William "Bill" Edward Launius Sr., 77, of Belleville, born in East St. Louis on September 29, 1943, passed away Sunday, March 14, 2021 at Cedarhurst in Waterloo IL, with his children by his side. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William E. Launius Sr. (Belleville, Illinois), who passed away on March 14, 2021, at the age of 77, leaving to mourn family and friends. And the character that caused all this trauma? In their comfortable Los Feliz dwelling, constructed in 1922 and situated near the crest of a hill, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca relaxed uneasily at the end of their Saturday. Holmes would visit Nash at his home in Studio City and quietly leave a sliding backdoor ajar, through which the Launius crew would later (after Holmes departed) invade the house and relieve Nash of vast quantities of drugs and other valuables. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 400,000 families a year. He is from . A survivor, Susan Launius, 25 at the time, suffered brain damage and has been unable to identify her assailants. The address: South Norton Avenue. Another victim, William DeVerell, 44, who lived at the house, had an arrest record in the 1950s, mostly for narcotics but had not been arrested in the recent case. Interment will follow in Valhalla Gardens of Memory, Belleville IL. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. Ronald Launius had a kind of second family there in Laurel Canyon, a cohort that included friends, accomplices, and hangers-on. The news coverage of the brutal Benedict Canyon murders was disturbing to them, and Rosemary had retired to their bedroom while her husband stayed up reading the paper. In their comfortable Los Feliz dwelling, constructed in 1922 and situated near the crest of a hill. Confoundingly, after all these years we still havent been able to close the book on this investigation. The fourth victim, Billy DeVerell as he died on the floor of the 3rd floor bedroom. Lind's position in the drug underworld was and remains murky due to allegations by rival drug dealers that he worked as a police informant. The house, tucked deep in Laurel Canyon, was a suspected drug den where parties raged around the clock. One woman survived the attack. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, born in Belleville on 9-14-1943, died Sunday August 10, 2014 at her residence, surrounded by her husband and children.Susan was a lifelong member. Joy Audrey Miller, 46, who rented the house, had a record of six arrests -- three for peddling dope -- and had been under surveillance since Jan. 7, 1980, by narcotics officers who saw her selling drugs in front of the house at least eight times, affidavits said. Sympathy Ideas. Susan was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, IL. 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". (Image Credits: [left] The Sun UK; [right] IMDB). They were married on May 26, 1946. She was scheduled to appear in court this month on drug charges. . 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. Susan wasnt exactly innocent, but you could say she was a bystander caught up in the horror that would unfold hours after she arrived at Wonderland. There were three years during the past century when it seems L.A. was spotlighted by the bad moon of especially notorious crimes. Unfortunately, thats not always the case. On July 1, 1981, three members and one associate of the gang died in the Wonderland murders (also known as the "Four on the Floor murders" or the "Laurel Canyon murders"). The grotesque mass murder shocked and horrified the entire neighborhood. Januarys in L.A. arent like those of, say, Boston, where young Elizabeth Short hailed from. Short seems to have been a drifter. I was involved. As we pull away from the streets of Los Feliz in our time-traveling tour bus, lets offer a little prayer for the LaBiancas and all the others whose lives were snuffed or derailed by their connection with Charles Manson. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. The house at 8763 Wonderland Avenue was well-known in the neighborhood, and for all the wrong reasons. 'When you're talking about the star witness in a case like this I think you can safely assume that we've got her pretty well guarded,' a pllice spokesman said. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.valhallagardensandfuneralhome.com. Launius' estranged wife, Susan, who was visiting, survived the assault but suffered severe head injuries. (73 years old). But we have more depraved murders to investigate in this ghastly, time-traveling tour of Hollywood-Land. And what fiendish sadist could have inflicted such pain prior to her death, and then carefully exsanguinated the corpse, washed her thoroughly, and carved her in two? . We have estimated . She served as a deacon and Read More, Submit an obit for publication in any local newspaper and on Legacy. he married Edith Morris Launius who preceded him in death on May 30, 2013. Funeral arrangement under the care ofUtah Valley Mortuary. Clyde Lee Launius, age 92, passed away on January 23, 2023 at La Bonne Maison Assisted Living Facility in Sikeston, MO. Above all, she was a fun-loving "Gram and enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her grandchildren. Sign the Guest Book. Accounts vary as to how and why Holmes arrived there; according to some sources, Holmes went there himself to try to make himself appear innocent, whereas others claim Holmes was kidnapped by Nash's henchmen when they recognized him walking around wearing some of Nash's jewelry. A witness testified that Nash ordered Holmes to execute a plan for payback and then some. It was a beautiful morning in Los Angeles, another in a virtually unbroken string of glorious, sunny midwinter days. He had set it up with the other people, the people that lived at Wonderland. She is the sole survivor of the brutal Wonderland attack the night of July 1, 1981; she suffered severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger following the attack. A visitor to the house, Susan Launius, couldnt have known what the neighbors thought, though it was where her husband Ronald spent most of his time. A visitor to the house, Susan Launius, couldnt have known what the neighbors thought, though it was where her husband Ronald spent most of his time. So Holmes summoned his wife into the bathroom, drew steaming water into the tub, slipped in, and began to talk. Or you could climb the literal heights of the Hollywood sign, as Peg Entwistle did in 1932, peering over the edge at the expanse of Los Angeles as you prepare to leap to your undying infamy. Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. . for better and for worse. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. The case against Holmes was built largely on two pieces of evidence: An admission that Holmes allegedly made to Los Angeles Police Detective Frank Tomlinson after his arrest in Miami in December, 1981, and a bloody palm print left by Holmes on the rail of a bed on which one of the victims, drug dealer Ronald Launius, died. These years 1947, 1969, and 1981 werent the only years of infamy in Hollywoods history, but each produced a memorable crime of the century though by L.A. standards, perhaps they were just the most notable crimes of their decades. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. June was born September 15, 1921 in Caro, MI the daughter of Cecil and Iva (Milner) Tayl . Hanson said Holmes never told his attorneys what happened the night of the killings. I said, John, how could you? On June 29, 1981, the Wonderland Gang, comprising Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, David Lind, Tracy McCourt, and their associate, John Holmes, conspired to launch a home invasion and robbery upon Eddie Nash, a reputedly powerful organized crime figure who usually referred to himself in the third person as "The Nash". Holmes was acquitted in June 1982, after a three-week trial. Its not like there is a shortage of theories on her murderer there just isnt enough clear evidence to point to any one suspect in particular. The neighborhood: Los Feliz. There are other suspects that we feel are involved. The LAPD estimates that over the years theyve received. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. . . Funeral, time pending, Friday at First Presbyterian. How did Shorts body end up in this strange residential environment, seven miles and seven days away from her last sighting? John Holmes, who was tried for and acquitted of the crimes, never told his wife the names of the assailants, she said. Mrs. Launius enjoyed working on the gardens at her home, which she treasured. Susan A. Murphy married Ron Launius in Carson City, Nevada on 16 April 1971, and the two of them were heavy drug users. And following that, why was she transported there, posed like a cheesecake model, with a ghoulish smile cut into her cheeks, and left to be discovered, causing revulsion and terror? Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville, born in Belleville on 9-14-1943, died Sunday August 10, 2014 at her residence, surrounded by her husband and children. Launius' brazen and fearless nature led both to his dominance of his chosen profession as well as his demise, stemming from the events leading up to his death in the Wonderland Murders. Prior to her disappearance, shed packed up all her earthly possessions and locked then up in the downtown Greyhound bus station. . After all, there are reasons the mythical Boulevard of Broken Dreams is said to slice through the heart of Hollywood. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Share Obituary. For example, we know that Short lied to her family back East about her career ambitions. Less-lucky losers might wind up at the bottom of a lake. (John) was so much of a liar . Holmes told his wife that he was held against a wall, at gunpoint, while the three men beat to death Launius, 37; William DeVerell, 42; Joy Audrey Miller, 46; and Barbara Richardson, 22. She liked to go to concerts and enjoyed many types of music. Perhaps youd be discovered, like Brad Pitt; or perhaps youd be discovered buried in a pit. he didnt know what the truth was anymore; about himself, about anything, Sellers said. The closest snow gets to the streets of L.A. is the glimpse of faraway, snow-capped mountains in the San Bernardino range thats visible from certain parts of town. to tell them who it was, Sharon Holmes said. And what fiendish sadist could have inflicted such pain prior to her death, and then carefully exsanguinated the corpse, washed her thoroughly, and carved her in two? As the wife of a drug dealer on the rise, she was protected from the gritty details of the life while enjoying its benefits for one, the money was great. Susan Bell Launius, nee Haywood, 70, of Belleville died Sunday, Aug. 10, 2014. In the summer of 1981, Sharon Holmes said, she and John Holmes were living together as the managers of a small Glendale apartment complex. She was a wonderful mother, aunt, and dear friend. Then Manson left to return to the getaway car and sent in the other executioners, cautioning them to make certain each of them had an equal share in the gore. Cecelia passed away on January 22, 2012, and is buried in Marlin, TX. Another woman who had a lengthy intimate relationship with Holmes told The Times recently of a separate, parallel admission made by the actor shortly after the killings, an account she gave to police in 1981. . In the years following the Wonderland murders, McCourt was reported to have moved to Colorado. In 1981, at Launius' behest, Lind traveled to Los Angeles to join the Wonderland gang and assist them in running drugs. According to her testimony shed never seen the residence before the day of June 30, 1981. Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home 3412 Frank Scott Pkwy W, Belleville, IL 62223. Only Susan Launius survived, but her severe head injuries caused her to be unable to recall anything of the attacks. He is currently single. He enjoyed fishing in his quiet time. did in 1932, peering over the edge at the expanse of Los Angeles as you prepare to leap to your undying infamy. Would you like to offer William E. Launius Sr.s loved ones a condolence message? In 2001, he reportedly had been wanted by the Colorado Springs Police Department for "assault with a deadly weapon and failure to comply on the original charge of distribution of a Schedule II controlled substance". Once you find the obituary you are looking for, you can get important information about upcoming services, share a favorite photo or memory, and send flowers or gifts to the family. Funeral: Mermorial service will be held Tuesday June 7, 2011 at 11 am, at First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL with Rev. Write your message of sympathy today. Manson, along with his henchman Tex Watson, easily walked into the home and surprised both Leno and Rosemary. In 1990, Nash was charged in California state court with having planned the murders, and Diles was charged with participating in the murders, but both men were acquitted in 1991. Dr. Blythe Denham-Kieffer officiating. Susan B. Launius. He said, I had to stand there and watch what they did, Sharon Holmes recalled. 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. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Susan Launius's net worth According to our Database, He has no children. Because they tease our, Start your 14-day trial of MagellanTV and get access to 2,000+ documentaries, available anywhere, on any device, For some, Los Angeles is an endless highway to success. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Above all, she was a fun-loving "Gram and enjoyed spoiling and spending time with her grandchildren. Later she worked with her husband at Launius Marketing. . Basically, he said, Im going to have to run, Sharon Holmes recalled, And I said, Youre going to have to tell me. . This time, flipping the script, Holmes would gain access to Launiuss Wonderland Avenue pad for Nashs ultraviolent retribution. He spent considerable time in the Colorado prison system, but when he was free he operated a successful mobile phone franchise. 1969: The Manson Family Killing Spree; Night 2 Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. Although he was often away from home, I was his safe place, Sharon Holmes said. Let others know about your loved one's death. With St. Clair County COVID mandate in place, guests will be required to wear masks and the maximum number of 50 guests will allow for proper social distancing. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of William E. Launius Sr. (Belleville, Illinois), who passed away on March 14, 2021, at the age of 77, leaving to mourn family and friends. Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary, nee Bell, Haywood; a sister Mary Jane Haywood; and a sister-in-law Nancy Kraft. Following the robbery, Holmes ended up back at Nash's home. You knew these people.. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. (77 years old). On the morning of June 29, 1981, four men who lived at the Wonderland Avenue address entered Nashs house through a sliding glass door that had been left ajar by Holmes, according to trial testimony. Special thanks to Hospice of Southern IL for their care and compassion. Star-struck seekers could end up on top of the heap. . Valhalla-Gaerdner-Holten Funeral Home & Valhalla Gardens, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. She served as a deacon and a Stephen minister. Remarks by neighbors in the trendy, secluded area above the Sunset Strip and court records revealed the occupants of the stucco house on Wonderland Avenue lived in Southern California's 'fast lane' -- a lifestyle surrounded by drugs, flashy cars and trouble with police. . He is a member of famous with the age 71 years old group. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. & Valhalla Gardens, Do Not Sell or share My Personal Information was to. The killings she was a lifelong member of First United Presbyterian Church in Belleville, 62223. 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