This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 15:57. While prosecutors were attempting to paint Holmes as one of the willing participants of the murders, Holmes attorneys were able to prove that Holmes was not involved with the murders, but rather a victim who was forced to allow the assailants entry into the home to carry out the attack. Even if youve just moved in or lived there awhile, you cannot imagine what happened in the past with someone who lived there. As a result, Launius, Miller, DeVerrel, and Barbara Richardson (the girlfriend of David Lind) were killed. Prior to the murders, five people resided in the home: Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, DeVerrel's girlfriend Joy Audrey Gold Miller, Tracy McCourt and David Lind. Barbara was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. . Holmes was acquitted in 1982, but died in 1988 from complications related to AIDS. Wonderland (2003) Natasha Gregson Wagner as Barbara Richardson. [citation needed], David Lind, ordinarily a resident of the Sacramento area, came to Los Angeles in the summer of 1981 at Launius' behest, to aid in their growing drug-distribution business. Since the event occurred in the early morning hours, no phone calls were made to the police until at least 12 hours after the fact. The Wonderland Gang was a group of drug dealers involved in the Los Angeles cocaine trade during the late 1970s and early 1980s; their home base was located on Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California. [8], William Raymond DeVerell[5] was Launius' right-hand man and a voice of reason. The autopsy performed after his murder identified numerous injection scars on his forearms, in addition to hyperplasia of the lymph nodes a common sign of narcotics abuse. Miller had two adult daughters and was the ex-wife of a Beverly Hills attorney. The next major character introduced is David Lind. John Holmes and the Wonderland Murders also did a segment that was released in 2000 around the time of Nash's trial. Holmes, Nash, and Diles were each tried for the murders. I was shocked, he says. Mr. Holmes died in 1988 of an illness related to AIDS, and Mr. Diles died in 1995. Notice the blood on the walls. Ms. Kudrow plays Sharon Holmes, John's estranged wife, to whom he turns when things become really desperate. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on . Susan Launius is beaten but survives, and is questioned by Nico and Cruz in her hospital bed. You enjoying yourself? The house located on 8763 Wonderland Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Laurel Canyon. Diles compels Holmes to deliver blows to Launius. Mr. Nash's lawyer, Fred Rucker, did not return telephone calls. 2023 JustWatch - All external content remains the property of the rightful owner. [11] Nash asked to pray for his children but was instead forced to open his safe. The robbery was an inside job set up by Holmes, who was a close associate of Nash's, and whom Nash regularly referred to as "my brother". 1976 J John Weg 95 followers More information Wonderland victim. While there had been no arrests even to this day, the place still might be haunted with a spirit or two that may tell the story of what actually happened. I dont know why they couldnt give him a longer prison term but they should have. Nash died in 2014. When he learns that Holmes knows notorious gangster Eddie Nash, he gives Holmes a pair of stolen antique guns to take to Nash, so that Nash can fence them and the Wonderland Gang can split the loot. [citation needed], DeVerell was an overhead crane operator and heroin user who had been arrested 13 times in relation to his addiction, which is part of the reason why he stayed in the gang. But the few times I thought he lied, he had a good and valid explanation on how either I misconstrued something or he misconstrued a question.. Barbara Richardson Bedford, Texas Also known as: barbara.richardson.39 Animal Rescue Clarkstown High School South Barbara currently lives in Bedford, TX. She tells them (in a near comatose state) that she does not remember anything, only shadows. http://us.macmillan.com/author/barbar. When asked to elaborate, the policeman explained: "A trash can only has two handles". Lind and his girlfriend, Barbara Richardson, rode down to the Wonderland house on Lind's motorcycle and slept on the living room sofa. His associate, David Lind, once said of him: "You could put a gun to his head and his pulse would never break 70". The prosecutors say the killings were committed in retaliation for a break-in and drug robbery at Mr. Nash's home two nights earlier, in which he was made to kneel and beg for his life, and Mr. Diles was grazed by a bullet. The wide-ranging racketeering indictment unsealed on Friday accuses Eddie Nash, a former owner of Hollywood nightclubs like the Starwood and the Kit Kat Club whose real name is Adel Gharib Nasrallah, of running a cocaine and heroin distribution syndicate since the 1970's, as well as laundering money, tampering with a juror, and witnesses and tax fraud. Join Facebook to connect with Barbara Richardson and others you may know. Matt Damon played him opposite Michael Douglas in the 2013 HBO movie Behind the Candelabra, based on Thorsons tell-all book by the same name about his relationship with the famous pianist. The first time, he forgot to unlatch the patio door; the second time, he did so but returned to the Wonderland hideout only to find some of the gang members were extremely high on heroin. He took me into his bedroom and he said that he had just been robbed of close to a million dollars worth of cocaine, jewelry and drugs., A short time later, Nashs body guard, Gregory Diles, came into the room, dragging the famous porn star John Holmes, a friend of Nashs whom Nash had discovered was responsible for letting the robbers into his house. One thing that stood out during the investigation was a print of a left-hand that apparently belonged to Holmes. He is also a newly free man, speaking to Rolling Stone from Las Vegas in his first interview since getting paroled from Nevada State prison. Barbara Richardson (ne Flavin; born March 25, 1949) is the former First Lady of New Mexico and the wife of Bill Richardson, the 9th United States Secretary of Energy . [9], David Clay Lind was a biker, heroin addict, and member of the Aryan Brotherhood who befriended Launius when the two men served time in prison together. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? The film itself didnt have a scene that was based on the Wonderland Murders, but there was once a scene that was loosely based on the robbery of Nash. [3][4], Ronald Lee Launius [5] was a United States Air Force veteran of the Vietnam era, who had been dishonorably discharged and convicted of smuggling heroin from Vietnam back to the United States in the coffins of American service members. Prior to the murders, five people resided in the home: Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, DeVerrels girlfriend Joy Audrey Gold Miller, Tracy McCourt and David Lind. [citation needed]. While there, he noticed a man resembling Holmes being tied to a chair and being beaten by Diles. Launiuss wife Susan was gravely injured and is the only known survivor of the attack. Anyone can read what you share. I had never touched drugs until I met Liberace, he says. An art deco masterpiece located in the heart of Hollywood, it was a popular venue for many dazzling stage For decades, the city of Los Angeles has prevailed as the motion picture epicenter of the world. I flew in from I believe I was in Tahoe with Liberace, he says. The Wonderland murders have been the subject of movies, books, and, of course, podcasts. [21][22] Diles died in 1997 from liver failure.[23]. Mr. Cox is not really interested in the truth behind the murders or in generating sympathy for anyone touched by them. [5], Roger Ebert gave the film a mediocre review, granting it two out of four stars, and saying: "True crime procedurals can have a certain fascination, but not when they're jumbled glimpses of what might or might not have happened involving a lot of empty people whose main claim to fame is that they're dead. Here, oddly enough, his rival is also named Nash. She was the sole survivor of the attack suffering severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger. What seems indisputable is that he was mixed up in some very bad business. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. Movers who were working next door had heard audible moans coming from the Wonderland house and soon discovered a seriously injured Susan Launius laying on the bed next to her deceased husband. Launius, DeVerell, McCourt, and Lind had invaded the home of Eddie Nash, a known organized crime boss, and nightclub owner. David Lind testified in the preliminary hearing for John Holmes in 1982 that Miller and Richardson attended the planning meetings of the Nash robbery. He hears of his friends' murders at Wonderland and soon discovers his girlfriend was there. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. [6], Reportedly, at the time of his death,[5] police investigators in California, largely in the Sacramento area, had 27 open homicide cases they believed were perpetrated by Launius. Holmes died on March 13, 1988, from AIDS complications in Los Angeles. Tracy Raymond McCourt was the driver of the stolen 1975 Ford Granada that carried the Wonderland Gang to Eddie Nash's home on the night of the robbery. While there probably had been tenants coming in and out, its unknown at this point whether they can confirm if the place was indeed haunted. However, a month after his passing, Holmess first wife disclosed in an interview that John Holmes had arrived at her home with blood splatter all over him. Schiller eventually calls Holmes to come and get her. When Liberace insisted that Thorson as his son get cosmetic surgery to look like him, the doctor gave him a nose job, sculpted cheekbones, and a chin implant (which he later had removed); he also started Thorson on a weight-loss plan that included pharmaceutical cocaine, quaaludes, and Demerol. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Holmes was acquitted in June 1982, after a three-week trial. At 62, Thorson has had a fever-dream of a life so far, bizarre in more ways than most people would care to fathom. (Holmes, who had starred in hundreds of films by that time, is the subject of a 1989 Rolling Stone feature by Mike Sager about his involvement in these events, The Devil and John Holmes.) Nash asked me to step out of his bedroom, Thorson says. [citation needed], The two bedroom split-level house was leased in Joy Miller's name. Barbara Lee Richardson was born in Sacramento, California in 1958, and she became the girlfriend of Aryan Brotherhood biker David Lind. Originally, McCourt was designated to take part in the home invasion itself, but a day or so before the event, conspirator David Lind (who derisively referred to McCourt as "Titmouse Tracy") took away McCourt's handgun, and McCourt was relegated to driving duty. Source: [https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wonderland-avenue-house.jpg]. While at the crime scene, he is picked up by Nico and Cruz. At heart it is a standard cop show whodunit, with Mr. Levine and Franky G. as the dogged detectives trying to sort through the distortions and ambiguities. Thorson claimed to have witnessed Nash order Diles to beat Holmes, and said Nash threatened to kill Holmes and his family, until Holmes identified the people behind the robbery. [5], Barbara Lee Easton (married Walter Richardson in 1977 after graduating from Sacramento Cordova high school in 1976) Richardson, who was 22 at the time of her death, was associated with David Lind. Lind claimed she was his girlfriend, though he was 20 years older than her, and she was married. It was said that while the home was known for hosting drug-fueled parties, neighbors assumed the loud noises and screams were just another party. Holmes takes the guns to Nash, but Nash says the guns are too rare to be sold, as they would be recognized right away and everyone involved would be apprehended. Thorson testified against Nash in 1990, telling the jury Nash had ordered Holmes to take Diles to recover his drugs and money. Launius wife, Susan, had also been badly bludgeoned but survived with severe head injuries. In 2003, a film titled Wonderland was based on the events surrounding the murders. He was very distraught, Thorson says. Holmes actually went to Nash's three times that morning. Played by Val Kilmer as a manic, self-pitying, self-destructive charmer next to whom Mr. Kilmer's Jim Morrison in ''The Doors'' looks like a church deacon, Holmes is a stud who has long since gone to seed. 2023 Copyright LA Ghosts. She currently lives in Asheville, NC. Filming & Production Attempting to get back in the gang's good graces, Holmes suggests robbing Nash's home. I went back to the tape and he didnt say crack. Connelly says. Both Richardson and Lind were said to be police informants in the Sacramento area not long before they traveled to southern California. Public Records & Background Search Barbara A Richardson, age 73, Brooklyn, NY Background Check The four men had broke in and eventually robbed Nash at his home. The victims were beaten to death with lengths of pipes. Barbara Richardsons income source is mostly from being a successful . (Nash had befriended Holmes because of Holmes' notoriety as the porn film phenomenon Johnny Wadd.) We were freebasing, and he was right. We want to hear it. But when Mr. Nash, appearing on a television news program two weeks ago, was asked if he had ordered the killings, he said: ''No, I did not. Ron Launius is reluctant to go along with the robbery at first, but after Holmes gives him a rundown of what's there, he is eager to participate. Mr. Holmes was accused of playing a role in both crimes and being the link between the two camps. According to our Database, He has no children. Holmes then visits Nash to buy drugs, and on the way out leaves the kitchen door unlocked to give the Wonderland gang easy access. The home was located on Wonderland Avenue, in Los Angeles's Laurel Canyon neighborhood. In Mr. Cox's film the particulars of the crime -- five people attacked with lead pipes in a house in Laurel Canyon, four of them fatally -- remain in some doubt, as does the extent of Holmes's responsibility. The ''Wonderland murders,'' named after the site, 4763 Wonderland Avenue, where the killings took place on July 1, 1981, proved a potent mix of seamy celebrity, drugs and violence. I could hear the furniture flying. Launius and Susan Murphy, were married in Carson City, Nevada on April 16, 1971. The two of them became heavy drug users, later becoming police informants, and they travelled to Los Angeles in 1981 to join Ron Launius ' Wonderland Gang. In addition, she runs an annual bowling fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.[3]. While you may not be able to get inside the home itself, dont be surprised if things start to feel a little eerie if you happen to be walking around Wonderland Avenue in Los Angeles. Detective Lange said Mr. Holmes was a drug client and associate of Mr. Nash, and left a door unlocked for the robbers to enter Mr. Nash's residence. After the sun came up, police found a bloody crime scene inside a house 8763 Wonderland Avenue, the known residence of the Wonderland Gang, a group of drug dealers. [Police] would have to investigate it, but I think theres a couple people still alive.. Ron has a fondness for antique guns and frequently shows them off. And in this, it was like a revenge thing against drug dealers. Just days after the attack, the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the murders and searched the house for evidence. As First Lady of New Mexico, she formed the New Mexico Immunizations Coalition in April 2003. He tells Holmes he will kill every person listed in the book, starting with Holmes' mother, if Holmes does not give up the men who robbed him. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a popular holiday destination known for Old Hollywood's rich and famous intrigues. By the time of the Wonderland murders, Lind had been incarcerated several times for armed burglary, forgery, assault, and assault with the intent to commit rape. ''Perhaps things are now provable that weren't provable years ago.''. Through Lind's story (told in flashbacks), we are introduced to some of the people who partied at Wonderland. Running time: 104 minutes. After a key witness for the prosecution died in an unrelated police shootout, the murder charges against Launius were dropped. The police investigation that followed uncovered two versions of the events leading up to the brutal murders - both involving legendary porn actor John Holmes. But that may not mean that some of the spirits of the Wonderland house are not done telling the story of what really happened here. Hes plotting his return to L.A., where he plans to finish his second book and then wait for a call from Matt Damon, who he hopes will reprise his role as him in some future Hollywood adaptation of his exploits. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! Unaware of Nashs illicit line of work, Liberace had, through Thorson, invested in some of the nightclubs Nash owned in L.A. at the time. I know Matt Damon. Barbara works at Animal Rescue. Mr. Holmes, who was staying at the Wonderland residence, was accused of opening the door to let the killers in and participating in the murders. 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