The jury deliberated 2 1/2 days. The Palmyra Islands are primarily unoccupied but do host a transient population mostly made up of scientists and researchers. Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion. Prosecutors argued that Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns had been trapped on Palmyra with supplies running out and a boat that was not seaworthy. Buck got 10 years for his original drug conviction and 5 years for the stolen property. For the past 10 days, he had been hiding out in the lava flows on the big island of Hawaii. Stephanie had served her time in Hawaii and moved back to California. With no direct evidence of any role Stearns played in the killing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Enoki cited disputed testimony about a feud between the couples, and pointed to numerous lies and omissions admitted by Stearns in her statements to authorities. Read our revised Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice. Next, she said that they left the island in the Sea Wind towing the Iola behind them. The agent didnt feel that this would involve the FBI because perhaps the owners had sold the boat or the owners were onshore. Although Walker never testified, the defense claimed that he and Stearns were attempting to return the Sea Wind to Hawaii with the Iola in tow, but the Iola ran aground on the reef as they exited the lagoon and had to be abandoned. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. Final Argument is so bad, in so many ways, that's it's hard to know where to start a review. He plans to contact sailors up and down the West Coast in hopes of generating interest in the idea. If you think there should be more material, feel free to help us develop more! Who was Stephanie Stearns in and the sea will tell? Were they a victim of the seas or something more nefarious? The Grahams were a happily married couple touring the world, and Mr. Graham ran his business remotely. Walker was found guilty in 1985. Officials granted Walker release into Northern California, although the specific city was not named. WebStephanie Stearns was tried separately in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. WebStephanie Stearns was tried separately in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. On June 26, 1974, a small sailboat, called The Iola, docked at one of the makeshift harbors in Palmyra. They would exchange marijuana for supplies that friends brought them. The Grahams were able to communicate with both of their mothers. Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to Willits area, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, Tahoe really does not want you to drive up this weekend, Ukiah business celebrates longtime employee with a billboard on Hwy. Stearns received a two-year sentence for the theft and Walker a 10-year sentence for the theft to run concurrently with his 5-year sentence for selling ecstasy. In October 1974 the Lennards who had taken the letter from Muff to mail were back in Hawaii. Roy just got angry at the suggestion and told him to leave. The next morning when the Grahams didnt return, they went out looking for them, and that is when they found the washed-up zodiac onshore. Stearns and Walker were arrested in 1981 for murder and tried separately in federal court in San Francisco. On August 28, 1974, during the last radio contact anyone had from the Grahams, Mac told the radio operator there is a dinghy coming over to the boat, I guess theyve made a truce. After a brief pause the radio operator said, I heard a womans voice, and there was laughter, then Mac said, I better find out whats happening. Mac signed off at that point. This was the last time anyone heard from the Grahams. Muff was a wonderful gal, he says. Their boats were anchored in a lagoon near each other, and the couples inevitably came into conflict. Other factors, especially a recent, self-published 895-page book in which Walker still denies he killed the Grahams, work against his release, Partington said. Its been grueling, Stephanie Stearns told reporters after hugging her tearful parents, who sat in the front row throughout the trial. But I felt the egotism in the text was probably a true reflection of Bugliosi's personality, which made it somehow even more compelling. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. It adds much needed objective, incisive analysis of Stephanie Stearns' role in the murders, which was absent from Bugliosi's books "And The Sea Will Tell," which I also read. After Bugliosi argued that Buck Walker had committed the Palmyra murders himself without Stearns's participation or knowledge, and following her testimony at the trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Macs friend tried to get authorities involved, but they declined to investigate at the time so he had a friend fly over Palmyra to see if he could spot The Sea Wind. Palmyra is today owned by the Nature Conservancy and is the site of some climate change research. The book is very repetitive and needs a good edit. If youre traveling south from Hawaii the Palmyra Islands are approximately 1000 miles due south. You'll receive an email with an opt-in link to complete your subscription. Reviewed in Australia on January 26, 2017. Inside were Eleanor Graham's remains, identified with dental records. When Stephanie and Roy arrived they could see how the Sea Wind outshined The Iola in every way. Raised in Oceanside and was once a Catholic priest and a touring pianist for dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, Reveles was 74, Ceci Moss is the new director and chief curator of the Mandeville Art Gallery at UC San Diego. 'Buck' Walker infamous for high-profile Palmyra deaths. Like Roy and Stephanie, they were surprised to see so many people. Duane Buck Walker was convicted in 1985 for the grisly murder in 1974 of a San Diego woman on an island paradise on Palmyra atoll about 1,200 miles from Honolulu. Stephanie Walker Education. Muff gave her letter to one of the other boat owners, Bernard and Evelyn Lennard, as they were leaving the islands to go back to Hawaii and would mail it for her. Buck was taken into custody on the fugitive warrant without incident. A careful reading of FINAL ARGUMENT answers these, and many more questions that should have been asked, but were not. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. The book went to No. Divers were sent into the ocean to search for the other container. WebFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Final Argument: An Inquiry into the murders of Mac and Muff Graham on Palmyra Island by Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns at Amazon.com. Although authorities strongly suspected the couple had murdered the Grahams, no bodies were found. Her son, Dorian Graham Muncey, 58, Macs nephew, said he was shocked to learn his aunts bones were being passed around in a law class. Walker subsequently escaped from a federal prison in Washington State. Walker and Stearns were thought of by the Grahams as "hippies," free-spirited, but Walker certainly had a dark side. The Grahams had a prearranged radio contact schedule established with an operator in Hawaii. Mac Graham started to explore Palmyra Islands abandoned docks and military base as that had been his purpose of wanting to visit Palmyra. Duane Buck Walker was convicted in 1985 for the grisly murder in 1974 of a San Diego woman on an island paradise on Palmyra atoll about 1,200 miles from Honolulu. Bucy puts forward his idea of what happened on Palmyra and there may be some justification for his theory. Bucy contacted FBI officials in Honolulu, informed them of his plan, and they agreed not to dispose of the bones until he can interest sailors or others to take up a collection for the transfer. Malcolm Graham's body was never found. Bucy, who now lives in Canada, earlier had tracked down Macs sister, Mary, who was once married to the late hydroplane boat racer Bill Muncey, of La Mesa. Months passed with no word or sighting of the Grahams. He had a rougher appearance and gave off an aura of being dangerous. Read this book - if you read only one book about the Palmyra Murders, read Tom Bucy's "Final Argument"! They had no money and about 6 months of provisions, expecting to live off the ocean for the rest. Meaning it didnt get caught up on the reef and sink. Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. However, if you're using Microsoft's Internet Explorer and have your security settings set to High, the javascript menu buttons will not display, preventing you from navigating the menu buttons. The area was completely void of any boats. What made this case difficult was subpoenaing of witnesses who lived and traveled by boat. Stephanie came from money and was able to afford a high-priced attorney. In 1981, other visitors to Palmyra found Muff Graham's skeletal remains, which showed signs of dismemberment and burning (possibly by Mac Graham's acetylene welding torch) and appeared to have been concealed underwater in a large metal container. The Grahams, however, felt bad and tried to include them inviting them aboard their boat on July 5, 1974. Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2016. The murder was the basis of a best selling book And the Sea Will Tell, which was turned into a popular mini-series starring James Brolin. After Bugliosi argued that Buck Walker had committed the Palmyra murders himself without Stearns's participation or knowledge, and following her testimony at the trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. The Grahams had brought more than a year's supply of food for their voyage, but Walker and Stearns quickly consumed their own meager supplies and resorted to harvesting the island's few coconuts, often by chopping down entire trees, leaving scars on the island habitat. Walker, then known as Buck Duane Walker, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, were arrested in Honolulu in 1974 after returning from Palmyra aboard a yacht stolen from a well-to-do San Diego couple, Malcolm "Mac" Graham and his wife, Eleanor "Muff" Graham. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard boat closed in on Stephanies rowboat. Besides the zodiac was with the Sea Wind when it docked in Hawaii. Roy then did something that was impolite due to resources being scarce at sea. In that first e-mail, Walker said Parker wrote, "I wonder if you would consider renting to an old man who has been wrongly convicted of murder.". The Story of two couples who met on a | by Jean Campbell | CrimeBeat, David Meirhofer & Wayne Nance Montana Serial Killers, Jack Unterweger Celebrity Writer Serial Killer, Christian Martin Kentucky Murder Suspect. She successfully convinced a jury that Walker committed the murders alone, having to hide the bodies in the aluminum boxes to conceal them from her as well as the authorities. HILO In 1974, Buck Duane Walker and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, sailed in a leaky boat to Palmyra Atoll and returned to Honolulu Harbor in a beautiful yacht owned by a San Diego couple who had been vacationing on Palmyra. Everybody familiar with the case regards this theory as utter hogwash. Do you love reading true crime? Copyright 2023 Ellen G. White Estate, Inc. He had been living in a trailer home in Willits, Calif., where he moved not long after his early parole in 2007 from a federal prison in Victorville, Calif. After his release, Walker self-published an 895-page book in which he maintained his innocence and spelled out his own version of events on Palmyra, a remote Pacific island some 1,000 miles south of Honolulu that has a thriving ecosystem largely untouched by humans. They started bartering their possessions for food with the other yacht owners in the area. He had been awaiting sentencing on a drug conviction when he and Stephanie had absconded on The Iola. | Try Prime for unlimited fast, free shipping, Previous page of related Sponsored Products. "I don't think he's likely to be paroled," Partington said. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. The yellow container was similar to the two missing containers that FBI agents had found in the abandoned Navy warehouse years earlier. However, when he dove off the pier he left his wallet behind. The other sailing couples had enough supplies for themselves and a little bit left over for emergencies, but not to supply a couple who didnt prepare for their trip. IIn October 1974, 37-year-old Buck Duane Walker and 27-year-old Stephanie Stearns sailed into Hawaii on a boat others instantly recognized as the Sea Wind. It was a difficult case. He was incarcerated at United States Penitentiary, Victorville, in California. This act aroused suspicion; acquaintances of the Grahams easily recognized the distinctive Sea Wind despite its new paint job. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. He goes to great lengths to show that Sterns couldn't navigate and that the boat was unseaworthy - but Stearns got them to Palmyra and back again, and the boat did get them there. 101: Thank you, Richie!, NWS: More heavy snow headed to Mendocino County mountains this weekend, Forcing Californians into mental health treatment would get easier with proposed legislation. As others have said, the book doesn't seem to have been edited, so much of it reads like a stream of random thoughts, with little coherence, and the endless errors in grammar, spelling and sentence construction are distracting. It was a circumstantial case and if they lost they wouldnt be able to charge them again should their bodies ever be discovered. : We have provided a download link below to Firefox 2 installer. According to trial testimony, the Iola was not considered seaworthy and would not have made it even to Fanning Island about 175 miles away, the nearest location for equipment and supplies. But Walker's former attorney, Earle Partington of Honolulu, warned against putting too much faith in that date. I purchased this book after reading Vincent Bugliosi's fascinating book, And The Sea Will Tell. Stephanie Walker Husband. On August 30, according to Stephanie Stearns, Buck Walker told her that the Grahams had invited the two of them over for dinner aboard the Sea Wind. The duo has been together since 2004. Sanders had a run-in with Roy where he tried to give him some advice regarding his boat and suggested he and Stephanie set sail for Samoa for more supplies. The boat is wooden and they have it covered in berglass to prevent it from leaking. 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904. So too, there is considerable variance between Bugliosis cross-examination as revealed in the original trial transcript re Pollock and Shoemaker and his recounting this same testimony in his book. Now the island did have natural resources, such as fish, crabs, birds eggs, and coconuts, but this young couple didnt know anything about how to go about harvesting them. The boat is wooden and they have it covered in berglass to prevent it from leaking. Partington doubts that authorities will release Walker, because he recently published a book claiming to be innocent. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. Walker earns an annual salary ranging between $ 45,000 $ 110,500. The book was adapted into the 1991 television film And the Sea Will Tell, directed by Tommy Lee Wallace which aired on CBS as a 4-hour film. , CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (May 1, 2014), Language Each faith-building lesson integrates heart-warming Adventist pioneer stories along with Scripture and Ellen Whites writings. He tried again a couple of days later and over the following weeks. Mac Grahams remains have never been found. Muff wasnt really all that thrilled with living off the Palmyra Island, to begin with, and Roy and Stephanies presence added to the disillusionment. To this day no one ever has. Authorities would later identify them as Buck Duane Walker and Stephanie Stearns. On July 13th Muff Graham wrote a letter to her mother. Buck Walker was tried and convicted of Muff Graham's murder. Walker was tried first, convicted and sentenced to life in prison for Muffs murder, thanks, in part, to the testimony of a fellow inmate to whom hed made a jailhouse confession. Stearns and Walker had sailed to Palmyra aboard a leaky boat and were the only other people on the atoll besides the Grahams at the time of their disappearance in 1974. The killer was Buck Duane Walker, also known as Wesley G. Walker, a tough ex-convict and noted con artist, who had also sailed to Palmyra that summer with his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns. Walker and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, were arrested in Honolulu in 1974 after they returned from Palmyra in a yacht stolen from Malcolm "Mac" Graham and his wife, Eleanor "Muff" Graham. It includes substantial portions of the original trial testimony that were excluded in ATSWT. Ellen G. White quotes for installing as a screensaver or a desktop background for your Windows PC. Some of his theory is speculative. Malcom and Eleanor Graham Extended Preparation. Some factors, such as Walker's age, 69, and alleged poor health, might lead to a parole, he said. The Iola wasnt really meant for this sea journey. Bugliosi's book 'And the Sea Will Tell,' presenting as it did a reasonably full account of the murder of 'Mac' and 'Muff' Graham on the island of Palmyra, is a compelling read. Malcom and Eleanor Graham Extended Preparation. Ive not been able to find any information on how she lived out her life since being acquitted in the 80s. They found other sailors already there, including two male Canadian scientists, but nonetheless stayed. He also used a chainsaw to cut down a coconut tree to get to the coconuts. Wesley G. "Buck" Walker has been paroled from federal prison after serving 22 years of a life sentence for murder in a case that led to a best-selling novel and a TV miniseries. Muff Graham, formerly Eleanor LaVerne Eddington, had grown up here.Her mother, Rose King, and sister, Peggy Faulkner, of San Diego, were quoted in media coverage of the murders. But Walker's former attorney, Earle Partington, says the Aug. 28 "projected" release date posted by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons means only that Walker will be considered for parole then. Two months after the Grahams vanished, Stearns and Walker sailed the Grahams yacht into Hawaii, 1,100 miles away; they were later sentenced to prison for stealing the yacht. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. While researching the case of a San Diego sailing couple brutally murdered on Palmyra Island in 1974, retired L.A. deputy public defender Tom Bucy, made a surprising discovery. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. I absolutely LOVED this book! Her boyfriend, Buck Walker, was convicted of Stephanie received 2 years. They showed up at 6:30 PM but the Grahams weren't there. Cameron Todd Willingham Accidental Fire Or Intentional Arson. Your browser's security settings are preventing some features from appearing. It teems with life.". In May, they sailed to Kauai, and prepared the boat to set sail for Palmyra atoll. Logically, if there were two boxes, it doesn't make much sense that Walker would have done something different with his body than he did with Muff's, but we'll never know. The Iola owners also had very few provisions along with them. The skull was identified as belonging to a caucasian woman in her late 40s early 50s.
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