status; Detected Status Living Status; Identified: Deceased . Bell identified another of his victims as a reddish-blond Houston teen named 'Pitchford,' kidnapped near Gulfgate Mall. This case first aired on the December 2, 1992 episode; it was updated on the April 21, 1993 episode. She feels that it is not right that Bell can be out on the streets, exposing himself to children and doing other bad things, while Larry has been dead this entire time. He also listed former scoutmasters, a cousin, and three of his ex-wives as part of "the program." Bell died after collapsing at the Wallace Pack Unit, a prison in Grimes County, according to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman. Sue had always considered herself strong and self-reliant. However, she was happy to know that Bell would be facing justice. How many people did convicted murderer Edward Bell really kill? Edward Harold Bell confessed to murdering 11 Texas girls. 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, 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 . [8] On February 14, 1993, a joint operation conducted by the FBI and the Panamanian National Police led to Bell's arrest at a yacht club in Panama City. As he walked toward Larry, Larry backed up toward the house. Clarke & Staples Funeral Homes - Robert Edwin Tomlinson Texas is fortunate that Larry Dickens stepped in that afternoon and stopped Edward Bell. He pulled out a gun and demanded his keys, threatening to shoot him if he did not hand them over. 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. The dispatcher told her that police units and an ambulance were on the way. Scream. Bell spent his time in the mental ward baiting underage patients. Her bones were found in a reservoir mingled with those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19. The victims were young girls from the Texas counties of Houston, Galveston, Webster and Dickinson. [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. Another viewer claimed that Bell had lived in Panama for several years. 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. Edward Michael Bell. 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. At that same time, his mother, Dorothy Lang, was standing at the kitchen window. Then, a few months after his release, he married her, Bell was thirty-one. Bell's admission of two murders eventually grew to describe "the eleven who went to heaven," meaning that these 11 1970s unsolved murders could have found an answer. The Killing Fields is a 25-acre patch of land a mile from Interstate Highway 45 in League City. He claimed that he shot them and disposed of their bodies near a remote bridge. Gallery. In January 1985, the Texas governor's office released a roster of the state's most wanted criminals. Although another man was found guilty of their killings, several investigators now believe that he was innocent. Edward Harold Bell calls his victims, who all disappeared from Texas, the 'Eleven that went to Heaven'. Larry replied that the man would not kill anyone and took a few steps toward him. Flasher Convicted of Killing Man Who Tried to Stop Him Harold Bell. She pleaded with him to not shoot Larry, but he did so anyway. ", Bell's life journey is far from straight-forward. His confession matched details of the crime scene. Of course, it is not him, but it looks just like him to her. Their bodies were found in a river in 1976. In 1998, Bell wrote several letters to prosecutors in Galveston and Harris county, claiming that he had killed eleven teenage girls between 1971 and 1977. His granddaughter Anna Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt. She told him to stay still because they did not know where the bullets were in him. He turned around and began to pursue the vehicle. The dispatcher radioed the suspect's description as police units headed to the scene. Additionally, he resisted cooperating with the authorities. If you are a true crime fan, you have probably heard of the Texas Killing Fields. . Due to a lack of evidence, neither were charged for their confessions, and . Published on October 17, 2017 12:53 PM . Harris County medical examiner's records reveal Kimberly Pitchford, a sixteen-year-old, didn't return home after a driver's ed course. His long criminal record stretched back to 1969 and included aggravated rapes and numerous counts of indecent exposure to children (mainly girls) throughout Texas and Louisiana. In 2000, he died in prison without ever receiving a new trial. "The police killed Larry Dean Dickens and blamed me," Bell claimed, despite all evidence to the contrary. Age 42. Possible serial killer Edward Harold Bell is due to be released from parole in the fall of 2017. He was eighty-two years old at the time of his death. 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. Mary Livingston Ludlow. Referring to them as the "eleven who went to heaven." Nothing can take her memory away.. That summer, twenty-six-year-old Larry Dickens was visiting his mother and sister in Pasadena, a suburb of Houston. Rhonda "Renee" Johnson and Sharon Shaw disappeared from Galveston on August 4, 1971. In a prison interview with Houston Matters in 2017, Bell claimed he had admitted to the murders because he had been suicidal. Despite the violent nature of the crime against Dickens, Bell's bond was set at $125,000. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Lena Madge Crain | Obituaries | johnsoncitypress.com The show featured fellow Texan Matthew McConaughey as Larry Dickens in his first acting role. In 1998, Edward Harold Bell wrote multiple letters to prosecutors in Galveston and Harris counties, confessing to the murders of numerous young women. The other three victims' identities have not been confirmed. Another victim from 1971 was thirteen-year-old Colette Wilson, who vanished after leaving a band camp. She could not have been more wrong. Lang told her son to give the man back his keys. In fact, he said, there were seven others, all . In 1998, he sent letters to Harris and Galveston County prosecutors in which he confessed to killing seven young girls. v. A jury found Edward Harold Bell guilty of murder and assessed punishment at seventy years confinement. Bill left for work and her three-year-old was in the living room watching Sesame Street. Despite being shot multiple times, Larry tried to go after Bell and stop him again. The suspect accelerated and turned into a cul-de-sac, where he crossed the yard and stopped the truck at a fence. On June 28, 1993, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to seventy years in prison. Some investigators claimed they long believed he was a serial killer and found evidence to corroborate his claims. Bell is currently considered a suspect in the murders of several young women near Galveston in the 1970s. Children. Lena Madge Crain crossed the divide to her Heavenly Home on Saturday, February 25th after several months of home health care. He also refused to cooperate with the police. Was The 'Texas Killing Fields' Killer Caught? Robert Abel & Others Were Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison for the death of Larry Dickens. She then saw a red-and-white GMC pickup truck driving up near it He then shot the gun in the air and told Larry that he would kill him if he did not return his keys. Edward Harold Bell v. State - CourtListener.com As she pulled up to a stop sign near their house, she saw Bell cross the street to the edge of their driveway. Results: Unresolved. During interviews, Bell blamed his heinous actions on a systematic program of abuse, lies, and brainwashing begun by his father. If you have any information, please get in touch with the tip line of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office at 1(800) 566-2209. https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/tenth-court-of-appeals/1994/1036.html, https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Confessions-of-a-cold-blooded-killer-2187501.php, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Harold_Bell, https://unsolved.com/gallery/edward-harold-bell/, https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/convicted-killer-edward-bell-dies-in-navasota-prison/285-a63d52bf-60a7-4b5d-a5b2-cb15f4ab7132, https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-eleven-on-the-trail-of-a-serial-killer/, https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2019/04/22/330217/possible-serial-killer-dies-in-texas-prison/. The whole incident was very quick. Georgia Geer and Brooks Bracewell, aka "the Dickenson girls," both vanished in September of 1974. 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. On the night of the broadcast, a viewer was stunned to realize that a man he had recently conducted business with in Panama City, Panama, was none other than Bell. The Eleven | TVmaze Your subscription will be migrated over. As she got closer, she saw that Larry was lying in the driveway. No physical evidence was found to link him to the other crimes. In 1998, Bell wrote several letters to prosecutors in Galveston and Harris county, claiming that he had killed eleven teenage girls between 1971 and 1977. mother. The State of Texas, Relatives unsure of killer's claim in Texas deaths. While his wife Allison . They were last seen accepting a ride from a man driving a white van; he happened to own one at that time. Amazon.com: Murderers In Texas: The Shocking True Stories of Killing Dawna screamed and cried. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Edward Bell, who confessed to local killings, dies This article is a stub. [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. 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." He loved . 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. Edward Harold, 1838 - 1891. 12-year-old Brooks Bracewell and 14-year-old Georgia Geer, who were last seen in 1974 and discovered in 1976, are thought to be the other two victims. "My father thought if he beat you real bad, it would send chemicals into your bloodstream," Bell said. Extra Notes: Results: Captured. People Projects . 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. By Lise Olsen . He is a formidable fugitive. He pointed the gun at Larry again. Many believe he was involved the killings. Their abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down and left their bodies in a river. Screenshot/A&E. The Eleven, airing Thursday at 9 and 10 p.m. on A&E investigates 11 murders that occurred in rural Texas in the 1970s. It was submitted to the show by Investigator Boucher. In fact, he said, there . He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Betty A. Tomlinson; his daughter, Darlene S. Richardson (Steve) and grandson, Chris Richardson (Kathleen) all of Victoria. Three of the girls died in 1971 including 15-year-olds Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, who disappeared in Galveston County while hitch-hiking. On June 26, 1978, he exposed himself to two girls riding bikes, aged 11 and 12. In January 2013, he became eligible for parole, however, it was denied. The other two primary suspects are Edward Harold Bell and Mark Stallings. Bell identified another victim as "Pitchford", who was later determined to be sixteen-year-old Kimberly Rae Pitchford. He claimed that it started with his father, but continued on with scoutmasters, a cousin, and his three ex-wives. In the reflection, she saw a man walking into the bathroom. The murders are believed to be the work of multiple serial killers using the location as their dumping ground. Texas killer dies, leaving open questions about 11 slayings - Yahoo! News Bell continued to demand his keys. His name was Edward Bell, and he was wanted for murder. Crime Stoppers: Texas Most Wanted Fugitive #1, Police nab slaying suspect after 14 years, Flasher Convicted of Killing Man Who Tried to Stop Him, Edward Harold Bell vs. He is an actor and writer, known for Gymkata (1985), The Greatest American Hero (1981) and Vindication. However, she did not hit him. Russian Roulette. When Bell made the claim that he was allegedly responsible for some of the unsolved murders covered in The Eleven, he was already serving a 70-year prison sentence for another murder. When they opened up the back door of the police car, she immediately knew that he was Larry's killer. Twenty years after the murder of Larry Dickens, Bell began writing letters allegedly taking credit for multiple other murders 11 in total between 1971 and 1977, according to The Houston Chronicle. [Marriage Licenses - The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois)12 Jan 1927, Wed Page 10] survivors; wife, father Louis, sons Harold T, and James E., daughters Mrs. Betty Jane Weathers and Miss Darlene Feus, sisters Mrs. Harry Talbot and Mrs.. HAROLD BELL Obituary (2021) - West Palm Beach, MA - New York Times He was 79 years old. They were last seen accepting a ride near an island ice cream shop from a man driving a white van. On April 20, 2019, he died from heart failure at the Wallace Pack Unit, aged 79. They commanded him to pull over, but he kept driving. She vanished after taking a driver's ed class in Houston. Bell also said he killed a red-haired teen named 'Pitchford', after kidnapping her near a mall. We're in the process of transitioning services for our Today in Houston newsletter. Five murders occurred in 1971 and six more occurred from about 1974 to 1977. I believe he took a life precious to me and my life has never been the same since, she said. They were able to determine that Bell often had access to the areas where the crimes were committed and also found that witnesses saw two of the missing girls get into a van that matched the description of one Bell owned at the time. Dorothy says that their family has missed Larry so much. According to Special Agent Rolando Moss of the Houston FBI, Bell was prospecting for gold on land he owned near Panama City. His confession matched details of the crime scene. He claimed to the reporter to have actually committed eleven murders, referring to them as the "eleven that went to Heaven." Edward Harold Bell, who was serving time for the 1978 killing of an ex-Marine, collapsed and died in the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota at the age of 82. As a result of discoveries made during their investigation, Galveston prosecutors reopened Debbie and Maria's cases and Bell was named the "prime suspect". He has yet to stand trial for the shocking murder that took place on August 24, 1978. I was going to let the state kill me, he said. Dorothy ran in to help him. Man admits to killing as many as 11 girls across Southeast Texas However the killings he lays claim to started a long time before that. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. Tags artists in Galveston artwork in Galveston galveston Galveston cultural arts commission. Bell became a silent partner at Doug's Dive and Surf Shop. The two girls were shot as they stood tied up half naked in a river, says Bell. He died a suspect in 2019, per the outlet. At this time, Bell was eighty-years-old, frail, and pasty. ", Bell's letters suggest that he believes that he was "programmed" into becoming a murderer. He was living under the name of his deceased cousin, "Cecil Boyd". However, the legitimacy of his claims (which he has since denied) has come into question. BELL Edward Harold View source History Talk (0) Stub. He told the reporter that he was actually responsible for eleven murders, calling them the "eleven that went to Heaven". Kimberly Rae Pitchford, 16, disappeared after taking a driving class before her body was found in 1973. BELL--Harold, age 94, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his children. Instead, for the next 14 years, Bell roamed coastal towns in Mexico and Central America, guiding dive trips and living aboard a sailboat. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel told the Associated Press that no foul play was suspected in Bells death, howeverhe declined to discuss any specifics of how he died due to medical privacy laws. After completing a Houston driver's education course, she disappeared. The longtime D.C. broadcaster and community leader, who was the first African American to host a daily sports talk show in the . In April 1974, Bell exposed himself to two girls on the road near Bacliff and pursued them in a Volkswagen rental as they ran. Self-described serial killer Edward Harold Bell died in the Texas prison Saturday, leaving unanswered questions about the unsolved murders of 11 girls he claimed to have killed. He is likely to respond violently to any confrontation. The grief "welled up" in her again. [7], On December 2, 1992, the television show Unsolved Mysteries aired an episode about the murder of Dickens. Just three months after Ackerman and Johnson disappeared from Galveston, so did two fourteen-year-old Webster girls named Sharon Shaw and Rhonda Johnson. Bell says he murdered 11 young girls in Houston and the counties of Galveston, Webster and Dickinson - five in 1971 and six more from 1974 to 1977. Bell murdered Dickens and remained on the run for 16 years. series Unsolved Mysteries. Two viewers recognized Edward Bell and called in with tips when this story aired. [1][5] His death was met with relief from both Dickens' and the other victims' family members, who believed that he was responsible for their deaths. Harold Elmer Fues (1904-1949) - Find a Grave-reminne She noticed that there were several children playing in the intersection of Moore and Apple, next to their house. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. She was upset at the fact that, while they could bring him back, no one could ever bring Larry back. In 1970, he and his new wife moved into an apartment in Galveston. The outlet reported: Bell reportedly responded by shooting Dickens five times, per witnesses. Actor: Gymkata. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Police reports showed that in February of 1972, Bell was arrested after flashing a fifteen-year-old and he was driving a 1971 white Ford van. Birth of Harold Wilmerding Bell. In 2017, A&E produced a docuseries called "The Eleven." He has been seen only once since then, when entered Sue's home in Bryan in September 1984. Throughout this time, he made a living through giving dive trips to American tourists and gold panning. [2], In spite of these claims, Bell's life was considered enviable by family and friends alike, as he graduated from the Columbus High School in Columbus and later earned a physical education degree at the Texas A&M University in College Station, where he also played in the university's Aggie Band. Mystery over 11 missing women after death of accused Texas 'serial Sue fired at the intruder as he ran down the stairs to the main floor. As Dawna crossed the street, she saw the man lean over and shoot the gun at something on the ground. Bell further asserted that a "brainwashing programme" had pushed him to kill, rape, and expose himself to young girls. Larry had been shot four times in the chest and once in the head with a .22 pistol. Edward Bell | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom Especially since, as seen in the A&E series, he later denied everything he wrote years ago. She told him that she was going to call an ambulance, and not to move again. Most victims were 11 to 16-year- old but he repeatedly avoided arrest and prosecution. Murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw - Wikipedia He was only convicted of one murder from 1978. 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!' Fearing for the safety of her child, she instinctively attacked. The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington 6 In a 1985 episode of America's Most Wanted, he was named as Texas' most wanted fugitive, bringing further attention to his case and reinvigorating the search for him. A graduate of Texas A&M University and once a successful businessman, he has eluded capture of almost sixteen years. Bell v. State. Trial Court # 284,590 . Ed Bell - Tripod Texas killer's death leaves unanswered questions in girls' slayings He owned a meadow not far from the shop where they had been last seen. Pictured is the Dickinson pasture owned by Edward Harold Bell in the mid 1970s. As she finished her hair in front of the bathroom mirror, she picked up her makeup one. Pruns was a surfer who made custom boards out of his shop in the area.

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