John List (Murderer)
Family Annihilation Case
CLASSIFICATION: Mass Murder
LOCATION
Westfield, New Jersey
TIME PERIOD
November 9, 1971
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
On November 9, 1971, John Emil List murdered his wife, mother, and three children in their home in Westfield, New Jersey, using a 9mm Steyr handgun and a .22-caliber revolver. Following the murders, List meticulously planned his disappearance, evading capture for nearly 18 years by assuming a new identity and remarrying. He was apprehended on June 1, 1989, after being featured on the television program America's Most Wanted, leading to his extradition to New Jersey. Convicted on five counts of first-degree murder, List was sentenced to five consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole and died in prison on March 21, 2008. Key motivations for the crime included financial difficulties and a misguided belief that he was saving his family's souls.
Many believe that John List's financial struggles and his deep religious convictions played significant roles in motivating his murders. Speculation exists that he felt a sense of moral obligation to eliminate what he perceived as the negative influences on his family, leading to his drastic actions. Additionally, some theorize that List's ability to evade capture for nearly two decades reflects a calculated nature and a desire to maintain control over his life after the murders.
The Chilling Tale of John List: The Boogeyman of Westfield
A Calculated Disappearance
On a crisp November day in 1971, the quaint town of Westfield, New Jersey, became the backdrop for a chilling crime that would baffle authorities for nearly two decades. John Emil List, an unassuming accountant, meticulously orchestrated a plan to murder his entire family—his wife, Helen; his mother, Alma; and his three children, Patricia, John Frederick, and Frederick. On November 9, List executed his plan with a chilling precision that allowed him to disappear without a trace, leaving investigators and a community in shock and disbelief.
The Early Life of an Unlikely Killer
John Emil List was born on September 17, 1925, in Bay City, Michigan, to devout Lutheran parents, John Frederick List and Alma Barbara Florence List. As their only child, John was raised in a strict religious environment, which would later play a significant role in the motive behind his heinous acts. After graduating from Bay City Central High School in 1943, List enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, serving as a laboratory technician.
Following his military service, List pursued higher education at the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in accounting. This academic achievement paved the way for his eventual career in accounting, a field where he would later hide behind an alias to escape justice.
Military Service and Family Life
The Korean War called List back to active duty in 1950. It was during this time at Fort Eustis, Virginia, that he met Helen Morris Taylor, a widow with a young daughter. The couple married on December 1, 1951, and eventually settled in northern California. List's military service transitioned into a civilian career, first with an accounting firm in Detroit and later with a paper company in Kalamazoo, where his three children were born.
In 1965, John List accepted a prestigious position as vice president and comptroller at a bank in Jersey City, New Jersey. This new role prompted the family's move to Breeze Knoll, a grand Victorian mansion in Westfield. However, beneath the facade of success, the List family harbored deep-seated troubles, including Helen's alcoholism and the undisclosed syphilis she contracted from her first husband.
The Murders: A Chilling Act of Control
November 9, 1971, marked the day John List executed his meticulously planned murder spree. Armed with a 9mm Steyr semi-automatic handgun and his father's Colt .22-caliber revolver, List began his day by shooting his wife, Helen, in the back of the head. He then moved upstairs to murder his mother, Alma, with a bullet above her left eye. As his children returned home from school, List continued his rampage, shooting Patricia, 16, and Frederick, 13, in the back of their heads. His eldest son, John Frederick, 15, was the last to die after attempting to defend himself.
After placing the bodies on sleeping bags in the mansion's ballroom, List composed a five-page letter to his pastor, explaining that he had killed his family to save their souls from the evil he perceived in the world. He then vanished, leaving behind a meticulously staged crime scene that delayed discovery for nearly a month.
A Fugitive's Life
Unbeknownst to authorities, List had fled by train to Michigan and then to Colorado, where he assumed the identity of Robert Peter "Bob" Clark, a name borrowed from a college acquaintance. Under this alias, List found work as an accountant and integrated himself into a Denver community, even marrying Delores Miller in 1985.
For nearly 18 years, List lived undetected, moving with his wife to Virginia in 1988, where he continued his facade as a responsible member of society. Despite his new life, his past would eventually catch up to him.
Capture and Trial
The turning point came in May 1989 when the television program America's Most Wanted aired a segment on the List murders, featuring an age-progressed clay bust by forensic artist Frank Bender. The likeness was uncanny, leading to List's arrest in Richmond, Virginia, on June 1, 1989, after a neighbor recognized him.
Extradited to New Jersey, List initially maintained his false identity but eventually confessed under the weight of irrefutable evidence, including a fingerprint match. In his trial, List's financial desperation and his wife's deteriorating condition emerged as central themes. He claimed that killing his family was a misguided attempt to protect them from shame and ensure their souls' salvation.
On April 12, 1990, John List was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to five consecutive life terms, with no chance of parole. An appeal based on supposed post-traumatic stress from his military service was rejected, solidifying his fate behind bars.
Legacy of Infamy
John List's story captivated the nation, inspiring films, documentaries, and television episodes that explored the unsettling capabilities of a seemingly ordinary man. His death from pneumonia in 2008 closed a chapter on a life marked by control, deceit, and a distorted sense of duty.
In the annals of American crime, John List remains a chilling reminder of the darkness that can dwell behind a facade of normalcy, earning him the moniker "The Boogeyman of Westfield."
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Family Murdered
John List murders his wife, mother, and three children in their home.
Murders Discovered
The bodies of List's family are discovered after neighbors report suspicious activity.
America's Most Wanted Airs
List's case is featured on America's Most Wanted, leading to renewed interest and tips.
List Arrested
John List is arrested in Virginia after being recognized from the television program.
List Confesses
List confesses his true identity after fingerprint evidence links him to the murders.
Convicted of Murder
John List is convicted of five counts of first-degree murder.
Sentenced to Life
List is sentenced to five consecutive life terms in prison.
List Dies in Prison
John List dies of pneumonia while serving his sentence in New Jersey.
On November 9, 1971, John Emil List murdered his wife, mother, and three children in their home in Westfield, New Jersey, using a 9mm Steyr handgun and a .22-caliber revolver. Following the murders, List meticulously planned his disappearance, evading capture for nearly 18 years by assuming a new identity and remarrying. He was apprehended on June 1, 1989, after being featured on the television program America's Most Wanted, leading to his extradition to New Jersey. Convicted on five counts of first-degree murder, List was sentenced to five consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole and died in prison on March 21, 2008. Key motivations for the crime included financial difficulties and a misguided belief that he was saving his family's souls.
Many believe that John List's financial struggles and his deep religious convictions played significant roles in motivating his murders. Speculation exists that he felt a sense of moral obligation to eliminate what he perceived as the negative influences on his family, leading to his drastic actions. Additionally, some theorize that List's ability to evade capture for nearly two decades reflects a calculated nature and a desire to maintain control over his life after the murders.
The Chilling Tale of John List: The Boogeyman of Westfield
A Calculated Disappearance
On a crisp November day in 1971, the quaint town of Westfield, New Jersey, became the backdrop for a chilling crime that would baffle authorities for nearly two decades. John Emil List, an unassuming accountant, meticulously orchestrated a plan to murder his entire family—his wife, Helen; his mother, Alma; and his three children, Patricia, John Frederick, and Frederick. On November 9, List executed his plan with a chilling precision that allowed him to disappear without a trace, leaving investigators and a community in shock and disbelief.
The Early Life of an Unlikely Killer
John Emil List was born on September 17, 1925, in Bay City, Michigan, to devout Lutheran parents, John Frederick List and Alma Barbara Florence List. As their only child, John was raised in a strict religious environment, which would later play a significant role in the motive behind his heinous acts. After graduating from Bay City Central High School in 1943, List enlisted in the United States Army during World War II, serving as a laboratory technician.
Following his military service, List pursued higher education at the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in accounting. This academic achievement paved the way for his eventual career in accounting, a field where he would later hide behind an alias to escape justice.
Military Service and Family Life
The Korean War called List back to active duty in 1950. It was during this time at Fort Eustis, Virginia, that he met Helen Morris Taylor, a widow with a young daughter. The couple married on December 1, 1951, and eventually settled in northern California. List's military service transitioned into a civilian career, first with an accounting firm in Detroit and later with a paper company in Kalamazoo, where his three children were born.
In 1965, John List accepted a prestigious position as vice president and comptroller at a bank in Jersey City, New Jersey. This new role prompted the family's move to Breeze Knoll, a grand Victorian mansion in Westfield. However, beneath the facade of success, the List family harbored deep-seated troubles, including Helen's alcoholism and the undisclosed syphilis she contracted from her first husband.
The Murders: A Chilling Act of Control
November 9, 1971, marked the day John List executed his meticulously planned murder spree. Armed with a 9mm Steyr semi-automatic handgun and his father's Colt .22-caliber revolver, List began his day by shooting his wife, Helen, in the back of the head. He then moved upstairs to murder his mother, Alma, with a bullet above her left eye. As his children returned home from school, List continued his rampage, shooting Patricia, 16, and Frederick, 13, in the back of their heads. His eldest son, John Frederick, 15, was the last to die after attempting to defend himself.
After placing the bodies on sleeping bags in the mansion's ballroom, List composed a five-page letter to his pastor, explaining that he had killed his family to save their souls from the evil he perceived in the world. He then vanished, leaving behind a meticulously staged crime scene that delayed discovery for nearly a month.
A Fugitive's Life
Unbeknownst to authorities, List had fled by train to Michigan and then to Colorado, where he assumed the identity of Robert Peter "Bob" Clark, a name borrowed from a college acquaintance. Under this alias, List found work as an accountant and integrated himself into a Denver community, even marrying Delores Miller in 1985.
For nearly 18 years, List lived undetected, moving with his wife to Virginia in 1988, where he continued his facade as a responsible member of society. Despite his new life, his past would eventually catch up to him.
Capture and Trial
The turning point came in May 1989 when the television program America's Most Wanted aired a segment on the List murders, featuring an age-progressed clay bust by forensic artist Frank Bender. The likeness was uncanny, leading to List's arrest in Richmond, Virginia, on June 1, 1989, after a neighbor recognized him.
Extradited to New Jersey, List initially maintained his false identity but eventually confessed under the weight of irrefutable evidence, including a fingerprint match. In his trial, List's financial desperation and his wife's deteriorating condition emerged as central themes. He claimed that killing his family was a misguided attempt to protect them from shame and ensure their souls' salvation.
On April 12, 1990, John List was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to five consecutive life terms, with no chance of parole. An appeal based on supposed post-traumatic stress from his military service was rejected, solidifying his fate behind bars.
Legacy of Infamy
John List's story captivated the nation, inspiring films, documentaries, and television episodes that explored the unsettling capabilities of a seemingly ordinary man. His death from pneumonia in 2008 closed a chapter on a life marked by control, deceit, and a distorted sense of duty.
In the annals of American crime, John List remains a chilling reminder of the darkness that can dwell behind a facade of normalcy, earning him the moniker "The Boogeyman of Westfield."
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Family Murdered
John List murders his wife, mother, and three children in their home.
Murders Discovered
The bodies of List's family are discovered after neighbors report suspicious activity.
America's Most Wanted Airs
List's case is featured on America's Most Wanted, leading to renewed interest and tips.
List Arrested
John List is arrested in Virginia after being recognized from the television program.
List Confesses
List confesses his true identity after fingerprint evidence links him to the murders.
Convicted of Murder
John List is convicted of five counts of first-degree murder.
Sentenced to Life
List is sentenced to five consecutive life terms in prison.
List Dies in Prison
John List dies of pneumonia while serving his sentence in New Jersey.