That person was being held on $500,000 bond. A book was written about the ranch, The True Story of the Texas Slave Ranch How a Degenerate Ranching Family Got Away With Murder.[3]. Lawyers have begun to formally enter their appearance for the defendants. Slavery charges shock Texas hill country - UPI Archives Walter Ellebracht, along with accomplices, had kidnapped, enslaved, and tortured people on the property. 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People - mostly drifters - began disappearing around the property. On April 6, 1984, Texans learned a horrifying secret in the tiny town of Mountain Home. View 60 homes for sale in Mountain Home, TX at a median listing home price of $449,500. The .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol had been taken from a residence in Summit on or about Nov. 21 last year. The officers were responding to reports that workers on the ranch, kidnapped from Interstate 10,[1] were being forced to work and that at least one worker had died and was cremated on the premises. 19. Lindsey is alleged to have told investigators he was in a gang and frequently beat people up for money. 25 notorious San Antonio crimes Bones found at the site were determined to be those of a young adult male. Ellebracht Sr. died in 2003, and his son followed in 2017. 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. 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. 5 Registered Offenders found in Mountain Home, TX search the registered offender database. Getting workers was a breeze, and once theyd transported the hapless hitchhikers to the ranch, their new employees found it impossible to leave. (Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. 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. The two lured hitchhikers to the ranch with the promise of work and then forced them to stay without compensation or freedom by threatening them with death, news articles said. The Ranch is an authentic 19th century ranch housing a variety of exotic animals. Looking for a place to stay? They're both wonderful girls, and he was a wonderful father, Esensee said. Most of the information is sealed by court order. Those stories have been around for years, but people and things have moved on.. At the time, he was only charged with failure to report a death. 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. The raid on the ranch revealed charred human bone fragments around the property and audiotapes of the torture sessions conducted by the Ellebracht family. 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. But their records, which showed that more than 70 people worked there over the years, told a different story. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. mountain home texas murders - pierrepierrelaw.com 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. A weathered Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sign hangs on the locked gate, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, that leads to what was the Ellebracht Ranch on Highway 27 in Mountain Home, TX. From left, Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr., Walter Wesley Ellebracht Jr., Leona Ellebracht, the young Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, attorney Richard Racehorse Haynes and Joyce Ellebracht are seen in 1986. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. mountain home texas murders (646) 992-8383. Two other people are accused in the murder Ryan James Lindsey and Allison Cunningham. 259 BROKEN SPUR DRIVE , TX 78058. He was found guilty and ultimately executed by the state of Texas in 1999. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Walter Wesley EllebrachtSr. and his extended family had lived in Mountain Home, TX,for generations, and they were known as decent folk. 5-23-1986. On Feb. 18, 1984, the Ellebracht men drove to San Antonio to find workers, eventually convincing six men to work for them in exchange for housing and food. He was determined to send his daughter to college. Olive Street in Siloam Springs Dec. 19 last year. I love to see the sparks fly.". McFadden was the principle suspect in all three murders, but he was only charged with Suzanne's death. But, on the other hand, the people running up and down the highway were gullible. Mountain Home, TX Real Estate & Homes for Sale - Realtor.com He always wanted me to invest in his key chain idea, but I never did, Smith said. Homicides - 2007 - NCCADV Another former worker testified that he was forced to stand in a self-dug ditch with a noose around his neck while a coin was tossed to determine whether he would be hanged. A family had a 3,500-acre ranch where they manufactured wooden key chains, and they needed help for chores and whatever else they directed Bates to do. 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. 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. Court records do not show that Cunningham has ever had a criminal case opened in this county. When Texas police raided the Ellebracht ranch in 1984, they found five men and one womanliving in a barn there. Hall was sentenced to death by electrocution in May 1945 and executed on January 4, 1946. yesmagazine.org Convicted of murder after a two-day trial in May 1945, Hall was sentenced to death. Raid and trial [ edit] SAN ANTONIO - Kidnapping, torture and murder are some of the horrifying. Idaho resident found dead in Mountain Home, 'estranged husband You have permission to edit this article. Investigators say at one point during the beating, Lindsey demanded that Stradford give him his debit/ATM card, but that Stradford had replied there was only a few dollars in the account. According to. Ben Burnett, a Mountain Home attorney, has been retained to represent Hendricks. Prosecutor Ronald Sutton sought life sentences for the three defendants. MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho A Mountain Home man who pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his landlady was sentenced Tuesday to 45 years in prison, even as . A million dollar bond has been set for Cunningham and Lindsey, and bonds of a half-million-dollars each for Brazil and Hendricks. He cited thecase of Anthony Bates, who, due to an injured leg, was unable to work. Among the six people arrested and charged, only family members served prison time. The family would have continued taking men and women from I-10 had authorities not shut down the operation. He always wanted me to invest in his key chain idea, but I never did. Please subscribe to keep reading. Roslyn Jimenez is a news producer at KSAT. Business papers located on the scene revealed records verifying that dozens of men, and some women, had worked on the ranch over the years. In 1878, the family packed up their belongings and headed off to start their homestead in the hills of the Texas Hill Country. Create a bonsai tree out of bricks with this $40 LEGO set, Dyson's air purifying headphones have finally arrived, Save on AeroGarden indoor herb growing kits at Amazon. The two Ellebracht men and 21-year-old Caldwell were arrested for conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping. The men involved might have been found guilty, but they barely saw any jail time. A burned body found in the vehicle was identified as Stradford's by the State Medical Examiner's Office. One day investigators got a tip that hitchhikers were being abducted on I-10 and lured to Ellebrachts ranch. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway. It was reported he was last seen at his parents residence in Mountain Home and later the same day in the Fayetteville area. 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. He would talk about some of the arguments and fights, but that wasn't his life, Walls said. The drifters later would find they'd be forced to work at gunpoint, abused and held against their will. Attorney Dan Cogdell poses for a portrait in his office Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, in Houston. We will be posting stories about this city such as history, news, special events and more here, stay tuned! FREDERICKSBURG He was only 9 when the law raided his family's Kerr County homestead in 1984 and their surname, Ellebracht, became synonymous with kidnapping and torture, and their sprawling property given the nickname Texas Slave Ranch.. 100 AVVA Dr LOT 16, TX 78058. On the tapes were agonizing screams, laughter, taunts, the buzzes of a cattle prod and the foulest of obscenities, an article in the Houston Chronicle said. if (theYear < 1900) Today, Eura is known as Mountain Home. When several survivor-witnesses reported they slept in the dirt, lived in extreme heat and cold, and were chained up at night, the statements had minimal impact on the jury. A Town in Terror Part II: Hawkins mourns three young victims, as law Our The Texas Slave Ranch is the name popularly given to a ranch near Mountain Home, Texas where workers who had been abducted were forced to work without pay making cedar keychains that sold throughout the Texas Hill Country. Electronic court records show her with an active criminal case in Madison County. Brazil is accused of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, second-degree battery, violating parole and kidnapping. And Leona, who 'still rules. The man groveled in the dirt and begged for mercy, but afterward was allowed to leave, though he decided to stay anyway, Caldwell said. The Ellebrachts forced him to write a suicide note and told him: Welcome to your nightmare, newspaper articles about the trial said. We used cedar because it burns fast and strong. Updated at 4:10 p.m.: A Johnson County man pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder in a brutal 2012 double murder Tuesday, and the mother and daughter convicted of the crimes will. Individuals from all over travel to visit the Y.O. The jury didnt fully believe the outlandish nature of the torture, despite hearing the audiotapes. SUGAR LAND, Texas (KTRK) -- Investigators with Sugar Land police are searching for a suspect accused of shooting and killing a member of his own family. They told stories of how the man who'd managed restaurants, waited tables and worked at odd jobs helped them through complicated situations. Despite the fact that the Ellebracht family was known to go barefoot even when in town, according to My San Antonio News, they were sophisticated enough to know they were fighting for their lives, and put their ranch up as collateral. Rain: 7am to 7am: .00 Month: 0.00 Year: 20.21 Recorded temps: High: 63 Low: 45, Photos: Skylar Brazil and Ashley Hendricks. I don't think even (Ellebracht) Jr. knew how much abuse he was going through, Caldwell said. In addition to the cattle prod, they found various guns, machetes, and axe, knives, chains and padlocks. Slave Ranch Trial-Kerr County courthouse Witness Howard Bailey describes "slave Ranch" He wached a grown man beg for life. He fled, but was captured a short time later, according to the affidavit. It was found Dec. 16 last year off Old Arkana Road south of Mountain Home. The land isnt suitable because topsoil is shallow, as the area is laced with karst and rock just under the surface. He couldn't help what his father and grandfather did, but he was never anything like that. and last updated 8:32 AM, Jul 29, 2020. To clear his conscience, Caldwell gave a 20-page statement to the FBI. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. 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. Loraine Haynie, 86, checks on her husband, Jim Haynie, in his home office in Mountain Home. Through the years, Lindsey has been charged with 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. You can cancel at any time. Cunningham was in a blue Elantra. Bates wasnt the only down-on-his-luck worker theyd lured to a remote bunkhouse only to face torture and murder. The feds pulled a mountain of incriminating evidence from the Ellebracht ranch, including the audiotapes, witnesses, human remains and various weapons. Affidavit details apparent love triangle in Vermont native's murder in TX In the background is the barn where prisoners were chained to bunk beds at night. 2023 locality pay increase; aseprite normal map color wheel; FREE Case Evaluation. He apparently bonded out of jail on the charge relating to the motorcycle theft and was free on that bond when Stradford was killed. Benton County tax records show her to be the owner of the property. It expanded my knowledge of humanity, that good and bad can live side by side.. 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. 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. 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. 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. One worker, Anthony Bates, died after being tortured with the cattle prod. A Department of Public Safety trooper walks away from an area where a body reportedly was burned on the Ellebracht ranch. 1196 THRILL HILL , TX 78058 Eric Monroe Hooker. Olson is alleged to have told deputies he had permission from Cunningham to be in the residence, and that he had made entry on Christmas Day only to take a nap.. 'Texas Slave Ranch' raided 38 years ago - San Antonio Express-News Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr. (from left), Walter Wesley Ellebracht Jr., Leona Ellebracht, the young Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, attorney Richard Racehorse Haynes and Joyce Ellebracht are seen in 1986. She is also currently pursuing her Masters degree in Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. Before he could exit the property, though, Ellebracht, his son and wife, and some ranch hands approached him, armed to the teeth. Unsolved Mystery of the Dowdy Family Massacre - Texas Hill Country Federal agents confiscated multiple tapes belonging to the Ellebracht family. There are several other property owners now around us, but there's nobody around from that era. 27-year-old man on the run accused of shooting and killing aunt's (The US average is 35.4) NOTE: The city of Mountain Home, Texas does not have FBI Crime Statistics. 11 Horrifying Facts About The Texas Slave Ranch - Ranker Ellebracht III even tried to see the good in his father and grandfather, who picked up hitchhikers and promised them board in exchange for work. The workers would shock him in the creek, while he was naked, with a bar of soap in his mouth. See the latest Treasure Valley crime news in ourYouTube playlist: Investigators said the suspicious death appeared to be the result of domestic violence involving an estranged husband. His son, Junior, received 15 years in prison, but served less than 10 years. Scott Riggs in court Feb. 13, 2019. Finally, in 1984, the authorities raided the property on a tip. Idaho resident found dead in Mountain Home - KIVI He hadn't seen his second daughter, Alexis Faith Bockemehl, 17, since infancy, but the two girls met at their father's memorial service. Because Gore's body wasn't found until that night, the first newspaper headlines didn't appear for . Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. The sparks came from an electric cattle prod used by the torturer. The ranchers were later arrested on multiple charges including aggravated kidnapping and murder in Bates death. Boyd arrived at the ranch after hitchhiking, but he wasnt the only traveler picked up by Wes and Junior that day. Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. It is a great christian family environment for those interested. Home. Things to do in Seabrook: A guide to Washington's cozy Preorder 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' today. He looked at the past and said, 'I'm here now, nobody can change that,' he said. 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. Ranch, the Sunset Inn B&B, Crazy Horse RV Park, and Johnson Creek RV Resort. 2 suspects in Stradford murder make court appearances | KTLO He later was indicted, along with the Ellebrachts, for his role in Bates' torture and death. Erica Hernandez, Digital Journalist/Courthouse Reporter. Gary Mitchusson of Forrest City has entered his appearance for Cunningham. Updated: 11:39 AM CST January 10, 2022. Cheri Jo Bates was killed in the 1960s in California. I've separated my life from my ex-husband, Esensee said. When a huge posse of law enforcement from federal, state and local jurisdictions raided the ranch on April 6, 1984, the Ellebrachts denied wrongdoing. Eva Ruth Moravec is a freelance reporter who writes about officer-involved shootings of unarmed individuals in Texas for a grant-funded series published in several Texas newspapers. They offer 3-hour guided tours of the 50,00 acre ranch. Ranch, West Kerr Ranch, and D&D Ranch & Wildlife Services. 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. Before joining the team, she was a producer and video editor at KIII-TV and a radio intern in Corpus Christi. They rescued six people, but what else they discovered was nothing short of gruesome: bone fragmentsand tapes of torture sessions. Brazil has had a number of mainly drug-related criminal cases opened on him in Benton and Washington Counties. Brazil attempted to flee but was found hiding in weeds by tracking dogs from the Arkansas Department of Correction. 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. A male voice responds, "Tell Robert it feels good. Mystery of Star Cyclist's Murder Deepens as Police Seek Suspect However, they were effectively acquitted of murder, and there are many who believe justice has yet to be served. Nearby cities include Ingram, Hunt. 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. According to investigators, officers found the body inside a home in southwest Mountain Home while investigating a missing person's case. Police were called to a home in the. In 1986 the Texas slave ranch trial took place and lasted for three months. mountain home texas murders - pr-publicrelations.com It was found Dec. 16 last year off Old Arkana Road south of Mountain Home. Elon Musk? Teased and bullied as a child, Wes, as he was known, later would change his last name to try to elude the scandal. They fashioned key chains, and they needed workers. In the case of Bates, who couldnt work, Hamilton witnessed the man being electrocuted up to 30 times, including strikes to his tongue and genitals. According to criminal information filed in the case, Hendricks was alleged to have had the drugs and weapon in Madison County on July 19. Has the 'Zodiac Killer' just been identified? Boyd stayed the night, but decided to leave the next day. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories. Ellebracht III was arrested as a teen, when a group of friends stole beer from a convenience store and broke the window of a car, but was trying to get the record expunged, Walls said. However, he has been accused of other crimes, including theft of property and intimidating a witness. 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. 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. The Texas Slave Ranch is the name popularly given to a ranch near Mountain Home, Texas where workers who had been abducted were forced to work without pay making cedar keychains that sold throughout the Texas Hill Country. Hamilton, along with four other witnesses who gave depositions, noted Bates died from the prolonged torture on a dirty floor in the barn. Mountain Home, Texas is an unincorporated community in Kerr County. Anna Moriah Wilson was a. All Rights Reserved. Olson was found hiding under a bed in the residence, when deputies checked out the property on Dec. 25. The worst infraction was being unable to work, a fate that befell Bates. Crime in Zip 78058 (Mountain Home, TX) - Best Places Click links below to see charts for each crime category. His criminal history goes back to 2010, when he was a teenager. Texas Slave Ranch - Wikipedia They needed labor to keep their key-chain factory going. Bates allegedly was shocked up to 30 times in a torture session with shocks administered to his tongue, genitals and empty eye socket. Home >> Homicides - 2007 January 1 - December 29, 2007 (86 Murders) Date of Murder: January 2, 2007 Victim Name: Connie Whitson, 46 . A few lodging options in Mountain Home are the Flagler Ranch Guest House, the Y.O. On Tuesday, officers were sent to a. 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. Home; Gal Behind the Blog; . I totally thought we were screwed. 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. 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.
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