[2], In 1966, Bell was arrested for exposing himself to a pair of little girls in Sudan, for which he was interned at the Big Spring State Psychiatric Hospital. That's what Edward Harold Bell wants us to believe. Dorothy had him lay on the ground in their driveway. Edward Harold Bell, who was serving time for the 1978 killing of an ex-Marine, collapsed and died in the Wallace Pack Unit in Navasota at the age of 82. Tips that finally led to his arrest poured in after Bell became the subject of a 1992 "Unsolved Mysteries" episode. For reasons unknown, the letters were "kept secret" until 2011, when they were discovered by retired Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige. And there were some people who would never talk to me because they were afraid of him they were afraid that he might get out.. Another viewer claimed that Bell had lived in Panama for several years. The two head wounds and the back wound were all fatal. Larry gave him the keys, and then he fired the final shot at him. At that same time, his mother, Dorothy Lang, was standing at the kitchen window. He claimed that he was unaware of the other victims' names. Bell also owned a field near where two middle school students, Georgia Geer, 14, and Brooks Bracewell, 12, were last seen in Dickinson in 1974. She felt that when he got off the plane, he seemed arrogant, which infuriated her. Two other victims are believed to be fourteen-year-old Georgia Geer and twelve-year-old Brooks Bracewell; they were last seen in 1974 and found in 1976. In January 2013, he became eligible for parole, however, it was denied. For the next twelve years or more before he was arrested for the murder of Larry Dickens, Bell trolled for girls and exposed himself across Texas and Louisiana in vehicles he often altered and swapped. Despite the fact that some thought he was a publicity-seeking "kook," others were certain he was the murderer. degree at Texas A&M University, where he played in the Aggie Band. Now that Bell has died, some are hopeful additional witnesses may come forward with information about the cases. Actor: Gymkata. Self's conviction was shrouded in confusion as Edward Harold Bell confessed to killing 11 girls during the 1970s. Of course, it is not him, but it looks just like him to her. In 2011, he wrote the Houston Chronicle claiming to have killed a string of girls he referred to as Eleven who went to Heaven in Dickinson, Houston, Clear Lake and Alvin, Texas, the paper reports. Dawna feels that Larry's murder has broken up their whole family. Although he was a longtime suspect, prosecutors said they did not have enough evidence to prosecute him. Colette Anise Wilson, 13, never arrived home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp. After his sentencing, Bell claimed he had quit being a "flasher" while in Panama, but expressed regret that he had not done earlier so Dickens' life could be spared.[11]. Other economic assets include timber (mainly hardwoods), agriculture (livestock, fruit, and truck farming), and lead and zinc mining. Reports revealed that Ackerman and Johnson's abductor tied them up, stripped them from the waist down, and left their bodies in the bayou exactly as Bell had claimed. Their bodies were found in a river in 1976. This photo provided Sept. 28, 2011, by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows Edward Harold Bell. Twenty years after the murder of Larry Dickens, Bell began writing letters allegedly taking credit for multiple other murders 11 in total between 1971 and 1977, according to The Houston Chronicle. In Bell's truck, police found the murder weapons and pornography. r . [2] After spending some time in treatment, he was released, only be rearrested for a similar charge in 1969 after he exposed himself to the 13-year-old daughter of a Lubbock policeman. Although Bell was not forthcoming in his A&E interviews, perhaps the show will be able provide answers for the families of the deceased whether things lead back to Bell or someone else. Fortunately, she reversed the situation on him. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Prisoner Edward Harold Bell has retracted his confession. Bell's first documented arrest occurred in 1966. However, the legitimacy of his claims (which he has since denied) has come into question. 1. Investigators Think They Know Who Killed Eleven Girls Around Galveston in the 1970s, Killer who claims he murdered 11 girls may have lied: documentary, Texas killer's death leaves unanswered questions in girls' slayings, "People Were Afraid of Him" Killer's Death Leaves Hope for New Information. The man's name was Edward Bell. Kim Pitchford went missing in January of 1973. She said that she did not know. Adams ordered him to stop, and he did. She also went to the police station and looked through a book of mugshots. Columbia GSAPP sadly shares the loss of Professor Emeritus Harold "Hank" Bell, who passed away on May 26, 2021, at the age of 94. He fired a shot in the air, then shot Larry several times in the chest. His long criminal record stretched back to 1969 and included aggravated rapes and numerous counts of indecent exposure to children (mainly girls) throughout Texas and Louisiana. "One thing they wanted me to do for sure was rape a girl," Bell said to the Houston Chronicle. This article is a stub. Edward "Ned" Bell. He then began to flee on foot. Bell claims he was turned into a sex offender and killer by his father in a systematic programme of abuse and brainwashing. Check out our guides to the best free shows on YouTube and the best sites for watching free movies online. Shockingly, Bell was not done; he went back to his truck and retrieved his high-powered M1 rifle. When she returned to the phone, the dispatcher was still on the line. [1][5] His death was met with relief from both Dickens' and the other victims' family members, who believed that he was responsible for their deaths. Especially since, as seen in the A&E series, he later denied everything he wrote years ago. He failed to appear in court on January 8, 1979, to stand trial. Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson disappeared from Galveston on November 15, 1971. Bell spent his time in the mental ward baiting underage patients. 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One girl was the thirteen-year-old daughter of a Lubbock police officer. Named Texas' most wanted fugitive in the 1980s, Bell was featured on the T.V. Bell, a convicted killer serving 70 years for a 1978 slaying near Houston and who was under investigation in the unsolved deaths of several missing girls has died after collapsing at a Texas prison. Texas is fortunate that Larry Dickens stepped in that afternoon and stopped Edward Bell. Referring to them as the "eleven who went to heaven." To employ every one who wants to work in the . Not knowing is heartbreaking." Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel told the, In 2011, he wrote the Houston Chronicle claiming to have killed a string of girls he referred to as Eleven who went to Heaven in Dickinson, Houston, Clear Lake and Alvin, Texas, the. [5] Suddenly, Bell pulled out a pistol and shot Dickens, who staggered into his mother's garage and collapsed onto the floor in front of his horrified mother, who had watched the whole ordeal go by from inside the house. Bell identified another victim as "Pitchford", who was later determined to be sixteen-year-old Kimberly Rae Pitchford. The Eleven, airing Thursday at 9 and 10 p.m. on A&E investigates 11 murders that occurred in rural Texas in the 1970s. Genealogy profile for Edward Harold Stibbs. Advanced Search They turned around and began to follow him. [12] Despite these gruesome claims, the letters were "kept secret" until 2011, when they were finally revealed by retired Galveston homicide detective Fred Paige to the public in an attempt to uncover any potential leads that could verify Bell's accounts. Prosecutors in Galveston, though, declined to show a grand jury his written admissions. He was stopped by police at least a dozen times for masturbating and flashing AT girls. She says that he was strong and very special to all of them. On June 26, 1978, he exposed himself to two girls riding bikes, aged 11 and 12. However, some of the investigators involved in the case now believe that his confession was coerced and that he was wrongly convicted. In the A&E series, Bell denied having "killed anybody," including Dickens. The two girls were shot as they stood tied up half naked in a river, says Bell. claimed he thought it was a false confession, saying, "I just didn't think that he did it. People watching The Eleven may wonder who Edward Harold Bell is, and if he is responsible indeed for what he claimed he did. pg-13 2011. She had been an investigator on the case in recent years. The driver, Bell, then forty, parked and started looking around the area. Colette's bones were found in a reservoir along with those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19. Larry Dickens, Lang's twenty-six-year-old son, ran over to the man's truck and took the keys from the ignition while his mother called the police. Bell identified another of his victims as a reddish-blond Houston teen named 'Pitchford,' kidnapped near Gulfgate Mall. Daily Mail Reporter, Father who survived Connecticut home invasion walks out of court as coroner describes 'significant pain' suffered by his young daughter, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Galveston prosecutors reopened the murder cases of two of the girls, Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, in recent years, but never filed any charges against Bell before his death. On August 24, he went out to cut the lawn. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed to ABC13 Eyewitness News Edward Howard Bell died Saturday while in their custody. However the killings he lays claim to started a long time before that. A Houston Chronicle reporter spoke with Bell in July and September of that year. In a 1985 episode of America's Most Wanted, he was named as Texas' most wanted fugitive, bringing further attention to his case and reinvigorating the search for him. Five murders occurred in 1971 and six more occurred from about 1974 to 1977. It was there that Bell met Doug Pruns through a mutual friend. Many believe he was involved the killings. Dorothy says that their family has missed Larry so much. He also claimed that he did not mean to kill Larry, and that he had accidentally tripped on his rifle when he shot him. Antelope Valley Press Classification 1000 Obituary notices and memorials These ads appeared in the Antelope Valley Press Tuesday, July 4, 2006 BELL, Harold Edward May 14, 1939 - June 29, 2006 Howard Edward Bell is of Cherokee decent. As Dorothy continued talking to the police, Larry went out and took the keys out of Bell's truck in an attempt to keep him there until the police arrived. The facility located about . Bell claims not to know the names of other girls. [5] On the other hand, other family members and some investigators considered the claims to be credible, as Bell's criminal past, proximity to the crime scenes at the right dates and mentioning details not known to the public made him a viable suspect in their eyes. mother. 2. "They wanted me to rape girls and rob banks and rob people. She assumed that he was a first-time burglar. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. His defense claimed that Larry was a "mean" and "unstable" man who attacked Bell and threatened to kill him. The murders are believed to be the work of multiple serial killers using the location as their dumping ground. He died a suspect in . Edward Harold Bell was married with three children and secretly following young girls, exposing himself to them for many years before he murdered 26-year-old Larry Dickens on 24 August 1978 in Pasadena, Texas. The longtime D.C. broadcaster and community leader, who was the first African American to host a daily sports talk show in the . Edward was born in 1805, in Thrandeston Suffolk England. Nearly 20 years ago, in letters he wrote to local prosecutors, Texas murderer Edward Harold Bell claimed the Marine he'd shot and killed in 1978 was not his only victim. Gallery. He claimed that it started with his father, but continued on with scoutmasters, a cousin, and his three ex-wives. There are conflicting reports on Edward Bell's birth date; from what I've been able to gather, I presume the year he was born to be 1937. Rita Brestrup, a sister of victim Maria Johnson,also believes he was responsible for taking the life of her sibling in 1971. At the time, Bell was serving a seventy-year sentence for the 1978 murder of a 26-year-old Pasadena resident who had attempted to stop him from publicly masturbating in front of a group of . Other articles where Harold Bell Wright is discussed: Ozark Mountains: industries, was given impetus by Harold Bell Wright's novel The Shepherd of the Hills (1907), which romanticized the Missouri Ozarks. He was 79 years old. Bell, 72, is serving 70 years for the 1978 murder of Larry Dickens, a Marine who confronted Bell after he exposed himself and began masturbating in front of a group of girls in Pasadena. Senior investigators in Galveston have believed for a long time that Bell was behind more crimes but prosecutors have not pressed charges because they do not believe they have enough evidence. They placed him under arrest, and the FBI, along with the Panama City Police Department, brought Bell back to the United States. Self-described serial killer Edward Harold Bell died in the Texas prison Saturday, leaving unanswered questions about the unsolved murders of 11 girls he claimed to have killed . Just three months before Ackerman and Johnson disappeared from Galveston Island, so did two Webster 14-year-olds named Sharon Shaw and Rhonda Renee Johnson. series Unsolved Mysteries. Two viewers recognized Edward Bell and called in with tips when this story aired. [2], In spite of these claims, Bell's life was considered enviable by family and friends alike, as he graduated from the Columbus High School in Columbus and later earned a physical education degree at the Texas A&M University in College Station, where he also played in the university's Aggie Band. The other two primary suspects are Edward Harold Bell and Mark Stallings. She lives in fear that he is going to come back for her or hurt someone else. He also invested in a surf shop that they were known to visit. The victims were young girls from the Texas counties of Houston, Galveston, Webster and Dickinson. However, after his death, many of the victims' relatives stated that they believed he was responsible for their deaths. Although some believed that he was a publicity-seeking "kook", others are convinced that he was responsible for the murders. When he was interviewed for the documentary The Eleven in 2017, he claimed that he had made up his confessions in order to get the death penalty. Bill left for work and her three-year-old was in the living room watching Sesame Street. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. One Texas detective, Deril Oliver, told The Houston Chronicle that Bell was "the closest thing to a real suspect [for the 11 murders] that we ever had. He has since been named as a "person of interest" in the murders of six young girls in the Galveston area. The Sentinel reported that it took nearly 20 years to get a conviction for the murder, because when Bell was out on bail, he fled and lived under assumed names for years. Edward Hunter Ludlow (1810 - November 27, 1884) was an American physician and real estate broker. I was going to let the state kill me, he said. He was leaning on the washer, and the man was standing next to him with the gun pointed to Larry's head. The Help. In interviews with Lise Olsen, Edward Bell denies killing anyone, even Larry Dickens. Edward Harold Bell . Children. An ex-Marine, youth counselor, and oil field roughneck, he had a three-year-old daughter. Search in titles only Search in Other Serial Killers only. Harold, or Hank, as his friends called him, was the husband for over 68 years of his beloved wife . In 1970, he and his new wife moved into an apartment in Galveston. Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season five with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. [2] His claims were never conclusively verified, and he died behind bars in 2019, having recanted his previous claims. At the time, Bell lived in an apartment on a beach and had bought a surf shop that both girls were known to have visited. Oddly enough, in 1993, Edward Harold Bell was convicted of the murder of Larry Dickens. Additionally, he resisted cooperating with the authorities. Nothing can take her memory away.. After a brief chase, they ended up on a dead-end street. Harris County, Texas. While his wife Allison . Holding many offices in the Masons, teaching country western dancing, participating. The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the week, Rumors abound about HISD takeover (March 2, 2023), The Full Menu: Houston's best places for chicken. As Newsweek points out, Edward Harold Bell confessed to 11 girls, but like Hedrick, he was never charged due to a lack of evidence. She does not believe that he expected her to fight back. He claimed to not know the names of the other victims. ", Bell's life journey is far from straight-forward. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! June 10, 2021. He claimed that he shot them and disposed of their bodies near a remote bridge. He owned a meadow not far from the shop where they had been last seen. In July and September 2011, Bell was interviewed by a Houston Chronicle reporter. Bell is currently considered a suspect in the murders of several young women near Galveston in the 1970s. Unfortunately, prosecutors could not develop DNA samples or evidence to corroborate his claims in the letters and he was never charged with any of the murders. Bell died after collapsing at the Wallace Pack Unit, a prison in Grimes County, according to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman. BELL Edward Harold View source History Talk (0) Stub. Together with his wife, Judy Bell, they taught over 6000 students collectively. He said he couldn't go anywhere because Larry had his keys. All four of the female victims disappeared near Bell's apartment. According to records and Bell's own admissions, he was stopped by police at least a dozen times for masturbating and flashing girls between 1966 and 1978. He loved . Bell claimed that his victims were from Houston, Galveston, Webster, and Dickinson. And he claims he was brainwashed to do it. A convicted murderer has claimed that he is also the serial killer behind the deaths of eleven adolescent girls in the seventies. As Dawna crossed the street, she saw the man lean over and shoot the gun at something on the ground. Bell continued to demand his keys. Edward Harold Bell was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison for the death of Larry Dickens. Bell remains the lead suspect at this time and it is very hard for me to believe he is innocent. He claimed that he was responsible for the 1971 murders of Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson, and provided details as to where their bodies were dumped and how they were killed, according to The Houston Chronicle. Bell reportedly was confronted by Dickens as he stood next to his car in front of a group of young girls wearing . Sue fired at the intruder as he ran down the stairs to the main floor. Ariel Ackerman, the wife of Debbie's brother, Daniel, told The Police News, "In the wake of this . I believe he took a life precious to me and my life has never been the same since, she said. Bell contends in three points that the evidence was legally insufficient to support the verdict, that he was denied effective assistance of counsel, and that the court erred by failing to instruct the jury on voluntary conduct. Following his capture in Panama City, Panama in 1993, he was extradited, convicted and sentenced to a 70-year term for the murder of a Marine in 1978, and later confessed to killing eleven girls during the 1970s. He also invested in a surf shop that they were known to visit. People were afraid of him, Olsen told Houston Matters. He believes that Bell has changed his name and is living somewhere where the people around him do not know how dangerous he is. Now in excerpts from the letters obtained by the Houston Chronicle, it has emerged that Bell claims a brainwashing 'programme' begun by his father forced him to 'be a flasher', to 'rape girls' and to kill. Next, according to Bell, he seduced a seventeen-year-old patient in Room 417. She says that there will always be an emptiness, a part that is missing and will never be returned. He owned a pasture just a few minutes' drive from the store where they were last seen. By The assault victim was given the name "Sue" and was filmed in silhouette to protect her identity. [2], On August 24, 1978, while driving his red and white GMC truck around Pasadena, Bell stopped in front of a group of young girls, pulled down his pants and began masturbating in front of them. He identified another of his victims as a reddish-blonde girl named "Pitchford," kidnapped near Glufgate Mall in Houston.