In 1971, John List shocked the nation when he brutally murdered his wife, mother, and three children before disappearing for nearly two decades.
Despite appearing to be a model son, husband, and father, List’s life took a dark turn after losing his job as an accountant at the age of 46.
Unable to face the shame of unemployment, List resorted to embezzling funds from his mother’s bank accounts to maintain appearances and pay the mortgage.
Refusing to rely on welfare, List’s desperation led him to conceive a horrifying solution: the murder of his family.
On a fateful day in late 1971, List took the lives of his wife, Helen, their three children, Patricia, John, and Frederick, and his elderly mother, Alma.
The killings were methodical, with each victim being shot one by one.
List shot his wife in the kitchen while she innocently enjoyed her morning coffee.
He then proceeded to murder his mother in her bed on the third floor.
List waited for Patricia to return home from school and killed her upon her arrival.
Finally, he took the life of his youngest son, Frederick.
After committing these heinous acts, List composed a note to his pastor explaining his actions as a means to ensure his family’s safe passage to heaven.
In an attempt to throw off the authorities, List meticulously cleaned the crime scenes, removed his image from all photographs in the mansion, and canceled deliveries while leaving lights and religious hymns playing throughout the empty house.
He even slept in the mansion alongside the bodies of his deceased loved ones before vanishing the next morning.
For 18 years, List managed to evade capture.
However, in 1989, New Jersey prosecutors devised a plan to finally bring him to justice.
With the help of forensic artist Frank Bender, a physical bust of List was created to represent how he might have aged.
This bust was featured on the popular TV show America’s Most Wanted, attracting an audience of 22 million viewers.
A tip from a woman in Richmond, Virginia, led authorities to Robert Clark, List’s new identity.
Clark bore a striking resemblance to the bust and shared similarities with List, such as being an accountant and attending church.
Subsequently, List was arrested, bringing an end to the 18-year-long mystery.
During his trial in 1990, defense lawyers argued that List suffered from PTSD due to his military service, while psychologists believed he was experiencing a mid-life crisis.
However, the jury found him guilty, and List was sentenced to five life terms in prison.
List’s motivations for the murders came to light in an interview with Connie Chung in 2002.
He revealed that he did not take his own life after killing his family because he believed it would hinder his chances of reaching heaven and reuniting with them.
List passed away in prison in 2008 at the age of 82.
The memory of List’s horrific crimes continues to haunt the residents of Westfield, New Jersey.
The mansion where the murders took place burned down several months later, and a new house now stands in its place.
Parents in the area still express unease, with many refusing to walk past the property or even live on the same street.
