Michael McCormick: The bloody secrets that died with him The investigation that followed had lots of holes. On December 20, 1985, a man named Michael Rexford McCormick was arrested on outstanding warrants and for jumping bail. Now, as was first reported by the Denver Post, the search for bodies has resumed after Michael McCormick, 52, was set free by a 2006 appeals court ruling that overturned his 1987 murder conviction for the death of the truck driver. Michael Rexford McCormick was once again a free man on March 21, 2006, but prosecutors immediately refiled charges against him. Complicating the case has been the absence of anyone coming forward to notify police that their loved ones may be missing. by Tracey Beach, there was also a cook that was there specifically to cook for these men. They had instances of hearing shuffling that shouldnt have been and being touched. Mike McCormick could have saved at least one life and a lot of trouble if he'd simply pulled the trigger 25 years ago, back when the police had him cornered in Omaha and he had a pistol in his mouth and was threatening suicide. Tom tied fencing wire around Sowarshs ankles and then hoisted him up on a hook. (Not kidsinvestigators.). Actually, the court documents specifically say that Michael had promised to truthfully, faithfully, and fully provide accurate and verifiable information about the homicide of Herbert Donoho and to cooperate fully and freely with the State in its investigation and take and pass a polygraph to unequivocally demonstrate truthfulness and that he had not killed Donoho. 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. So did McCormick's story. Because of his claims that his father was the murderer, Tom McCormick was arrested in 1986 as well and in March, Mike testified at the preliminary hearing against Tom. On this particular night however, the silence was broken by an almost constant thumping sound coming from the cellar. On the episode of. No-one claims that there were more than 100 farm murders in 2017, a year in which the South African police recorded more than 19,000 murders in the country as a whole. Thomas McCormick | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of 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.. In January of 1985, a grand jury was convened to determine if Michael McCormick should be charged with theft and other felonies. This time, he wasnt caught until December 20. And finally the remains of Robert Lee Sowarsh. Get 20% off your first order when you enter the promo code QUEENS at checkout.Gabi: Get a better insurance with Gabi. 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 only other information she was able to relay was that she was with Michael McCormick, but couldnt say where they were. Nothing from the episode was really all that ground breaking or spooky, but the stories of the paranormal persist. In fact, he decided to expand his interests beyond farming, and opened up a chop shop, leaving it in his son, Michaels hands. WebMcCormick claimed that he had seen human bones on their farm while he was employed there and also claimed that Ray had tried to kill him. Some said 2,200 acres and others said as much as 2,900 acres. The murder charges against Tom were officially dropped on July 9th and on the 17th, Mike and his defense team filed motions that the plea agreement was not breached, but the judge denied that motion for obvious reasons and the trial began August 12, 1986. Mike tells the story that Sowarshs death was far from fast. Different sources gave different measurements for the McCormick family farm. no one was reporting them missing. 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 Denver's independent source of They eventually decided that they would make a hole in the window or wall (differing information) and insert a phone that they could use to contact Mike and negotiate. 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. Mike tells police that there was so much blood and Sowarshs body was still hanging upside down with a tarp on the ground beneath him. 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. No one could prove anything, after all, everyone he hired were vagrants, people no one would miss. This time, he plead guilty to second degree murder and was given the sentence of time served (18 years). Were they killed and buried on the property? 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. 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. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Then in the 1980s, the farm fell into financial trouble. 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 family of Plance was notified of his death last year only after DNA confirmed his identity. Homeless men from the Christian Mens Center on Larimer Street in Denver Colorado were easy targets for Tom. When Michael left his brothers house on April 7, 2010, he picked up Michelle and headed to Granby. 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. There are likely many many more bodies that have not been found and identified. On more than one occasion, Michael would be woken up to help his father dispose of a body. But before the house burned down, they said that their dog would stand at the top of the basement stairs and growl and bark. The McCormick farm in Kit Carson county, on the eastern plains of Colorado, was once one of the largest farms in the state. Michael wasnt the smartest criminal; he tried to avoid paying his bill at a California hotel, which led to his arrest and extradition back to Colorado. Using aerial photography, they were able to compare photos of the ranch from the 80s to now and narrow down possible grave sites. While Michael and Michelle were known to be business partners, some claimed they had a romantic relationship as well. The Clappers even said Everyonce in a while the plow will dig up something like a shoelace or a piece of clothing.. Things worked out well, until a dispute would arise. 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. But that doesnt change the fact that, at the time, they did bupkis. Causes of death released for Texas family likely killed by escaped They wouldnt get any information about either until the next year. McCormick family - Wikipedia The stories, while varied becausegossip, mostly follow the same line that Tom (and likely his father) would hire workers for the ranch with the main criteria being that they were transient or were generally not going to be missed. Police trained their guns on him while he took a shovel and began digging, just feet from where they had been standing. While Mike was painting the floor, his wife, Kathy returned home and opened the garage door. Since its the 80s, the hotel ran the credit cards later that day and discovered that Bills was stolen. How many men were killed here? Last, in the old shop, you will find holes in the corrugated metal walls. If youre looking for a story about another criminal farmer, then check this one out Willie Pickton, the Pig Farmer. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He claimed he was feeling these stomach pains. While Mike was doing his part, Tom went looking for the perfect place to bury the remains. Holloway was certain she could close more cases and send Michael McCormick back to prison. He tells law enforcement that it all started at about 1 am when he came out of his trailer to find Tom chasing Sowarsh. 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. Robert was a long-time ranch hand and driver for the McCormicks. 170: The McCormick Farm Murders Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast 4.28K subscribers Subscribe 1.7K views 1 year ago The McCormick family was a twisted 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. But any real shot at justice for the homeless men who went to work for the McCormicks died back in the mid-1980s. no one was reporting them missing. He never called his wife; he never made it back home to Caldwell, Idaho. 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. He decided that the best plan was to paint over it with gray paint. 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. )Wanna take our Patreon for a test drive and get FREE BONUS EPISODES?Just visit this link: https://killerqueens.link/jinx. 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. The implication being that one murderer doesnt often switch weapons mid-attack. Michael McCormick was simultaneously tried for 14 felonies and received a term of 48 years. There was still no information on Donoho to say whether he was alive or dead and nothing to connect Mike to him other than the truck, but Mike was definitely a person of interest in the chop shop activities and car thefts. ", Robert Watson of the 13th Judicial District Attorney's Office agrees. It was over 3,000 acres, producing wheat, corn, beans, and livestock. The property was bordered on the east by the state border to Kansas and was, at one time, a successful, functional farm. Although no one is certain how many had been killed on the ranch, Holloway said, "some other names came up in the investigation of people that worked out there on the ranch where nobody knew what happened to them.". Input your search keywords and press Enter. Senator Mark Hanna and Charlotte Augusta Rhodes, [13] she was the wife of Joseph Medill McCormick, and after his death, Mike told the stories of how Bert Donoho died and would later reveal the details about the murders of at least 3 more men. His appellate attorney was quoted as saying, No one believes he was treated fairly in this process. Michael Rexford McCormick was once again a free man on March 21, 2006, but prosecutors immediately refiled charges against him. They buried him about 100 miles away from their farm. He also began to say that he had been the one to kill Bert Donoho and gave more details. According to Mike Gallagher, the now retired detective from the case, Mike McCormick told them during the interrogation that Nobody scares me more than my father. We know that in 1985 when he was arrested, Michael McCormick was about 29-years-old, married with one son and living in a trailer on his family farm. At about 2 pm on that Wednesday, April 7th, Michelles roommate called the police. Michael McCormick was convicted of murdering missing truck driver Bert Donoho in 1987, though he claimed that his father, Thomas, had actually done the killing. Even though both Tom and Mike were now dead, Linda Holloway didnt stop. Perfect for covering screams. Mike tells police that there was so much blood and Sowarshs body was still hanging upside down with a tarp on the ground beneath him. Michael was given the task of dismembering Roberts body and wrapping it in the tarp. One, Michael was up to his neck in the scams and slaughter involved in his family's ranching operation. Mike claimed that Tom skinned Sowarsh and then, like a cherry on the top of a sundae, placed Sowarshs nards on top. For the next 6 hours, police and a pastor would try and talk this man quite literally off the edge. Mike was arrested on June 24, 1985, and the trial was set for April of 1986. 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. Bill/Mike had a towel wrapped around his hand concealing a gun which he then put in his mouth. Mikes tattle-telling is the only reason we know about any of them. They had a feedlot and grazing land for the animals. And talk he did. He gave them inaccurate directions and claimed he was having memory issues for over a week. He was arrested on June 24, and his trial was set for April the following year. (The other three men found would never result in charges.). Thats how Herbert Donoho came into the McCormicks reach. While he was cleaning up, Mike said he heard Donoho moaning so he slit his throat. There are likely many many more bodies that have not been found and identified. The Clappers built a new home on a separate part of the property, but before that, they reported that their dog would stand at the top of the cellar stairs and bark. It would make sense that the land would be haunted with all the horrible things that took place there, and the people whose bodies have still never been found. One of his partners was 38-year-old Michelle Lee Thompson-Larimer. [6] According to a 1999 article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, McCormick suffered from chronic heart and They have seen apparitions and been touched. 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. Robert was still hanging upside down, but now there was a tarp lain beneath him. 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. McCormick Farm Murders - Killer Queens: A True Crime Podcast However, Doyle Johns, the Fort Morgan District Attorney was intrigued. He was sentenced to life as well as 4 years for kidnapping and 22 years for the charges regarding his jumping bail all to run consecutively to the sentence for the theft charges which was originally set at 45 years for 5 counts of theft, 3 counts of theft by receiving, 3 counts of unlawful possession of altered automobile parts, 2 counts of fraud by check, 1 count of 1st degree aggravated motor vehicle theft, and 1 count of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute.
