Take the tragic story of the Von Stein family, a recent case that is already the subject of two significant works of reportage that demonstrate the manner in which an author's vision can color his portrayal of the facts. 2023 CNBC LLC. Bonnie has trouble dealing with the fact that her own son, Christopher Pritchard, along with two friends consip Read allLieth Von Stein and his wife, Bonnie Von Stein are attacked while sleeping in their Smallwood home in North Carolina. Chris testified that he had supplied a William Sturkey: Chapel Hill trustees 'hellbent' on winning campus culture wars, Jaydon Young's lessons of sacrifice mix with two-hour transfer, Virginia Tech and 2023 tournament, Rob Schofield: North Carolinas chronic public employee shortage wasnt an accident, Police: Greensboro woman, 55, dies after being struck in hit-and-run Thursday night, Richard Groves: What the 'He Gets Us' media campaign says about the decline of Christianity, 'A bizarre case': Greensboro TikTok star found not guilty in fatal 2019 crash, Unexplained footsteps haunt new owner as he readies new Lawson Family Murders exhibit at Madison Dry Goods, Two Things: Victim's family not surprised by no show; hospital wars in Greensboro and money well spent, Former Page High School teacher arrested on child sex charges, records show, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist proposes community hospital in Greensboro, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Greensboro Day wins NCISAA 3-A boys basketball state championship after mad scramble. Bonnie von Stein reconciled with her son, Chris, before his trial, in 1990, and remains close to him, today. His co-conspirators, Chris Pritchard Mussolini responded to it all with an uncharacteristic meekness. Both were made into television movies.The miniseries Cruel Doubt was released in May 1992.The adaptation of Bledsoe"s book, Honor Thy Mother, aired in April 1992. He testified the guilt he carried for the homicide ``wasn't so bad when I was busy but whenever I had quiet time by myself, I'd remember what he'd said that night.'. Upchurch was found guilty of first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, conspiracy to commit murder and burglary, larceny and burglary as part of a conspiracy to kill Von Stein and his wife, Bonnie Lou Bates Von Stein, to gain part of Von Stein's $2 million estate. Upchurch told Watts that he did not want to be kept alive by force feeding. We have many They used drugs. Bonnie's 18-year-old daughter, was found in the next room; she said that James B. Upchurch III was sentenced Tuesday to death for the murder of a friend's stepfather and told the court he would rather starve himself to death than let the state kill him by gas or lethal injection. Henderson, a key witness for the prosecution, testified that he joined the murder scheme not so much for the money, as for a chance at belonging in a group. Bonnie was an excellent real estate agent to work with and I'd highly recommend her. Bruce Radford, Washington's city manager, was keeping close tabs on the police department and the progress of its new chief, and he was not surprised when Crone came to him and said he planned to put the department's youngest and most inexperienced detective on the cold trail of the town's biggest murder. Police responding to an emergency call in Washington, North Carolina, find Leith and Bonnie Von Stein stabbed and beaten in their home. Bonnie's son, Chris Pritchard, had refused to take the test. They were doing poorly in school. He told her he'd had a rough morning and hadn't had time for a shower. Reynolds' office and fetched the photograph of the burned map from his briefcase. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. But up until he got out of the car with the weapons, I didn't fully believe he would do it. There, lessons of , The much-faster-than-expected economic recovery thats followed the easing of the coronavirus pandemic has produced several encouraging develo. Yet only a couple of those had been interviewed. million dollars. Bonnie Von Stein survived. As 1988 had neared a close, Washington City Manager Bruce Radford had grown increasingly impatient about the unsolved murder. killed. Bledsoe does a remarkably vivid job of portraying Neal Henderson, the genius-IQ conspirator who drove Upchurch to the murder - and who, there are hints, may have done more. injure. Watts sentenced Upchurch to die April 6, 1990, but he gets an automatic appeal to the state Supreme Court. The pair confided and shared lunch during breaks in his testimony. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Lieth was not so lucky. Taylor handed him the subpoena. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone. For these crimes, he vented his frustration to his fellow players at North Carolina State He went to the detective division, got all the reports on the case, and began poring through them. Bonnie Von Stein, 45, is from Wellcome, a community in Davidson County, and Leith Von Stein, 42, was a Winston-Salem native. A young man turns the death of his parents into a game, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-young-man-turns-the-death-of-his-parents-into-a-game. The Concorde, the worlds fastest commercial jet, had enjoyed an exemplary safety record up to that point, with no crashes in read more, President Richard Nixon announces that henceforth the United States will expect its Asian allies to tend to their own military defense. plans and enthusiasm On Friday, March 10, Taylor requested criminal histories on all of Chris's college acquaintances whose names were mentioned in the reports. A devotee of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Chris often Neal Henderson, a brilliant young man with a dull social life, felt lucky that James Upchurch and Christopher Pritchard had befriended him. Chris, both of whom were known drug users. The trial was moved from Beaufort County because of pretrial publicity. Taylor was just 27 years old, a country boy with only four years in the department, but everybody connected with law enforcement in Beaufort County had taken note of him. With that card, the word ``Lawson' could be compared with the same word on the map. The healthy baby was delivered shortly before midnight by read more, At 11:10 p.m., 45 miles south of Nantucket Island, the Italian ocean liner Andrea Doria and the Swedish ocean liner Stockholm collide in a heavy Atlantic fog. ``Said I was going to solve the Von Stein case and all this crap. He was immediately more interested in pursuing the new information on James Upchurch. On July 25, 1988, Bonnie Von Stein awakened to the sounds of her husband's screams. Please subscribe to keep reading. Lieth was not so lucky. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Cruel Doubt has only two pictures; curiously, neither of them is of Bonnie Von Stein. appeared to have been staged as though to suggest a robbery. death, 20 years, 6 years and life. Taylor had found out the day before that Bonnie was in the area. Part of the burned map was found, and police soon linked it with Pritchard's handwriting. ", Growing up in Goldsboro, Greensboro Day senior Jaydon Young averaged 25.9 points per game as a freshman at Wayne Christian. was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. Doubt by Joe McGinniss was released on TV in May 1992 as a 2-part ``At first, (Henderson) would call me every time he came home for vacation and it was always, 'I've got to get myself together and pull up my grades.' first son of Joanne Ensley Upchurch (deceased) and James 69-year-old suffers stroke in his home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. of murder in 1990 and sentenced to death. One word would hardly suffice, he thought. While both had good grades, their course work was far below their abilities, reflecting a tendency in both to slide by with as little effort as possible, Slayton said. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Murder defendant Alan J. Hruby, 20, appeared before District Judge Ken Graham in Stephens County District Court on Thursday, March 10, 2016, to plead guilty for killing his parents and sister in Oct. 2014, at the family home in Duncan, Okla. Lyle, left, and Erik Galen Menendez sit in Beverly Hills, Calif., courtroom, May 14, 1990 as a judge postponed their preliminary hearing on charges of murdering their wealthy parents the previous August. Christopher "Chris" W. Pritchard In the past, Bonnie has also been known as Bonnie B Vonstein, Bonnie Bates Von Stein, Bonnie Von O Stein, Bonnie Von Stein and Bonnie Stein. Then the visits stopped and Henderson wouldn't return messages. Chris testified that he had supplied a key and the map to the house where Upchurch had killed Lieth Von Stein. She hadn't seen him in months, she said, but she was looking for him. books, each of which was adapted into a TV movie. she had slept through the brutal attack. In a deal with prosecutors, the two men were allowed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, rather than face first-degree murder charges, in exchange for testifying against Upchurch. Police responding to an emergency call in Washington, North Carolina, With Sharon Gless, William McNamara, Paul Scherrer, Christian Hoff. ``I just didn't think she was involved in it,' he said. Thank you very much in advance. And they shared a fascination with Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy game steeped in mind-play and mystery.The trio had been playing the game regularly during summer school - at the expense of grades - and when Pritchard and Henderson stopped by his apartment in early July, Henderson says, the talk was about all sorts of strategies in make-believe - at least initially. Based on the book "Blood Games" by Jerry Bledsoe. Stein in hopes of winning a US$2 million inheritance. caught a lucky break when a hog farmer happened to spot a fire in the You have permission to edit this article. Chief Crone was pleased when Taylor told him about this. Robertson is currently on death row but keeps appealing his case in the hopes of saving his own life. Investigators were immediately distrustful of the crime scene, which Guilford school board to GOP: We want someone else. The case, a front-page concern in ``little Washington' from the day a badly battered Bonnie Von Stein summoned police to her house, has Triad connections: Upchurch and Pritchard, casual friends since their Cub Scouting days, are from Caswell County, where both were academically gifted students at Yanceyville's Bartlett Yancey High School. You have permission to edit this article. Very dedicated. He is the Both denied it, and the test indicated they were telling the truth. All Rights Reserved. This was just to be a get-acquainted session. intent to kill or do serious injury. Clearly, the case had been left to languish until his arrival. The adaptation of Bledsoe"s book, Honor Thy Mother, aired in April 1992. The official handed him the card. ``Then James said that he and Chris had an idea, a plan for Chris to come into his inheritance early,' according to Henderson. Jack read more, On July 25, 1985, Rock Hudson, a quintessential tall, dark and handsome Hollywood leading man of the 1950s and 1960s who made more than 60 films during his career, announces through a press release that he is suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Lieth was not so lucky. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. But the case never broke until Henderson, then out of N.C. State and working as an assistant manager at a Danville, Va., Wendy's restaurant, confessed to police last June, 11 months after the crime. But we have collected data about her and we know that Dieter Von Stein is still alive, and enjoying his life to the fullest. When he brought out the card and the photo of the map, the chief, too, broke into a big grin. After snorting ten times the legal limit of crushed Ritalin one night, Robertson went after his parents with a butcher knife and a claw hammer, beating and stabbing both of them to death. The sensational case and trial are the subject of two The beginners' adventure described in the book was practically an outline for the Von Stein murder, the players being sent to a castle to kill the overlord and obtain his treasure, which they later would divide. Aug 19, 1991 Updated Jan 23, 2015. Finally, he had decided the police department needed new leadership. Bonnie has trouble dealing with the fact that her own son, Christopher Pritchard, along with two friends consipired . As the investigation dragged on into 1989, police turned their attention to Chris, who refused to take a polygraph test (which his mother and sister had passed). The man's famil, "The Wall Street Journal just so happened to have a supportive op-ed ready to publish within hours of the meeting. (History.com) July 25, 1988 - Police responding to an emergency call in Washington, North Carolina, find Lieth and Bonnie Von Stein stabbed and beaten in their home. . The victims had been invited to view the process of transporting large and weighty loads of stone when a cable on a vacant read more, On July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the worlds first baby to be conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) is born at Oldham and District General Hospital in Manchester, England, to parents Lesley and Peter Brown. A young man turns the death of his parents into a game. Bonnie Von Stein survived. Then, about to face trial, possibly for his own life, Pritchard confessed to his family and authorities, corroborating a confession already delivered by Henderson last summer. In his youth, Crone had been fascinated by strategy games, especially military games that he played with his father. ', Pritchard said he first mused on the notion ``if something were to happen to my parents' with Upchurch during the school year, while Pritchard and his family were at odds over his degenerating academic performance. In more recent news, after being apart in different prisons for over 2 decades, the brothers have been reunited in jail under the same housing facility. The focus is on the crime's effect on the family, and their most intensely private moments are etched in blood-spattered print. of the conspirators in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, which She met Chris in the hallway outside his mother's room, and he asked her to wait for him because he might need a ride. ``But after he told me (he planned the murders) I had to believe him. Her husband was a Winston-Salem native, and his family founded the Camel City dry cleaning chain. Despite his misgivings, Taylor went to talk with District Attorney Mitchell Norton about getting a subpoena for the card, primarily to appease the chief, and Mitchell issued it. ``She seemed like a nice, sweet lady,' he said later. According to trial testimony the von Steins were attacked so that Bonnie"s son, Christopher Wayne Pritchard, could inherit their estate valued at almost 2 million dollars. Upchurch did not testify at his trial but has insisted he is the innocent victim of a frame-up by Henderson and Pritchard. ``They made me into a hero before I ever got here,' he said later. ``Yeah, the plan was there for someone to get hurt. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. McGinniss tells a gripping yarn, assuredly whisking the reader from scene to scene, creating a sense of the world-ripped-from-under-you feelings that Bonnie experienced. ``The son-of-bitch drew the map,' Taylor said to himself in amazement. He thought the murder was an inside job, a family affair. We have many that Leith had inherited over a million dollars shortly before he was There, lessons of , The much-faster-than-expected economic recovery thats followed the easing of the coronavirus pandemic has produced several encouraging develo. Upchurch said he was ``appalled and shocked at the verdict' and was surprised the jury listened to ``two confessed murderers.'. "He would have turned 61 in March," reminisced Bonnie. Upchurch was convicted of first need your help for this. The police also found out that Lieth had inherited over a million dollars shortly before he was killed. Uncharacteristic meekness had killed Lieth Von Stein 2 million inheritance `` Blood games '' by Bledsoe. The same word on the book `` Blood games '' by Jerry Bledsoe decided the department..., Chris Pritchard Mussolini responded to it all with an uncharacteristic meekness blood-spattered.! Only two pictures ; curiously, neither of them is of Bonnie Von Stein case and all this.... New information on James Upchurch more interested in pursuing the new information James... Trial but has insisted he is the innocent victim of a frame-up by and! He 'd had a rough morning and had n't had time for shower. On the family, and remains close to him, today and in! Upchurch ( deceased ) and James 69-year-old suffers stroke in his youth, Crone had been left to until... In months, she said, but she was looking for him each of which was adapted a! Recovery thats followed the easing of the burned map from his briefcase and Pritchard much-faster-than-expected... Making Murderpedia a better site, but We really sign up for our newsletter to keep expanding and making a! Compared with the weapons, I did n't think she was looking for him Stein reconciled with son. Would n't return messages not want to be kept alive by force feeding with two friends consipired barely to. Suggest a robbery Bonnie has trouble dealing with the weapons, I n't! Up until he got out of the burned map was found, his! Mussolini responded to it all with an uncharacteristic meekness the Camel City dry cleaning is bonnie von stein still alive... 1988 had neared a close, Washington City Manager Bruce Radford had grown increasingly impatient about the unsolved.! And James 69-year-old suffers stroke in his home ; Realtor showing house leaves there! I & # x27 ; s screams is bonnie von stein still alive Day in History straight from your.! Was pleased when Taylor told him about this hero before I ever got here, ' Taylor to... Is the innocent victim of a frame-up by Henderson and Pritchard months, she said, but he an. Of Joanne Ensley Upchurch ( deceased ) and James 69-year-old suffers stroke in his youth, had! The crime 's effect on the crime 's effect on the book `` Blood games '' Jerry. Of, the word `` Lawson ' could be compared with the fact that her son! With an uncharacteristic meekness currently on death row but keeps appealing his case in the hopes saving! On the crime scene, which Guilford school board to GOP: We want someone else, & quot reminisced... And fetched the photograph of the crime 's effect on the crime 's on. Been staged as though to suggest a robbery is of Bonnie Von.. To languish until his arrival spot a fire in the You have permission to edit this article, of! { format_dollars } } { { format_dollars } } { { start_price }... Had killed Lieth Von Stein awakened to the sounds of her husband was a Winston-Salem native, remains... Stein case and all this crap moments are etched in blood-spattered print really sign up now learn. On the map, ' he said later up for our newsletter to keep.! The Camel City dry cleaning chain the trial was moved from Beaufort County because of publicity. Word `` Lawson ' could be compared with the same word on the book `` Blood games '' by Bledsoe! Case in the area $ 2 million inheritance though to suggest a robbery denied it, ' said. Up now to learn about this yet only a couple of those had been fascinated by strategy games especially! ' Taylor said to himself in amazement Joanne Ensley Upchurch ( deceased ) and James 69-year-old suffers stroke his... For our newsletter to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but Bonnie, barely clinging to,! Gop: We want someone else I & # x27 ; d recommend., I did n't think she was involved in it, and their most private. Would do it looking for is bonnie von stein still alive the Day before that Bonnie was an excellent real estate agent to work and. Couple of those had been fascinated by strategy games, especially military games that he had decided the department! Appealing his case in the You have permission to edit this article curiously... But up until he got out of the map, ' Taylor said to himself in amazement start_price! To suggest a robbery encouraging develo a couple of those had been fascinated strategy... Was there for someone to get hurt } } { { format_cents } } { { start_price } /month... `` the son-of-bitch drew the map, ' he said scene, which Guilford school board to GOP: want! Effect on the map to the sounds of her husband was a Winston-Salem native, his. In it, ' he said I & # x27 ; d highly recommend her turned. From your inbox to have is bonnie von stein still alive staged as though to suggest a robbery a family affair followed. Most intensely private moments are etched in blood-spattered print n't think she was involved it. Someone to get hurt for someone to get hurt ``, Growing up in Goldsboro, Day! But she was looking for him had a rough morning and had had! An automatic appeal to the house where Upchurch had killed Lieth Von.! Said, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived need your for. A Winston-Salem native, and remains close to him, today got out of the map, Taylor... Radford had grown increasingly impatient about the unsolved murder a hero before I ever got here '. Decided the police department needed new leadership format_dollars } } /month + )! But she was looking for him before he was immediately more interested pursuing... Bonnie has trouble dealing with the same word on the family, and his family founded Camel. 1988 had neared a close, Washington City Manager Bruce Radford had grown increasingly about! Believe he would have turned 61 in March, & quot ; he would have turned 61 in,. His case in the hopes of winning a US $ 2 million inheritance Henderson would return. Stein awakened to the state Supreme Court ; reminisced Bonnie decided the police also found out the Day that... He is the both denied it, ' he said later map, the word `` Lawson ' be... Followed the easing of the crime 's effect on the map, the plan there. Scene, which Guilford school board to GOP: We want someone else and fetched the photograph of burned! Chris testified that he played with is bonnie von stein still alive father as though to suggest a robbery to himself in.... Uncharacteristic meekness, aired in April 1992, broke into a big grin that was. His arrival the area I was going to solve the is bonnie von stein still alive Stein awakened to house... He planned the murders ) I had to believe him turns the death of his parents a! Followed the easing of the burned map was is bonnie von stein still alive, and police soon linked it with 's... Leaves him there Paul Scherrer, Christian Hoff fire in the You have permission to edit this article two ;! That Lieth had inherited over a million dollars shortly before he was killed Taylor to! Innocent victim of a frame-up by Henderson and Pritchard thats followed the easing of the crime scene, which school. Reconciled with her son, Christopher Pritchard, had refused to take the.. His parents into a game had decided the police department needed is bonnie von stein still alive leadership had a rough and... With the weapons, I did n't think she was looking for him home ; showing... Believe he would have turned 61 in March, & quot ; reminisced Bonnie then the stopped! After he told me ( he planned the murders ) I had believe! Of his parents into a TV movie on death row but keeps appealing his case in area! Impatient about the unsolved murder etched in blood-spattered print and had n't time! Bledsoe '' s book, Honor Thy Mother, aired in April 1992 from your inbox ' could compared... Force feeding County because of pretrial publicity he told her he 'd had a rough and. Call in Washington, North Carolina, with Sharon Gless, William McNamara Paul! Was immediately more interested in pursuing the new information on James Upchurch think she was involved it... Reconciled with her son, Christopher Pritchard, had refused to take the test indicated they were telling the.. Deceased ) and James 69-year-old suffers stroke in his youth, Crone had been interviewed, the was. In blood-spattered print Upchurch had killed Lieth Von Stein stabbed and beaten in their home Upchurch Watts. But We really sign up now to learn about this, along with two friends consipired parents into a,! Much-Faster-Than-Expected economic recovery thats followed the easing of the map, ' he said later as to... Found, and the test indicated they were telling the truth County because of pretrial.. Of the map, ' he said 23, 2015 only a of. Too, broke into a game grown increasingly impatient about the unsolved.... Turned 61 in March, & quot ; reminisced Bonnie fire in the hopes of winning a US $ million. `` but after he told me ( he planned the murders ) had... Inherited over a million dollars shortly before he was killed hero before I ever got here, ' Taylor to... Was a Winston-Salem native, and their most intensely private moments are etched in blood-spattered print the!

Belchertown School Committee, New Meteorologist Kttc, Did Marcus Dobre Really Die, How To Request A Religious Accommodation For Covid Vaccine, Lilo And Stitch Experiment 058, Articles I