independent local journalism in Denver. They finally decided to make a hole in one of the walls and insert a phone with which they would be able to talk to Michael and negotiate. Things worked out well, until a dispute would arise. McArthur was sentenced to first-degree premeditated murder on August 30, 2019, and received a sentence of life in prison. Hauntings, Paranormal, Serial Killers, True Crime, True Crime. At about 2 pm on that Wednesday, April 7th, Michelles roommate called the police. But that wasnt the last anyone would hear from him. Tom would travel from their farm to Denver, Colorado to a mens mission to hire workers and bring them back to the farm while thoroughly vetting them to ensure that they werent going to be missed should something happen to them. On August 30th, 1983, 60-year-old semi-truck driver Herbert Bert Donoho was supposed to meet a friend of his at a truck stop in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, but he never showed up. Toms philosophy, according to Mike, was that hed keep the men on the hook without paying them for as long as he could. The crew of the show spent a few nights investigating the paranormal reports and in the show they often do that, WHOA DID YOU HEAR THAT? It wasnt until the 1980s when things took a turn for the worse. While Mike was doing his part, Tom went looking for the perfect place to bury the remains. No one could prove anything, after all, everyone he hired were vagrants, people no one would miss. Truth was, Tom buried at least 3 men right around their trailer. In fact, he decided to expand his interests beyond farming, and opened up a chop shop, leaving it in his son, Michaels hands. Tom would kill the man, make him disappear. 20 Years Later a Murder Probe Resumes - ABC News Then Tom started screaming at his wife, Sylvia, that this was all her fault! He told them that he and his dad had wanted Bert Donohos truck, so his dad bashed him over the head with a sledgehammer. Apparently, hiring workers you dont pay and then murdering them was not quite the money-saving endeavor Tom thought it would be. The new owners of the McCormick farm began noticing a lot of ghostly activity around the farm and contacted S.P.O.O.K.S paranormal team to investigate. McCormicks 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.. Add to that the strains of business and his feelings for Michelle, it wasnt surprising that he felt suicidal. Another man found was James Jim Perry Sinclair. no one was reporting them missing. Leslie Clapper later told Jack Osbourne and the crew later that she had actually been digging through old papers and stuff and had come across prescriptions for Mike McCormick for a medication that was used for stomach issues. Mike wasnt doing great and now hes told his brother, John that he is obsessed with this woman that he cant have and that hes suicidal. 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. Get 20% off your first order when you enter the promo code QUEENS at checkout.Gabi: Get a better insurance with Gabi. Soupwards of 2,200 acres? They did and while they kept their guns pointed at him, Mike began digging just feet from where they had been standing. Once the authorities had rung in the new year, Mike was ushered into a little Cessna plane with the pilot and at least one police officer. Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast: McCormick Farm Murders on WebMcCormick Farm Murders from Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast on Podchaser, aired Saturday, 26th June 2021. Even though both Tom and Mike were now dead, Linda Holloway didnt stop. A lot of the men were alcoholics, and as such, disputes over alcohol also came up. Their son has reported hearing someone following behind him, as well as a time when he and his cousin actually saw someone. The only other information she was able to relay was that she was with Michael McCormick, but couldnt say where they were. Over the years, more searches were conducted, all to no avail. In fact, Jack and his people suggested to Mrs. Clapper that maybe she is a psychic since so many things happened to her. Homeless men from the Christian Mens Center on Larimer Street in Denver Colorado were easy targets for Tom. He was chased down by the men of the family. Texas executes former deputy sheriff for '94 murder | Reuters In theory, Mike was not leaving prison until he was wheeled out in a body bag. She told her to tell her mother that she loved her, and to pick up her son, who was only 4. 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. 170: McCormick Farm Murders - Audible.com 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. ! thingbut whatever they were hearing wasnt really audible to the viewers. He began going by the name Rex, started dating, and even took on a new business of house flipping. and help keep the future of Westword, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, incorrectly identified in some news reports as his girlfriend, It was not law enforcement's finest hour in Colorado. He began beating on Sowarsh like a punching bag and whatever else he wanted, but Mike said that he didnt see any of this because he stepped outside for a joint. This kept him from ever having to pay them and subsequently saving Tom money. Learn how your comment data is processed. The 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. In the old shop, there are holes in the corrugated metal walls consistent with bullet holes and a hook hanging from one of the steel beams across the ceiling. She was even placed in a dark room during the investigation and in a trance-like state communicated with someone. To this day there has still been no further remains found as far as we can find, but at least Mike and Tom cant hurt anyone anymore. Handcrafted with love by Georgia Lou Studios. When police arrived, they found that no one was home at that address, so they began to canvass the neighborhood. Mike would tell the police that he lured Donoho back to the ranch somehow and that when he had him in his trailer, he showed him to the garage. Her mother watched as she ran into the parking lot and played. He was also supposed to have called his wife, but he didnt call her or come home to Caldwell, Idaho. The McCormick farm in Kit Carson county, on the eastern plains of Colorado, was once one of the largest farms in the state. It was not law enforcement's finest hour in Colorado. District Attorney, Robert Watson, who is also on the team, stated, Im doing this because its the right thing to do. It is believed that Thomas McCormick killed as many as 17 homeless men, possibly more. 1st they found the body of James Jim Irvin Plance. He would talk them up, learn about whether they had a family wife, kids to go back to. However, Doyle Johns, the Fort Morgan District Attorney was intrigued. If youre looking for a story about another criminal farmer, then check this one out Willie Pickton, the Pig Farmer. His new stories even involved his brother and wife in the murder of Bert Donoho. One story was that a cook stole a briefcase and then left in a car that belonged to the McCormicks. #thrifty. Michael says he could hear the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd blaring from the bunkhouse, and he knew that anything he and his father did would not be heard. In exchange for this information, Mike would only serve 2 years for any convictions that came up in the theft case and that the prosecution would not file any homicide charges for any information and bodies he provided as long as there was no evidence that he had any part in the murders. Using aerial photography it has been able to compare pictures of the ranch from then and now to narrow down areas where potential graves may be located on the massive estate, Holloway explained. Its a gamble. April 12, 2010 Two, he couldn't have done it alone. With the physical evidence unclear as to who committed the murders, the son wasn't credible as a witness against the father given his role in the crimes, prosecutors concluded. With no one coming forward asking about missing loved ones, and because so many of the McCormicks victims were homeless, transient, undocumented, etc. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. When Michael left his brothers house on April 7, 2010, he picked up Michelle and headed to Granby. Two of the victims had been shot and another had been beaten to death, Holloway said. All Rights ReservedMusic provided by Steven TobiLogo designed by Sloane Williams of The Sophisticated Crayon, Campside Media / Sony Music Entertainment, Suspicion | The Billionaire Murders: The hunt for the killers of Honey and Barry Sherman. Back in Colorado, Mike was once again given the opportunity to post bail for another cool mill. When he was confronted, he barricaded himself in his room and threatened to kill anyone who tried to enter. 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.. Michael McCormick: The bloody secrets that died with him 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. On the episode of. The oldest of the bodies they found was over a decade old. Tom yelled at his son to catch him, and the 2 chased him into the trees where he was caught and tied up by Tom. Mike was arrested on June 24, 1985, and the trial was set for April of 1986. He wasnt anywhere he was supposed to be so authorities were alerted by his family, and they began to search for Donoho or his truck. For the next 6 hours, police and a pastor would try and talk this man quite literally off the edge. Then, he heard a gunshot. Mike told her that he had spilled red paint and was painting over it. On more than one occasion, Michael would be woken up to help his father dispose of a body. 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. Unsubscribe at anytime. Tom came out of the barn and retrieved Mike. He learned that Tom kept at least $25,000 on the ranch and one day decided it was time he got paid. Police were initially skeptical of the claims, He was caught again rather quickly. Once down there, Mike learned what was making the thumping they had heard at dinner. It is still unknown whether Robert had been skinned before or after his death. Even Plance, Sowarsh, and Sinclair werent reported. Father and son buried the remains of Robert Sowarsh behind Mikes trailer. Tom told Mike to meet him in the cellar after dinner, where he saw that Robert had been tied up, his mouth covered with duct tape. [6] According to a 1999 article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, McCormick suffered from chronic heart and And they woul Listen to 170: McCormick Farm Murders by Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. (The story that resulted predates our online archives.) McCormick Farm Murders - Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. However, Mike then began to change his story. The 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. The murders were discovered on the morning of 22 April 2016, when Bobby Jo Manley stopped by the Rhodens cluster of trailer homes to see her ex-brother-in-law, Chris Rhoden Sr. Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren. McCormick Farm Murders by Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast But he wasnt about to give up. He blamed the killings on his father, Tom -- in Mike's account, the ruthless overlord of a criminal empire -- and hinted that there were many more bodies yet to be found. He also admitted to John that he was suicidal. The batteries had been removed from both of their cell phones explaining why they never answered. They would have gotten away with it too, if it werent for those pesky kids! He was the current patriarch of the McCormick family and the owner and chief of the McCormick family farm. Fencing wire is a lot like razor wire, and it immediately cut into Roberts ankle, digging deep to the bone. ", Robert Watson of the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office agrees. Once inside they were greeted with the sight of a 29-year-old man in his boxers trying to climb out of the window. For Michael, there was no easier way to make money than to deal in stolen cars and trucks. She has enlisted the help of NecroSearch, a private Denver-based nonprofit organization that aids in the recovery of hidden bodies. 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. 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. Then Tom would move the body while Mike went to gather all of Sowarshs things from his room at the workers house. Mike said that at this point, Tom is tickled pink with himself and living his best life. However, Mike and his appellate attorneys filed appeals that claimed that his trial lawyer had been ineffective and his conviction was overturned! They had their psychic work with Mrs. Clapper to help develop her skills. Mike went to prison -- for life, supposedly -- for the murder of an Idaho trucker. The body was then loaded into the bucket of the backhoe. (The other three men found would never result in charges.). Mike told them that his dad had murdered other men over disputes on the farm, and that he knew where the bodies were buried. On January 30, 1986, Michael led the police in a search for Herbert Donohos remains.
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