This article is a stub. However, she did not hit him. Nearly 20 years ago, in letters he wrote to local prosecutors, Texas murderer Edward Harold Bell claimed the Marine he'd shot and killed in 1978 was not his only victim. He was 79 years old. 1. [3], Edward Harold Bell was born on May 26, 1939, in southern Texas. Harold Bell Obituary (2006) - Modesto, CA - Modesto Bee - Legacy.com 0. 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. Her body was found in a thicket in Brazoria County in January 1973. Bell further asserted that a "brainwashing programme" had pushed him to kill, rape, and expose himself to young girls. At Bell's trial, the prosecution's chief witnesses were Dorothy and Dawna. Death of Edward . In 1998, he sent letters to Harris and Galveston County prosecutors in which he confessed to killing seven young girls. The dispatcher told her that police units and an ambulance were on the way. His confession letter written to prosecutors in the 1990s also had names and details of the killings that suggested he could have been the killer, but Bell would later go on to deny his involvement in the murders. Bell, 72, is serving 70 years for the 1978 murder of Larry Dickens, a Marine who confronted Bell after he exposed himself and began masturbating in front of a group of girls in Pasadena. In a prison interview with Houston Matters in 2017, Bell claimed he had admitted to the murders because he had been suicidal. HAROLD BELL OBITUARY. Serial Killer Ed Bells Cops to Unsolved Texas Slays Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was . Ex-homicide detective Fred Paige and Lise Olsen, an investigative journalist for the Houston Chronicle, teamed up to reopen the case of the "eleven who went to heaven." By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. 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. 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. He also listed former scoutmasters, a cousin, and three of his ex-wives as part of "the program." Actor: Gymkata. Her body was found in a thicket in January 1973. His confession matched details of the crime scene. Colette's bones were found in a reservoir along with those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19. 3. However, two victims are believed to be Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw, who vanished from Galveston a few months before Debbie and Maria. 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. As he walked toward Larry, Larry backed up toward the house. The whole incident was very quick. The show reopened the case to the public and closely followed Paige and Olsen's investigation. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was under investigation in the unsolved deaths of several missing girls has died after collapsing at a Texas prison. The investigators finally decided to release the letters to the public in an attempt to uncover any leads that could verify his accounts. Her bones were found in a reservoir mingled with those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19. Maria was born on March 29 1805, in Eye, Suffolk, England. [2], On August 24, 1978, while driving his red and white GMC truck around Pasadena, Bell stopped in front of a group of young girls, pulled down his pants and began masturbating in front of them. Mystery over 11 missing women after death of accused Texas 'serial Dawna screamed and cried. Their abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down and left their bodies in the bayou. Georgia Geer and Brooks Bracewell, aka "the Dickenson girls," both vanished in September of 1974. In January 2013, he became eligible for parole, however, it was denied. Prisoner Edward Harold Bell has retracted his confession. The other two primary suspects are Edward Harold Bell and Mark Stallings. Self's conviction was shrouded in confusion as Edward Harold Bell confessed to killing 11 girls during the 1970s. On February 18, Panama police and the FBI brought him back to the United States. A convicted murderer suspected of killing 11 girls in Texas died Saturday morning in prison, taking any information he may have had about the young girls deaths with him. People were afraid of him, Olsen told Houston Matters. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Especially since, as seen in the A&E series, he later denied everything he wrote years ago. Gloria Gonzales, whose bones were discovered near to Colette's in October 1971, is thought to be another. Lang saw that he was naked from the waist down as he stepped out masturbating and approached a group of children playing in the street. 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]. Edward Michael Bell was born on 19 March 1935 in the USA. Two other victims are believed to be fourteen-year-old Georgia Geer and twelve-year-old Brooks Bracewell; they were last seen in 1974 and found in 1976. [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. Jeremy Desel, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said that inmate Edward Harold Bell, 79, collapsed Saturday at the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota. Six of them were murdered in pairs. Larry replied that the man would not kill anyone and took a few steps toward him. Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp. And there were some people who would never talk to me because they were afraid of him they were afraid that he might get out.. Eerie theory 'linking' Robert Abel to Texas Killing Fields murders In 2000, he died in prison without ever receiving a new trial. 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. Isaac Bell, III. Because of the trauma of the situation, Dorothy felt unable to identify him. Harold, or Hank, as his friends called him, was the husband for over 68 years of his beloved wife . Six of them were murdered in pairs. He owned a pasture just a few minutes' drive from the store where they were last seen. Five weeks later, he shot Larry Dickens while masturbating in front of five Pasadena girls. Bell claims he was turned into a sex offender and killer by his father in a systematic programme of abuse and brainwashing. Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison. A convicted murderer has claimed that he is also the serial killer behind the deaths of eleven adolescent girls in the seventies. As she pulled closer, they made eye contact. Genealogy profile for Edward Harold Stibbs. 1 of 11. The Eleven: With Michael W. Bunch, Sonya Van Sickle, Kristina McCormick, Natalia Villegas. Recently added to YouTube. As he got in it and drove away, she fired and hit it. 2. The Eleven: On the Trail of a Serial Killer - Texas Monthly She had been an investigator on the case in recent years. People Projects . Despite the fact that some thought he was a publicity-seeking "kook," others were certain he was the murderer. The victims were young girls from the Texas counties of Houston, Galveston, Webster and Dickinson. 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. Edward Harold Bell (May 26, 1939 April 20, 2019)[1] was an American sex offender, murderer and the first fugitive to be featured in the Texan rendition of America's Most Wanted. But in September 1984, the illusion of small-town security was shattered for a local couple, "Sue" and "Bill". At this time, Bell was eighty-years-old, frail, and pasty. Most victims were 11 to 16-year- old but he repeatedly avoided arrest and prosecution. I didn't want statutory rape on top of the flasher charge." ", Bell believed the "program" to be far-reaching, having allegedly included family members and people he's dated. Edward Harold Bell v. State - CourtListener.com Another victim from 1971 was thirteen-year-old Colette Wilson, who vanished after leaving a band camp. Bell is fluent in German and has worked as a diesel mechanic, tugboat operator, physical education teacher, and traveling salesman. Edward Bell (1860 - 1902) - Genealogy - geni family tree Gloria Gonzales went missing in October of 1971 (her body was found near Wilson's). While she was trying to calm Dickens down, Bell grabbed a rifle from his truck, went up to the wounded man and shot him in the forehead before fleeing. He was leaning on the washer, and the man was standing next to him with the gun pointed to Larry's head. Published on October 17, 2017 12:53 PM . He was living under the name of his deceased cousin, "Cecil Boyd". [8] On February 14, 1993, a joint operation conducted by the FBI and the Panamanian National Police led to Bell's arrest at a yacht club in Panama City. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. 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. As The Houston Chronicle reported, "Bell blamed the crimes and carnage in his life on a systemic program of abuse, lies and brainwashing [allegedly] begun by his father. He claims to be responsible for the killing of young girls including 15-year-olds Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson who disappeared while hitch-hiking in Texas in 1971. Edward Harold Bell, 82, was being investigated over his . Enter Edward Howard Bell, a convicted killer serving a 70-year prison term for a murder of a Marine who tried to stop him when he exposed himself to a group of young girls. Unsolved Mysteries Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. 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. His actions caught the attention of 26-year-old Larry Dean Dickens, a Marine with a young daughter, who rushed in and got hold of the man's keys in an attempt to prevent him from fleeing. The longtime D.C. broadcaster and community leader, who was the first African American to host a daily sports talk show in the . 12-year-old Brooks Bracewell and 14-year-old Georgia Geer, who were last seen in 1974 and discovered in 1976, are thought to be the other two victims. When the trial date came about, Bell did not appear. Officer Curtis Adams was responding to the scene when he saw a suspect in a red truck matching the description he was given over his radio. One, nevertheless, is thought to be Brenda Jones, who went missing in Galveston in 1971. . John Edwards' Wife Tore Off Her Shirt and Collapsed Over His Affair At that very instant, the officers heading to the scene recognized his truck. But in September 1984, the illusion of small-town security was shattered for a local couple, "Sue" and "Bill". Bell identified another victim as "Pitchford", who was later determined to be sixteen-year-old Kimberly Rae Pitchford. Who Is Edward Harold Bell? 'The Eleven' Killer Has The - Bustle is asked why Bell's letter didn't spur on a more intense investigation, the former D.A. Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison for the death of Larry Dickens. It's " where two middle school students, Georgia Geer, 14, and Brooks Bracewell, 12, were last seen in 1974." It was submitted to the show by Investigator Boucher. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Murderers In Texas: The Shocking True Stories of Killing Out Of . He was employed by Greer Industries for many years as an operator for 42 years. She was upset at the fact that, while they could bring him back, no one could ever bring Larry back. Edward Harrold - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage Rhonda "Renee" Johnson and Sharon Shaw disappeared from Galveston on August 4, 1971. Bell also owned a field near where two middle school students, Georgia Geer, 14, and Brooks Bracewell, 12, were last seen in Dickinson in 1974. The officers held her back, and she and Dorothy then tried to console each other. In anger, she tried to attack him, yelling, "I hate you! Bell spent his time in the mental ward baiting underage patients. Holding many offices in the Masons, teaching country western dancing, participating in motorcycle events, mem Among other business activities, he was prospecting for gold on land he owned near Panama City. Oddly enough, in 1993, Edward Harold Bell was convicted of the murder of Larry Dickens. He had been living there with a teenage girl. Within twenty minutes of the murder, Bell was in the hands of the police and on his way to face Dorothy and Dawna. He described how he murdered them and the deserted bridge where the bodies were recovered. Birth of Harold Wilmerding Bell. Mr Dickens' mother watched from her house as Bell shot her son four times with a pistol and then shot him again with a rifle. The man who wrote the letter, Edward Harold Bell, was never questioned by the police. In some cases he remembers the colour of their hair. series Unsolved Mysteries. Two viewers recognized Edward Bell and called in with tips when this story aired. Dorothy came out and Dawna asked her if he was dead. Senior investigators in Galveston have believed for a long time that Bell was behind more crimes but prosecutors have not pressed charges because they do not believe they have enough evidence. Edward Harold Bell, Suspected Of Killing 11 Texas Girls, Dies In Prison For reasons unknown, the letters were "kept secret" until 2011, when they were discovered by retired Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige. BELL--Harold, age 94, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his children. Prosecutors in Galveston, though, declined to show a grand jury his written admissions. He said he was "brainwashed" into killing Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson in the letters. son. Bell had been on the run for 14 years after shooting Dickens, and was eventually found living at a Panama yacht club in 1993 with a teenage girl. After graduation, he worked as a traveling pharmaceutical salesman and married his first wife in San Marcos. Harold Bell, in his eighth decade, continues to lead a unique life. How many people did convicted murderer Edward Bell really kill? [7], Despite several investigations into his claims, Bell was never charged with any other murder besides Dickens'. She noticed that there were several children playing in the intersection of Moore and Apple, next to their house. By In the reflection, she saw a man walking into the bathroom. Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. . Edward Harold Bell - Unsolved Mysteries Larry Dickens, Lang's twenty-six-year-old son, ran over to the man's truck and took the keys from the ignition while his mother called the police. The man retreated to his truck, and Lang grabbed her son from behind and helped him lie down, then she ran inside to call an ambulance. He told the reporter that he was actually responsible for eleven murders, calling them the "eleven that went to Heaven". Aliases: Butch Michael Lloyd Self | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom In the A&E series, Bell denied having "killed anybody," including Dickens. He remained the key suspect in the murders. Edward Harold Bell, now 72, called his victims the "Eleven that went to Heaven." Show More Show Less 2 of 11 Glenda Willis walks through the Forest Park East Cemetery looking for the . He wrote: 'I was "Brainwashed" into killing Deby (sic) Ackerman and Maria Johnson in November 1971.'. She told him that the police were coming and pleaded with him to leave. He had details of how he shot them and was even able to describe the remote bridge where the bodies were recovered. Bell claimed in a 1998 letter to police that he had murdered 11 girls in Galveston County. However, no charges were ever filed against him in theirs or any other cases. 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. The dispatcher radioed the suspect's description as police units headed to the scene. [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. O P I N I O N . Then, a few months after his release, he married her, Bell was thirty-one. Letters. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel says 79-year-old inmate Edward Harold Bell died Saturday at the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota. wife. Mrs. Edwards was dying of cancer and had previously discovered her . Antelope Valley Press Classification 1000 Obituary notices and memorials These ads appeared in the Antelope Valley Press Tuesday, July 4, 2006 BELL, Harold Edward May 14, 1939 - June 29, 2006 Howard Edward Bell is of Cherokee decent. 10 Celebrities With Surprising Connections To Horrific Murders Lang told her son to give the man back his keys. 2-min read. She assumed that he was a first-time burglar. Crime Stoppers: Texas Most Wanted Fugitive #1, Police nab slaying suspect after 14 years, Flasher Convicted of Killing Man Who Tried to Stop Him, Edward Harold Bell vs. Not knowing is heartbreaking." Bell, who is up for . After his death was announced, Galveston Police Officer Michelle Sollenberger wrote on Facebook, Today these girls may finally rest in peace because their killer has gone to hell, the Chronicle reports. Harold Bell. People watching The Eleven may wonder who Edward Harold Bell is, and if he is responsible indeed for what he claimed he did. Tips that finally led to his arrest poured in after Bell became the subject of a 1992 "Unsolved Mysteries" episode. Today these girls may finally rest in peace because their killer has gone to hell, one investigator wrote after hearing the news of Edward Harold Bell's death. "The Eleven That Went to Heaven" 11:17 GMT 27 Sep 2011. Texas killer dies, leaving open questions about 11 slayings Fearing for the safety of her child, she instinctively attacked. Although another man was found guilty of their killings, several investigators now believe that he was innocent. Additionally, he resisted cooperating with the authorities. He has been seen only once since then, when entered Sue's home in Bryan in September 1984. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! She went through page after page, but never saw anyone that resembled the intruder. If you'd like to sign up now, fill out the form below and we will add you as soon as we finish the transition. He and Larry began arguing. That guy was Larry Dickens, who was attempting to stop Edward Harold Bell from exposing himself to children. In Bell's truck, police found the murder weapons and pornography. Daily Mail Reporter Other economic assets include timber (mainly hardwoods), agriculture (livestock, fruit, and truck farming), and lead and zinc mining. Edward Harold Bell parked his truck in a residential neighborhood in Pasadena, Texas. Apr 20, 2019. He declared the murder was pinned on him, and the police were responsible for shooting Dickens. The victims were all teenage girls, and each of their murders have remained unsolved for decades. Edward was born in 1805, in Thrandeston Suffolk England. The Sentinel reported that it took nearly 20 years to get a conviction for the murder, because when Bell was out on bail, he fled and lived under assumed names for years. [12] In addition to this, Panamanian authorities announced that they considered him a suspect in four rape-murders committed in their country: two while he was residing in Boquete, and another two in Panama City. With Edward Harold Bell as their number one suspect, investigators Lise Olsen and Fred Paige are determined to find . Dawna said that the wounds will never heal and the hurt of losing Larry will always be there. He failed to appear in court on January 8, 1979, to stand trial. Instead, for the next 14 years, Bell roamed coastal towns in Mexico and Central America, guiding dive trips and living aboard a sailboat. He claimed that he was unaware of the other victims' names. Bell Is Going to Have a Parole Meeting There is a sense of tension in The Eleven because Bell will be having his parole meeting soon, which will determine whether he can serve out the rest of his . Another viewer claimed that Bell had lived in Panama for several years. As Newsweek points out, Edward Harold Bell confessed to 11 girls, but like Hedrick, he was never charged due to a lack of evidence. Rita Brestrup, a sister of victim Maria Johnson,also believes he was responsible for taking the life of her sibling in 1971. Bell also said he killed a red-haired teen named 'Pitchford', after kidnapping her near a mall. Join others and make your gift to Houston Public Media today. He identified two of the 1971 victims as Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, fifteen-year-old Galveston "surfer girls" who disappeared after hitchhiking. Matthew McConaughey's Unsolved Mysteries Episode Is a Hidden Gem Harold Edward Bell (1939-2006) - Find a Grave Memorial She felt that when he got off the plane, he seemed arrogant, which infuriated her. The cases of all eleven girls remain open and unsolved. Obituary of Edward Harold Koontz | Field Funeral Home Status; Detected Status Living Status; Identified: Deceased . Fortunately, she reversed the situation on him. One girl was the thirteen-year-old daughter of a Lubbock police officer. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was under investigation in the unsolved deaths of several missing girls has died after collapsing at a Texas prison. If you have any information, please get in touch with the tip line of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office at 1(800) 566-2209. https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/tenth-court-of-appeals/1994/1036.html, https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Confessions-of-a-cold-blooded-killer-2187501.php, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Harold_Bell, https://unsolved.com/gallery/edward-harold-bell/, https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/convicted-killer-edward-bell-dies-in-navasota-prison/285-a63d52bf-60a7-4b5d-a5b2-cb15f4ab7132, https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-eleven-on-the-trail-of-a-serial-killer/, https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2019/04/22/330217/possible-serial-killer-dies-in-texas-prison/. The City of Galveston is putting up $70,000 for a project in the downtown cultural arts district and another $30,000 for a project that could go anywhere in the city. Matthew later discussed his Unsolved Mysteries . EDWARD HAROLD BELL, Appellant. The suspect accelerated and turned into a cul-de-sac, where he crossed the yard and stopped the truck at a fence. In fact, he said, there were seven others, all . She vanished after taking a driver's ed class in Houston. However the killings he lays claim to started a long time before that. He claimed that he shot them and disposed of their bodies near a remote bridge. New A&E Documentary Examines 11 Unsolved Murders of Texas Teenagers Dorothy finally felt that she would be able to face him in court and say, "We finally got you in custody, and I hope they throw the book at you, because you deserve it." By Lise Olsen . Nothing can take her memory away.. This case first aired on the December 2, 1992 episode; it was updated on the April 21, 1993 episode.