When Ivan and Annette Stineman disappeared from their home in Concord, California in the summer of 2000, it immediately raised red alarmed with those closest to the elderly couple. Those alarms proved to be justified when, a week later, the remains of the Stinemans and three others were discovered in duffel bags in Sacramento River Delta.

The day after the remains were found in river, investigators arrested Taylor and Justin Helzer, and Justin’s girlfriend, Dawn Godman, for the murders of Ivan and Annette Stineman. A short time later, they would also be charged with the murders of Taylor’s girlfriend, Selina Bishop, her mother, Jenny Villarin, and Villarin’s boyfriend, Jim Gamble.

At first, investigators believed the murders were part of a plot to extort the Stinemans for a large amount of money, but the deeper they dug into the lives and backgrounds of the killers, a different and far more bizarre motive began to emerge.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Aguila, Justino. 2000. "Boyfriend probed in homicides." San Francisco Examiner, August 7: 3.

Bulwa, Demian. 2004. "Killer lays out grisly details of murder spree." San Francisco Chronicle, May 28.

Kim, Ryan. 2000. "Double slaying rattles Marin town." San Francisco Examiner, August 4: 16.

Lee, Henry K. 2013. "Justin Helzer hangs himself in prison." San Francisco Chronicle, April 16.

People of the State of California v. Helzer. 2024. S132256 (Supreme Court of California, January 22).

Read, Simon. 2004. "Jury finds Helzer guilty of murder." East Bay Times, June 17.

San Francisco Examiner. 2000. "Delta body parts identified ." San Francisco Examiner, August 9.

—. 2000. "Elvin Bishop's daughter missing." San Francisco Examiner, August 5: 3.

Scott, Robert. 2005. Unholy Sacrifice. New York, NY: Pinnacle Books.

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142: The Power of Play (Justin Gitlin)