In 1981, at Launius' behest, Lind traveled to Los Angeles to join the Wonderland gang and assist them in running drugs. Launius and Susan Murphy, were married in Carson City, Nevada on April 16, 1971. The four men had broke in and eventually robbed Nash at his home. The film stars Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Dylan McDermott, Carrie Fisher, Lisa Kudrow, Josh Lucas, Christina Applegate, Tim Blake Nelson, and Janeane Garofalo. 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 . 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". During one of the visits, Nashs bodyguard Gregory Diles spotted Holmes and noticed that the latter was wearing one of Nashs rings. The final victim was Barbara Richardson, 22, Sacramento, Calif. Court records revealed that a codefendant in Miss Miller's narcotics case was John 'Ricco' Vlick, 53, who lives in a. They should go after them if they can catch more people that were involved. In 1981, at Launius' behest, Lind traveled to Los Angeles to join the Wonderland gang and assist them in running drugs. While he was acquitted with the murders, he served 110 days in jail for refusing to cooperate with authorities and was charged with contempt. 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. I want to come to Matt Damons defense, he says, unbidden, referring to a recent uproar around the actors use of a particular f-word. It was unclear whether or not the occupants of the home were already dead by the time they arrived to pick up what Nash requested. Prosecutors believed Nash had forced Holmes to help Diles murder the people in the house on Wonderland Avenue as revenge for a robbery. 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. After the trial ended in a hung jury, they were retried the following year and were later acquitted. Drugs were regularly dealt from the residence at 8763 Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles. After a key witness for the prosecution died in an unrelated police shootout, the murder charges against Launius were dropped. 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. Alice in Wonderland is a 1999 made-for-television film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871). There's Something About Bill: Stand By Your Man, http://colby-sawyer.edu/assets/pdf/Barbara-Richardson.pdf, "Along for the ride, but choosing her role | Concord Monitor", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barbara_Richardson&oldid=1103637668, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 August 2022, at 10:59. Lind and Launius had become friends while in prison and promised to deal drugs together upon their release. 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. Barbara works at Animal Rescue. Anyone can read what you share. That year, however, Launius was convicted of smuggling heroin and cocaine across the US/Mexico border and eventually served three years of an eight-year sentence in a federal prison. While it is unclear of any paranormal activity happening at the site of one of the most gruesome homicides in Los Angeles history, some have told stories of the possibility of John Holmess ghost still hanging around the house. ''Perhaps things are now provable that weren't provable years ago.''. Specifically, he was at a drug kingpins house when the man gave the order for one of Los Angeles most infamous mass killings: the Wonderland murders, where four people were beaten to death in a house in Laurel Canyon. Technical Specs. For something to become a really big media event, you need the idea that it could happen to anybody, he says. Launius' wife, Susan, survived the attack, although she was left with permanent brain damage and lost part of one finger. He is not dating anyone. View the profiles of people named Barbara Ann Richardson. Wonderland is a 2003 American crime drama film, co-written and directed by James Cox and based on the real-life Wonderland Murders that occurred in 1981. 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. Lind accidentally fires his gun, wounding Nash's bodyguard, Greg Diles. Drug gang in Los Angeles (1970's & 1980's), Not to be confused with the Wonderland Club, an online child pornography ring busted by, Cass Paley, quotation in the director's cut of. In the years following the Wonderland murders, McCourt was reported to have moved to Colorado. Ron Launius, 37, Billy DeVerell, 44, Joy Miller, 46, and Barbara Richardson, 22, all died in the 1981 massacre. The Wonderland Gang gains access through the unlocked kitchen door and robs Nash at gunpoint. Following the robbery, Holmes ended up back at Nash's home. I was scared, he says. Ms. Kudrow plays Sharon Holmes, John's estranged wife, to whom he turns when things become really desperate. | Barbara Lee Richardson was born in Sacramento, California in 1958, and she became the girlfriend of Aryan Brotherhood biker David Lind. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The Wonderland House might seem like an ordinary home in the Los Angeles suburbs. Wonderland (2003) Natasha Gregson Wagner as Barbara Richardson. 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. https://allthatsinteresting.com/wonderland-murders, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-14-me-1912-story.html. See the article in its original context from. Neither Lind nor Holmes seems to be a very reliable informer or an especially admirable character, and the movie, though fascinated by the druggy, amoral milieu, holds each man at arm's length. Barbara D Richardson, 87 Resides in Burlington, NC Lived In Greensboro NC, Roxboro NC, Yanceyville NC, Danville VA Related To Brittainy Richardson, Bridgett Richardson, Darlean Richardson, Thedore Richardson Also known as Borbara J Richardson, B J Richardson, B Barbara Includes Address (17) Phone (6) Email (1) See Results Barbara A Richardson, 85 While at the crime scene, he is picked up by Nico and Cruz. Their relationship is an enigma much deeper than all the grisly cop-show business: she clearly despises everything her husband has become but has never entirely abandoned him, perhaps clinging in vain to the hope that he may one day snap out of it. All rights reserved. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 34% based on 101 reviews. Directed by James Cox; written by Mr. Cox, Captain Mauzner, Todd Samovitz and D. Loriston Scott; director of photography, Michael Grady; edited by Jeff McEvoy; production designer, Franco-Giacomo Carbone; produced by Holly Wiersma and Michael Paseornek; released by Lions Gate Films. [citation needed]. [citation needed], John Holmes was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in March 1982, after his handprint was found in one of the bedrooms. FILM REVIEW; A Film Stud Who Loses His Luster Is Sent to Graze on Seedy Pastures, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/03/movies/film-review-a-film-stud-who-loses-his-luster-is-sent-to-graze-on-seedy-pastures.html. This discovery would lead to Holmess arrest in March of 1982. Barbara Richardson was born on 1951. Attempting to get back in the gang's good graces, Holmes suggests robbing Nash's home. However, it wasnt until 1990 when Eddie Nash and his bodyguard were both arrested and were accused of their roles in the murder. The house was notorious for round-the-clock mayhem and debauchery. Hed sent Thorson on June 30th to collect their cut of the clubs door money, and Thorson had combined errands and ordered a pound of cocaine from Nash for himself. I was thrown into all these positions with these people, some evil, evil people that I met through Liberace., When Thorson crossed paths with the famously ostentatious pianist, he was just 16 years old, more than 40 years Liberaces junior, and living in foster care. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 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. Pin on Wonderland Murders, True Crime Explore Save From i.pinimg.com John Holmes Wonderland victim. Confidential,'' but it is really more ''Boogie Nights.'' The site's consensus states: "A sordid and pointless movie with some good performances. She was 93. "LA: Black Dahlia, John Holmes & Wonderland", "Slaying Victim Was Once Charged In Drug Murder", "Trial Begins for 2 in Grisly Laurel Canyon Murders of Mid-1981", "Crime Library: Notorious Murders: Celebrity: John Holmes", "John Holmes, 43, Dies, Was Star of Sex Films", "Nash Bodyguard Jurors Deadlock, to Try Again", "Two Acquitted in Second Trial for '81 Laurel Canyon Murders", "The New Season/Film; John Holmes's Boogie Life", "Gregory Dewitt Diles (1948-1997) - Find A Grave", "Adel Gharib "Eddie Nash" Nasrallah (1929-2014) -", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonderland_Gang&oldid=1134934701, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from January 2022, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from January 2022, Articles with dead external links from December 2013, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Ronald Lee "Ron" Launius (May 18, 1944 - July 1, 1981) (Leader), William Raymond "Billy" DeVerell (February 14, 1937 - July 1, 1981), David Clay Lind (October 24, 1938 - November 16, 1995), Tracy Raymond McCourt (February 20, 1949 - October 18, 2006), Joy Audrey Gold Miller (May 14, 1935 - July 1, 1981) (DeVerell's girlfriend and the house leaseholder), Susan A. Murphy Launius (born 1951) (Launius' wife), Barbara Lee "Butterfly" Easton Richardson (October 15, 1958 - July 1, 1981) (Lind's girlfriend). Mr. Holmes was accused of playing a role in both crimes and being the link between the two camps. 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. I knew that Nash was dangerous and that if he could get a chance to kill me, he would.. [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. He is from . The three were tried on slaying charges and ultimately acquitted in state court trials, the last of which was in 1991. The police investigation that followed uncovered two versions of the events leading up to the brutal murders - both involving legendary porn actor John Holmes. We want to hear it. But there is no doubt that for those who may have known the story, they cannot help but get an eerie feeling each time they enter the house. View the profiles of people named Brbara Richardson. In May 1974, he was arrested for and charged with the 1973 murder of a reputed police drug informant who had been killed over a botched drug deal. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Barbara Lee Richardson was born in Sacramento, California in 1958, and she became the girlfriend of Aryan Brotherhood biker David Lind. 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. [citation needed], Adult-entertainment legend John Holmes, famous at the time for his portrayal of the detective character Johnny Wadd in a series of pornographic films, was a frequent visitor who would purchase or scrounge cocaine from the gang. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Scott Thorson, who was buying drugs at Nash's home, wrote in his memoir My Life with Liberace (1988) that Nash had ordered Diles to bring Holmes to Nash's house, which Diles did after finding Holmes walking around Hollywood wearing one of Nash's rings. and studied at Clarkstown High School South. Today, Thorson is the last person alive with firsthand knowledge of the notorious massacre, at least among those who are willing to admit to it. [5] Neither Lind nor McCourt was present for the attack, as Lind was consuming drugs with a prostitute in the San Fernando Valley, and McCourt was at his own home. Historica Wiki is a FANDOM Games Community. Crime, Mystery & Thriller, Drama, Made in Europe. While there, he noticed a man resembling Holmes being tied to a chair and being beaten by Diles. Scott Thorson, who was buying drugs at Nash's home, wrote in his memoir My Life with Liberace (1988) that Nash had ordered Diles to bring Holmes to Nash's house, which Diles did after finding Holmes walking around Hollywood wearing one of Nash's rings. I'm Barbara Richardson, assistant general manager of customer service, communications and marketing at Metro. Holmes died on March 13, 1988, from AIDS complications in Los Angeles. Thorson remembers hearing the news of Nashs sentencing in October 2001. [14][15] The objective of the robbery was to steal a hoard of cash, heroin, and cocaine that Holmes claimed was in a safe embedded in Nash's bedroom floor, as well as to retrieve some antique guns the Wonderland Gang had stolen from another businessman and then subsequently, using Holmes as an intermediary, sold to Nash in exchange for drugs. [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. Neither Holmes nor any of the women are present when the robbery occurs. 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 the years following the Wonderland murders, McCourt was reported to have moved to Colorado. In 2003, a film titled Wonderland was based on the events surrounding the murders. Join Facebook to connect with Barbara Ann Richardson and others you may know. The two formed a relationship that overlapped parent-child and romantic partners that he admits would be considered abusive by modern standards, but stayed under the radar at the time. With its flashbacks, split-screen montages, decade-jumping soundtrack, sped-up action and frequent shifts of light and color, ''Wonderland'' feels like ''Law & Order'' on crack. On June 29, 1981, the Wonderland Gang, comprising Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, David Lind, Tracy McCourt,[13] 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". 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. He is a member of famous with the age 71 years old group. : 1976 J John Weg 95 followers More information Wonderland victim. Barbara Richardson is on Facebook. [1] 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"). 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. Ron Launius The Wonderland murders have been the subject of movies, books, and, of course, podcasts. [8], William Raymond DeVerell[5] was Launius' right-hand man and a voice of reason. Another officer, Billy Ward, intervenes in the investigation. 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". 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". All five occupants were known for dealing drugs while using themselves. Ron Launius Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! However, the spirits of the occupants who had been savagely murdered on that July night may also still be out and about. It doesnt help that hes someone who sounds like hes lying, even when he isnt. 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According to our Database, He has no children. Reportedly, at the time of his death, police investigators throughout California, largely in the Sacramento area, had 27 open homicide cases they believed were perpetrated by Launius. I know Matt Damon. [Liberace] then threw me out later because he said he created a monster., Liberace is also the reason Thorson found himself at the home of big-time L.A. drug dealer Eddie Nash in the wee hours of July 1st, 1981. The authorities say that the case grew out of a separate investigation into an Armenian crime syndicate and that it led to renewed accusations that Mr. Nash, with his bodyguard, Gregory DeWitt Diles, and a pornographic film star, John Curtis Holmes, carried out the Wonderland murders. And so there is this sense that no one was innocent in this crime., At the same time, Thorson, who is familiar with the struggle of addiction, points out that even a houseful of drug dealers deserves justice. 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. [Police] would have to investigate it, but I think theres a couple people still alive.. We have estimated The house located on 8763 Wonderland Avenue in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Laurel Canyon. Miller had two adult daughters and was the ex-wife of a Beverly Hills attorney. They proceeded to beat John Holmes. She was the sole survivor of the attack suffering severe head injuries, amnesia, and a severed finger. Hes seen some things. All I can say is what I've said for the last 20 years. Launiuss wife Susan was gravely injured and is the only known survivor of the attack. The events that took place inside happened just 40 hours after Nash was robbed, and they were hardly muted. Ron Launius, Deverell, Richardson, and Miller are all brutally beaten to death with striated lead pipes. The Wonderland murders were the subject of two Hollywood films. [3] The men entered the property through the sliding glass door Holmes had left unlocked, and confronted Nash and his bodyguard, Gregory Diles, pretending to be police officers. So, how much is Barbara Richardson worth at the age of 71 years old? He spent considerable time in the Colorado prison system, but when he was free he operated a successful mobile phone franchise. He said hed have them all on their knees, teach them a lesson, and that theyd never steal from him again, Thorson said on the stand. His associate, David Lind, once said of him: "You could put a gun to his head and his pulse would never break 70". [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. 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. Thats what got me hooked, Thorson says. The Wonderland Murders Crime Scene Photos The living room where the first victim, Barbara Richardson was found. Mr. Lucas, playing the crown prince of the Laurel Canyon drug scene, is all nerves and teeth, showing some of the same sharp-faced ferocity he brought to ''A Beautiful Mind,'' in which he played John Nash's graduate-school rival. Nash and Diles faced a mistrial in 1990, and were acquitted in 1991. We were freebasing, and he was right. Following the robbery, Holmes ended up back at Nash's home. We will update Barbara Richardson's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. Lind claimed she was his girlfriend, though he was 20 years older than her, and she was married. However, it was a house that gained infamy in the 1980s for such reasons that could even shock a longtime local. Mr. Nash's lawyer, Fred Rucker, did not return telephone calls. Raised in Grayslake, Richardson attended Warren Township High School and, after getting married in the mid-1940s and having three children, she began her professional career working. Jurors in Mr. Nash's first trial, in 1990, deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction; and the federal authorities now say the hold-out juror, a woman who at the time was 18 years old, was paid a bribe on May 15, 1990, by an associate of Mr. Nash. In his last days, it was reported that Holmes no longer wanted to cooperate with authorities regarding the murders. [citation needed] Launius' brazen and fearless nature led both to his dominance in the drug trade as well as his demise, stemming from the events leading up to his death in the Wonderland Murders. Two of the suspected robbers, Ronald Launius and William Deverell, lived at the Wonderland residence and were killed there with two women, Barbara Richardson and the owner of the home, Joy Miller. Mr. Nash was believed to have figured out Mr. Holmes's role, forced him to reveal the robbers' identities and help in the killings. 2023 Copyright LA Ghosts. Hed been robbed at gunpoint two days before. Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, Barbara Richardson, and Joy Miller had all been beaten to death with metal objects. After the trial, Holmes would serve out his jail time. She seems like a real person, and you wonder how she was dragged into a situation -- and a movie -- like this. Barbara Richardson Owner of Hungryscarecrow, creators of clean label, gluten-free bread mixes. "[6], Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:09, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonderland_(2003_film)&oldid=1141795244, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:09. [18], Although neighbors would later report having heard screams, no phone calls were placed to the police until 4:00 PM on July 1, over 12 hours later, when furniture movers working at the house next door heard Susan Launius moaning and went to investigate. Followed around by his patient girlfriend, Dawn (Kate Bosworth), and her pet chihuahua, he pinballs around Los Angeles County looking for drugs and finding trouble. They were probably considered dirtbags and drug dealers and Who cares? he says. The home was located on Wonderland Avenue, in Los Angeles's Laurel Canyon neighborhood. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. However, he died in 1988. Launius, DeVerell, and Lind performed the invasion and robbery, while McCourt waited outside in a stolen Ford Granada and served as lookout. Public Records & Background Search Barbara A Richardson, age 73, Brooklyn, NY Background Check As of January 2017, Susan Launius is both the sole survivor of the Wonderland murders and the only living member of the Wonderland Gang. http://us.macmillan.com/author/barbar. Her latest book is Wish, a middle grade novel published by FSG. 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. 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. [19] Holmes died on March 13, 1988, from AIDS complications in Los Angeles. He spent considerable time in the Colorado prison system, but when he was free he operated a successful mobile phone franchise. However, the events of the next several days would reveal this was a Pyrrhic victory, precipitating a chain of events that led to the demise of the gang. And I was there when they brought him back and they were all covered in blood. Later, Thorson adds, I heard Nash give the orders: Kill everyone thats there.. | 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. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. [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.

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