Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison. The State of Texas, Relatives unsure of killer's claim in Texas deaths. All eleven potential victims linked to Edward Bell were found at the Killing Fields. [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.. ", Bell's letters suggest that he believes that he was "programmed" into becoming a murderer. 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. However, some of the investigators involved in the case now believe that his confession was coerced and that he was wrongly convicted. Bell, 72, is serving 70 years for the 1978 murder of Larry Dickens, a Marine who confronted Bell after he exposed himself and began masturbating in front of a group of girls in Pasadena. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! [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. Adams testified that Bell was very calm and had no marks on his face. Edward Michael Bell was born on 19 March 1935 in the USA. For the next twelve years or more before he was arrested for the murder of Larry Dickens, Bell trolled for girls and exposed himself across Texas and Louisiana in vehicles he often altered and swapped. On February 14, 1993, Panama police located Bell at a yacht club in Panama City and placed him under arrest. He pointed the gun at Larry again. Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. Adams ordered him to stop, and he did. [3], Edward Harold Bell was born on May 26, 1939, in southern Texas. He then began to flee on foot. Not knowing is heartbreaking." 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 the A&E series, Bell denied having "killed anybody," including Dickens. Finally, Dorothy got them from Larry and gave them to him. Other economic assets include timber (mainly hardwoods), agriculture (livestock, fruit, and truck farming), and lead and zinc mining. Bell's case is far more complicated than it initially may seem. He wrote: 'I was "Brainwashed" into killing Deby (sic) Ackerman and Maria Johnson in November 1971.'. Bay was a Purple Heart recipient and proud of his three bronze stars and one . In The Eleven, when the former D.A. He's spent more than 20 years in public radio and television and dabbled in minor league baseball, spending four seasons as the public address announcer for the Reno Aces, the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Blue Bell Hill, Chatham, Kent, UK (Carcinoma of Stomach & Gastric Ulcer) . Bell Is Going to Have a Parole Meeting There is a sense of tension in The Eleven because Bell will be having his parole meeting soon, which will determine whether he can serve out the rest of his . He gave the remaining victims their initials, hair color, and the year they were murdered. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was . Edward Harold Bell, admitted sex offender, convicted murderer and self-described serial killer, has given multiple chilling confessions from his locked prison cell of abducting and slaying teenage . She had been an investigator on the case in recent years. Self's conviction was shrouded in confusion as Edward Harold Bell confessed to killing 11 girls during the 1970s. 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. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. The suspect accelerated and turned into a cul-de-sac, where he crossed the yard and stopped the truck at a fence. Mr. Bell an admitted sex offender, convicted murderer and self-described serial killer, has given multiple chilling confessions from his locked prison cell of abducting and slaying teenage and adolescent girls in the 1970s, describing crimes . How many people did convicted murderer Edward Bell really kill? Galveston surfer girls Debbie Ackerman, 15, and Maria Johnson, 15, went missing after hitch-hiking on November 15, 1971. 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. While she was trying to calm Dickens down, Bell grabbed a rifle from his truck, went up to the wounded man and shot him in the forehead before fleeing. Another six young girls were killed in the area in the mid-to-late Seventies. Death of Edward . [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. Bell spent his time in the mental ward baiting underage patients. Bell sent prosecutors in Texas letters containing his confession in 1998 but they have remained secret until now. On June 26, 1978, he exposed himself to two girls riding bikes, aged 11 and 12. New York, NY, United States. Harris County prosecutors reportedly never investigated the claims and lost the letters from him. Robert Edwin "Bay" Tomlinson, 97, of Victoria, Va. went to be with the Lord on February 26, 2023. The longtime D.C. broadcaster and community leader, who was the first African American to host a daily sports talk show in the . In 1970, he and his new wife moved into an apartment in Galveston. The identity of the remaining three victims are unknown. He loved . He turned around and began to pursue the vehicle. Furthermore, he had a trailer near the bayou where their bodies were found. Bell claims he was turned into a sex offender and killer by his father in a systematic programme of abuse and brainwashing. His confession matched details of the crime scene. 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. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. However, two victims are believed to be Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw, who vanished from Galveston a few months before Debbie and Maria. 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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. 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. Edward Harold Bell (May 26, 1939 April 20, 2019)[1] was an American sex offender, murderer and the first fugitive to be featured in the Texan rendition of America's Most Wanted. Along with Panama, he also had lived in Mexico and other parts of Central America. At Bell's trial, the prosecution's chief witnesses were Dorothy and Dawna. In January 1985, the Texas governor's office released a roster of the state's most wanted criminals. Galveston prosecutors reopened the murder cases of two of the girls, Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, in recent years, but never filed any charges against Bell before his death. And there were some people who would never talk to me because they were afraid of him they were afraid that he might get out.. Bell is currently considered a suspect in the murders of several young women near Galveston in the 1970s. is asked why Bell's letter didn't spur on a more intense investigation, the former D.A. 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!' The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the week, Rumors abound about HISD takeover (March 2, 2023), The Full Menu: Houston's best places for chicken. Aliases: Butch 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. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. Most victims were 11 to 16-year- old but he repeatedly avoided arrest and prosecution. 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. He was stopped for exposing himself to a pair of young girls in Sudan; as a result, he was admitted to Big Spring State Psychiatric Hospital. 2-min read. But in September 1984, the illusion of small-town security was shattered for a local couple, "Sue" and "Bill". Actor: Gymkata. father. Maria was born on March 29 1805, in Eye, Suffolk, England. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. At the time, Bell lived in an apartment on a beach and had bought a surf shop that both girls were known to have visited. Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel told the, 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. Although some believed that he was a publicity-seeking "kook", others are convinced that he was responsible for the murders. In the letters, he also told the paper that he had admitted to some of the same murders to prosecutors in Galveston and Harris counties in 1998, but he was never charged after prosecutors were unable to find any direct evidence to link him to the crimes. Recently added to YouTube. That's what Edward Harold Bell wants us to believe. The murders are believed to be the work of multiple serial killers using the location as their dumping ground. Especially since, as seen in the A&E series, he later denied everything he wrote years ago. If you are a true crime fan, you have probably heard of the Texas Killing Fields. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season five with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. Since the early 1970s, 30 bodies have been uncovered within the area. Another man was convicted of their murders, but some investigators now believe he is innocent. 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. And he claims he was brainwashed to do it. Bell also claimed that a "brainwashing program" forced him to be a flasher, to rape girls, and to kill. Sadly, on July 13, 2012, Dorothy passed away at the age of eighty-four. The pair was able to uncover circumstantial evidence that linked Bell to the crimes, but found no definitive proof. However, the events of September 6 would test her character in ways she never imagined. Bell became a silent partner at Doug's Dive and Surf Shop. 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. son. Photo: There was no tangible proof linking him to the other crimes. Her body was found in January 1973. Brenda Jones went missing from Galveston in 1971. Investigators Think They Know Who Killed Eleven Girls Around Galveston in the 1970s, Killer who claims he murdered 11 girls may have lied: documentary, Texas killer's death leaves unanswered questions in girls' slayings, "People Were Afraid of Him" Killer's Death Leaves Hope for New Information. Rhonda "Renee" Johnson and Sharon Shaw disappeared from Galveston on August 4, 1971. Bell claimed in a 1998 letter to police that he had murdered 11 girls in Galveston County. The man who wrote the letter, Edward Harold Bell, was never questioned by the police. The third, Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp in 1971. She forced the intruder from the bathroom and then drove him out of the house at gunpoint with a gun from her nightstand. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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 has since been named as a "person of interest" in the murders of six young girls in the Galveston area. Larry Dickens, Lang's twenty-six-year-old son, ran over to the man's truck and took the keys from the ignition while his mother called the police. The two head wounds and the back wound were all fatal. In fact, he said, there . . Both girls were known to frequent the surf shop and likely would have recognized Bell if he pulled up alongside them and casually offered the pair a ride home. Former Detective Paige teamed up with Chronicle reporter Lise Olsen to try and determine whether or not he was responsible. (According to Blum House, the episode also starred Matthew McConaughey in his first-ever role, playing Dickens). Dorothy had him lay on the ground in their driveway. series Unsolved Mysteries. Two viewers recognized Edward Bell and called in with tips when this story aired. Lena Madge Crain crossed the divide to her Heavenly Home on Saturday, February 25th after several months of home health care. This article is a stub. Status; Detected Status Living Status; Identified: Deceased . She also went to the police station and looked through a book of mugshots. 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. 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. 2. Your subscription will be migrated over. When she returned to the phone, the dispatcher was still on the line. 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. Columbia GSAPP sadly shares the loss of Professor Emeritus Harold "Hank" Bell, who passed away on May 26, 2021, at the age of 94. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was . I was going to let the state kill me, he said. Bell is considered a suspect in the murders of several young women near Galveston in the 1970s. He has been seen only once since then, when entered Sue's home in Bryan in September 1984. Another is believed to be Gloria Gonzales, who vanished in October 1971; her remains were found in close proximity to Colette's. Prosecutors in Galveston reopened Debbie and Maria's cases after learning new information through their investigation, and Bell was identified as the "primary suspect." In April 1974, Bell exposed himself to two girls on the road near Bacliff and pursued them in a Volkswagen rental as they ran. The Great Gatsby. He was 79 years old. 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. BELL--Harold, age 94, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his children. She assumed that he was a first-time burglar. Trial Court # 284,590 . People Projects . Search in titles only Search in Other Serial Killers only. Texas is fortunate that Larry Dickens stepped in that afternoon and stopped Edward Bell. Kim Pitchford went missing in January of 1973. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson disappeared from Galveston on November 15, 1971. However, Galveston prosecutors refused to present his written confessions to a grand jury. Despite the violent nature of the crime against Dickens, Bell's bond was set at $125,000. She felt that when he got off the plane, he seemed arrogant, which infuriated her. His name was Edward Bell, and he was wanted for murder. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. He was released on bail less than two months after the murder. During interviews, Bell blamed his heinous actions on a systematic program of abuse, lies, and brainwashing begun by his father. r . "One thing they wanted me to do for sure was rape a girl," Bell said to the Houston Chronicle. Six of them were murdered in pairs. She pleaded with him to not shoot Larry, but he did so anyway. [5] Suddenly, Bell pulled out a pistol and shot Dickens, who staggered into his mother's garage and collapsed onto the floor in front of his horrified mother, who had watched the whole ordeal go by from inside the house. Of course, it is not him, but it looks just like him to her. Bell provided the names of four of those girls; Colette Wilson, Debbie Ackerman, Maria Johnson, and Kimberly Pitchford. Pictured is the Dickinson pasture owned by Edward Harold Bell in the mid 1970s. His granddaughter Anna Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt. He was fifty-two. Dawna screamed and cried. [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. Edward Harold Bell speaks to Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty from prison in 2017. Details: Bryan, Texas, is the type of place that people have in mind when they dream of escaping the big city. Mr Dickens' mother watched from her house as Bell shot her son four times with a pistol and then shot him again with a rifle. Both confessed to killing women in this area. Fearing for the safety of her child, she instinctively attacked. Edward Harold, 1838 - 1891. Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp. He asserted that he had made up his admissions in order to receive the death penalty when he was interviewed for the documentary The Eleven in 2017. The killer says he murdered Debbie and Maria in the letters. The facility located about . Matthew later discussed his Unsolved Mysteries . Resources like these are made possible by the generosity of our community of donors, foundations, and corporate partners. 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. Wanted For: Murder, Indecency with a Child Dawna said that the wounds will never heal and the hurt of losing Larry will always be there. Next, according to Bell, he seduced a seventeen-year-old patient in Room 417. She turned toward him, saw that he was holding a large hunting knife and he slashed her with it. Bill left for work and her three-year-old was in the living room watching Sesame Street. At that same time, his mother, Dorothy Lang, was standing at the kitchen window. Although another man was found guilty of their killings, several investigators now believe that he was innocent. Ex-homicide detective Fred Paige and Lise Olsen, an investigative journalist for the Houston Chronicle, teamed up to reopen the case of the "eleven who went to heaven." The case was featured on a 1992 episode of Unsolved Mysteries that also earned Matthew McConaughey his first TV acting credit for playing Dickens in the re-enactment of the crime. As Dotti Walker, a family member of one of the victims told the Chronicle, "It makes it hard that we don't know if this Bell guy is a nut or if he's telling the truth. He and Judy retired and spent the last 20 years in the . From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent.