mountain home, texas murders

Walter Ellebracht, along with accomplices, had kidnapped, enslaved, and tortured people on the property. At one point, he was being supervised while on parole by the Arkansas Community Corrections office in Little Rock. Copyright 2023 Empire Media Group, Inc. Front Page Detectives is a registered trademark. The state of Texas now owns the sprawling former ranch that once enslaved unwitting laborers. Walter Wesley Ellebracht III watched as his family was arrested and two years later heard the evidence against his father and grandfather horrifying torture tapes of an abducted drifter pleading for his life while being zapped with a cattle prod. Lindseys is the most familiar name among those arrested. Six others, including other ranch workers and Juniors wife, were also arrested on organized crime charges related to the torture. See the latest Treasure Valley crime news in ourYouTube playlist: Investigators said the suspicious death appeared to be the result of domestic violence involving an estranged husband. He hitchhiked to San Antonio and found work at a restaurant, where he saw the raid on TV. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. The City of Mountain Home is located in Kerr County in the State of Texas. Lindsey was driving a BMW Z4 convertible, reported stolen in Baxter County. Despite the fact that the Ellebracht family was known to go barefoot even when in town, according to My San Antonio News, they were sophisticated enough to know they were fighting for their lives, and put their ranch up as collateral. A million dollar bond has been set for Cunningham and Lindsey, and bonds of a half-million-dollars each for Brazil and Hendricks. Walter Ellebracht Sr. received probation, Walter Jr. remained free while his 15-year sentence was appealed and Caldwell served less than three years of his 14-year sentence. Electronic court records show her with an active criminal case in Madison County. Ellebracht Sr. received probation, Junior remained free throughout his 15-year sentence due to appeals, and Caldwell served less than three years of his 14-year sentence. The actual prod was discovered when police entered and searched the Ellebrachts' ranch in 1984. Stradford is said to have replied, just tell my son I am proud of him., The beating was reported to have been so severe that the basement area had blood all over it.. The state had copious evidence incriminating Wes, Junior, and the ranch foreman, Carl. Kerr County Sheriff Cliff Greeson inspects the pit whree slaves cooked their meals on a ranch about 25 miles West of Kerrville. Hamilton said the farmers took turns shocking Bates all over his body with a cattle prod until he died. washington state missing child; oak island treasure update. Another piece of the former ranch was awarded to Joann Loftis, Bates' mother, who sued the Ellebrachts for her son's wrongful death. She is charged with having simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms on July 19. A burned body found in the vehicle was identified as Stradfords by the State Medical Examiners Office. The closest similar sized city with FBI crime data is the city of , . In 2006, Glen Stephens directed the film Hoboken Hollow, which is loosely based on the events that occurred at the Texas Slave Ranch. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. There are several other property owners now around us, but there's nobody around from that era. It was found Dec. 16 last year off Old Arkana Road south of Mountain Home. FREDERICKSBURG He was only 9 when the law raided his family's Kerr County homestead in 1984 and their surname, Ellebracht, became synonymous with kidnapping and torture, and their sprawling property given the nickname Texas Slave Ranch.. Hendricks also is charged with possession of methamphetamine, heroin, ecstasy and fentanyl with the purpose to deliver, according to Madison County court records. The cause and manner of her death have not been made public. Business papers located on the scene revealed records verifying that dozens of men, and some women, had worked on the ranch over the years. Updated at 4:10 p.m.: A Johnson County man pleaded guilty to facilitation of first-degree murder in a brutal 2012 double murder Tuesday, and the mother and daughter convicted of the crimes will. She is required to wear an ankle monitor and to live with a relative in Northwest Arkansas. They were strange people, but they're not that kind of people, said Loraine Haynie, 86, who befriended Ellebracht Sr. as a child and cared for him over the years until his death in 2003. After that first brush with the law, he had other criminal charges brought against him in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021. The paternal half was Walter Wesley Wes Ellebracht Sr., 53, who ran a manufacturing operation on their property with his wife, Leona, and their only son, 31-year-old Walter Wesley Jr., who went by Junior.. Ranch. I totally thought we were screwed. By then, according to court testimony, workers were being held at gunpoint and forced to write their own suicide notes and tie nooses and dig ditches in preparation for their own deaths, or so they were led to believe. Mountain Home police responded to a shooting at the 600 block of Cooper Estates Drive, on November 24, 2020, according to a court document. Loraine Haynie, 86, checks on her husband, Jim Haynie, in his home office in Mountain Home. Before he could exit the property, though, Ellebracht, his son and wife, and some ranch hands approached him, armed to the teeth. A leader of the prison-based Mexican Mafia, Robert "Beaver" Perez was linked to more than 15 murders locally. More than a dozen cassette tapes with about 40 hours of recorded torture sessions were seized during the raid, along with guns, machetes, an ax, knives, ropes chains, padlocks, bone fragments, the cattle prod and business papers. Boyd stayed the night, but decided to leave the next day. I totally thought we were screwed. MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho A Mountain Home man who pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his landlady was sentenced Tuesday to 45 years in prison, even as . It was reported he was last seen at his parents residence in Mountain Home and later the same day in the Fayetteville area. Mystery of Star Cyclist's Murder Deepens as Police Seek Suspect 'Texas Slave Ranch' offspring made the best of life - mySA 1196 THRILL HILL , TX 78058 On July 29, an autopsy concluded Ruiz was murdered. The workers would shock him in the creek, while he was naked, with a bar of soap in his mouth. Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. Among the six people arrested and charged, only family members served prison time. Teen killed, 3 others charged in his death | Mt. Airy News Rain: 7am to 7am: .00 Month: 0.00 Year: 20.21 Recorded temps: High: 63 Low: 45, Ryan Lindsey (left) and Allison Cunningham. One of the victims, Travis Boyd, told investigators they were tortured with cattle prods and chained in the barn at night. News Researcher Lauren Brown contributed to this report. Ben Burnett, a Mountain Home attorney, has been retained to represent Hendricks. The ranch foreman, Caldwell, reported that torture did go on but claimed it was because the other workers hated Bates for being unable to do his fair share. In 1987, the year after his father, grandfather and the ranch foreman, Carlton Robert Caldwell, were convicted and sentenced, Ellebracht III met Bob Walls, who would become his best friend. Court records show that most of the cases involved drugs. Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr. (from left), Walter Wesley Ellebracht Jr., Leona Ellebracht, the young Walter Wesley Ellebracht III, attorney Richard Racehorse Haynes and Joyce Ellebracht are seen in 1986. The decision to change his name in hopes of distancing himself from the ranch didn't last long, Walls said. They all claimed that they had been brought to the property with the promise of a hot meal. Among the group was Bates, a 28-year-old, one-eyed drifter from Alabama. Lawmen sifted through a cache of weapons and tapes, looking over the ranch for evidence to support the story of their key witness Travis Boyd. Hes accused of killing his estranged wife, Samantha Ruiz, whose body was found at a residence on Bramble Court in Mountain Home on July 28. Joyce, who divorced her husband in 1988, would neither testify nor stand trial. Sutton prosecuted Ellebracht Sr. and Jr. and Caldwell, and the workers became state witnesses in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Wes' eldest daughter, Elizabeth Toby Ellebracht, 18, who'd been living with him in Fredericksburg, has moved in with the couple since his death. Ironically, Cunningham was the victim of crime herself while sitting in the Texas jail awaiting extradition to Baxter County. The recovered tape wasnt the only one. They fashioned key chains, and they needed workers. I don't think even (Ellebracht) Jr. knew how much abuse he was going through, Caldwell said. The Hill Country Cowboy Camp Meeting is a camp for Christians looking to grow spiritually. Federal, state and local authorities raided a 3,500-acre ranch about 20 miles northwest of Kerrville, where they found that a father-son duo had been kidnapping, torturing and killing hitchhikers. Kaitlin Marie Armstrong is being sought in the killing of Anna Moriah Wilson, according to the police, who said both women were romantically involved with the same man. According to ranch records, at least 75 people had been employed there at one time or another. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. Victims reported they werent allowed to leave, and violence was a normal course of everyday life. At the time, he was only charged with failure to report a death. Jim Haynie, a neighbor and friend of Walter Wesley Ellebracht Sr, sits in his home office where he runs his water well drilling business. mountain home texas murders - prairiegalcookin.com They offer 3-hour guided tours of the 50,00 acre ranch. By amerisourcebergen holiday schedule 2022 amerisourcebergen holiday schedule 2022 She won, receiving nearly half the ranch, about 1,300 acres, which was then valued at $1.7 million. But, on the other hand, the people running up and down the highway were gullible. Investigators say at one point during the beating, Lindsey demanded that Stradford give him his debit/ATM card, but that Stradford had replied there was only a few dollars in the account. of all manners. Home; Gal Behind the Blog; . The charts below are detailed crime statistics for the city of , Texas. Individuals from all over travel to visit the Y.O. Erica Hernandez, Digital Journalist/Courthouse Reporter. Olive Street in Siloam Springs Dec. 19 last year. According to the probable cause affidavit, during the incident, other people who were upstairs in the residence reported hearing a male asking for help and pleading for the beating to stop.. In addition to the charges stemming from the murder, she has a criminal case open in Madison County. According to the probable cause affidavit, Lindsey was holding a pistol on Stradford and asked the victim if he had any last words. Ruiz-Ortiz was arrested in Pecos, Texas, shortly after Ruizs body was found. mountain home texas murders (646) 992-8383. Stradfords body was found in a burned-out vehicle just off Old Arkana Road on Dec. 16 last year. The victim also has not been publicly identified. The Ellebrachts, descendants of Germans who settled the Hill Country in the 1880s, had inherited land with a robust spring. On the tape, Bates could be heard pleading with someone named Robert to stop. Idaho resident found dead in Mountain Home, 'estranged husband Federal agents confiscated multiple tapes belonging to the Ellebracht family. The Chicago mayorslammed Abbott for the inhumane and dangerous effort. Hill Country, and we welcome you to our family. if (theYear < 1900) You can cancel at any time. The three victims, two adults and one teenager . Scott Riggs in court Feb. 13, 2019. 11 Horrifying Facts About The Texas Slave Ranch - Ranker His wife, Joyce, was known for taking potshots at rocks and bottles she placed near the men and enjoyed seeing how close she could come to shooting the workers. His son, Junior, received 15 years in prison, but served less than 10 years. The latest South Texas Crime Stories segment relives the horrifying details of what was known as the Texas slave ranch. Mountain Home, Texas is an unincorporated community in Kerr County. Ranch is an authentic 19th century ranch that houses exotic animals. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. Two of the four people charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Mountain Home man appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday. To clear his conscience, Caldwell gave a 20-page statement to the FBI. He was just a young boy when his father and grandfather were arrested and their so-called Texas Slave Ranch was raided in 1984. We also run the premiere real-estate site in the hill country at HillCountryRealestate.com. Our They told stories of how the man who'd managed restaurants, waited tables and worked at odd jobs helped them through complicated situations. A book was written about the ranch, The True Story of the Texas Slave Ranch How a Degenerate Ranching Family Got Away With Murder.[3]. The DPS report did not indicate if the Elantra had been reported stolen. By John Peters jpeters@mtairynews.com. There are several day-hunting services within the area. This is a carousel. On Tuesday, officers were sent to a. Their capture is toldthrough variousmedia reportsand their arrests were mainly because one man was lucky enough to escape. The man groveled in the dirt and begged for mercy, but afterward was allowed to leave, though he decided to stay anyway, Caldwell said. He was rearrested Aug. 19 and charged with theft by receiving stemming from an allegation he was in possession of a motorcycle reported stolen in Mountain Home in early July. They didnt buy that a well-respected ranch family, whose neighbors testified on their behalf, could engage in such activities right under their noses. You have permission to edit this article. The family would have continued taking men and women from I-10 had authorities not shut down the operation. He wasn't even 10 years old.. Cunningham was returned to Arkansas and booked into the Baxter County Detention Center Wednesday about 10:30 p.m. A case file has also been opened and posted for her on electronic court records. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, no jury trials have been held for some time and will not be allowed to resume until next month. He said that he saw so much bad in the world that he wanted to look for the good. Bob Walls, speaking of Ellebracht III, his best friend. 'Texas Slave Ranch' raided 38 years ago - San Antonio Express-News Todd Steven Brooks. Hed take me on tours, and everybody was smoking, the sawdust was so deep. The raid on the ranch revealed charred human bone fragments around the property and audiotapes of the torture sessions conducted by the Ellebracht family. True stories from Mountain Home lay out the chilling details. We used old inner tubes, cedar and gasoline. Wes was always trying to see the good in people., The Rap Sheet blog: More stories from the 'Texas Slave Ranch', One killed, one injured in Gillespie County crash. These animals thrive in this area of Texas because of its close habitat to Africa. Christopher Allen Whiteley, a chronic methamphetamine user with a long and violent criminal record, was found dead last December outside Lipan, a town of about 400. At least one man was presumed dead. Ellebracht III was arrested as a teen, when a group of friends stole beer from a convenience store and broke the window of a car, but was trying to get the record expunged, Walls said. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway. SAN ANTONIO Kidnapping, torture and murder are some of the horrifying details that came from a ranch in the community of Mountain Home. The jurors compiled their favorite recipes, called it the Slave Ranch Cookbook, had it printed at the Kerr County Courthouse and sold copies. See pricing and listing details of Mountain Home real estate for sale. To try to desensitize the seven women and five men on the jury, Haynes played the torture tapes often and asked Cogdell to shock himself with a battery-operated cattle prod like the one the Ellebrachts used. According to the information filed in the case, Hendricks had a firearm as well as methamphetamine, heroin, ecstasy and fentanyl with her when arrested. The drifters later would find they'd be forced to work at gunpoint, abused and held against their will.

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