It also put to rest any hope of solving the cases of the bodies dug up on the family ranch. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and more, delivered safely to your door. Michael was given the task of dismembering Roberts body and wrapping it in the tarp. The agreement specifically stated that Mike had to be truthful, and if they found that he wasnt the deal could be taken back. Despite reading a bunch of articles, watching videos, listening to another podcast, and even going beyond the 2nd page of a Google search, there is almost no information on the McCormick family outside of their crimes and general unpleasantness. Mikes alleged crimes had occurred throughout multiple counties in Colorado and in March of 1985, the Assistant District Attorney, Francis Oldham presented evidence that proved Mike had been involved in the theft and sale of various motor vehicles. He decided that the best plan was to paint over it with gray paint. He was taken from where he was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska back to his home state of Colorado, and on the quick Cessna flight back, Michael started talking about things that turned out to be of great interest to the police. Holloway was certain she could close more cases and send Michael McCormick back to prison. The manager (who did not get paid enough for this bullshit) called the police who surrounded the 3-star hotel and breached the door to Bills room. Michael described it like it was the cherry on top of a sundae. Mike had been going by the name Bill Kelly, and Bill had checked himself into a Best Western. McCormick was convicted of murder at trial in 1987 after leading investigators to the bodies of four men, including three on his familys ranch on the Eastern He learned that Tom kept at least $25,000 on the ranch and one day decided it was time he got paid. The Clappers even said Everyonce in a while the plow will dig up something like a shoelace or a piece of clothing.. A deal is drawn up and as long as Mike is honest with them, hell get the easier punishment. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. With these new charges, Mike pleaded guilty to 2nd degree murder, but given the sentence of time served (18 years). Mikes tattle-telling is the only reason we know about any of them. He also began to say that he had been the one to kill Bert Donoho and gave more details. He refused to go down there. Cause Ive seen him kill. He told them that he and his dad wanted Herberts truck, so his dad bashed him over the head with a sledgehammer and buried him about 100 miles away from their farm. On a warm Friday evening in June, in the small town of Alma, Arkansas, 6-year-old Morgan Nick left the bleachers of a Little League baseball game to go catch fireflies with her friends. Holloway said, Since there is no statute of limitations on homicide, we thought maybe the case could be rejuvenated and charges could be used against the responsible parties.. Sowarshs body was one that, upon autopsy, indicated that there might be two murderers. Finally, one officer had had enough. His bond was set at $1 million, which he posted and immediately went on the run. Some say they were completely oblivious. He was chased down by the men of the family. Senator Mark Hanna and Charlotte Augusta Rhodes, [13] she was the wife of Joseph Medill McCormick, and after his death, They buried him about 100 miles away from their farm. On December 20th, a tip was called in that led officers to Mike in Omaha, Nebraska. Mike told her that he had spilled red paint and was painting over it. Once down there, Mike learned what was making the thumping they had heard at dinner. Get 20% off your first order when you enter the promo code QUEENS at checkout.Gabi: Get a better insurance with Gabi. They made entry into the house and found 38-year-old Michelle Lee Thompson-Larimer and 53-year-old Michael Rexford McCormick both dead from single gunshots to their heads. independent local journalism in Denver. He had been throwing his body against the wall. Four children and their grandfather were found murdered at the family's ranch in Centerville, located between Dallas and Houston, on June 2 after a relative contacted law For about $0.33/day, you can have 3 brand new Killer Queens episodes each week and over 150 full length bonus episodes to binge RIGHT NOW! But that doesnt change the fact that, at the time, they did bupkis. He was a ranch hand that got into a dispute with Tom over alcohol. He also recalled that his wife had to move her garden, and he had to explain why. McCormick agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and got credit for time already served, paving the way for his release in 2006. GRANBY It was Michael Rexford McCormick, a 53-year old felon, who murdered his ex-girlfriend Michelle Lee Thompson-Larimer, 38, of Parker on Thursday morning in a Granby Ranch home before killing himself. The case started in 1983 with an investigation into the death and disappearance of a truck driver. Mike claimed that Tom skinned Sowarsh and then, like a cherry on the top of a sundae, placed Sowarshs nards on top. He would talk them up, learn about whether they had a family wife, kids to go back to. After his release, he left his wife Kathy, who had stood by his side through everything. His new stories even involved his brother and wife in the murder of Bert Donoho. We will likely never know the truth however, as Thomas McCormick died in Aurora, Colorado on November 15, 1997 without having ever faced the consequences of his actions. They found one of Michaels cars at 109 Timber Court. Jack Osborne and Katrina Weidman investigated the farm for their show Portals to Hell on The Travel Channel. Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren. WebRuth Hanna McCormick (1880-1944), the daughter of U.S. After the holiday, he was taken on a Cessna plane back to Colorado. He was caught again rather quickly. Michael Rexford McCormick was once again a free man on March 21, 2006, but prosecutors immediately refiled charges against him. His foot was almost amputated (this would later be seen when his remains were found). Before that though, in January of 1984, authorities in the area began to hear whispers about Mike McCormick and his connection to a car theft ring. Many of the people who were originally involved in the case are retired or dead, but Linda Holloway continues to push forward. He went to the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and specifically asked them to help look into the McCormicks involvement in a stolen-car ring and the alleged involvement of peace officers in criminal activities in the Burlington area., Unfortunately, there were no witnesses questioned, and agents with the bureau would later go on to say that the allegations were unfounded and blown out of proportion.. Tom tied fencing wire around Sowarshs ankles and then hoisted him up on a hook. He was, by turns, distraught, angry, evasive and histrionic, claiming convenient memory losses when all else failed. ", Robert Watson of the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office agrees. He also admitted to John that he was suicidal. Then, the body of James Jim Perry Sinclair, a ranch-hand that Mike says Tom shot in the head with a 357 Magnum after they got in a fight over alcohol. Back at the farm, purchased in 1985 by Charles and Leslie Clapper, you will find a slew of paranormal activity. Michael said it nearly amputated his foot. Because fencing wire is basically a razor, it immediately dug deep into Sowarshs ankles down to the bones. Agents who were with the bureau at the time would later say that the allegations were unfounded and blown out of proportion. A CBI director who was not with the CBI at the time, Neil Moloney said of Doyle Johns letter that, if there was a request from a district attorney, then it was clearly within our responsibility under the statute of investigation.. Proudly powered by WordPress While the crime part of the McCormick farm is over, there are now a whole new set of activities taking place according to the new owners. It was this release that sparked the new interest in finding more bodies on the ranch. Then, he heard a gunshot. Mike seemingly allowed Michelle to make a phone call because she was able to call her roommate (also Michelle) and tell her that she had been kidnapped. Mike told the stories of how Bert Donoho died and would later reveal the details about the murders of at least 3 more men. Michael McCormick's appellate attorney said McCormick, who has not been named by police as a suspect in the reinvestigation, denied involvement in the murders. It didnt take long to unearth the body. As for Michael, he may have gotten away with it all, had it not been for that trucker. When presented with a picture of Tom McCormick, they knew that he was the angry old man. Inside, was all of Roberts skin, his testicles sitting on top. Its a gamble. Toms lack of social skills seemed to run in the family. Retired detective Linda Holloway who now worked part-time helping with cold cases had started looking into Mikes case again in 2008. He shuttered their feedlot as they filed bankruptcy. Her roommate contacted police, who found her car at a gas station in Parker. One such man was the ranch foreman or possibly the cook. "Every once in awhile the plow will dig up something like a shoe or a piece of clothing," she told ABC News. Perhaps one of the most graphic and disturbing deaths is that of Robert Lee Sowarsh. Mike claimed that he went about his daily duties and then went to his parents house for dinner. Become a member to support the independent voice of Denver Mike said he pushed the body wrapped in the sleeping bag into the corner and then went about covering up the bloodstains on the garage floor. He was the current patriarch of the McCormick family and the owner and chief of the McCormick family farm. WebWith current owners reporting a rise in paranormal activity, the team tries to unearth who, or what, is haunting the property. 3:57PM. WebMcCormicks. Due to the holidays, instead of being immediately extradited back to Colorado, Michael was placed in a psychiatric ward in an Omaha hospital. Prosecutors struck the deal and said that hed get 2 years for every body he led them to if he told them the absolute truth, and they didnt find any evidence that he was involved in the murders. NecroSearch is a nonprofit organization that frequently helps law enforcement look for possible gravesites. However, Doyle Johns, the Fort Morgan District Attorney was intrigued. Michael McCormick and his wife lived in a trailer on the farm. But hes gonna need a deal for a lesser punishment before he said anything. Mike immediately went on the lam, but he was fairly quickly captured when he attempted to stiff a California hotel. )Wanna take our Patreon for a test drive and get FREE BONUS EPISODES?Just visit this link: https://killerqueens.link/jinx. In July 1984, they finally got a lead. Instead, he surrendered and came back to Colorado to face a labyrinth of charges involving bad checks, fraud, theft and people who had disappeared -- people who had something McCormick wanted or had once worked on his family's ranch and were never seen again. Even more disturbing was the wheelbarrow sitting nearby that was full of Sowarshs skin. McCormick's final explosion was a grotesque tragedy -- not for him, perhaps, but for the woman who had the misfortune to work with him, and for her loved ones. When Michael left his brothers house on April 7, 2010, he picked up Michelle and headed to Granby. In 1998, the original McCormick home burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. While youd think these pleasant folks would have lovely mealtime conversations about their day and make jokes youd be wrong. On April 4, 2010, Michael admitted to his brother that he had become obsessed with Michelle, and also admitted to feeling suicidal. She feels that if they could continue digging they would uncover more victims as well as obtain enough evidence to prove there were 2 murderers. He had allegedly been sleeping with Toms wife, Sylvia. He got right in Michaels face and demanded he stop jerking them around. One in particular appears to be Tom McCormick. They dropped all of Sowarshs possessions and covered it all with dirt. No one could prove anything, after all, everyone he hired were vagrants, people no one would miss. But after they had done that, police heard a single gunshot at 5:21 am Thursday, April 8, 2012. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 1st they found the body of James Jim Irvin Plance. Unsubscribe at anytime. Because he was now a pretty unreliable witness and there was no evidence to prove that Tom was the true murder of any of these men, Tom was released without any convictions. Evidence was lost, jurisdictional disputes stalled out any momentum the case might have had, Tom lawyered up while Michael lied through his teeth. Police trained their guns on him while he took a shovel and began digging, just feet from where they had been standing. Michael shared his family history and, once back in the state, told investigators he would tell them where Herbert Donohos body was as well as the location of others. The fencing wire still wrapped around his ankle. His victims deserved better than they got, not just from him but from the system that cut deals with him, then convicted him, then cut him loose. It is still unknown whether Robert had been skinned before or after his death. Paranormal investigators believe there to be about 72 bodies buried on that land, and the voices and apparitions are of the victims. Michelle and Mike had been business partners, but it was reported in many places that they had had a romantic relationship as well. He would recruit some to help steal cars, which Michael would take and scrap. Their son also reported hearing someone following behind him, as well as a time when he and his cousin saw an angry old man just standing and staring at them. Thats less than youd pay for a Surge!Hang with us:Follow Us on InstagramLike Us on FacebookJoin our Case Discussion Group on FacebookGet Killer Queens MerchBonus EpisodesSupport Our AMAZING Sponsors:Caviar, Inc: Get delivery & takeout from the best local restaurants with Caviar. 60-year old Herbert Donoho was set to meet up with some friends at a truck stop in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on August 30, 1983. WebThe McCormick family was a twisted little clan on a gigantic farm where they basically had free reign to murder at will and dispose of the evidence without leaving the comforts of home. According to Michael, at around 1am, he came out of his trailer to find his father chasing Robert.