The Point, by Lake Hawkins Local teenagers liked to gravitate to a small beach on Lake Hawkins called "the point," and parents felt safe letting them go there. Suzanne Harrison-age 18, Gena Turner-age 20, and Bryan Boone-age 19, made this trip in Bryan’s pick-up on Sunday, May 4, 1986. Suzanne was an only child, and her mother was upset when she hadn’t returned by 10:00 p.m. Suzanne was well-liked and active in her church. Her best friend was Hawkins High valedictorian, Gena Turner. Another friend was, Bryan Boone, a handsome football player and recent graduate from Hawkins High (a town of about 1000 people). On the morning of May 5, 1986, people in their small-town began looking for the 3 young adults. They were responsible and their disappearance didn’t make sense. Monday morning, Bryan’s truck was discovered by the lake, with the women’s purses, still in the vehicle. Monday afternoon, Suzanne Harrison’s body is found in a ditch. Suzanne had suffered a horrendous beating. She is naked from the waist down and has been strangled with her underwear. A second set of shorts and underwear, belonging to Gena Turner, were found near Suzanne’s body. Bryan Boone This small town had lost its innocence. Like many caring communities, people pulled together and shared what they knew. Someone had seen a light blue Bronco driving aggressively away from the area. And then a couple comes forward. Clifton and Denise Walker were parking by the lake when a man stepped out of a light blue Bronco and aimed a gun at the couple. He requested their money or he’s taking the woman.” Cliff told him, “You’re not taking my woman,” and popped the trunk and offered the man a beer. Surprised, the man accepts the beer. Cliff then gets in the car and drives away. (This was a very creative way of escaping.) Denice records the license number. The man had his shirt open and had a tattoo on his chest that read “Death before dishonor. The Lonesome Loser.” On May 6, 1986, the police were looking for a light blue Bronco registered to Dorothy McFadden. The vehicle is spotted and pulled over. They asked the driver to step out and pull up his shirt. “Jerry” Gerald “the Animal” McFadden had the “Lonesome Loser” tattoo on his chest. Jerry admits running into the couple at the lake, but claims he was just kidding about the robbery. He refuses to talk about the 3 young adults. McFadden claims it was a toy gun, however Denice Walker, stated, “I’m a Texas girl and we know guns.” Denice was able to identify the type of gun. They run McFadden’s records and discover he had been granted parole in 1985 after serving less than five years of a 15-year sentence for aggravated sexual abuse of a young Shakelfield County secretary. McFadden had kidnapped, raped, and sodomized her. Originally from Haskell, Texas, McFadden was allowed to move to the small community near Hawkins to live with his mother and sister. It was his second parole. His first parole, for a double rape, was granted after serving less than five years. Most people in Hawkins had no direct knowledge of his presence or violent past. Suzanne Harrison’s funeral was held at the school because there wasn’t enough room in the church. The community grieved as one. People throughout the community were searching for Gena and Bryan. On May 9, 1986, the bodies of Gena Turner and Bryan Boone were found in the ditch, where they had been shot to death. The bodies were located directly between where Suzanne’s body had been found and where Jerry McFadden was living with his mother in Ore City. No situation is so bad that it can’t get worse… At Upshar County Jail, Jerry “the Animal” McFadden beat a guard with a metal pipe at the jail and took 24-year-old dispatcher Rosalie Williams hostage. Rosalie remembers praying for the insight to handle this situation without any more people being hurt. During the escape through rural Texas, Rosalie’s Datsun 280ZX overheated, forcing them to abandon the car and continue on foot. Rosalie was held hostage for 16 hours, much of the time spent in a train boxcar. Jerry kept telling Rosalie he was innocent, and she simply agreed in a level-headed manner. Jerry ultimately released her. Rosalie jogged for miles to a house for help. Her capture started the largest manhunt in the history of Texas. Thousands of armed Texans searched for the two. Rosalie Williams-Turner and her husband Pastor Gary Turner The large number of Texans on the manhunt allowed them to block all of the roads and railroad tracks in the area of Big Sandy, Texas. McFadden was surrounded. Authorities descended upon an abandoned house and arrested Jerry McFadden. In August of 1986, McFadden was sentenced to life in prison for the escape. In July of 1987, McFadden was given the death sentence for the murder of 18-year-old Suzanne Harrison. The jury deliberated for only 35 minutes. They didn’t pursue prosecution for the murders of Gena Turner and Bryan Boone, even though they were convinced he murdered them, because they didn’t have direct evidence that he killed them. However, ammunition found in his possession was identified as the same ammunition used in the killings of Boone and Turner. In October of 1999, Jerry “the Animal” McFadden was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville prison in Texas. But that doesn’t end the story. Portland, Oregon Let me summarize his history: Jerry “the Animal” McFadden, a man with a thoroughly tattooed torso, was convicted of two counts of rape in Texas in 1972 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. But just 6 years later, he was paroled. Then, on June 22, 1979, he kidnapped and sexually assaulted another Texas woman. It was later learned that Jerry “the Animal” McFadden had traveled with a woman he knew in 1979 to the Pacific Northwest (Oregon), which connected him 2 decades after his death to another murder. Anna Marie Hlavka, age 20 On July 24, 1979, Rose Ann Hlavka came home to the modest brick apartment building just northwest of Portland, Oregon’s downtown around 10 p.m. She expected to find her 20-year-old sister, Anna Marie Hlavka who had left her work at McDonald’s hours before. The siblings shared a home and worked together at McDonald’s. When Anna didn’t answer, Rose opened the door and called her name. She soon discovered Anna was sprawled dead in the bedroom. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the cord from her clock radio. For four decades, Portland police were baffled by the brutal crime against the young woman with flowing brown locks and a bright smile. Blood samples were analyzed. Polygraphs were administered. Suspects were grilled and released. The case went cold —until a DNA match came up. In January 2019, McFadden was linked by DNA via GEDmatch to the July 24, 1979 murder of Anna Marie Hlavka; Anna was found dead by her sister inside her apartment. Police said Hlavka had been sexually assaulted and strangled with the electric cord from her clock radio. Intact DNA saved from under Anna Marie’s fingernails had at last pinpointed her killer, a man police had never suspected: Jerry “Animal” McFadden, a notorious serial rapist and murderer from Texas who once inspired one of the state’s biggest ever manhunts. Timeline of crimes by Jerry “the Animal” McFadden 1973 Sentenced to 15 years in prison for two counts of rape. 1978 Paroled in December after serving only 5 years. 1979, July 24, murdered Anna Marie Hlavka in Portland, Oregon. Mcfadden was not identified as the killer until January 2019 using Genetic genealogy. 1979 Convicted of aggravated sexual abuse for kidnapping and raping an 18-year-old woman at knifepoint in Texas. 1985 Paroled in July having served less than 5 years of a 15-year sentence. 1986, May 6, arrested for rape and murder of 18-year-old high school cheerleader Suzanne Harrison. Suspected of the murders of 20-year-old Gena Turner and 19-year old Bryan Boone who were shot. 1986, July, escapes from jail and takes 24-year-old dispatcher, Rosalie Williams hostage. Recaptured 28 hours later. 1999, October 4, executed at Huntsville Prison in Texas. We need to create a kinder world and go out of our way to protect vulnerable people from predators. Enjoy today with people you love. One day you will miss them. And enjoy today, even with people you don’t love. (It’s just the right thing to do.) Thanks for listening, Frank I’m not sure exactly when my next book Black and Blue will be available. It is completely done. It’s a matter of when printers will be caught up enough to print it. It may not be until the end of May. I would like to commemorate the loss of two young men, who were loving and caring fathers. You are missed. Nathan B. Rothstein, age 37, was killed in a work accident at a grain elevator in Buckman. In memory of Nathan Rothstein: Police Officer Brett Naill, age 31. Your efforts to make our world better through your service to our country and your work warrant our greatest respect. In memory of Brett Naill:
4 Comments
Michelle Schumacher
6/4/2022 01:21:26 pm
Very informative and creatively written piece. May Nathan and Brett be resting easy in a much better place than what our world is becoming. I am saddened almost daily as more tragic events and beautiful lives are being taken. Be kind. That’s it…just be kind to others. You may never know what an impact you can have on ones life. Even a simple kind smile can make someone’s day.
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6/4/2022 02:05:56 pm
Michelle,
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3/15/2023 11:36:27 am
Originally from Haskell, Texas, McFadden was allowed to move to the small community near Hawkins to live with his mother and sister. It was his second parole. Thank you, amazing post!
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AuthorFrank F. Weber is a forensic psychologist specializing in homicide and sexual and physical assault cases. He uses his unique understanding of how predator’s think, knowledge of victim trauma, actual court cases, and passion for writing true crime thrillers. His Award Winning books include "Murder Book" (2017) "The I-94 Murders" (2018) "Last Call" (2019) and "Lying Close" (September 2020). Archives
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