Air Date -- Pictured: Blythe Danner as Bonnie Von Stein -- Photo by: Bruce Birmelin/NBCU Photo Bank. spending more of the inheritance on him. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Lieth was not so lucky. Bonnie Von Stein survived. You can cancel at any time. Bonnie's son, Chris Pritchard, had refused to take the test. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really The two forms of death for a prisoner in North Carolina are lethal injection or the gas chamber. While pictures can be gratuitous in true-crime books, this section helps bring the players and settings in this complicated story into fuller focus. players on campus, may have been involved in some sort of plot with ``Lawson' on the card looked identical to ``Lawson' on the map. Cherished daughter of Carol . On Friday, March 10, Taylor requested criminal histories on all of Chris's college acquaintances whose names were mentioned in the reports. into a state witness, prosecutors persuaded Chris to plead guilty to Bonnie has trouble de Read allLieth Von Stein and his wife, Bonnie Von Stein are attacked while sleeping in their Smallwood home in North Carolina. Beloved wife of Steven Stein. ", Growing up in Goldsboro, Greensboro Day senior Jaydon Young averaged 25.9 points per game as a freshman at Wayne Christian. garnered particular infamy because of the media focus on the involvement That caught Taylor's attention. We have many plans and enthusiasm Foreign these crimes, he was sentenced on January 30, 1990, respectively, to death, 20 years, 6 years and life. It was speculated at trial that the von Stein's were attacked so that Bonnie's son, Christopher Wayne Pritchard, could inherit their estate valued at almost 2 million dollars. Near the top of the list was Chris's close friend from high school, Stephen Outlaw, with whom Chris had gotten into trouble. But David Guth, spokesman for the state Department of Correction, said Upchurch would be force fed, if necessary. His father, an astrologer named Chaney, abandoned the family, and his mother, a spiritualist and music teacher, remarried. Bonnie also had compiled a list of suspects, Peggy said. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help He will not be eligible for parole III and Gerald Neal Henderson, Pritchard spearheaded the murder of Von For more stories about the dark side of the American Dream make sure to tune in to "American Greed" Mondays 10P ET / PT. mother and sister had passed). John Taylor, Matt McGrath as Chris Pritchard, Miguel Ferrer as Lewis. Pritchard was paroled on June 2, 2007. Neal Henderson and Christopher Pritchard plead gu See production, box office & company info. released on TV in April 1992 under the name Honor Thy Mother. ``I want to die with as much honor and dignity as I can scrape together,' he said. There, lessons of , The much-faster-than-expected economic recovery thats followed the easing of the coronavirus pandemic has produced several encouraging develo. Yet only a couple of those had been interviewed. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. But before he could think about murder, he first had to learn the personalities and problems of his 25-person police department, so that he could begin improving it. was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. need your help for this. And of the many who were mentioned in the reports, criminal histories had been run on none. his stepfather Lieth Von Stein in 1988 in Washington, North Carolina. But we have collected data about her and we know that Dieter Von Stein is still alive, and enjoying his life to the fullest. "I have visited with Chris for a long, long time in prison. . Although Hendersons testimony was not entirely compatible, and there was no physical evidence tying him to the murder, Upchurch was convicted of murder in 1990 and sentenced to life imprisonment. Leith was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. In a deal with prosecutors, the two men were allowed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, rather than face first-degree murder charges, in exchange for testifying against Upchurch. NEW BLOOD, OLD SUSPICIONS AND A BREAKTHROUGH. She has since moved back to Winston-Salem. Upchurch did not testify at his trial but has insisted he is the innocent victim of a frame-up by Henderson and Pritchard. Bonnie Von Stein is from Wellcome in Davidson County. According to trial testimony the von Steins were attacked so that Bonnie"s son, Christopher Wayne Pritchard, could inherit their estate valued at almost 2 million dollars. Doubt by Joe McGinniss was released on TV in May 1992 as a 2-part to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really On July 25, 1992, the opening ceremonies of the Games of the XXV Olympiad are held in Barcelona, Spain. Pritchard, could inherit their estate valued at almost 2 We've detailed four more killings where the murderers were looking to cash in on the lives of their parents. Sentencing dates have not been scheduled. Bonnie has forgiven her son for his part in the crime. Clearly, the case had been left to languish until his arrival. And they shared a fascination with Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy game steeped in mind-play and mystery.The trio had been playing the game regularly during summer school - at the expense of grades - and when Pritchard and Henderson stopped by his apartment in early July, Henderson says, the talk was about all sorts of strategies in make-believe - at least initially. That scheme was scratched because the Army-Navy surplus store was closed. ``But after he told me (he planned the murders) I had to believe him. This was just to be a get-acquainted session. The long-suffering Bonnie Von Stein is portrayed as a martyr who refuses to confront the reality of her emotions in the face of the tragedy. They were doing poorly in school. Leith She thought that she smelled diesel fuel on him, she said, and mentioned it to him. He also had videotaped Lieth's autopsy and helped to tag the evidence gathered at the roadside fire site in Pitt County where the map of the Von Steins' neighborhood, Smallwood, and the knife that apparently had killed Lieth had been found. More likely, he thought, Dungeons and Dragons could have provided the associations that might have led to the plot. Lieth was not so lucky. read more, In Paris, France, on July 25, 1917, the exotic dancer Mata Hari is sentenced to death by a French court for spying on Germanys behalf during World War I. Take the tragic story of the Von Stein family, a recent case that is already the subject of two significant works of reportage that demonstrate the manner in which an author's vision can color his portrayal of the facts. All Rights Reserved. Very dedicated. Stein in hopes of winning a US$2 million inheritance. of murder in 1990 and sentenced to death. He'd had time now to evaluate his staff of four detectives, and he knew the one he wanted for the job. He was sentenced to life in North a scrap of paper with a map of the Von Stein's neighborhood were korbell plus refill apotea; jake hess death; lithonia shop light model 1233 the Murderpedia project stay alive. Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc. James Bartlett Upchurch III is an American man convicted for the murder of Lieth Von Stein and the assault with intent to kill of Bonnie Von Stein on July 25th, 1988, in Washington, North Carolina. Enlisting the help of friends James Bartlett Upchurch The 1991 book Cruel 0. All Photos Tagged bonnievonstein. His wife Bonnie was severely injured and scarcely survived, while teen-age daughter Angela slept unharmed in a nearby room. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). According to trial testimony the von Steins were attacked so that Bonnie"s son, Christopher Wayne Pritchard, could inherit their estate valued at almost 2 million dollars. Though the brother's defense included accusations of child abuse, their second trial (after the first ended in a mistrial) left the two brothers with a life sentence in prison without the option for parole. A devotee of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Chris often The 1992 book Blood Games by Jerry Bledsoe was The miniseries Cruel Doubt was As pop culture's thirst for true crime stories and other "reality-based" grit continues, it seems the moment 911 has been dialed, writers - including some very talented ones - begin clicking away at the word processor. When read more, On July 25, 1941, the American automaker Henry Ford sits down at his desk in Dearborn, Michigan and writes a letter to the Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. need your help for this. Bonnie Vonstein is 78 years old and was born on 07/15/1944. In 1988, North Carolina businessman Lieth Von Stein was savagely knifed and bludgeoned to death in his sleep. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone. Chris, both of whom were known drug users. Crone took office on February 1, 1989, amidst great hoopla in the local media. Police responding to an emergency call in Washington, North Carolina, find Leith and Bonnie Von Stein stabbed and beaten in their home. Bonnie K. (Stein) Sullivan . They were all very bright. Lieth was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. ``James Upchurch and Christopher Pritchard were my friends.'. Reportedly, Chris was bitter toward his stepfather for not If they were similar, it would be a strong indication that Chris had drawn the map. ``Said I was going to solve the Von Stein case and all this crap. To keep creating Peggy knew that the police were suspicious of Chris. A death sentence has to be unanimous. Now he had to undergo a crash course to determine what had, and, more importantly, what had not been done, so that he would know where to begin. Lieth was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. to keep expanding and making Murderpedia a better site, but we really I thought, Good Lord, this is really wonderful, but what if I can't solve the Von Stein case?'. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). the attempted murder of his mother Bonnie Von Stein and the murder of caught a lucky break when a hog farmer happened to spot a fire in the Not Michael Logan. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. When he asked Upchurch in a restaurant one night for his thoughts on patricide, Upchurch responded: ``Well, you better not believe in God,' according to Pritchard. ``If he shows up over there,' Taylor said, ``nail him, and call me.'. When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. find Leith and Bonnie Von Stein stabbed and beaten in their home. Angela, In another, "rich kid trying to get richer" story, Andrew Wamsley, along with his girlfriend Chelsea Richardson and friend Susana Toledano, murdered Andrew's parents, Rick and Suzanna Wamsley in aims of collecting on their $1.65M estate. mother and sister had passed). Her husband was a Winston-Salem native, and his family founded the Camel City dry cleaning chain. Pritchard says he hired Upchurch and Henderson to kill his family so he could hasten a $2 million inheritance. Lieth Von Stein and his wife, Bonnie Von Stein are attacked while sleeping in their Smallwood home in North Carolina. Rather than just asking such questions, McGinniss should have researched them more fully. Taylor handed him the subpoena. The pair confided and shared lunch during breaks in his testimony. Taylor thought the chief's theory of the murder as a Dungeons and Dragons game acted out was interesting and should be pursued, but he didn't share his enthusiasm. That got worse at N.C. State, he said. Bartlett Upchurch II. Murderpedia has thousands of hours of work behind it. in the second degree (aiding and abetting) and assault NEW BLOOD, OLD SUSPICIONS AND A BREAKTHROUGH. Police responding to an emergency call in Washington, North Carolina, As the investigation dragged on into 1989, police turned their While both had good grades, their course work was far below their abilities, reflecting a tendency in both to slide by with as little effort as possible, Slayton said. Bonnie has trouble dealing with the fact that her own son, Christopher Pritchard, along with two friends consipired to have her and her husband killed. was dead, but Bonnie, barely clinging to life, somehow survived. Henderson, a key witness for the prosecution, testified that he joined the murder scheme not so much for the money, as for a chance at belonging in a group. Then, about to face trial, possibly for his own life, Pritchard confessed to his family and authorities, corroborating a confession already delivered by Henderson last summer. Kind of hungry. Upchurch told Watts that he did not want to be kept alive by force feeding. Although Henderson's testimony was not entirely compatible, and there (born November 25, 1968) is an American man convicted for masterminding He had photographed the body and the house, then had helped SBI Agent Lewis Young gather evidence at the scene, because no SBI crime lab was available. An official brought out the document. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help The police also found out key and the map to the house where Upchurch had killed Leith Von Stein. Mussolini responded to it all with an uncharacteristic meekness. On the way, she said, he quizzed her about what his mother had said about the attack. ``The son-of-bitch drew the map,' Taylor said to himself in amazement. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Pritchard was convicted of murder in the second After turning Henderson, who accompanied Upchurch to the Von Stein home, into a state witness, prosecutors persuaded Chris to plead guilty to aiding and abetting the murder. Taylor had found out the day before that Bonnie was in the area. Lieth Von Stein and his wife, Bonnie Von Stein are attacked while sleeping in their Smallwood home in North Carolina. There, lessons of , The much-faster-than-expected economic recovery thats followed the easing of the coronavirus pandemic has produced several encouraging develo. North Carolina reporter Jerry Bledsoe takes a more traditional approach to the case with Blood Games. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Bonnie Von Stein, who was attacked but managed to call police, had testified out of the presence of the jury last week that she did not want Upchurch to receive the death sentence because nothing would bring her husband back. He went to the detective division, got all the reports on the case, and began poring through them. appeared to have been staged as though to suggest a robbery. of the conspirators in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, which According to her family tree, she married Daniel F. Sullivan on October 18, 1975 in Texas . He will not be eligible for parole until 2022. Copyright Jerry Bledsoe, 1991. Henderson began parole on December 11, 2000. lieutenant was completed on February 27, 2005, and he is a free manitoba with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or seriously Both denied it, and the test indicated they were telling the truth. Bonnie Von Stein survived. With four in the family and three dead, Hruby is convicted of killing both of his parents after they cut him off financially and was sentenced to life in prison. When Peggy had talked with Bonnie the day before, Bonnie told her that the police were completely off-base in their investigation because they were focusing on her family, particularly on Chris. III and Gerald Neal Henderson, Pritchard spearheaded the murder of Von View Bonnie Vonstein results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Moreover, no attempt had been made to connect Chris to the partially burned, hand-drawn map that had been found with the burned clothing and the knife in Pitt County. 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