The Bennett Family Massacre: SOLVED 3 Decades Later (True Crime Documentary)

I just want to say I’m very happy that it’s all over. Been a long time. A long time waiting for this. Really happy with the prosecution team. They’ve really done a great job. They say justice doesn’t bring back the dead, but it can bring a sliver of peace to the living. For Connie Bennett, the woman whose haunted face you see in that video, peace is a long time coming.

41 years ago, her world shattered when she discovered her son and his family brutally murdered in their Colorado home. And trust me when I say it wasn’t just horrifying, it was the kind of nightmare that keeps you awake at night. The killer didn’t just stop at using a hammer to end his victims’ lives. He went even further, committing unspeakable acts that shocked everyone who heard the details.

At that time, forensic science wasn’t what it is today, and for years his connection to the Bennett family murders and several other killings remained hidden. The truth only came to light when advances in technology finally exposed the full scope of his horrifying spree. So, who was this twisted murderer, and how did he go unnoticed for so long? Well, before we dive into his dark history, let’s start by getting to know the victims first.

Like any other family, the Bennett family was full of love, laughter, and big dreams. Bruce and Debra Bennett, a young couple who got married in the 1970s, couldn’t wait to start their life together. Bruce, born on April 22nd, 1956 in Denver, Colorado, had what you might call a normal childhood. Nothing too extraordinary, just a regular guy growing up with his two brothers, Richard and Daniel.

But Debra’s story was a bit more complicated. As the oldest of four kids, she had to grow up fast after losing her mother at a young age. With her dad, Ernest, a war veteran, she became the caretaker for her younger siblings. Life was tough, but she kept her family together. Eventually, they moved to Colorado, and it was there that Deborah’s brother, Larry, introduced her to Bruce.

The two hit it off instantly, and before long, Bruce and Deborah were inseparable. They fell in love quickly and decided to start a family of their own. Later on, Bruce enlisted in the Navy, serving as a sonar analyst at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was a job that gave him the chance to work with some pretty high-tech equipment, and more importantly, provided the steady income he needed to support his growing family.

 So, in January of 1976, their first daughter, Melissa, was born, and they couldn’t have been more thrilled. Then, 5 years later, in 1981, their second daughter, Vanessa, arrived. Their little family of four was complete. When Bruce wrapped up his service in the Navy, he had worked hard to create a more comfortable life for them.

In 1983, with some help from their savings and a loan, they bought their first home in Aurora, Colorado. Life seemed perfect. The Bennetts worked together in the family’s furniture distribution business, and Bruce was also studying to become an air traffic controller. They were making it work. Every day was filled with moments of joy, family dinners, and the excitement of their daughters growing up in a happy, safe home.

Melissa and Vanessa were thriving in this warm, loving environment, and Bruce and Deborah felt like they had everything they ever wanted. But just when everything seemed perfect, in early 1984, their world was shattered. It was Sunday, January 15th that year, when the Bennett family was in full celebration mode.

They were hosting a pre-birthday gathering for Melissa, who was about to turn eight. Deborah had already planned a party at school for their daughter, but they decided to have an additional family celebration at home. The house was filled with laughter, chatter, and the sweet aroma of a delicious cake as everyone gathered to celebrate the little girl’s upcoming special day.

As the evening wore on, Melissa’s grandparents and uncles started to head home. One of her uncles noticed the garage door was still open and reminded Bruce to close it before he left. Little did he know that simple gesture would be the turning point for the Bennett family. Then, the next morning on January 16th, 1984, Bruce’s mother, Constance Connie Bennett, got an unsettling call.

The family’s furniture store had called stating that Bruce and Deborah hadn’t shown up for work and no one was answering their phones at the house. Concerned, Connie decided to head over to the Bennett home to check on them. When she arrived, she immediately noticed the garage door was still open, just like the night before.

But what she found inside the house would haunt her forever. As she entered, Connie was met with a scene so horrifying, it’s unimaginable. Bruce’s lifeless body lay at the foot of the stairs surrounded by a pool of blood. His head was severely battered and there was a deep, horrific cut across his throat. In shock, Connie rushed to a neighbor’s house for help and they quickly called 911.

The police and emergency responders arrived soon after, but what they discovered inside the house was beyond belief. In the master bedroom, they found Deborah’s body, her head horribly beaten, just like Bruce’s. The deaths were already beyond shocking, but what they discovered in the children’s room was even worse.

There, little Melissa’s body was found, beaten badly and stabbed. Her face was covered by a blanket, and there were clear signs of essay. It was a parent’s worst nightmare, something no one could ever prepare for. But in the middle of the horror, there was a tiny flicker of hope. Three-year-old Vanessa, despite her terrible injuries, was still alive.

 She was rushed to the hospital hanging on by the smallest thread. By the way, I post true crime and new cases here every day. So, if that sounds like your kind of thing, please consider subscribing. It helps a lot. As Vanessa was rushed to the hospital, the investigators started to comb through the scene. What used to be a home full of love and laughter was now a place of terror and clues.

Outside, they found Deborah’s purse lying in the snow, clearly searched through by whoever did this. Nearby, a butcher knife from the family’s kitchen was found, probably one of the weapons used in the attack. But the real weapon, the one that delivered the deadly blows, was still missing. And based on the injuries, the investigators believed a hammer might have been used.

They carefully gathered fingerprints and other samples from various surfaces in the hope of finding something that could lead them to the killer. But there was one detail that stood out above the rest. Blood-stained boot prints. Prints no one in the family recognized. This was someone new, someone who shouldn’t have been there.

To widen the search, authorities called in family members and close friends who had attended Melissa’s birthday party earlier that day. They asked them to provide DNA samples, something that seemed strange at the time, but would later prove to be an important step. Genetic studies were still in their infancy back then, but the investigators knew they had to gather anything that could be useful down the line.

As the investigation continued, specialists carefully preserved the victim’s clothing and meticulously collected bits of carpet from beneath Melissa’s body, a bedspread, and other items that could provide clues. Every scrap of evidence was carefully preserved, hoping that one small detail would crack the case open.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, a team of medical professionals fought tirelessly to keep little Vanessa alive. At just 3 years old, she was in critical condition. The doctors reported that Vanessa had suffered severe injuries. Her jaw was shattered, her head severely injured, and her arms, hips, and legs were all broken.

She had also been SA. It was nothing short of a miracle that she was still alive. She needed three units of blood and several more units of fluids just to keep her stable. But despite all the efforts, the doctor’s report to the family was devastating. The little girl was fighting for her life, and the outlook was uncertain.

As the days dragged on, investigators began to realize something chilling. The attack on the Bennett family wasn’t an isolated incident. Less than 2 weeks before that brutal night, there had been similar attacks in Colorado, one of them eerily close to home. On January 4th, just days before the Bennetts were attacked, a young couple, James and Kimberly, had been ambushed in their home in Aurora.

They were having a quiet night, Kimberly in the bedroom, while James was in another room recording music for a friend. Out of nowhere, Kimberly was struck in the head in the dark. She caught a brief glimpse of a man’s silhouette before he fled when she screamed. James, hearing her scream, rushed to her side, but was struck in the head by the same hammer-wielding attacker.

 Despite his injury, James managed to chase the assailant, but the attacker escaped into the night. Meanwhile, Kimberly was able to call 911 that night. Emergency services quickly arrived, and both James and Kimberly were transported to the hospital. James suffered a skull fracture, and Kimberly had a concussion, but they both eventually recovered.

When the police investigated the scene, they found the hammer that had been used in the attack. It was clear that the attacker had entered the house through the garage, which had been left open. Fresh footprints in the snow led away from the house, but the trail eventually mixed with other tracks, and they lost the lead.

However, the police did find Kimberly’s purse in the snow, though it was missing only the money. Now, if you thought that was the end of it, well, think again. Less than a week later, another shocking attack rocked the Colorado community. Patricia Smith, a 50-year-old woman who had recently moved from Nebraska, was there to help her daughter and her two young grandchildren settle into their new home.

Patricia was well-known for her grace, elegance, and impressive client list as an interior decorator, beloved by everyone who knew her. But on January 10th, 1984, her life would be tragically cut short in the most horrifying way. It all started like any other day. Patricia took her daughter to the park so she could catch the bus to work, then dropped off the grandkids at daycare.

Afterward, she spent the morning working, picked up some laundry, and grabbed a quick hamburger for lunch. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but when Patricia arrived home, things quickly took a deadly turn. She went up to her room, turned on the TV, and then, for reasons unknown, headed back downstairs. That’s when she came face-to-face with an intruder.

Before she could even react, a savage attack unfolded right in her own living room. Blows so brutal that they ended her life in a matter of seconds. That evening, around 5:30, Patricia’s daughter, who had been waiting at the park for her mom to pick her up, started to panic when Patricia didn’t show. She called home from a public phone, but no one picked up.

 Concerned, she reached out to a cousin who came to pick her up along with the kids. They headed home, but when they got there, something didn’t feel right. The garage door was wide open, and inside, the TV was flickering in the dark house. As they made their way inside, they stumbled upon a scene so horrific, it was almost impossible to process.

There, in the living room, was Patricia’s lifeless body, covered with a child’s blanket, blood everywhere. Her pants and boots were scattered around, and her upper clothing was open, a chilling sign that another brutal assault had taken place. A hammer, the weapon used to kill her, lay beside her. The daughter, completely in shock, ran to a neighbor’s house, hoping for some kind of confirmation that her mom was still alive.

But it was too late. Patricia was gone. 911 was called, and soon, the authorities arrived. The investigation into Patricia’s death uncovered something truly chilling. 17 brutal blows to her head and clear signs of SA. The killer didn’t stop there. After taking Patricia’s life, he went upstairs, rifled through her purse, and stole money before fleeing the scene.

Authorities turned to Patricia’s circle of friends, family, and clients for answers, but no solid leads came through. On that very same day, January 10th, another woman became the target of a vicious attack. Her name was Donna, and she was a flight attendant for Frontier Airlines. That evening, she was off duty waiting for her partner, Ron, who was a pilot, to return from a night flight.

 She’d spent the evening picking up groceries, getting the mail, and parking her car in the garage. But as she stepped out of her vehicle, she was struck in the temple, knocking her out cold. The next morning, Ron returned home to find something that made his blood run cold. A trail of blood led from the garage to the house, and he rushed inside following it to the bedroom.

There, lying on the bed was Donna, unconscious, with a severe head wound. Somehow, through all the pain, she had dragged herself to the bedroom. Ron immediately called 911, and Donna was rushed to the hospital, where doctors confirmed she had been assaulted. At first, Ron was considered a suspect. After all, he had just returned from his flight, and the attack had happened only an hour before he arrived.

But soon enough, investigators ruled him out. The search for the real killer was on. While going through Donna’s car, they found a blood-soaked hammer in the driver’s seat. They collected it as evidence, but frustratingly, no fingerprints were found. Despite the horrific injuries she had suffered, Donna managed to recover, though the head injury caused significant short-term memory loss.

She couldn’t remember the details of the attack, but in a way, she was relieved. She was just grateful to be alive. In fact, later on, the couple sat down for an interview, where Donna opened up about the aftermath of the brutal attack, saying, I I say I I the mentality of a 2-year-old. Everything was new to me.

Once again, I didn’t know a knife and fork. I couldn’t even tell you that I can’t open my mouth and how hard it is to eat. Now, with all of this being said, this hammer killer was one brazen individual. And just 6 days after the attack on Donna and Ron, and less than 25 miles away from their home, the brutal attack on the Bennett family unfolded.

And throughout that heartbreaking January, while the families of the victims were in mourning, those who survived, like little Vanessa, were fighting for their lives and recovery. Vanessa’s grandmother, Connie, never gave up hope, praying for the child’s healing. Meanwhile, the investigation stretched on, with authorities collecting every bit of evidence they could find from the four crime scenes, including genetic material, footprints, and anything else that might point to the killer.

But once again, forensic science in the 1980s wasn’t nearly as advanced as it is today. DNA analysis was still in its early stages, and investigators were working with limited tools. The attacks took place in both Aurora and Lakewood, leading local police to share information. However, despite their efforts, no useful fingerprints were discovered at the crime scenes, or even on the hammers used during the attacks.

 As the investigation continued, the FBI brought in a profiler to help understand the mind of the killer. The profiler suggested that the attacker wasn’t targeting specific victims, but was more of an opportunist, roaming neighborhoods and looking for easy access, like open garage doors. Once he found his way inside, his attacks were swift, violent, and deadly, often followed by sexual assault and theft.

Based on the patterns, the profiler estimated that the killer was likely a young man, around 20 years old, smart but not highly educated. He might have finished high school, but not gone to college. The repeated use of hammers and a distinctive boot print at one scene suggested the man might be working in construction, especially since many homes were being built in the areas where the crimes occurred.

But here’s the real kicker. The profiler believed this guy wasn’t going to stop until he was caught. So, investigators went to construction sites, talked to contractors, and tried to find anyone who had noticed something strange. Unfortunately, contractor records were messy, and there wasn’t much to go on. Because the attacks were sudden and always happened in the dark, no one had seen the attacker clearly.

As the investigation continued with no new leads, the community was on edge. People became extra cautious, locking up their garages and doors like never before. Some even started buying guns or wearing helmets to bed, just in case. But time passed without any more attacks, and eventually the police had to move on to other cases, leaving these brutal crimes unsolved.

 Interestingly, in the year 1990, investigators stumbled upon something unexpected, one single blonde pubic hair. They immediately sent it for specialized analysis, hoping that this might finally be the clue they had been waiting for. But then again, the technology back then wasn’t as advanced as it is today, and the test ended up destroying the hair before they could gather any useful information.

This was a massive setback, but the investigators refused to give up. Fast forward to 2001, 17 years after the horrific attacks. The breakthrough that everyone had been hoping for finally arrived when the DNA samples were fully identified, clearing family members from suspicion. But even with this significant progress, the mystery was far from over.

Then, in 2018, the investigation took another turn. This time, detectives teamed up with a genealogist, hoping she could provide the breakthrough they needed. They used the DNA sequence to search through both public and private databases. Just 1 week later, the genealogist gave them a huge piece of the puzzle.

 She found a match to someone with the last name Ewing. This discovery was massive, but it wasn’t the end of the road. The detectives quickly discovered there were several individuals with the last name Ewing living in Colorado, but none of them seemed to fit the profile. They weren’t giving up, though. They expanded the search, digging through Aurora’s database and finding a total of 40 individuals with that surname.

 While juggling other cases, the detectives meticulously analyzed each of these individuals, holding onto hope that one of them would be the missing link. Then, in July of 2018, everything clicked. After months of hard work, they discovered a match with an inmate in Nevada, Alex Ewing. Born on August 14th, 1960 in North Carolina, little was known about his childhood, but it was clear that Alex had a troubled past.

He dropped out of school after the 10th grade, claiming he was expelled for excessive drinking. This marked the start of a chaotic life that spiraled into crime. From a young age, Alex’s life was marked by brushes with the law. He was detained in a juvenile center in Sacramento, California, for theft, and was later placed in a foster home.

But his time in the foster system was short-lived. He stayed just 2 weeks before being released. His criminal activities didn’t stop there. He continued a path of theft, burglary, and even escape, moving from California to Arizona to Florida. By 1983, Alex had secured a driver’s license and was living in Denver, Colorado, the same place where the attacks occurred in early 1984, leaving four dead and several others severely injured.

After the attacks stopped, Alex seemed to vanish from Colorado, but he didn’t go far. He moved to Kingman, Arizona, where on January 27th, 1984, he broke into a home and attacked Roy Williams with a heavy granite rock, striking him in the head and chest. Roy miraculously survived, but required over 100 stitches.

 Roy was able to provide a partial description of his attacker, and later that same day, a police officer spotted a man hiding in the bushes near an interstate on-ramp. The officer approached, but Alex fled, leading to a brief but intense chase. On February 2nd, 1984, Alex was finally apprehended. Alex Ewing was formally charged with attempted first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.

 He was being held in jail in Utah, but in early August 1984, something shocking happened. While being transported with several other inmates for a court hearing, Alex made a bold escape. He managed to slip away from the authorities during a stop at a service station, wearing nothing but red shorts and an orange jumpsuit.

 It was around 10:00 p.m. when police received reports of a suspicious man in red shorts running through a nearby neighborhood. The hunt was on. An hour later, panic set in when Nancy Berry called 911 in a desperate voice, claiming she and her husband had been attacked. Nancy and Chris Berry were found severely injured in their bed.

Alex had broken into their home through an open garage door and savagely attacked them with an axe handle. Miraculously, their children were unharmed. A massive manhunt ensued, but Alex was still on the run. Four days later, Alex was spotted at a phone booth, apparently calling his brother for help.

 He tried to flee, but by then he was weakened and dehydrated. Police caught up with him and Alex was back in custody. This time he faced a mountain of charges: attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, and escape. He was sentenced to 110 years in prison, but the story didn’t end there. Alex had been at large for less than 8 months after the attacks in Colorado, but those months were just the beginning of a long, twisted journey.

Fast forward to July 2018. A team of Colorado police and prosecutors traveled to the Northern Nevada Correctional Center to interview Alex. They approached him pretending to be non-law enforcement officers, keeping the focus off the Colorado crimes for now. They knew they had the breakthrough they needed.

 The DNA match from the Bennett and Patricia crime scenes. This was the moment they had been waiting for, but they had to play it smart. During the interview, Alex spoke candidly about his past. He claimed his father had been in the Air Force and discussed his troubled history, mentioning an illness, spinal meningitis, that had nearly killed him, causing a drastic change in his behavior.

He also admitted to spending some time working in construction in Colorado, particularly in Aurora and Lakewood, before leaving because it was too cold. This was a crucial detail. It confirmed Alex’s presence in Colorado at the time of the attacks. The next day, detectives returned to meet with Alex. This time, they showed him six black and white photos of the crimes in Colorado.

Initially, Alex denied knowing any of the victims, but when shown a color photo of Patricia alive, he stuck to his story. However, when the detectives presented him with a color photo of Patricia’s lifeless body, Alex’s demeanor changed. He became visibly agitated, insisting there must have been some mistake.

In a panic, he immediately requested a lawyer. What Alex hadn’t anticipated was how the tides had turned after all these years. After 34 years behind bars, Alex had been preparing documents to request parole. He was confident he could be released after serving 40 years. In fact, he even set up a profile on a dating site, fully expecting his freedom.

But this meeting shattered his hopes. The detectives now had the evidence they needed. With the confirmation of the DNA match, Colorado detectives returned to court and secured a court order for another cheek swab from Alex. The results were undeniable. The DNA from the Bennett and Patricia crime scenes matched his. It was finally over.

Police began notifying the families and survivors of the 1984 attacks that they had found the person responsible. Justice was on the horizon, but it wouldn’t come easily. The first step was to request Alex’s extradition from Nevada to Colorado for trial. The first hearing took place on October 2nd, 2018, and Alex was informed he would have to face the charges in Colorado.

But Alex wasn’t going down without a fight. He informed the judge he planned to contest the extradition. Over the next 16 months, his lawyer filed appeal after appeal trying to delay the inevitable. As the legal battle continued, Colorado prosecutors faced a tough challenge. Some of the crimes were too old to be prosecuted because they didn’t have a fatal outcome and the statute of limitations had passed.

 But there was hope. Alex could still be tried for the murders of the Bennett family and Patricia. Back in 1984, the law allowed life without parole for such crimes as the death penalty wasn’t an option. In February 2020, the Nevada Supreme Court ordered Alex’s transfer to Colorado. As mentioned earlier, his lawyer fought hard to delay the move, but the US Supreme Court rejected the appeal.

A few days later, Alex was on a plane to Colorado ready to face the charges. The trial for the Bennett family case began in July 2021. The prosecution had a solid case. They presented DNA evidence showing Alex’s presence at the crime scenes, especially near the body of Melissa Bennett. They drew chilling comparisons between the Bennett family attack and Patricia’s murder.

 Both involved hammer attacks, sexual assault, and victims found in disturbing positions. In both cases, the attacker entered through open garages and the victims’ purses were nearby. The defense tried to poke holes in the investigation claiming mishandled DNA samples and a lack of fingerprints. But the prosecution fired back suggesting Alex wore gloves during the attack.

The courtroom heard from police, firefighters, and specialists, but the most emotional moment came from Connie Bennett, Bruce’s mother. She described finding the gruesome crime scene at her son’s house and the jury was shown photos of the aftermath. After just 3 and 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury sent a note to the judge saying they were deadlocked.

The prosecution asked the judge to keep the jury working while the defense pushed for a mistrial. The judge decided to hold off on a mistrial and told the jury to return the next day. After 6 more hours, they finally reached a verdict. Alex was found guilty of three counts of murder, robbery, and other charges.

At the sentencing, family members of the victims gave emotional impact statements. When asked if he had anything to say, Alex simply responded, “No, thank you.” With that breaking news from the courtroom, guilty on all counts. That is the verdict in a 37-year-old murder case.

 The defendant killed three members of the Bennett family in Aurora with a hammer. A little girl was the only survivor. The judge, disgusted by Alex’s actions, sentenced him to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. The trial for Patricia’s murder started in October 2021, but was declared a mistrial after Alex’s defense requested a mental competency evaluation.

The evaluation confirmed Alex was fit to stand trial, and after more delays, the trial for Patricia’s murder began in April 2022. This time, Alex couldn’t stay quiet. He complained about being extradited from Nevada and claimed the system was rigged. Despite his protests, the result was the same. Another life sentence.

A man already serving three life sentences received another one today. A Jefferson County jury convicted Alex Ewing last week of sexually assaulting and murdering Patricia Smith in 1984. Through all of this, Vanessa, the only surviving member of the Bennett family, had to relive the trauma. She shared her story of how the attack left her physically and mentally scarred.

She spent years battling depression, addiction, and the pain of her past. After years of struggle, she finally decided to stop being a victim. Vanessa got clean, settled down, and started a new life. But she said the capture of her attacker brought her no peace. For her, the damage had already been done. You know, what did they do wrong? They didn’t do anything.

 You know, they were young. They were in their like uh mid-20s. Are you hopeful about the future? I am. I am. I uh I have big things planned, and I know it sound It sounds like it’s a little late cuz I’m 38 years old, but it’s never too late. Now, as we mentioned in the intro, while justice can’t bring back the lives lost, it does bring some peace to the families affected.

Hopefully, Alex will face the consequences of his actions and suffer in prison for the rest of his life. Now, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this case. Do you think a life sentence is more fitting for him, or would you argue that something harsher would have been more just? Drop your opinions below.