The Hi-Fi murders in Ogden

[markg91359]

Originally Posted by Mtn. States Resident

I remember too. I was young and frightened everytime we had to go through Ogden. I feel nauseated just thinking about it.

markg, have you posted this in True Crimes? You might get some additional info there. Besides, the jury is getting the MacNeill case today. I appreciated your question you posted in that thread.

UT has had some famous sociopaths. Very sad to me.

MSR

MSR, its a difficult topic for me. Its a vicious crime that occurred in a small community and, as I said, I had met at least one of the victims. There is much more I could say about what happened, but I can't be a 100% certain on some details and it would approach the level of gossip. Stanley Walker's father, Orren Walker, was in a horrible situation. The appeals process for Andrews and Selby dragged on for years. I believe it was 13 years for Selby and about 18 years for Andrews. Orren frequently was called during the trial as a witness and later had to testify against both Selby and Andrews when they sought commutation of their death sentences before the Board of Pardons. I cannot imagine having to constantly relive that experience. Yet, Orren did so on any number of occasions. It affected him badly in ways I won't describe out of respect for him and his family. Even driving by that crime scene (it was downtown) was hard. I will relate that the Hi Fi Shop moved across the street and actually purchased a building from my father than he owned. The emotions this crime raised in the community were extreme. I think many people would like to take back some of their behavior from this period.

In short, I have no desire to know more about this crime or seek more details. Honestly, I wish it was possible to forget it. Many, many people in our community were traumatized.

Originally Posted by Katzpur

I, too, remember the whole thing very, very well. Thanks for the update and additional info, Mark.

Yw. Its amazing what's locked in our minds from the past.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by markg91359

MSR, its a difficult topic for me. Its a vicious crime that occurred in a small community and, as I said, I had met at least one of the victims. There is much more I could say about what happened, but I can't be a 100% certain on some details and it would approach the level of gossip. Stanley Walker's father, Orren Walker, was in a horrible situation. The appeals process for Andrews and Selby dragged on for years. I believe it was 13 years for Selby and about 18 years for Andrews. Orren frequently was called during the trial as a witness and later had to testify against both Selby and Andrews when they sought commutation of their death sentences before the Board of Pardons. I cannot imagine having to constantly relive that experience. Yet, Orren did so on any number of occasions. It affected him badly in ways I won't describe out of respect for him and his family. Even driving by that crime scene (it was downtown) was hard. I will relate that the Hi Fi Shop moved across the street and actually purchased a building from my father than he owned. The emotions this crime raised in the community were extreme. I think many people would like to take back some of their behavior from this period.

In short, I have no desire to know more about this crime or seek more details. Honestly, I wish it was possible to forget it. Many, many people in our community were traumatized.



Yes. Its amazing what's locked in our minds from the past.

I understand, Mark. My knowledge of one part of MacNeill (and my subsequent silence) pre-dates me joining CDF.

These crimes rob everyone of a sense of decency and goodness of humanity. But the vicious ones really can cause PTSD symptoms in many.

MSR

[Disgope]

Our family lived there, in N. Ogden at the time, it was a horrific story. Made headline news then. Forced them to drink acid which would have killed them anyways, then they shot them all. They all deserved the death penalty, even the van driver. Death to them all. I would have executed them myeslf. FYI.

Originally Posted by GM1258

Does anyone remember this horrific case from back in 70's??
I'm doing some research into criminal histories of various backrounds.
In April of 1974 five people in a stereo shop in the vicinity of downtown Ogden
were brutally tortured, raped, shot, and left for dead...three died at the scene
and two survived with lifelong disabling injuries & trauma.
The perpetrators were three airmen assigned to the 75th ABW at Hill AFB a few miles south of town.
I was in the Air Force myself at the time stationed at Kirtland AFB, NM.
I knew two fellow airmen assigned to Hill right out of tech school from Lowry AFB in Denver.
Word quickly spread throughout the Air Force CONUS commands re: the incident.
Everyone within the AF community had heard about it soon enough.

Of the three airmen convicted two were eventually executed at the Utah State Prison complex in Darby.
The third airman (who sat outside in the 'getaway' van) was convicted of robbery and paroled in 1987.
The Ogden Police Dept always believed there were two vans with a total of six perpetrators.
Not just the one van containing the three airmen (two of whom committed the actual murders).
The police felt there was never enough evidence to charge the suspects in the second van.
I'm halfway thru a book on this subject and so far the author fails to ID the occupants of the 2nd van
or if they were ever charged with complicity in the crime.
I can't find anymore information about them.
Does anyone know if they were ever charged or did they simply walk away scot free and still
on the loose to this day??

[kaymcl]

It went downhill fast? Are you for real with that? Shows the fear and exaggeration of the typical insulated American.

Originally Posted by dcisive

I remember those murders as the ONLY one's that occurred during my first 3 years living in Utah before I moved out the 1st time. Nobody believes me when I tell them how crime free Utah was back in the middle to late 70's. It wasn't until the gang influx and growth that it went downhill fast in the 80's. Sad really, but others will just say it had to be......

[Geo-Aggie]

Originally Posted by dcisive

I remember those murders as the ONLY one's that occurred during my first 3 years living in Utah before I moved out the 1st time. Nobody believes me when I tell them how crime free Utah was back in the middle to late 70's. It wasn't until the gang influx and growth that it went downhill fast in the 80's. Sad really, but others will just say it had to be......

Nobody believes you because the statistics don't back up your claims
Utah Crime Rates 1960 - 2013

The Hi-Fi Murders happened in 1974. That year there were 34 additional murders in the state of Utah. Five years later, in 1979, there were a total of 66. In 2013 there were 49. When you factor in the population of Utah more than doubling since 1979... that really says a lot about the decrease in violent crime Utah has experienced since "the good ol' days."

[CCSLC]

Don't waste your typing, Geo-Aggie.

dcisive likes to make up statistics, particularly crime-related statistics, in an attempt to give his biased personal observances more validity than they deserve. Though the post you reference is now two years old, just last year on this forum, he claimed there was only one murder in Utah from 1978 to 1981.

When presented with a list of particularly high-profile murders from that time... he changed the subject. To another completely unsubstantiated "factual" claim, of course.

[Geo-Aggie]

Originally Posted by CCSLC

...Though the post you reference is now two years old...

Bah, someone necro'd the thread. I'm so bad at falling for that. Haha, thanks for the heads up though.