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, Houston Matters reports. He has been seen only once since then, when entered Sue's home in Bryan in September 1984. She ran to him as Bell turned around and drove off. The Help. HAROLD BELL OBITUARY. At Bell's trial, the prosecution's chief witnesses were Dorothy and Dawna. [2] His claims were never conclusively verified, and he died behind bars in 2019, having recanted his previous claims. Five Things You Didn't Know about "The Eleven" - TVOvermind Lise Olsen, Investigative Reporter, Houston Chronicle - Houston Chronicle He got out and pointed his rifle at one of the officers. [5] On the other hand, other family members and some investigators considered the claims to be credible, as Bell's criminal past, proximity to the crime scenes at the right dates and mentioning details not known to the public made him a viable suspect in their eyes. Man admits to killing as many as 11 girls across Southeast Texas 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. As Dawna crossed the street, she saw the man lean over and shoot the gun at something on the ground. A jury found Edward Harold Bell guilty of murder and assessed punishment at seventy years confinement. Kimberly Rae Pitchford, 16, disappeared after taking a driving class before her body was found in 1973. The cases of all eleven girls remain open and unsolved. Suzie Bowers went missing from Galveston in 1977. Credit: Texas Monthly The Eleven: On the trail of a serial killer. 1. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. The Eleven: With Michael W. Bunch, Sonya Van Sickle, Kristina McCormick, Natalia Villegas. They asserted that they could not confirm his confessions. She then tried to block his exit with her car. Matthew McConaughey's Unsolved Mysteries Episode Is a Hidden Gem A Houston Chronicle reporter spoke with Bell in July and September of that year. Eerie theory 'linking' Robert Abel to Texas Killing Fields murders Six of them were murdered in pairs. Furthermore, he had a trailer near the bayou where their bodies were found. Edward Harold Bell, a convicted killer who in 2011 admitted to killing two Galveston teenagers in the 1970s, died Saturday. Lang told her son to give the man back his keys. However the killings he lays claim to started a long time before that. 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Edward Harold Bell, in prison for murder, responds to a theory from two investigators that he might be a serial killer responsible for numerous murders of young women in and around Galveston in . Texas killer dies, leaving open questions about 11 slayings - Yahoo! News Bell, who is up for . Actor: Gymkata. Edward Harold Bell (May 26, 1939 - April 20, 2019) was an American sex offender, murderer and the first fugitive to be featured in the Texan rendition of America's Most Wanted.Following his capture in Panama City, Panama in 1993, he was extradited, convicted and sentenced to a 70-year term for the murder of a Marine in 1978, and later confessed to killing eleven girls during the 1970s. Get highlights, trending news, and behind-the-scenes insights from Houston Public Media delivered to your inbox each week. Just three months after Ackerman and Johnson disappeared from Galveston, so did two fourteen-year-old Webster girls named Sharon Shaw and Rhonda Johnson. She turned toward him, saw that he was holding a large hunting knife and he slashed her with it. In an interview, Pruns said he once visited a property where Bell kept horses, raccoons, various critters, and a travel trailer painted to look like a red caboose. The man ran back to his truck and left. He owned a meadow not far from the shop where they had been last seen. As she got closer, she saw that Larry was lying in the driveway. Self's conviction was shrouded in confusion as Edward Harold Bell confessed to killing 11 girls during the 1970s. father. He claimed that he was responsible for the 1971 murders of Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, and provided details as to where their bodies were dumped and how they were killed, according to The Houston Chronicle. Edward Harold Bell . Colette's bones were found in a reservoir along with those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19. She noticed that there were several children playing in the intersection of Moore and Apple, next to their house. He then shot the gun in the air and told Larry that he would kill him if he did not return his keys. "The Eleven That Went to Heaven" From the 208th District Court. Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. 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. No physical evidence was found to link him to the other crimes. Children. Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. Did a Convicted Texas Murderer Reveal He Was a Serial Killer? - Yahoo! son. The victims were all teenage girls, and each . Pruns considered Bell a creepy weirdo but knew little of his life. Edward Harold Bell, in a Texas prison cell for the cold blooded killing of 28-year old Larry Dickens in 1978, denied a request by The Police News for an interview in connection with the murders of Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson in 1971. . He was leaning on the washer, and the man was standing next to him with the gun pointed to Larry's head. Prosecutors in Galveston reopened Debbie and Maria's cases after learning new information through their investigation, and Bell was identified as the "primary suspect." After his confessions, he told the Houston Chronicle reporter that he would provide proof to back up his claims only if he was given immunity from prosecution. Edward Harold, 1838 - 1891. She says that he was strong and very special to all of them. He gave the remaining victims their initials, hair color, and the year they were murdered. He identified another of his victims as a reddish-blonde girl named "Pitchford," kidnapped near Glufgate Mall in Houston. Lang threw the phone down and ran towards the garage to let Larry inside. Texas killer dies, leaving open questions about 11 slayings Especially since, as seen in the A&E series, he later denied everything he wrote years ago. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Harris County prosecutors reportedly never investigated the claims and lost the letters from him. EDWARD HAROLD BELL, Appellant. Edward Bell, who confessed to local killings, dies BELL Edward Harold View source History Talk (0) Stub. Tips that finally led to his arrest poured in after Bell became the subject of a 1992 "Unsolved Mysteries" episode. How many people did convicted murderer Edward Bell really kill? Death of Edward . With Edward Harold Bell as their number one suspect, investigators Lise Olsen and Fred Paige are determined to find . Bell sent prosecutors in Texas letters containing his confession in 1998 but they have remained secret until now. Pruns was a surfer who made custom boards out of his shop in the area. Murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw - Wikipedia He agreed to report to another in-patient treatment program at the University of Texas Medical Branch to avoid prosecution. Harris County medical examiner's records reveal Kimberly Pitchford, a sixteen-year-old, didn't return home after a driver's ed course. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Betty A. Tomlinson; his daughter, Darlene S. Richardson (Steve) and grandson, Chris Richardson (Kathleen) all of Victoria. They were last seen accepting a ride from a man driving a white van; he happened to own one at that time. Screenshot/A&E. The Eleven, airing Thursday at 9 and 10 p.m. on A&E investigates 11 murders that occurred in rural Texas in the 1970s. Although some believed that he was a publicity-seeking "kook", others are convinced that he was responsible for the murders. 02:29 GMT 27 Sep 2011 Although Bell wasserving a 70-year sentence for killing Larry Dickens, an ex-Marine who was shot after confronting Bell for exposing himself to a group of neighborhood girls, hes long been suspected of other murders as well. Published on October 17, 2017 12:53 PM . He remained the key suspect in the murders. Edward Harold Bell, 54, was found guilty of murder Monday in the 1978 slaying of Larry Dean Dickens, a 26-year-old oil field roughneck. As a result of discoveries made during their investigation, Galveston prosecutors reopened Debbie and Maria's cases and Bell was named the "prime suspect". Most victims were 11 to 16-year- old but he repeatedly avoided arrest and prosecution. He told the reporter that he was actually responsible for eleven murders, calling them the "eleven that went to Heaven". (According to Blum House, the episode also starred Matthew McConaughey in his first-ever role, playing Dickens). The Hoseins' original plan was to kidnap Murdoch's wife, Anna, and hold her for ransom, but the Murdochs happened to be in Australia that particular week. Yet another is speculated to be Suzie Bowers, who vanished from Galveston in 1977. Edward was born in 1805, in Thrandeston Suffolk England. At that same moment, Larry came inside and asked what was going on. Other articles where Harold Bell Wright is discussed: Ozark Mountains: industries, was given impetus by Harold Bell Wright's novel The Shepherd of the Hills (1907), which romanticized the Missouri Ozarks. All four girls hung out close to Bell's apartment. Recently added to YouTube. After learning of his admissions, some detectives went back and looked at their evidence in those cases. 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. Edward Harold Stibbs (1876 - 1944) - Genealogy Throughout this time, he made a living through giving dive trips to American tourists and gold panning. He also claims his three ex-wives were part of this 'programme'. Now serving a 70-year sentence for murdering a Houston-area Marine vet in 1978, Bell has come forward asking for immunity and ready to plead on the murders of as many as 11 young girls in the Houston-Galveston area in the early to mid 1970s. Letters. Matthew later discussed his Unsolved Mysteries . He owned a pasture just a few minutes' drive from the store where they were last seen. People watching The Eleven may wonder who Edward Harold Bell is, and if he is responsible indeed for what he claimed he did. Now in excerpts from the letters obtained by the Houston Chronicle, it has emerged that Bell claims a brainwashing 'programme' begun by his father forced him to 'be a flasher', to 'rape girls' and to kill. When they opened up the back door of the police car, she immediately knew that he was Larry's killer. He is a formidable fugitive. Why did you kill my brother?!" Edward Harold Bell, who was serving time for the 1978 killing of an ex-Marine, collapsed and died in the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota at the age of 82. She does not believe that he expected her to fight back. Four of Larry's siblings have also since passed away. That's what Edward Harold Bell wants us to believe. 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. In 1972, two middle school students, Georgia Greer and Brooks Bracewell were last seen at the Dickinson store. Bell referred to another victim as "Pitchford," who was later revealed to be Kimberly Rae Pitchford, 16. Lena Madge Crain crossed the divide to her Heavenly Home on Saturday, February 25th after several months of home health care. This template will categorize articles that include it into Category:Stubs. Edward Harold Bell was married with three children and secretly following young girls, exposing himself to them for many years before he murdered 26-year-old Larry Dickens on 24 August 1978 in Pasadena, Texas. He was an avid hunter and a champion horseshoe player. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. Bell claims he was turned into a sex offender and killer by his father in a systematic programme of abuse and brainwashing. A graduate of Texas A&M University and once a successful businessman, he has eluded capture of almost sixteen years. I have not killed anyone.". Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Photo: The Killing Fields is a 25-acre patch of land a mile from Interstate Highway 45 in League City. Sadly, on July 13, 2012, Dorothy passed away at the age of eighty-four. Self-described serial killer Edward Harold Bell died in the Texas prison Saturday, leaving unanswered questions about the unsolved murders of 11 girls he claimed to have killed. [12] Despite these gruesome claims, the letters were "kept secret" until 2011, when they were finally revealed by retired Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige to the public in an attempt to uncover any potential leads that could verify Bell's accounts. 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. Edward Harold Bell, Suspected Of Killing 11 Texas Girls, Dies In Prison The show reopened the case to the public and closely followed Paige and Olsen's investigation. Bell, Harold 12/4/1946 - 2/15/2022 Holland, MI Harold Bell, age 75, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Genealogy for Edward Harold Stibbs (1876 - 1944) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. The Great Gatsby. Investigators Lise Olsen and Fred Paige are on a mission to examine the confessions of inmate Edward Harold Bell. 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. Marias death impacted my life more than any other single event. She could not have been more wrong. He said he couldn't go anywhere because Larry had his keys. 1,890,000 TO SEEK NORTHWEST JOBS Legion Confers on Post-War Employment Plans. Edward Michael Bell - IMDb Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Fearing for the safety of her child, she instinctively attacked. On June 26, 1978, he exposed himself to two girls riding bikes, aged 11 and 12. According to Special Agent Rolando Moss of the Houston FBI, Bell was prospecting for gold on land he owned near Panama City. Dawna feels that Larry's murder has broken up their whole family. Matthew McConaughey in his first-ever role. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Following his capture in Panama City, Panama in 1993, he was extradited, convicted and sentenced to a 70-year term for the murder of a Marine in 1978, and later confessed to killing eleven girls during the 1970s. After his sentencing, Bell claimed he had quit being a "flasher" while in Panama, but expressed regret that he had not done earlier so Dickens' life could be spared.[11]. 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. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up. HAROLD EDWARD BELL MAY 14, 1939 - JUNE 29, 2006 Howard Edward Bell was of Cherokee decent.