The autopsies were able to put the victims' time of death at between 3:30 and 6:30a.m. that day. A year after the killings, P. David Soares, Albany Countys district attorney, offered immunity from immigration charges to anyone who came forward with information. Kingstowne 6489 Windham Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22315 - Judith M. Caudill was shot here by her son, Ralph. They didnt have bodies or evidence, besides the word of two of Eds exes. All of the Chen properties were held in a family trust, with Raymond Chen appointed as trustee. "[4], Bramblett was a suspect in the 1977 disappearances of Tammy Akers and Angela Rader, who were both 14 years old and worked for him at the time. The elder Chens lived mostly in Taiwan and were not reported missing. [1] Chief Lawlor said, nonetheless, that there had been no evidence her department knew of that anything illegal was going on at the Chens' house or another one next door that had also been occupied by Chinese immigrants. The. The bodies of Wu Hong Chen, 53; Shieh Yeh-Mei Chen, 52, and Raymond Chen, 26, have never been found. They specifically believe the Chen family was killed between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. As reported by A&E, authorities noted the bodies of Hai Yan Li, Anthony, and Eddy were covered in blankets. Edward lived off rental incomes for a while, but with expensive tastes and mounting bills decided to start selling the family properties. He denied an early report that they had been shot, and later details emerged that the victims had been beaten with a hammer;[5] later accounts said they were stabbed as well. GUILDERLAND . However, Anthony and Eddy often came to her home to play with her puppies. The episode, dubbed "Ghosts of Great Falls," contains dramatizations of real-life events. He could not say yet whether the killings were the work of organized crime, but allowed that "it's certainly a theory".[4]. Despite more than 600 leads in the case, investigators couldnt zero in on any suspects. Reporter covering criminal justice locally and nationally. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Their children attended Guilderland Elementary School. Its season 4 episode 6, titled Ghost of Great Falls.. Ed finally took Mandy to his parents house, and showed her the bodies. Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible: The Mysterious Murders of Teenage Best Friends, The Yogurt Shop Murders Cold Case: Revisiting the Scene of the Crime, The Cold Case Murders That Keep Retired Detectives Up at Night. Despite an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies that reached as far as Canada and China, the brutal killings of a family of four in upstate New York remain unsolved. [6] Even so, Soares admitted at a news conference around the anniversary of the Chens' deaths that very little progress had been made. Chen was initially charged with aggravated first-degree murder shortly after his son, Cooper Chen, and partner, Eric Cooper, were killed in the family's First Hill condominium. Joseph Paul Franklin, a white supremacist and serial killer, confessed to the murders. Once questioned, Mandy mentioned that her relationship with Edward was quite challenging since his family was against the union. The Chens were very successful business people, they lived in a nice mansion in a very wealthy neighborhood. Jin Feng Chen's brother denied the rumors. [2], Earl Bramblett, from Spartanburg, South Carolina, was a close friend of the Hodges family. Ed had told Vickie his parents and brother had all died tragically. A World Journal reporter in attendance later told the Albany Times-Union that she and her colleagues believed the family knew more about what might have led to the killings than they were ready to say publicly. You have to actually be sitting across from the person who did that to ask that question. At Eds trial, his attorney, Peter Greenspun, said the confession should be thrown out because it was coerced. On Saturday, police identified those killed as Shirley Zhou, 48, James Wenjie Chen, 16, and Hong Chen, 52. The Unsolved Chen Family Murders of Upstate New York Remain Shrouded in Mystery, https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/chen-family-murder. Detectives also looked into local crime syndicates and reports of human trafficking. Ed had become very unhappy and even confrontational. Ed was with his five year old daughter, Samantha, at the time and he said he wanted to say goodbye to her. "And one night I really just lost my nerve, lost my mind and I did it," Chen told Fairfax detectives. He and his wife spent most of their time in Taiwan, giving rise to the assumption that is where they were, Horan said. Edward Chen, the Chens' younger son and Raymond's younger brother, is now charged with three counts of murder. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. In the early afternoon of October 8, 2014, a coworker of Jin Chen, 39, of Guilderland, New York, United States found the bodies of Chen, his wife and their two children in their home. Young Performing Artists In McLean Awarded Scholarships By The Alden, McLean Home Listed For $3.2M Offers Luxurious Living Indoors, Outdoors, Special Grand Jury To Investigate Fatal Police Shooting At Tysons Mall, Antique Brass and Silver Restoration Services: MONDAYS 10-4, Celebrate Pilates Day: FREE Pilates Reformer classes & Happy Hour, SONOVA presents: Beethoven, Brews, and BBQ, Montgomery County Virtual 50+ Employment Expo Tuesday, May 16th, Summer Travel Season Could Be Busiest Ever In VA, AAA Says, VA Weather: Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued, Soggy Week Ahead, McLean Area Prospective Homeowners: See 5 New Homes On The Market, Math Whizzes, Finest Principal, White House Preserver: NoVA Good News, Morel Mushrooms Popping Up In VA: When To Find Springtime Delicacy. The murders captivated the region for decades. The police believed that Ed Chen had killed his family, but they needed proof. All Rights Reserved. Michael Reese was not charged with his crime. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) The family of a man shot and killed in 2017 has filed a lawsuit against the security guard accused of his murder as well as his employer and a community association. [6][4], The crime stunned Guilderland, normally a quiet suburb. But "We are satisfied from the forensic evidence that it happened," Horan said. As many of the people they sought to interview were Chinese and did not speak fluent English, detectives had to determine which dialect the witnesses used and find appropriate interpreters. No one had suggested it. The Chens were a very traditional family, but they came to the U.S. so that the boys could go to school. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. He revealed the crime to Kolbe, but she said she didn't report it because she both loved and feared Chen. I think he should have gotten life in prison, because he can still get out around age 60 for good behavior, according to one of the articles. On the other hand, people living near the Chen residence mentioned that after 1995, Edward often came over to maintain the houses exterior to give it a lived-in vibe. Chen was arraigned. The flooring had been replaced in the master bedroom, but they asked if the flooring underneath had been replaced, it hadnt. Investigation Discovery, "Forbidden - Dying for Love": https://bit.ly/3nCNpTR, Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall, "Ghosts of Great Falls": https://bit.ly/3u1k7AQ, Washingtonian Magazine, "Love and Murder in Great Falls": https://bit.ly/3eE3rc6, Washington Post, "VA Family Vanishes": https://wapo.st/2R8nQhg, Washington Post, "Fairfax Man Admits Killing Parents, Brother": https://wapo.st/2QEQqqK, Washington Post, "Killer's Ex-Girlfriend Pleads Guilty": https://wapo.st/3vm0sM2. At this rate, the police still didnt have the bodies, but they did decide to do one more thing. [3], A neighbor told the Albany Times-Union later that the family lived what to him appeared to be a fairly normal life. Michael said he would cut them up and throw them in the ocean. At this point, the police werent aware that a family was even missing. Greenspun said that Chen will serve about 30 years. The combined plea and sentencing hearing brought an abrupt end to a case that unfolded just as suddenly nine months ago, when Chen's ex-girlfriend called Fairfax County police and revealed Chen's secret. Guilderland Police Chief Dan McNally told A&E True Crime his department appreciates any media exposure regarding the case, in hopes that it might prompt someone to come forward with information. Edward Y. Chen pleaded guilty this morning to three counts of first-degree murder, admitting that he shot his parents and older brother to death in their Great Falls home in 1995, then left. Kowalski said Jin Feng and Hai Yan Li did not speak fluent English. The police also took Vickies story with a grain of salt at first, because they maybe thought she was a jealous ex. A young man named Edward Chen was charged with shooting his father, mother and brother with a rifle, stuffing their corpses into duffel bags weighted down with concrete, and dumping them in Chesapeake Bay. Ed Chen murdered his mother, father, and brother in their home and went undiscovered until 2002. Interestingly, neither of them was reported missing up until then, and their neighbors theorized that the family might have gone away to Taiwan for good. The Unsolved Chen Family Murders of Upstate New York Remain Shrouded in Mystery Elena Ferrarin In this Oct. 9, 2014, file photo, authorities prepare to enter the scene of a quadruple homicide in Guilderland, New York, where Jin Chen, his wife and their two children were found fatally stabbed. She said both of the brothers "were sweet." Bramblett reportedly told friends that he wished he had not "hurt Tammy" three years after she went missing, though he was never charged in either Akers's or Rader's disappearances and their whereabouts are still unknown. He also said the only person who can answer all of the detectives' questions is the killer. However, Vickie was the one to end the relationship. [Watch episodes of Cold Case Files in the A&E App.]. However, their efforts were hampered by seemingly unfounded rumors and language barriers. I feel very guilty for what I did.". Investigators looked into links to gangs and human trafficking, according to media reports. His dad tried to run away, which is he ended up on the floor, but he killed them. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. "There was no suggestion that Mr. and Mrs. Chen had died in the United States. When our officers drive by the [Chen] home, I dont think there is any officer that doesnt think about what happened there that day.. Local resident Jacob Beard was convicted of the murder in 1993, but he was later acquitted of all charges in a second trial in 2000. A deputy's body cam video . [5], Funeral services were held in Chinatown a month after the killings, to allow relatives from China to obtain visas and flights in order to attend. Fairfax County, Va, officials arrest 27-year-old Edward Chen for 1995 murders of parents and brother (S) Ugh, its so disgusting. The elder Chen was thought to be in "the import-export business" or a consultant, said Horan. As reported by A&E, the brothers both enjoyed working with plants and were part of the school's garden club. As reported by A&E, some sources have suggested Jin Feng Chenwas involved in an operation involving undocumented Chinese restaurant employees throughout the region. Ed moved out, except he didnt take everything. [3] The family offered a $5,000 reward,[5] and Soares promised that, to the extent he could, his office would not initiate any actions that would result in deportation against anyone who had information to share, but neither offer induced much cooperation with the police. Chen and his wife were from the province of Fujian, on the southeastern coast of China, and came to the United States in the early 2000s. More evidence was about to come, when a man named Michael Reese came forward and said he helped Ed dismember and dump the bodies, that had already been in the home for four years at this point. [11] All were involved in running a family restaurant;[6] investigators there believe the three were killed by professional assassins dispatched from New York City. [2], Having found Blaine Hodges' body next to a gun, police at first theorized that Blaine had killed his family and then himself; Blaine, a former U.S. Also, how do you WILLINGLY help someone cut up bodies and dump them. The family member saw a body through a window of the home and called for help. [3] A considerable amount of forensic evidence, including DNA, has been collected but has not generated any leads; cultural, legal, and linguistic barriers have also made progress difficult despite outreach to other law enforcement agencies in other large U.S. cities, Canada, and China. His parents disapproved, Horan said, and in summer 1995, they took Edward Chen back to Taiwan and placed him in a mental institution. That night, he admitted to investigators that he had purchased a .30-30 Winchester rifle, went into his family members' bedrooms in the middle of the night and shot them. 5 charged in Virginia triple murder of family; two victims from Utah | KUTV Five men are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder related to thebrutal May 2019 Virginia. In a strange and surprising development, one Vickie Henry called the Fairfax County police department and claimed that she had information about the murders of Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond Chen. Bramblett murdered each family member in their residence before setting it on fire, and in 1997 was sentenced to death for the murders. However, Mandy never turned Ed in, they got married, had a child together and were married for about two years. To listen please click below or find us wherever you listen to podcasts. In . It was a shock for everyone. According to some reports, large amounts of cash which came from various sources financed an underground network of undocumented Chinese citizens living in the area. Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Bob Horan last week outlined what is known about a seven-year-old triple homicide that allegedly occurred in a quiet neighborhood off north Seneca Road in Great Falls. EDWARD CHEN, who attended the University of Virginia for a time, apparently lived in the Great Falls house for a time before he moved to Herndon, fathered a child, and divorced her mother, Horan said. As reported by A&E, one of Chen's coworkers went to his home to find out why he did not show up for work. He was sentenced to 36 years in prison. Police were called to the scene and determined that the family had been killed sometime in the hours before dawn that day by either a knife or a hammer. He kept his family's remains there until 1999, when a pipe burst and the house flooded. The bullets used to kill the victims were determined to be of the same composition as bullets found in a vehicle belonging to Bramblett. Ed admitted to everything. He recalled the boys playing in the backyard while their mother gardened and kept watch. I couldnt find any pictures of the whole family. People who knew the family stated how they routinely traveled to Taiwan to meet their relatives, despite the fact that they were thought to be kind-hearted and relatively kind. July 6, 2017. We're taking a break from Beyond Belief for a few weeks (but staying in the 90s) to cover a true crime case that is local to MM's neck of the woods and we have a coincidental connection to: the Chen Family murders in Great Falls, Virginia in August 1995. Muller said the tragedy affected the entire community. The police decided to go the Chen house, but at this point it was owned by another couple. With a trial set for yesterday, Chen's attorneys, Peter D. Greenspun and Jonathan Shapiro, negotiated a deal. Unfortunately, they have not been able to identify any viable suspects or persons of interest. When he told the same story in the United States, he changed the location of the car wreck to Taiwan, Horan said. Nonetheless, it was impossible to mount a case without bodies, and despite Edwards former friend, Michael Reese, claiming he helped the former dump the bodies in the Chesapeake Bay, the police were unable to locate them. Fairfax County police believe Hong Chen fatally shot Zhou, his wife, and James Chen, his son. Horan said he would not seek charges against Chen's ex-wife, who saw the bodies but did not report the killings, or Reese. Two similar houses in the same neighborhood sold last fall for $825,000 and $1,000,000, according to county records. The Chen family, Wu-Hung, 53, Yei-Mei, 52, Raymond, 25, and Edward, moved from Taiwan to Fairfax, Virginia. Earl Conrad Bramblett (March 20, 1942 - April 9, 2003) was an American mass murderer, convicted for the killing of four members of the Hodges family in August 1994 in Vinton, Virginia.Bramblett murdered each family member in their residence before setting it on fire, and in 1997 was sentenced to death for the murders.. Bramblett was executed by electric chair on April 9, 2003. [2] No suspects have been identified and as of January 2020[update], the investigation is continuing. It was pretty devastating, Muller says of the crime. At the time of his arrest he was living in an apartment he rented at Worldgate in Herndon. Bramblett was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death on December 16, 1997, after the jury deliberated for one hour. Police responded and discovered the bodies inside. The judge agreed and the confession was thrown out. The wave of murders, known as the " Golden Years Killings", included more than a dozen elderly women in total, some of which remain unsolved cases. They specifically believe the Chen family was killed between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. As reported by A&E, authorities noted the bodies of Hai Yan Li, Anthony, and Eddy were covered in blankets. He went to the Chens' house a half-mile (1km) away, on Western Avenue (U.S. Route 20), a busy four-lane highway, and found the bodies. When authorities arrived on the scene, they found 39-year-old Jin Feng Chen dead on the first floor of his home. [2] Firefighters and police found fire burning throughout the house. Although the police had no idea that the family was missing, she claimed that the triple murder occurred in August 1995. Authorities explored similar murders of Chinese individuals and families in the region but were unable to find enough evidence to link any of those crimes to the Chen family murders. [3], Forensic evidence yielded some information, but nothing that resulted in significant leads. Since his English was extremely limited, he had to ask another coworker, a relative of the Chens, to call 9-1-1 for him. Their daughter is now 6. After a clemency petition to Governor of Virginia Mark Warner was rejected, along with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Earl Bramblett was executed in the electric chair for the murder of the Hodges family at Greensville Correctional Center, Jarratt, Virginia, on April 9, 2003. She had grown up not only in the town but in the neighborhood where the Chens lived, which made it affect her even more. It is rumored that Jin Feng Che was heavily involved in the underground network and personally handled many of the transactions, often keeping large amounts of money in his home. [4], Investigators were also looking at possible connections with two other unsolved killings of Chinese immigrant families that had occurred elsewhere in the U.S. during the 2010s. However, their relationship ended after two years. Later, he took her to the Chen residence and showed her the bodies of his family members. [2] Police requested an interview with Bramblett, during which they told him the family had died in a fire, without mentioning the evidence of violence. Other rumors suggest Chen hosted a gambling party at his home in the evening before he and his family were killed. Police said the Fostins have fully cooperated with an investigation that revealed enough forensic evidence to charge Edward Chen on three counts of murder. Investigators were able to collect DNA samples that might belong to a suspect, but had not been able to determine who might have left it. However, Mandy allegedly never reported the incident to the police out of fear and instead settled with Edward before having a child together and staying married for a year. Naturally, the police could not take Vickie for her word, as there was nothing to suggest that a murder had even occurred in the first place. Their . I dont believe hes sorry about what he did. Jin Feng Chen and Hai Yan Li were natives of China's Fujian province. When authorities arrived on the scene, they found 39-year-old Jin Feng Chen dead on the . It was implied that Chang and his family might have been killed by an attendee who knew he kept large amounts of cash in the house. Police are asking anyone with information to call Detective Spooner at (703) 246-7800, or contact Crime Solvers by visiting http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting TIP187 plus your message to CRIMES(274637). Yep, thats right FOUR YEARS. This was a very intentional act with very intended targets, Soares said in a October 6, 2015 press conference. HENRY COUNTY, Va. A decades-old murder case now has new leads. The church runs a childrens home in Guilderland, about five miles from the Chens home. According to reports, Chen owned a Chinese restaurant. Tune in next week to hear from our favorite neighborhood papaya hater. IN THE MEANTIME, another innocent family moved into the house and fell in love with it. Interestingly, the court initially considered Edwards confession in police custody inadmissible, but Mandy, Michael, and Vickies testimonies helped strengthen the case. A McLean man killed his wife and son Friday before shooting himself, police in Fairfax County said Saturday. In spring of 2002, the Fairfax police received a tip from Eds ex-fiance, a woman name Vickie Taylor. At the family's Chinatown news conference after the killings, Chen's brother denied an early report in Sing Tao that the family was murdered by someone who had returned after a late gambling party at the house to steal their considerable take from the event. Investigators believe the family members were shot in their bedrooms, with a rifle, in the house in Great Falls. The coworker was greeted by the gruesome scene of four brutal murders that remain unsolved to this day. In 1998, according to court records, Chen assumed his brother's identity and began selling the family's homes. Investigators also looked into any possible links to multiple homicide cases involving members of Chinese families in Mississippi and Texas, but found no direct connections, The Altamont Enterprise reported. Months after his arrest in January, the man accused of shooting and killing an elderly Pokmon Go player has been indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge on . Wu-Hung and Weh-Mei Chen, natives of Taiwan, continued to frequently visit their two sons, Raymond and Edward, at their Great Falls home in Fairfax, Virginia. However, Ed eventually took a plea deal, and admitted to three counts of first degree murder. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In addition, two women testified that, in the 1970s, Bramblett had given them alcohol and molested them when they were eleven and fourteen years old.[1]. Chens brother dismissed that report, saying Chen only hosted small card games for friends. The couple immigrated to the United States in the early 2000s. Never miss a story by signing up for the newsletter now. Realizing that something was afoot, the police immediately got in touch with the Chens relatives from Taiwan, who insisted that Edward had informed them how a car accident claimed Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymonds lives. Eventually, the police discovered blood splatters belonging to Wu-Hung at the Chen family home, but the bodies were never recovered. Instead, both sides agreed that the middle point of Virginia's suggested sentencing guidelines, which ranged from 26 to 45 years, was appropriate. He said his parents had heard the noise, and he went into their bedroom. They asked Vickie if she would call Ed and record him confessing. What exactly do you call a gathering of Chads? Chen then locked up the house and avoided suspicion by making sure that the lawn and exterior were maintained. A witness had seen a vehicle similar to Bramblett's driving past the Hodges home during the fire, without stopping. Soares said law enforcement officials are dealing with "one of the most complicated sets of circumstances [they] ever experienced in an investigation.". THOUGH NO MOTIVE was cited, investigators are sifting possible evidence that Chen assumed his older brother's identity and lived off the profit from real estate transactions. It's been nearly 20 years since someone murdered nine-year-old Jennifer Short and her parents. Nevertheless, she finally convinced authorities to start an investigation and helped them get in touch with Edwards ex-wife, Mandy Kolbe. I hope Eds rotting in his prison cell thinking about he did. Authorities eventually determined the murders occurred in the early morning hours of October 8, 2014. There are several prevailing theories as to what may have happened to the Chen family. Chen family killings Cheshire home invasion murders Chisolm Massacre Clutter family murders Darnell Collins Kevin Cooper (prisoner) 2011 Copley Township shooting Corbly Family massacre Manuel Martnez Coronado Covina massacre Cowden family murders Lugano District shootings D Dardeen family homicides Dawson murder case 2011 murder of the Ding family It was the first quadruple homicide to occur in New York's Capital District, the region surrounding Albany, the state capital. Interestingly, when Vickie called the police, she claimed that her ex, Edward Chen, was responsible for murdering the rest of his family. Earl Conrad Bramblett (March 20, 1942 April 9, 2003) was an American mass murderer, convicted for the killing of four members of the Hodges family in August 1994 in Vinton, Virginia. July 17, 2022 In a strange and surprising development, one Vickie Henry called the Fairfax County police department and claimed that she had information about the murders of Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond Chen. The triple murder case at a home in Great Falls involved the Chen family. Although Mandy and Edward kept meeting up in secret, he seemed to be in good spirits in August of 1995 and claimed that no one would stop them from living together ever again. Investigators have considered links to Chinese American organized crime; there is evidence the Chens may have been involved in illegal gambling and/or the human trafficking of undocumented immigrants from China. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan C. Thacher ruled last month that Chen's confession was inadmissible because he had told detectives "I don't want to talk about it" before relating details of the crime. I am going to my death having had a great life because of my two great sons, Mike and Doug. Anthony and Eddy Chen attended Guilderland Elementary School, where they were both described as happy and thoughtful students. After the boys deaths, the local school district created a memorial scholarship in their name to benefit a graduating senior going into a field of study related to the environment. No one had whispered it," he said. Fairfax County tax records indicate that while the family home changed hands in 2000 for $310,000, it is valued at $702,780 for tax purposes today. He killed his bother Raymond first, and shot him in the upper chest area. [10] Later it was reported that police had found 18 mattresses on the floor in the basement of the Chen house, further suggesting that the family had been involved in trafficking undocumented workers. However, they did not find any links to the Chen family or the murders. Vickie started becoming suspicious when she would get phone calls about a Raymond Chen, Eds brother.
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