GUILTY MI - Aundria Bowman, 14, murdered, Holland, 11 March 1989 *located 2020, adoptive father convicted*
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May 19, 1969 from the Muskegon Chronicle-Dennis Bowman had finished basic training in Great Lakes Training Center in IL The article stated he was home on leave but would be returning to IL to do further training in electronics.
Aundria62374
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Murdered by Dennis Lee Bowman. Brenda Bowman is guilty of allowing this to happen!
Aundria Bowman, age 14, Murdered 11 March 1989 in Holland, Michigan
imstilla.grandma
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Kim Payne, another friend of Aundria, also said in the documentary that Aundria’s adoptive mother was aware of at least some of the alleged abuse.
She shared one memory of a time she was at the Bowmans’ house for dinner. She said the rest of the family was eating hamburgers, but that Aundria was only allowed to eat a “leftover sandwich” consisting of bread and condiments.
“(Aundria) made a comment that that’s all she was allowed to eat … so Dennis came across the table, right in front of me, and hit her so hard he almost knocked her out of the chair,” Payne said. “She started bawling her eyes out, of course. Brenda sat there and did nothing about it.”
Brenda Bowman testified during Dennis Bowman’s 2021 trial that Aundria had confided that her father was molesting her. She said she called the allegations a “lie.”
www.today.com
She shared one memory of a time she was at the Bowmans’ house for dinner. She said the rest of the family was eating hamburgers, but that Aundria was only allowed to eat a “leftover sandwich” consisting of bread and condiments.
“(Aundria) made a comment that that’s all she was allowed to eat … so Dennis came across the table, right in front of me, and hit her so hard he almost knocked her out of the chair,” Payne said. “She started bawling her eyes out, of course. Brenda sat there and did nothing about it.”
Brenda Bowman testified during Dennis Bowman’s 2021 trial that Aundria had confided that her father was molesting her. She said she called the allegations a “lie.”
The shocking true story behind Netflix's 'Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter'
Cathy Terkanian embarked on a remarkable journey to find out what happened to her biological daughter.
www.today.com
chaddylex
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I watched the documentary last night. @Aundria62374 I am so glad you never stopped your fight for your daughter.
and @CarlK90245 thank you for being by Cathy's side.
@CarlK90245 I totally forgot that we thought that Aundria/Alexis could have been the Racine Jane doe until I watched the documentary last night. I also remember that huge spreadsheet you had of all the missing people.
What gets me at the end of the day is how can Brenda still love this man? He did so many evil things it seems like she will always make excuses for him. So sick.
and @CarlK90245 thank you for being by Cathy's side.
@CarlK90245 I totally forgot that we thought that Aundria/Alexis could have been the Racine Jane doe until I watched the documentary last night. I also remember that huge spreadsheet you had of all the missing people.
What gets me at the end of the day is how can Brenda still love this man? He did so many evil things it seems like she will always make excuses for him. So sick.
I think Brenda knew what was going on and behaved like a jealous wife rather than protecting a child she sometimes refers to as her daughter. I also believe in my heart she knew all the details. She put on a good show for LE but I didn't buy it. A woman truly heartbroken by finding out her husband raped and killed women and killed their daughter doesn't ever tell that man she loves him.Kim Payne, another friend of Aundria, also said in the documentary that Aundria’s adoptive mother was aware of at least some of the alleged abuse.
She shared one memory of a time she was at the Bowmans’ house for dinner. She said the rest of the family was eating hamburgers, but that Aundria was only allowed to eat a “leftover sandwich” consisting of bread and condiments.
“(Aundria) made a comment that that’s all she was allowed to eat … so Dennis came across the table, right in front of me, and hit her so hard he almost knocked her out of the chair,” Payne said. “She started bawling her eyes out, of course. Brenda sat there and did nothing about it.”
Brenda Bowman testified during Dennis Bowman’s 2021 trial that Aundria had confided that her father was molesting her. She said she called the allegations a “lie.”
The shocking true story behind Netflix's 'Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter'
Cathy Terkanian embarked on a remarkable journey to find out what happened to her biological daughter.
In looking at the information on the internet about the USS Vulcan, it's hard to say where he may have been other than VA during his time of service. In 1978, the last year he was on that boat, they did a maiden voyage of women with the men on that boat. I don't know if Dennis was still on the boat at that time. Also found that during the 70's, and it doesn't state exact dates, the USS Vulcan travelled to other countries. Repair Ship Photo Index (AR)
There is also a USS Vulcan Reunion page on FB. It might be worth putting a post on there looking for information from anyone who served during the years Dennis was there. Someone who was with him might be able to give a good timeline of when and where Dennis was.
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And back in 2000 I found an article about a USS Vulcan reunion. The person coordinating it put their phone number in there. Might worth a try. USS Vulcan AR-5 to hold reunion
annemc2
her name is Suzanne Marie Sevakis
Wow. This documentary was incredibly well done and very bittersweet. Many of us were familiar with the basics of Aundria's missing case for years as people attempted to match her with UIDs. Seeing all of the depth and horror beyond the superficial stories put out over the years was absolutely soul-shaking. It's maddening to think that this child was unwittingly placed into the arms of some of the sickest people on the planet, while the selfless intent was to give her the most promising life possible.
Cathy is an absolute BAMF and it was such a thrill to see Carl's involvement and the iconic WS background showing up on my tv! A lot of times after these documentaries, I'm left with my thoughts about the perpetrator and the punishment. Not this time. I'm just blown away by the confidence, passion, and persistence of all those involved who blew this case wide open and put Dennis right where he deserves to be (and not in Michigan)! I'm left with a sense of hope and trust that good people are out there and that working together we can do big things!
Cathy is an absolute BAMF and it was such a thrill to see Carl's involvement and the iconic WS background showing up on my tv! A lot of times after these documentaries, I'm left with my thoughts about the perpetrator and the punishment. Not this time. I'm just blown away by the confidence, passion, and persistence of all those involved who blew this case wide open and put Dennis right where he deserves to be (and not in Michigan)! I'm left with a sense of hope and trust that good people are out there and that working together we can do big things!
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I watched the Netflix documentary last night - first time I heard about this disappearance/murder. I read through the entire discussion as well. It's one of the most sickening murders I've read about - sickening to watch the documentary to the end.
It seems logical that Dennis Bowman's wife knew from the beginning that her husband murdered Alexis. That is, in part, supported by the fact that she was comfortable with his history of sexually assaulting girls and teens, she provided numerous false sighting after the murder, and she easily accepted what he did. My impression is that there is, or was, a mild version (if such a thing is possible) of folie a deux between husband and wife. That is, at some point Dennis viewed Alexis from a predatory perspective - perhaps when he returned home from prison. He gradually, in small steps (leftover sandwich) convinced his wife (of lower intelligence) that Alexis should be treated poorly, eventually justifying sexual assault. It's even possible that, after his wife became pregnant, she expected Alexis to step up to satisfy Dennis in order to protect the unexpected pregnancy. At each step towards increased abuse, his wife looked the other way; did nothing, seemed to agree with Dennis' persecution of Alexis.
When Alexis reported the sexual abuse to her adoptive mother and to the school, Dennis' wife was not only of the mindset that Alexis was a liar and a rotten child, but that she deserved what she received. I think that Dennis' wife was entirely dependent on Dennis for her identity. That is, if she went against Dennis, she would lose her lifestyle, emotional support, companionship, moral compass, and balance in life. When she finally seems to understand that Dennis sexually abused Alexis, murdered her, chopped her up with a machete and an axe, and buried her with dirty diapers, she sets that aside and acts as though nothing is wrong - presumably because she believes that it is what Alexis deserved.
His wife seems to have two personas - one for investigators, and another one for Dennis. With investigators, we almost believe that she sees her failings. The next minute, with her husband, we see that she continues to support him. Is that because she can feel pious and guilt free with him?
We see towards the end of the documentary that they are desperate to be together, to be able to regularly see each other in person. My impression is that they need validation from each other to believe that what they've done is acceptable. Dennis reveals the location of Alexis' body only because he expects that, in exchange for that information, he will imprisoned near his wife. He obviously didn't get anything in writing, since he did not get what he wanted.
I do wonder whether his wife always knew where Alexis was buried. Thank goodness for mother's intuition about the location of Alexis' body!
... this is an opinion based on the documentary.
It seems logical that Dennis Bowman's wife knew from the beginning that her husband murdered Alexis. That is, in part, supported by the fact that she was comfortable with his history of sexually assaulting girls and teens, she provided numerous false sighting after the murder, and she easily accepted what he did. My impression is that there is, or was, a mild version (if such a thing is possible) of folie a deux between husband and wife. That is, at some point Dennis viewed Alexis from a predatory perspective - perhaps when he returned home from prison. He gradually, in small steps (leftover sandwich) convinced his wife (of lower intelligence) that Alexis should be treated poorly, eventually justifying sexual assault. It's even possible that, after his wife became pregnant, she expected Alexis to step up to satisfy Dennis in order to protect the unexpected pregnancy. At each step towards increased abuse, his wife looked the other way; did nothing, seemed to agree with Dennis' persecution of Alexis.
When Alexis reported the sexual abuse to her adoptive mother and to the school, Dennis' wife was not only of the mindset that Alexis was a liar and a rotten child, but that she deserved what she received. I think that Dennis' wife was entirely dependent on Dennis for her identity. That is, if she went against Dennis, she would lose her lifestyle, emotional support, companionship, moral compass, and balance in life. When she finally seems to understand that Dennis sexually abused Alexis, murdered her, chopped her up with a machete and an axe, and buried her with dirty diapers, she sets that aside and acts as though nothing is wrong - presumably because she believes that it is what Alexis deserved.
His wife seems to have two personas - one for investigators, and another one for Dennis. With investigators, we almost believe that she sees her failings. The next minute, with her husband, we see that she continues to support him. Is that because she can feel pious and guilt free with him?
We see towards the end of the documentary that they are desperate to be together, to be able to regularly see each other in person. My impression is that they need validation from each other to believe that what they've done is acceptable. Dennis reveals the location of Alexis' body only because he expects that, in exchange for that information, he will imprisoned near his wife. He obviously didn't get anything in writing, since he did not get what he wanted.
I do wonder whether his wife always knew where Alexis was buried. Thank goodness for mother's intuition about the location of Alexis' body!
... this is an opinion based on the documentary.
I think the disturbing aspect is seeing into the mind and personality of Dennis Bowman and his wife.
When he believed that he could be imprisoned near his wife in exchange for information about Alexis, he said that she is deceased, but it was her fault. She was fighting with him, she fell down the stairs. He put her in a barrel, and left the cardboard barrel with the neighbour's garbage.
He was worried that Alexis' death would be connected with his criminal history of sexual assault against girls and teens. Alexis was 14 years old. It was so important for him to be near his wife that he would reveal another murder.
Then he added that he cut off her legs to fit her into the barrel. She was 5'5" tall. Next, he claimed that she is buried in a shroud covered with herbs, trying to make murder sound pious. He admitted that the barrel was first hidden on his rental property, and later moved to his owner-occupied property.
When found, she was buried with a lot of dirty diapers.
His wife said that she wanted Alexis close, and both she and her daughter emotionally pleaded with Dennis to not reveal the truth. He did reveal the truth, because he wanted to be near his wife. That was more important to him than letting his wife keep all of Alexis close.
He told his wife that she could put Alexis in a can on the shelf, but she knew that Alexis' mother wanted her remains. Can on the shelf rather than under the concrete behind the house.
Dennis cut Alexis in half, then his wife gave Alexis' mother half the remains. Rightly so she asked: which half, the top or the bottom. That treatment of Alexis' body alone strongly suggests that husband and wife think alike. A gracious person who loved Alexis would not cut her in half twice.
There was one thing Dennis said that jumped off the screen. Does anyone remember the exact wording?
When he believed that he could be imprisoned near his wife in exchange for information about Alexis, he said that she is deceased, but it was her fault. She was fighting with him, she fell down the stairs. He put her in a barrel, and left the cardboard barrel with the neighbour's garbage.
He was worried that Alexis' death would be connected with his criminal history of sexual assault against girls and teens. Alexis was 14 years old. It was so important for him to be near his wife that he would reveal another murder.
Then he added that he cut off her legs to fit her into the barrel. She was 5'5" tall. Next, he claimed that she is buried in a shroud covered with herbs, trying to make murder sound pious. He admitted that the barrel was first hidden on his rental property, and later moved to his owner-occupied property.
When found, she was buried with a lot of dirty diapers.
His wife said that she wanted Alexis close, and both she and her daughter emotionally pleaded with Dennis to not reveal the truth. He did reveal the truth, because he wanted to be near his wife. That was more important to him than letting his wife keep all of Alexis close.
He told his wife that she could put Alexis in a can on the shelf, but she knew that Alexis' mother wanted her remains. Can on the shelf rather than under the concrete behind the house.
Dennis cut Alexis in half, then his wife gave Alexis' mother half the remains. Rightly so she asked: which half, the top or the bottom. That treatment of Alexis' body alone strongly suggests that husband and wife think alike. A gracious person who loved Alexis would not cut her in half twice.
There was one thing Dennis said that jumped off the screen. Does anyone remember the exact wording?
- "The best lie is almost true"
The best lie is almost the true story ???
Thinking about that, and listening again to testimony from Dennis Bowman and his wife, might reveal where the truth deviates. The chronology of the evidence seems to paint a story that Dennis' wife was a church-going pious woman who didn't want her husband to confess to another murder that she logically should have known about. If she was pious, she would have encouraged him to confess and to identify the location of the body for the sake of the natural mother. She did the opposite. His wife enlisted their daughter to argue that he should not reveal that he murdered Alexis.
For his wife's sake, Dennis describes a pious murder-burial, and his wife wants to believe it. When did Dennis first tell his wife the pious version of Alexis' death? When she heard that Alexis was buried, she would have asked where she was buried. At first, he said a cemetery. When she asked where, he said "close". What's the timeline? Did she always know that Alexis's body was moved when they moved, and that Alexis was in a type of toxic sinkhole with dirty plastic diapers? Or did she imagine that she Alexis was sprinkled with herbs and cloves, wrapped in a shroud, and respectfully buried in a cemetery?
She wanted to keep Alexis close. She did not want Dennis to reveal that he murdered Alexis. Admitting that he murdered Alexis meant that his wife would lose control of Alexis.
It sounds like Dennis and his wife were flabbergasted that they were approved for adoption of a 10 month old baby girl. She was older than they wanted, and they may have been told that she had FAS, or other disability (upthread: Mondale). Her school performance expectations and records might have been low because she was "labeled" at birth.
No adults at her small community school or church believed her when she said that her adoptive-father became sexually abusive (1-3 years after prison release for sexual abuse of girls) and his wife was unexpectedly pregnant. Other adults, especially at her church, would have known that Dennis Bowman had been in prison for sex assault on girls when Alexis was younger. Why didn't they believe Alexis? They should have known his history since his wife was a pious attendee at church (during his incarceration). Why didn't the school believe Alexis? Was she labelled at birth?
Her friends believed her, and they all knew that no one could help her. Friends advised her to run away, but adults returned her to the abuser. When she was murdered by her abuser, police documented her disappearance such that she was the suspect, and the murderer was the victim.
The rental house that was demolished ... why was it demolished? There must have been a very bloody crime scene in that house. Based on what Dennis did in Virginia to the young wife of a military pilot, there must have been a lot of blood at Alexis' murder. Only the purple coat was missing and money from the baby's drawer? I doubt it, and I think Dennis' wife knew it. I think she knew right away that he murdered her. Did she advise him to phone police, report Alexis missing as a thief? What's the timeline of him knocking her down the stairs and phone call to police? At what time did his wife arrive home?
What is the relationship between Dennis Bowman and the owner of the property where he murdered Alexis? Why was the house demolished? It looked like a solid house, then it was demolished and replaced with a fruit stand.
Thinking about that, and listening again to testimony from Dennis Bowman and his wife, might reveal where the truth deviates. The chronology of the evidence seems to paint a story that Dennis' wife was a church-going pious woman who didn't want her husband to confess to another murder that she logically should have known about. If she was pious, she would have encouraged him to confess and to identify the location of the body for the sake of the natural mother. She did the opposite. His wife enlisted their daughter to argue that he should not reveal that he murdered Alexis.
For his wife's sake, Dennis describes a pious murder-burial, and his wife wants to believe it. When did Dennis first tell his wife the pious version of Alexis' death? When she heard that Alexis was buried, she would have asked where she was buried. At first, he said a cemetery. When she asked where, he said "close". What's the timeline? Did she always know that Alexis's body was moved when they moved, and that Alexis was in a type of toxic sinkhole with dirty plastic diapers? Or did she imagine that she Alexis was sprinkled with herbs and cloves, wrapped in a shroud, and respectfully buried in a cemetery?
She wanted to keep Alexis close. She did not want Dennis to reveal that he murdered Alexis. Admitting that he murdered Alexis meant that his wife would lose control of Alexis.
It sounds like Dennis and his wife were flabbergasted that they were approved for adoption of a 10 month old baby girl. She was older than they wanted, and they may have been told that she had FAS, or other disability (upthread: Mondale). Her school performance expectations and records might have been low because she was "labeled" at birth.
No adults at her small community school or church believed her when she said that her adoptive-father became sexually abusive (1-3 years after prison release for sexual abuse of girls) and his wife was unexpectedly pregnant. Other adults, especially at her church, would have known that Dennis Bowman had been in prison for sex assault on girls when Alexis was younger. Why didn't they believe Alexis? They should have known his history since his wife was a pious attendee at church (during his incarceration). Why didn't the school believe Alexis? Was she labelled at birth?
Her friends believed her, and they all knew that no one could help her. Friends advised her to run away, but adults returned her to the abuser. When she was murdered by her abuser, police documented her disappearance such that she was the suspect, and the murderer was the victim.
The rental house that was demolished ... why was it demolished? There must have been a very bloody crime scene in that house. Based on what Dennis did in Virginia to the young wife of a military pilot, there must have been a lot of blood at Alexis' murder. Only the purple coat was missing and money from the baby's drawer? I doubt it, and I think Dennis' wife knew it. I think she knew right away that he murdered her. Did she advise him to phone police, report Alexis missing as a thief? What's the timeline of him knocking her down the stairs and phone call to police? At what time did his wife arrive home?
What is the relationship between Dennis Bowman and the owner of the property where he murdered Alexis? Why was the house demolished? It looked like a solid house, then it was demolished and replaced with a fruit stand.
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Hello I am new here, this show and case is what brought me here. What a terribly sad story. I used to do skip tracing years ago and this show sort of kicked my interest back up, I probably missed my calling as a detective somewhere along the way. Not quite sure where to start on the site but I will figure it out!
iamshadow21
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Welcome to Websleuths!
Lyanna
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I watched the documentary about Alexis, I'm so sorry for your loss and what you have been through to get justice for her x
(PS hugs to Metta)
Awakening
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I hadn’t heard of this case but just finished watching this fantastic documentary. So many emotions and extremely well done.
I have much admiration for Cathy, her partner, the police and Carl for their dedication.
I have nothing nice to say about Dennis and Brenda Bowman.
I have much admiration for Cathy, her partner, the police and Carl for their dedication.
I have nothing nice to say about Dennis and Brenda Bowman.