mountain home, texas murders
The ashes were scooped into two 55-gallon drums, according to published reports. Anna Moriah Wilson was a. Hendricks faces first-degree murder, kidnapping and second-degree battery charges. They have since been placed with family members. But details that emerged after the April 1984 raid, triggered by an escaped worker's call to the Texas Rangers, surprised even the family's closest friends. A burned body found in the vehicle was identified as Stradfords by the State Medical Examiners Office. Ellebracht Jr. never returned to live in Kerr County, and while at times he had been close with his only child, the two had grown estranged. Hes accused of killing his estranged wife, Samantha Ruiz, whose body was found at a residence on Bramble Court in Mountain Home on July 28. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. Among the group was Bates, a 28-year-old, one-eyed drifter from Alabama. On a lunch break from cutting wood at a friend's home in Stonewall, Ellebracht III was en route to Fredericksburg on Jan. 20 when he either fell asleep or was distracted by a pit bull in his SUV and veered into oncoming traffic. According to the probable cause affidavit in the gun case, the weapon is the one that was in Lindseys possession when he was arrested in Texas. Prairie Gal Designs - Etsy Store; Writer's Corner; My Bookshelf; mountain home texas murders. His wife, Joyce, was known for taking potshots at rocks and bottles she placed near the men and enjoyed seeing how close she could come to shooting the workers. A burned body found in the vehicle was identified as Stradford's by the State Medical Examiner's Office. They tortured a bunch of people, and it was unbelievable that stuff like that could happen, Sutton said. Ellebracht Sr. had big ideas, but was too lazy to implement them, said Joe Smith, 68, a pastor and retired builder who was a friend and maintains the small cemetery in Mountain Home where he is buried. View 60 homes for sale in Mountain Home, TX at a median listing home price of $449,500. Front row L-R , Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr. Leona Ellebracht(mother of senior) Richard "Race Horse" Haynes. if (theYear < 1900) Even the date of the killing seemed ripped from a bad crime novel. Ellebracht and a few others went to trial in 1986and were ultimately convicted oncharges of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping. The bizarre, theatrical trial was forever burned into the memories of those involved, according to a defense lawyer and the prosecutor, then-Kerr County District Attorney Ron Sutton. In 1987, the year after his father, grandfather and the ranch foreman, Carlton Robert Caldwell, were convicted and sentenced, Ellebracht III met Bob Walls, who would become his best friend. 5 Registered Offenders found in Mountain Home, TX search the registered offender database. But something strange began happening on their ranch in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Ellebracht key chains were selling at a premium, $2. Always the dependable friend, Ellebracht III was praised by members of the overflow crowd at his funeral. They weren't slaves.. Hamilton, along with four other witnesses who gave depositions, noted Bates died from the prolonged torture on a dirty floor in the barn. According to. A Mountain Home man who was charged with failing to report his wife's death last month has now been charged with her murder and extradited to Idaho from Texas, where Before he could exit the property, though, Ellebracht, his son and wife, and some ranch hands approached him, armed to the teeth. Generator vs power station: Which one is right for you? Joe Smith, who oversees Sunset Cemetery in Mountain Home, TX, visits the grave of his friend and neighbor Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr. Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013.The senior Ellebracht is the grandfather of Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, who was killed in an automobile accident Jan. 20 on Highway 290 just out side Fredericksburg. Jake Edward Masters. Subscribe to Front Page Detectives Newsletter. He stopped reporting to probation and parole and was declared a fugitive July 31, only about 100 days after his release. After that first brush with the law, he had other criminal charges brought against him in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021. We also run the premiere real-estate site in the hill country at HillCountryRealestate.com. Cunningham was contacted and reported she had not given Olson permission to be in her home. On the tape, Bates could be heard pleading with someone named Robert to stop. On Tuesday, officers were sent to a. Court records show that most of the cases involved drugs. There are several day-hunting services in the aera. The off-the-wall tactics worked, Cogdell said, and Ellebracht Sr. was given probation. Stradfords body was placed in his own vehicle a silver Dodge Charger driven to a wooded area and set afire. Ellebracht was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. Investigators report the vehicle appeared to have been at the location for several days before being discovered. James Waybern Hall: The murderer known as "Big Jim" killed 4 people, including his wife, in Arkansas between 1944 and 1945. They offer 3-hour guided tours of the 50,00 acre ranch. Walter Ellebracht Sr. received probation, Walter Jr. remained free while his 15-year sentence was appealed and Caldwell served less than three years of his 14-year sentence. Teased and bullied as a child, Wes, as he was known, later would change his last name to try to elude the scandal. In the 1980s, rancher Walter Ellebracht Sr., his son, Walter Jr. and a former ranch worker Carlton Robert Caldwell made money by selling wood to businesses in their surrounding areas as well as in San Antonio. Details on how the suspects came together and why they are suspected of killing 34-year-old Cody Stradford have yet to be disclosed by prosecutors. Police say Armstrong shot Ann Moriah Wilson, 25, several times with a 9mm handgun on May 11, shortly after she arrive in town to compete in a mountain bike competition. At least one man was presumed dead. Caldwell is still alive and lives in San Antonio. After he was developed as a suspect in the murder investigation, he was located and arrested Dec. 16 last year. In a faded photo on the wall of Bill's BBQ in Ingram, TX, Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr, center left, poses with Joe Marino Sr who owned Big Joe's Country Store where key chains made by alleged slaves were sold. 27 febrero, 2023 . In 1990, the state bought 240 acres of the former ranch and the Ellebrachts' home, which has been used as temporary housing for the center's employees, including Bob Betsill, the research program director. It is a great christian family environment for those interested. His latest release from prison came on April 23 last year. Others alleged that after Bates died, his body was doused in gasoline and set on fire while the father and son listened to Johnny Cashs Ring of Fire.. It was found Dec. 16 last year off Old Arkana Road south of Mountain Home. Updated: 11:39 AM CST January 10, 2022. He always wanted me to invest in his key chain idea, but I never did. Investigators report Lindsey and Cunningham have allegedly admitted to acquaintances they both shot Stradford at some point during the episode. To try to desensitize the seven women and five men on the jury, Haynes played the torture tapes often and asked Cogdell to shock himself with a battery-operated cattle prod like the one the Ellebrachts used. Elevation: 1,909 ft On the tape, voices can be heard begging someone named "Robert" to stop shocking them. He couldn't help what his father and grandfather did, but he was never anything like that. Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. This is a carousel. The voice of Bates was heard on two tapes recovered from the ranch during the raid. Wes Sr. received probation. Joe Smith, who oversees Sunset Cemetery in Mountain Home, TX, stands near a landscaped section of the cemetery, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, where a stream runs through which is fed by a spring on what was the Ellebracht Ranch. They fashioned key chains, and they needed workers. Located an hour north of San Antonio in a small community in unincorporated Kerr County was what came to be known as the Texas Slave Ranch for the ghastly crimes committed there. The battery-operated device released up to 4,0000 volts of electricity. In the 1970s and 80s, the Ellebrachts recruited the men knowing they wouldnt be missed, and wouldnt be believed. Through the years, the 27-year-old Lindsey has been accused of possessing a defaced firearm, being a felon in possession of a weapon, residential burglary, theft of property, possession of contraband in the Baxter County Detention Center, theft by receiving and possessing drugs. Texas Hill Country Facebook page is growing by over 1,000 fans per Lindsey is, by far, the best known locally of those charged with the Stradford murder. theYear=theYear+1900 Hendricks was arrested at a home along South Mt. Carlton Robert Caldwell speaks in his home in San Antonio, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, about his involvement of conspiracy in 1984, to commit aggravated kidnapping in connection with what has been called "The Texas Slave Ranch" owned by Walter Wesley Ellebracht and his family near Mountain Home, TX. Six others, including other ranch workers and Juniors wife, were also arrested on organized crime charges related to the torture. Walter Wesley Ellebracht III watched as his family was arrested and two years later heard the evidence against his father and grandfather horrifying torture tapes of an abducted drifter pleading for his life while being zapped with a cattle prod. He said that he saw so much bad in the world that he wanted to look for the good.. Brazil has a criminal history, with cases having been opened against him in Benton, Boone and Washington counties. He was told he wasnt going anywhere, then chained up along with two other men. I wanted to put it in my past. Ranch foreman Carlton Robert Caldwell, who was convicted and sentenced, It was some of the worst evidence I've ever seen. A neighbor who had been watching the property for Cunningham reported both incidents. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. When arrested, Olson is alleged to have had possession of jewelry, debit cards and other items belonging to Cunningham, according to the Baxter County Sheriffs Office. The atrocities reported by survivors of the slave ranch were numerous, yet Haynes pulled off another brilliant victory. The prosecution presented their findings: 18-audiotapes proving the torture sessions had occurred, five eyewitness depositions and forensic evidence, including human bone chards found on the property. Boyd was chained to two other men, and was told ''we'd not be going home and we'd being digging our own graves before the day was out.''. City Summary The ranch hosts controlled hunting programs, a kids summer camp, and on site lodging and cabins. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, no jury trials have been held for some time and will not be allowed to resume until next month. He also appeared in circuit court Thursday and entered a not guilty plea to the charges against him. Her bond was lowered from $500,000 to $250,000 and she was released from jail Jan. 28. Ranch is an authentic 19th century ranch that houses exotic animals. Joe Smith, who oversees Sunset Cemetery in Mountain Home, TX, visits the grave of his friend and neighbor Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr. Ellebracht is the grandfather of Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, who was killed in an automobile accident Jan. 20 on Highway 290 just out side Fredericksburg. Walter Wesley Ellebracht III spent his life trying to overcome memories of the horrors that happened in the 1980s at his familys Texas Slave Ranch.. Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, In a faded photo on the wall of Bill's BBQ in Ingram, TX, Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr, center, poses with his son Walter Wesley Ellebracht Jr., left, and Jr's wife Joyce Ellebracht, right. You just really didn't want to get up and socialize when they came in; they were scary, she said. The charts below are detailed crime statistics for the city of , Texas. Lawyers have begun to formally enter their appearance for the defendants. The 38-year-old construction worker who alerted authorities testified later hed never seen Bates but was subjected to the same ill-treatment. Once they got to the ranch, Boyd decided to only stay the night. I totally thought we were screwed. Joyce Esensee and her husband, Art, now live in a mobile home in Fredericksburg. The worst infraction was being unable to work, a fate that befell Bates. Brazil is accused of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, second-degree battery, violating parole and kidnapping. Cunningham was returned to Arkansas Jan. 13 and Lindsey on Mar. His autopsy conducted in Fort. Head out to Y.O. According to reports, the vehicle appeared to have been there for some time. Caldwell also was given a 15-year sentence, but since he'd served nearly three years while awaiting trial, he was released on mandatory supervision in 1988. Ellebracht Sr. is the grandfather of Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, who was killed in an automobile accident Jan. 20 on Highway 290 just out side Fredericksburg. Caldwell was no longer needed, and in March, one of the Ellebrachts dropped him off at a truck stop with $20. It's a great house, a one-story renovated rock house, Betsill said. Murder victim Cody Stradford was alleged to have loudly begged two men to stop hitting him during a violent, and ultimately deadly, encounter at a Mountain Home residence on Dec.4 last year. DPS trooper walks from area where slave's body was reportedly burned. Haynes was a big name who showed up at the Kerrville County Courthouse every day driving a bright yellow Rolls Royce. They didnt buy that a well-respected ranch family, whose neighbors testified on their behalf, could engage in such activities right under their noses. Some former neighbors still defend the family, despite the 1986 convictions of Ellebracht Sr., Ellebracht Jr., his only child, and Caldwell for conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping and murder for the death of Bates, a one-eyed drifter from Alabama. In 1986 the Texas slave ranch trial took place and lasted for three months. The area hosts a summer camp, the Hill Country Cowboy Camp Meeting, for young christians looking to strengthen their faith, share their love of God, and renew friendships. All Rights Reserved. Ranch, the Sunset Inn B&B, Crazy Horse RV Park, and Johnson Creek RV Resort. The state had copious evidence incriminating Wes, Junior, and the ranch foreman, Carl. Stradford is said to have replied, just tell my son I am proud of him., The beating was reported to have been so severe that the basement area had blood all over it.. Everyone knew the Ellebrachts drove a blue van and picked up hitchhikers to staff the key chain factory and do other work at the ranch. One had escaped and alerted the authorities, triggering the raid. He has been locked up in the local jail and the state prison system. Killed in a car crash at age 38, Wes went to his grave an Ellebracht, one who overcame the nightmares of his childhood. Investigators said the witnesses, reported to have been minors, left the upper part of the house and went into the backyard, looked through windows in the walkout-type basement and observed Lindsey and Brazil hitting Stradford. Nine years ago, her son won custody of Elizabeth and embraced single parenting, Esensee said. Electronic court records show her with an active criminal case in Madison County. Mountain Home man accused of his wifes murder, extradited from Texas, held on $2M bond. $250 Million scam: Man steals millions from company to feed cows that didn't exist. Dennis Dunleavy / San Antonio Express-News, Back-row Left to right, man with hat -no id-, Walter Wesley Ellebracht,Jr., Walter Wesley Ellebracht III,and Joyce Hall Ellebracht. Menu. Anthony Bates was a one-eyed drifter who hailed from Alabama. This is a carousel. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. Mountain Home, Texas, is nearly as isolated today as it was in 1984. She is accused of being in simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, a Class Y felony. Individuals from all over travel to visit the Y.O. The feds pulled a mountain of incriminating evidence from the Ellebracht ranch, including the audiotapes, witnesses, human remains and various weapons. Ellebracht Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in prison and in 1996 was released on mandatory supervision, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. mountain home texas murders. Federal, state and local authorities raided a 3,500-acre ranch about 20 miles northwest of Kerrville,. According to the social media post, Stradford was said to have been driving a Dodge Charger. When asked to help pay for his son's burial, Ellebracht Jr. reportedly told relatives to let the county worry about it, his ex-wife said. Bates had another slight disability from his years of hard laborhis leg would tire easily due to a chainsaw injury. In the hardscrabble west, ranchers had to pull a living from the soil and hope the weather cooperated. The film stars Jason Connery, C. Thomas Howell, Dennis Hopper, Greg Evigan, and Michael Madsen. The family-owned ranch started back in 1880 as a program to important exotic species from Africa. The state of Texas now owns the sprawling former ranch that once enslaved unwitting laborers. Ellebracht Sr. died in 2003, and his son followed in 2017. At least one man was presumed dead. Their capture is toldthrough variousmedia reportsand their arrests were mainly because one man was lucky enough to escape. Investigators added that the couple's children were safe and were found with the suspect, whose name has not been released. They also told investigators Lindsey pointed a handgun at Stradford. Stradfords body was found in a burned-out vehicle just off Old Arkana Road on Dec. 16 last year. By amerisourcebergen holiday schedule 2022 amerisourcebergen holiday schedule 2022 And even if the man died there, there was no direct evidence he was tortured to death. Restaurateur Joe Marino Jr. said his parents bought the Ellebrachts' key chains for a quarter and sold them for 35 cents at their former business, Big Joe's Country Store, for years. In the background is the barn where prisoners were chained to bunk beds at night. Some of the torture sessions were even audio-recorded, and played later in court during the trial. She is also currently pursuing her Masters degree in Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. The Ranch is an authentic 19th century ranch housing a variety of exotic animals. Looking for a place to stay? The raid on the ranch revealed charred human bone fragments around the property and audiotapes of the torture sessions conducted by the Ellebracht family. The state now owns the land that has a constant flowing spring which flows to the Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center just to the south. We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, Caldwell was hired as the foreman, first in the field and then in the main residence, where he worked on Ellebracht Sr.'s latest plan: a tile reprocessing machine that could be operated by blind people. On April 6, 1984, more than 30 federal, state and local lawmen raided a 3,500-acre (14km2) ranch near the Texas Hill Country town of Mountain Home. The torture went on for hours at a time, while Bates, handcuffed to a tree with his hands behind him, was zapped repeatedly on his tongue, genitals and empty eye socket with the cattle prod. During the trial, testimony from former workers painted a horrifying picture of mental and physical torture, rape and death. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. This was the craziest casebut these were drifters, and they were seen as less entitled to the benefits than the rest of us are.. Rain: 7am to 7am: .00 Month: 0.00 Year: 20.21 Recorded temps: High: 63 Low: 45, Ryan Lindsey (left) and Allison Cunningham. A male voice responds, "Tell Robert it feels good. 155 RANCHLAND DR , TX 78058. But their records, which showed that more than 70 people worked there over the years, told a different story. According to the probable cause affidavit, Lindsey was holding a pistol on Stradford and asked the victim if he had any last words. Haynes fellow attorney, Dan Codgell, who helped defend the Ellebrachts, said of the case, It was some of the worst evidence I've ever seen. The hill country stretched for hundreds of miles, dotted with occasional oak trees and tall grasses. 19. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories. He has been locked up in the state prison system and the county jail. Ronald Sutton. Walter Ellebracht, along with accomplices, had kidnapped, enslaved, and tortured people on the property. Few details were available Tuesday evening, but police said the death appeared to be the "result of domestic violence involving an estranged husband.". The Wesley Ellebracht Memorial Fund has been set up at Security State Bank in Fredericksburg to help an 18-year-old daughter who'd been living with him attend college. He has already filed a number of motions in his clients case. It was some of the worst evidence I've ever seen, said attorney Dan Cogdell, 56, of Houston, who worked with the infamous Richard Racehorse Haynes to defend Ellebracht Sr. I totally thought we were screwed. The land isn't suitable because topsoil is shallow, as the area is laced with karst and rock just under the surface. By John Peters jpeters@mtairynews.com. Lindsey is also charged in Arkansas with possession of the stolen handgun. He always wanted me to invest in his key chain idea, but I never did, Smith said. Cody Dennis has put in an appearance for Lindsey. Authorities are investigating the deaths of three people in Azle Monday as a double murder-suicide, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. Everybody says I'm a strong person for what I've been through. Members of the community were not in the dark, either: it was well known that the Ellebrachts drove up and down the highway in their blue van looking for hitchhikers. It is now being held by the Baxter County Sheriffs Office. The closest similar sized city with FBI crime data is the city of , . Hamilton said the farmers took turns shocking Bates all over his body with a cattle prod until he died. Caldwell, who now lives in a mobile home on San Antonio's South Side, said that after a fire destroyed the factory, workers chopped wood to be sold in San Antonio. Last month, police reported that they found Ruizs body after conducting a welfare check when relatives said they hadnt heard from the family for several days. Lindsey was held in the Hidalgo County, Texas, jail longer because he had been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm in that state. Benton County tax records show her to be the owner of the property. Wes' eldest daughter, Elizabeth Toby Ellebracht, 18, who'd been living with him in Fredericksburg, has moved in with the couple since his death. Court records do not show that Cunningham has ever had a criminal case opened in this county. Lindsey is currently being held in the state prison system on a parole violation. Despite charges of murder and kidnapping at the 3,500-acre cattle ranch, the people around Mountain Home, population 98, are reluctant to condemn the Ellebrachts. mountain home texas murders. There were a lot of hitchhikers, but they were never held forcibly. He apparently bonded out of jail on the charge relating to the motorcycle theft and was free on that bond when Stradford was killed. Moravec covered the 2015 Texas legislative session for the Associated Press and has freelanced for local, state and national news outlets, including the New York Times and The Washington Post. I totally thought we were screwed. He cited thecase of Anthony Bates, who, due to an injured leg, was unable to work. Mark C. Lucas, an attorney practicing in Centerton had filed his formal entry as the defense attorney for Brazil. July 1986, Abbott calls Texas shooting victims illegal immigrants', Photos: Gregg Popovich's old Dominion mansion listed for $5.5M, Fiesta-goers blast King William Fair for wristband payment system, Here are 10 places you can fly to this month for under $100, The tragic case of an S.A.-area dentist and his Miami patient, Shooting survivors: San Jacinto family only sought small favor, SAWS will pay you to take nature walks, gardening classes, Air Force chaplain sent to prison for meeting minor for sex, forced them to stay without compensation or freedom, an article by the online publication Ranker. In 2006, Glen Stephens directed the film Hoboken Hollow, which is loosely based on the events that occurred at the Texas Slave Ranch. While the recently released information on the Stradford murder does not spell out exactly what brought the four suspects together or what caused them to lure Stradford to Brazils residence, public records do show that Brazil and Hendricks lived in Siloam Springs at one time. Christopher Allen Whiteley, a chronic methamphetamine user with a long and violent criminal record, was found dead last December outside Lipan, a town of about 400. We used cedar because it burns fast and strong. The jurors compiled their favorite recipes, called it the Slave Ranch Cookbook, had it printed at the Kerr County Courthouse and sold copies. The victim also has not been publicly identified. Caldwell went on to report in a 20-page confession to the FBI that after Bates died, weakened by weeks of regular torture sessions, he and another worker burned his body in a homemade funeral pyre while playing theJohnny Cashhit Ring of Fire. They deposited the few bones that didnt burn, along with the ashes, into two 55-gallon drums.
Will Ct State Employees Get A Raise In 2022,
How To Make A Wish Come True From God,
Jodie Joe Before Surgery,
Articles M