Two of the suspected robbers, Ronald Launius and William Deverell, lived at the Wonderland residence and were killed there with two women, Barbara Richardson and the owner of the home, Joy Miller. Lind's position in the drug underworld was and remains murky due to allegations by rival drug dealers that he worked as a police informant. Tracy Raymond McCourt was the driver of the stolen 1975 Ford Granada that carried the Wonderland Gang to Eddie Nash's home on the night of the robbery. Drug gang in Los Angeles (1970's & 1980's), Not to be confused with the Wonderland Club, an online child pornography ring busted by, Cass Paley, quotation in the director's cut of. He is buried at Congregation Emanuel Cemetery in. [6] In May 1974, he was arrested for and charged with the 1973 murder of a reputed police drug informant who had been killed over a botched drug deal. Diles died in 1997 from liver failure. However, he died in 1988. The three were tried on slaying charges and ultimately acquitted in state court trials, the last of which was in 1991. Afterwards they took John Holmes out by the scruff of the neck, and they made him take [Diles] up to the Wonderland address where they then did the beatings and the killings. David Lind characterized him as an otherwise decent individual who had been lured into the drug world because of the easy money and indicated that DeVerell experienced periods of self-loathing for his actions, during which he expressed a desire to stop dealing and using illegal drugs. On June 29, 1981, the Wonderland Gang, comprising Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, David Lind, Tracy McCourt,[13] and their associate, John Holmes, conspired to launch a home invasion and robbery upon Eddie Nash, a reputedly powerful organized crime figure who usually referred to himself in the third person as "The Nash". He spent much of the last seven years there since a 2014 sentencing for credit card fraud and identity theft, actions driven by his longtime drug addiction. While he was acquitted with the murders, he served 110 days in jail for refusing to cooperate with authorities and was charged with contempt. These people, known as the Wonderland Gang, included Ron Launius and his wife Susan, Billy Deverell, Lind's 22-year-old girlfriend Barbara Richardson, and Joy Miller. Played by Val Kilmer as a manic, self-pitying, self-destructive charmer next to whom Mr. Kilmer's Jim Morrison in ''The Doors'' looks like a church deacon, Holmes is a stud who has long since gone to seed. Today, Thorson is the last person alive with firsthand knowledge of the notorious massacre, at least among those who are willing to admit to it. All Rights reserved. In 1990, Nash was charged in California state court with having planned the murders, and Diles was charged with participating in the murders, but both men were acquitted in 1991. Instead he treats the episode as a chance to show off his mastery of fast-cutting, atmospheric style, which is impressive, but also a little annoying. The two of them became heavy drug users, later becoming police informants, and they travelled to Los Angeles in 1981 to join Ron Launius' Wonderland Gang. Barbara Richardson was born on 1951. The high quality of most of the acting makes this otherwise pointless and indulgent movie at least watchable, and Lisa Kudrow's performance in particular provides a glimpse of the better movie you wish it were. The authorities say that the case grew out of a separate investigation into an Armenian crime syndicate and that it led to renewed accusations that Mr. Nash, with his bodyguard, Gregory DeWitt Diles, and a pornographic film star, John Curtis Holmes, carried out the Wonderland murders. He is currently single. The Wonderland Gang gains access through the unlocked kitchen door and robs Nash at gunpoint. Scott Thorson, who was buying drugs at Nash's home, wrote in his memoir My Life with Liberace (1988) that Nash had ordered Diles to bring Holmes to Nash's house, which Diles did after finding Holmes walking around Hollywood wearing one of Nash's rings. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a popular holiday destination known for Old Hollywood's rich and famous intrigues. For something to become a really big media event, you need the idea that it could happen to anybody, he says. Official Sites He said hed have them all on their knees, teach them a lesson, and that theyd never steal from him again, Thorson said on the stand. The next morning, Ron Launius, Lind, and Deverell carry out the robbery, while wheel-man Tracy McCourt waits outside in a car, serving as lookout. The home at one point was up for rent for the price of $3,000 a month. Hed been robbed at gunpoint two days before. "[6], Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:09, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wonderland_(2003_film)&oldid=1141795244, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 21:09. In 2003, a film titled Wonderland was based on the events surrounding the murders. All five occupants were known for dealing drugs while using themselves. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In Mr. Cox's film the particulars of the crime -- five people attacked with lead pipes in a house in Laurel Canyon, four of them fatally -- remain in some doubt, as does the extent of Holmes's responsibility. Prior to the murders, five people resided in the home: Ron Launius, Billy DeVerell, DeVerrels girlfriend Joy Audrey Gold Miller, Tracy McCourt and David Lind. [citation needed], Although the Wonderland Gang was mainly known for its drug sales, which concentrated on cocaine and the occasional heroin deal, the gang also gained revenues through burglaries and armed robberies of rival drug dealers. Launius was known for remaining composed under pressure. John Holmes was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in March 1982, after his handprint was found in one of the bedrooms. Barbara was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. To avoid leaving any identifying traces, the men had previously dipped their fingers in a product known as "Liquid Band-Aid" so as to not leave any fingerprints behind. Ron Launius, Deverell, Richardson, and Miller are all brutally beaten to death with striated lead pipes. I have to be honest, if I could catch him in a lie, that would have added entertainment value to the podcast. . However, a month after his passing, Holmess first wife disclosed in an interview that John Holmes had arrived at her home with blood splatter all over him. It was said that they were carrying hammers and pipes as weapons. I could hear the furniture flying. Specifically, he was at a drug kingpins house when the man gave the order for one of Los Angeles most infamous mass killings: the Wonderland murders, where four people were beaten to death in a house in Laurel Canyon. Alice in Wonderland is a 1999 made-for-television film adaptation of Lewis Carroll's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Release Calendar Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. The police investigation that followed uncovered two versions of the events leading up to the brutal murders - both involving legendary porn actor John Holmes. He tells Holmes he will kill every person listed in the book, starting with Holmes' mother, if Holmes does not give up the men who robbed him. The body of Barbara "Butterfly" Richardson, David Lind's girlfriend, was lying on the ground near the couch she had been sleeping on, covered in blood. According to our Database, He has no children. All I can say is what I've said for the last 20 years. Mr. Lucas, playing the crown prince of the Laurel Canyon drug scene, is all nerves and teeth, showing some of the same sharp-faced ferocity he brought to ''A Beautiful Mind,'' in which he played John Nash's graduate-school rival. The next major character introduced is David Lind. But the few times I thought he lied, he had a good and valid explanation on how either I misconstrued something or he misconstrued a question.. Liberace and Scott Thorson at La Cage Aux Folles in Hollywood on April 21, 1981 The coalition of doctors and state officials created a registry that medical providers can check and see which immunizations children need, as well as a color-coded schedule with baby pictures indicating the appropriate ages for vaccines to help parents track their children's care. He is from . Specifically at the time of the murder, Lind testified in court that he was at a motel in the San Fernando Valley, consuming drugs with a male prostitute. With its flashbacks, split-screen montages, decade-jumping soundtrack, sped-up action and frequent shifts of light and color, ''Wonderland'' feels like ''Law & Order'' on crack. After graduating from college, Richardson worked in outpatient services at Massachusetts General Hospital before meeting Bill Richardson. Rather than return the guns to Holmes, Nash keeps them for himself. : The Wonderland murders were the subject of two Hollywood films. The next morning, while in a motel room, Dawn sees a newscast that states four people were murdered at a rowhouse on Wonderland Avenue, the same one she had earlier been at with Holmes. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. The case sounds like something out of ''L.A. Susan A. Murphy Launius, 30, while not an official member of the gang, was married to gang member Ron Launius and had a drug habit. [3][4], Ronald Lee Launius [5] was a United States Air Force veteran of the Vietnam era, who had been dishonorably discharged and convicted of smuggling heroin from Vietnam back to the United States in the coffins of American service members. All rights reserved. Ron Launius TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. After the sun came up, police found a bloody crime scene inside a house 8763 Wonderland Avenue, the known residence of the Wonderland Gang, a group of drug dealers. I'm Barbara Richardson, assistant general manager of customer service, communications and marketing at Metro. [5], Barbara Lee Easton (married Walter Richardson in 1977 after graduating from Sacramento Cordova high school in 1976) Richardson, who was 22 at the time of her death, was associated with David Lind. LA Medical Examiner's autopsy report, 81-8538, conducted immediately after the Wonderland Murders. I dont know why they couldnt give him a longer prison term but they should have. Nash died in 2014. The story eventually moves on to two city detectives investigating the crime, Sam Nico and Louis Cruz, and their contact with Holmes. It is currently the last production to adapt the original stories (as Tim Burton's 2010 film was written as a sequel) and was first broadcast on NBC and then shown on British television on Channel 4. I think if he would have done it in todays time, he would be jailed for it, he says. Lind and his girlfriend, Barbara Richardson, rode down to the Wonderland house on Lind's motorcycle and slept on the living room sofa. While at the crime scene, he is picked up by Nico and Cruz. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [14][15] The objective of the robbery was to steal a hoard of cash, heroin, and cocaine that Holmes claimed was in a safe embedded in Nash's bedroom floor, as well as to retrieve some antique guns the Wonderland Gang had stolen from another businessman and then subsequently, using Holmes as an intermediary, sold to Nash in exchange for drugs. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court. He spent considerable time in the Colorado prison system, but when he was free he operated a successful mobile phone franchise. Wonderland is a 2003 American crime drama film, co-written and directed by James Cox and based on the real-life Wonderland Murders that occurred in 1981. Barbara works at Animal Rescue. Ron Launius, 37, Billy DeVerell, 44, Joy Miller, 46, and Barbara Richardson, 22, all died in the 1981 massacre. See the article in its original context from. Prosecutors believed Nash had forced Holmes to help Diles murder the people in the house on Wonderland Avenue as revenge for a robbery. The ''Wonderland murders,'' named after the site, 4763 Wonderland Avenue, where the killings took place on July 1, 1981, proved a potent mix of seamy celebrity, drugs and violence. Well it's only the beginning baby L.A. in the summer anything could happen right. They should go after them if they can catch more people that were involved. Menu. But there is no doubt that for those who may have known the story, they cannot help but get an eerie feeling each time they enter the house. Specifically at the time of the murder, Lind testified in court that he was at a motel in the San Fernando Valley, consuming drugs with a male prostitute. The killings occurred in an era of notorious Los Angeles criminals, including the Skid Row Slasher, the Hillside Strangler and the Night Stalker. Launiuss wife Susan was gravely injured and is the only known survivor of the attack. View Barbara Richardson results in Pennsylvania (PA) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. [citation needed], Launius was known for remaining composed under pressure. It was this last line of "business", particularly the armed robbery of Eddie Nash, that ultimately led to the group's sudden and violent end. Police believed the brutality of the killings suggested a crime of rage and revenge. Barbara Richardson (Barbara Ann Barnett Richardson) See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos Barbara Connell Richardson See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos Barbara Richardson See Photos He took me into his bedroom and he said that he had just been robbed of close to a million dollars worth of cocaine, jewelry and drugs., A short time later, Nashs body guard, Gregory Diles, came into the room, dragging the famous porn star John Holmes, a friend of Nashs whom Nash had discovered was responsible for letting the robbers into his house. While there had been no arrests even to this day, the place still might be haunted with a spirit or two that may tell the story of what actually happened. Aside from their drug dealings, some of the occupants were known for committing robberies and burglaries throughout Los Angeles. That year, however, Launius was convicted of smuggling heroin and cocaine across the US/Mexico border and eventually served three years of an eight-year sentence in a federal prison. As of January 2017, Susan Launius is both the sole survivor of the Wonderland murders and the only living member of the Wonderland Gang. He has some bad press. The murder victims belong to a group of addicts and small-time dealers whose endless, hectic parties gain a certain sleazy cachet from Holmes's presence. One was Boogie Nights starring Mark Wahlberg and Burt Reynolds. Gregory Diles died of liver failure on January 16, 1997, aged 48. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Holmes then visits Nash to buy drugs, and on the way out leaves the kitchen door unlocked to give the Wonderland gang easy access. Source: [https://i.imgur.com/KesSu82.jpg]. All the other characters in in the movie are psychologically transparent: they are addicts and criminals motivated by need, greed and revenge, but Ms. Kudrow, looking sorrowful and severe, remains tantalizingly opaque. Launius, 36, was a Vietnam Veteran who had been dishonorably discharged after the Air Force discovered he had been smuggling heroin back to the states from overseas in the body bags of . The final victim was Barbara Richardson, 22, Sacramento, Calif. Court records revealed that a codefendant in Miss Miller's narcotics case was John 'Ricco' Vlick, 53, who lives in a. At 62, Thorson has had a fever-dream of a life so far, bizarre in more ways than most people would care to fathom. The police investigation that followed uncovered two versions of the events leading up to the brutal murders - both involving legendary porn actor John Holmes. The fates of others allegedly involved in the Nash robbery or Wonderland attacks are: Any other assailants who might have participated in the bludgeoning attack on the Wonderland Gang have neither been identified nor prosecuted; their fate and whereabouts are unknown. While it is unclear of any paranormal activity happening at the site of one of the most gruesome homicides in Los Angeles history, some have told stories of the possibility of John Holmess ghost still hanging around the house. On July 1, 1981, three members and one associate of the gang died in the Wonderland murders (also known as the "Four on the Floor murders" or the "Laurel Canyon murders"). Neither Lind nor Holmes seems to be a very reliable informer or an especially admirable character, and the movie, though fascinated by the druggy, amoral milieu, holds each man at arm's length. The Wonderland Murders Crime Scene Photos The living room where the first victim, Barbara Richardson was found. 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