MI - NEW NETFLIX SERIES - Aundria Bowman, 14, murdered, Holland, 11 March 1989 *located 2020, adoptive father convicted*

[Nikynoo]

I don’t think we’ll ever know the complete truth about what happened that day. I do not believe the version of how Alexis died. Was the autopsy able to determine a cause of death? Did any of the autopsy findings support the version of events given?

 

[CarlK90245]

I don’t think we’ll ever know the complete truth about what happened that day. I do not believe the version of how Alexis died. Was the autopsy able to determine a cause of death? Did any of the autopsy findings support the version of events given?

The autopsy reports didn't confirm or refute prisoner 2063396's version of her cause of death. However, the examination of her bones did reveal that she was dismembered with a hatchet or axe. her bones showed postmortem scarring caused by chopping-type cuts. And the fact that her remains were in four separate bags shows that he did not just "cut her legs off".

 

[CarlK90245]

Another interesting factoid that we discovered, that had no relevance to Aundria/Alexis, but interesting nevertheless.

Meet Brenda's second cousin - Conrad Engweiler.

Conrad Engweiler, who killed Sunset High School classmate, released from prison

Conrad Engweiler, 40, has been released from prison after serving more than 24 years for the slaying of Erin Tonna Reynolds, 16.

www.oregonlive.com

Very early on in my research, I was looking into him as a potential alternate explanation for her disappearance. But I quickly ruled that out, as there is no reason to believe that Brenda (or Brenda's close family) even knew him. Brenda's first-cousin, who appeared in the film, didn't know him. Conrad lived in Oregon - very far from Michigan. But he is her second-cousin.

 

[Aundria62374]

I don’t think we’ll ever know the complete truth about what happened that day. I do not believe the version of how Alexis died. Was the autopsy able to determine a cause of death? Did any of the autopsy findings support the version of events given?

Police described Kathleen Doyle's murder as over kill. NO doubt that is what happened to my daughter Alexis..over kill.

 

[iamshadow21]

The autopsy reports didn't confirm or refute prisoner 2063396's version of her cause of death. However, the examination of her bones did reveal that she was dismembered with a hatchet or axe. her bones showed postmortem scarring caused by chopping-type cuts. And the fact that her remains were in four separate bags shows that he did not just "cut her legs off".

Yeah, the moment they said four bags, I knew it had been far more extensive.

Still lying. Will probably lie until he dies.

MOO

 

[ssarahbg]

I mentioned this on another thread but after watching, it really gave me an eerie feeling about the Morgan Nick’s case and that red camper truck. The story Metta told was so similar to the details from Morgan’s case. And Bowman’s mugshot comparison to the sketch from that case just adds to it. It’s far off in physical distance but he committed crimes in multiple places on the US.

 

[otto]

Thank you ... I didn't realize that she went to school on Saturday for band practice. That clarifies Dennis Bowman's tape recorded statement.

Allegedly, Alexis was at home, alive and well, before Dennis drove his wife for second shift at work on Saturday. I'm guessing that "second shift" is 3-11pm. On Saturday, same day, he reported Alexis as a runaway thief. His wife would have been at work at that time.

If it is confirmed that Alexis was at band practice, that suggests that she was attacked after band and before Dennis drove his wife to work for "second shift"? Is that 2-3 hours that Alexis was supposedly doing homework? Was her homework completed?

Did dismemberment happen while Dennis' wife was at work? She last saw Alexis at home. Dennis reported her missing later that day while his wife was at work. Alexis' body was found decades later at a different family home. When the wife returned from work, she said that Alexis was a thief and runaway.

If Alexis was free to run, free to join friends for bowling, while Dennis was away, why didn't she leave? She wasn't babysitting. He had sexually abused her in the past. If she was free to leave, she would have gone while he was driving his wife to work with the baby. Alexis would have known that if she was home alone with him for 8 hours, she would be victimized.

If she couldn't do that, couldn't leave while her adoptive parents and baby half-sister were away, it means that she was unable to leave the house before his wife went to work. It means that Alexis was unable to look after the baby - something she regularly did. That means his wife is complicit.

Was Alexis confined before Dennis drove his wife to work? His story is that she got-away ran-away before he got home. The reality is that she was found buried in his backyard. She didn't run away. What does Dennis' wife know about Alexis final hours?

She decided that Alexis was unable to look after the baby, that Alexis should "do homework" instead, even though she was going bowling later that evening. She decided that Alexis should be charged with larceny as an adopted-child runaway. She knows that Alexis would have left the house while Dennis was away if she could because she knew that Dennis was sexually assaulting Alexis.

I think Dennis' wife knew from the beginning that Dennis murdered Alexis, and that she cunningly manipulated her husband to keep the body close, allege larceny, keep quiet regarding confessions, forfeit jailhouse privilege, and keep allegations as far away from her as possible.

Trying to understand the role of Dennis' wife in the big picture ...

 

[Nikynoo]

Police described Kathleen Doyle's murder as over kill. NO doubt that is what happened to my daughter Alexis..over kill.

Yes, I suspect this also.

 

[Nikynoo]

Thank you ... I didn't realize that she went to school on Saturday for band practice. That clarifies Dennis Bowman's tape recorded statement.

Allegedly, Alexis was at home, alive and well, before Dennis drove his wife for second shift at work on Saturday. I'm guessing that "second shift" is 3-11pm. On Saturday, same day, he reported Alexis as a runaway thief. His wife would have been at work at that time.

If it is confirmed that Alexis was at band practice, that suggests that she was attacked after band and before Dennis drove his wife to work for "second shift"? Is that 2-3 hours that Alexis was supposedly doing homework? Was her homework completed?

Did dismemberment happen while Dennis' wife was at work? She last saw Alexis at home. Dennis reported her missing later that day while his wife was at work. Alexis' body was found decades later at a different family home. When the wife returned from work, she said that Alexis was a thief and runaway.

If Alexis was free to run, free to join friends for bowling, while Dennis was away, why didn't she leave? She wasn't babysitting. He had sexually abused her in the past. If she was free to leave, she would have gone while he was driving his wife to work with the baby. Alexis would have known that if she was home alone with him for 8 hours, she would be victimized.

If she couldn't do that, couldn't leave while her adoptive parents and baby half-sister were away, it means that she was unable to leave the house before his wife went to work. It means that Alexis was unable to look after the baby - something she regularly did. That means his wife is complicit.

Was Alexis confined before Dennis drove his wife to work? His story is that she got-away ran-away before he got home. The reality is that she was found buried in his backyard. She didn't run away. What does Dennis' wife know about Alexis final hours?

She decided that Alexis was unable to look after the baby, that Alexis should "do homework" instead, even though she was going bowling later that evening. She decided that Alexis should be charged with larceny as an adopted-child runaway. She knows that Alexis would have left the house while Dennis was away if she could because she knew that Dennis was sexually assaulting Alexis.

I think Dennis' wife knew from the beginning that Dennis murdered Alexis, and that she cunningly manipulated her husband to keep the body close, allege larceny, keep quiet regarding confessions, forfeit jailhouse privilege, and keep allegations as far away from her as possible.

Trying to understand the role of Dennis' wife in the big picture ...

What job did Brenda have at that time? Where was the job located? and what was her usual shift pattern? what are the timings of her 'first' shift? Were any of her co-workers interviewed?

If I am following your reasoning correctly, Alexis could not look after Vanessa for the second shift because she was already dead? That means she was killed either during Brenda's 'first' shift (and was not at home when Brenda returned) or during the time Brenda was home. I am wondering how Brenda got home from her first shift - was she picked up by her husband? Was Vanessa with them then?

 

[CarlK90245]

Linda B - the woman who appeared in the documentary is the mother of Alexis' friend Beth, who was also in the band. Beth passed away from ovarian cancer in 2000 at the age of 26.

But Linda recounted to us an incident where they were all at a band practice, and they were preparing for a performance that was to take place later that day. Linda was there helping them out with their uniforms.

Linda told us that Brenda barged into the room, and started screaming at Alexis, humiliating Alexis in front of her peers. Apparently, Brenda was pissed off at Alexis because they had bought Alexis a flute, and Alexis continued using a school-issued flute.

Brenda then took Alexis by the arm and they left the practice, and Alexis wasn't allowed to participate in the performance. Linda wasn't quite sure exactly when this occurred, but she says it was the last time she ever saw Alexis.

 

[CarlK90245]

What job did Brenda have at that time? Where was the job located? and what was her usual shift pattern? what are the timings of her 'first' shift? Were any of her co-workers interviewed?

If I am following your reasoning correctly, Alexis could not look after Vanessa for the second shift because she was already dead? That means she was killed either during Brenda's 'first' shift (and was not at home when Brenda returned) or during the time Brenda was home. I am wondering how Brenda got home from her first shift - was she picked up by her husband? Was Vanessa with them then?

Brenda worked at a liquor store called "Lincolnshire Party & Deli". They did catering back then, and had a sandwich counter. It was located at 1080 Lincoln Ave at the time,

The business was sold since then, and it is now located on 1110 Lincoln Avenue in Holland. They no longer have a deli counter. It is basically a party supplies store.

 

[CarlK90245]

We were told by one of her friends that she was "invited" to meet friends at the bowling alley that evening, and they were disappointed that she didn't show up. There is a lot of doubt in my mind, given her home situation, that she would have been allowed to go there. But this friend told us that when the word got out that she had "run away", a rumor quickly developed that she had boarded a truck with a trucker and left town. This friend immediately thought the story suspicious. This person was so alarmed at the story that he went to the Tulip City Truck stop, just up the road from Alexis' home, and asked everyone there if they had seen her.

 

[CarlK90245]

Another thing that didn't get a lot of discussion was that I spent quite a lot of time looking for alternate explanations despite that prisoner 2063396 was the obvious suspect.

We got ahold of some of the police reports that detailed all of Brenda's calls to the Allegan County Sheriff's office to report alleged sightings of Alexis. One entry indicated that she was seen with two brothers (Ronald and Roger W), who were registered sex offenders. The entry referenced a woman named Rose V, who had said that this runaway teen had bleached her hair blonde and a second woman said that she appeared to be pregnant. That was the same description that was stated by the woman who allegedly saw Alexis in the checkout line of a Mejier store on October 6, 1989.

I was able to find a contact number for Rose V, and spoke with her on the phone. Rose indicated that she very clearly remembered the runaway teen girl who was pregnant and had bleach blonde hair who was associating with the W brothers. Rose stated that she last saw that girl on October 29, 1989. She remembered the date because it was Rose's father's birthday. Rose said that the police showed up and arrested the teen girl. Rose said that she (Rose) was a tall woman (5 feet 10 inches tall), and this girl was taller than Rose. At that point, it was very clear that there was a bleached blonde pregnant runaway girl at the time, but she wasn't Alexis.

 

[Nikynoo]

Another thing that didn't get a lot of discussion was that I spent quite a lot of time looking for alternate explanations despite that prisoner 2063396 was the obvious suspect.

We got ahold of some of the police reports that detailed all of Brenda's calls to the Allegan County Sheriff's office to report alleged sightings of Alexis. One entry indicated that she was seen with two brothers (Ronald and Roger W), who were registered sex offenders. The entry referenced a woman named Rose V, who had said that this runaway teen had bleached her hair blonde and a second woman said that she appeared to be pregnant. That was the same description that was stated by the woman who allegedly saw Alexis in the checkout line of a Mejier store on October 6, 1989.

I was able to find a contact number for Rose V, and spoke with her on the phone. Rose indicated that she very clearly remembered the runaway teen girl who was pregnant and had bleach blonde hair who was associating with the W brothers. Rose stated that she last saw that girl on October 29, 1989. She remembered the date because it was Rose's father's birthday. Rose said that the police showed up and arrested the teen girl. Rose said that she (Rose) was a tall woman (5 feet 10 inches tall), and this girl was taller than Rose. At that point, it was very clear that there was a bleached blonde pregnant runaway girl at the time, but she wasn't Alexis.

Thanks Carl, much appreciated. I've located the plea deal agreement for Kathleen's case, was there something similar for this case or any case materials released by LE?

 

[CarlK90245]

I would think the court transcripts are probably available if you are willing to pay for them. We have video clips of all of the court hearings. But I don't know if ACSD investigation records are available via FOIA.

 

[CarlK90245]

And another thing that I forgot to mention. DB made the comment in one of the recorded interviews that Alexis stuck her fist through the window of the front door, allegedly because she was mad at Brenda.

One of the people who contacted us on facebook said that he remembers one day that she boarded the school bus with her wrist dripping blood. He said that initially, all the kids thought she had attempted suicide, but he later found out that she had been locked out of the house in the middle of the winter, and broke the window to get back in.

They were very likely talking about the same incident