MI MI- William Parsons, 70 & sisters, Hilda, 80, & Monica "Lenore", 68, murdered, Livonia, 23 July 1964

[Richard]

Bumping this 1964 unsolved triple murder case up. It will soon be 60 years old.

 

[Snoopster]

Bumping this 1964 unsolved triple murder case up. It will soon be 60 years old.

Such an intriguing case!

The fact that William Parsons had just been released from prison for providing abortions could very well be related to the murders. And, his sister also worked at the 'chiropractic clinic'. Was someone angry with them for the type of services they provided?

I recently read the book, "Looking for Jane". It's excellent. It's fictional history about motherhood, adoption, unwed mothers' homes and the abortion movement back in the early 1960s (and subsequent). I highly recommend it.

Other possible motives:
- as others mentioned, revenge by the blackmailers from 15 years prior.
- searching medical records (an angry 'partner' of a woman who had an abortion looking for evidence?)
- robbery (drugs?)
- disgruntled family member who either disagrees with the nature of the family business or who is impatiently waiting for an inheritance.

 

[Melquiades]

Such an intriguing case!

The fact that William Parsons had just been released from prison for providing abortions could very well be related to the murders. And, his sister also worked at the 'chiropractic clinic'. Was someone angry with them for the type of services they provided?

I recently read the book, "Looking for Jane". It's excellent. It's fictional history about motherhood, adoption, unwed mothers' homes and the abortion movement back in the early 1960s (and subsequent). I highly recommend it.

Other possible motives:
- as others mentioned, revenge by the blackmailers from 15 years prior.
- searching medical records (an angry 'partner' of a woman who had an abortion looking for evidence?)
- robbery (drugs?)
- disgruntled family member who either disagrees with the nature of the family business or who is impatiently waiting for an inheritance.

Yeah, when some otherwise unremarkable elderly people who happen to run an underground abortion clinic end up getting murdered it’s hard not to think that that’s the reason.

Especially when their case had recently been in the papers with the brother’s arrest.

Catching murderers who probably didn’t know the victims after 60 years is probably pretty unlikely, though. Wonder if there was any other anti-abortion violence in the Detroit area at this time.

 

[Richard]

This month marks the 60 year anniversary of this unsolved triple murder.

 

[Richard]

60 years ago...

Because William Parsons had only recently been released from prison, and because the triple murder took place inside his home, it would seem that he was specifically targeted.

He might have met his killer in prison, and became a target for robbery. Or maybe he was attacked out of revenge by someone who had to wait for him to get released.

It is possible that he knew the killer or killers and that they were allowed into the house after the dog was put in the basement. Ransacking the house might mean they were searching for something. The sisters might have been killed first as a way to get William Parsons to talk or give up something.

This case is one that should be looked into again with an eye to who Parsons interacted with while in prison, and also where earlier blackmail perpetrators were at the time of the murders.

 

[Richard]

60 years ago today William Parsons and his two sisters, Hilda and Monica were murdered in their Livonia, Michigan home.

Who killed them, and why?

 

[Richard]

This cold case remains unsolved 60 years after three people were brutally murdered.

If you have any tips or information pass it on to the Michigan State Police Cold Case Task Force at:
(517) 336-7782

 

[Betty P]

It is possible that he knew the killer or killers and that they were allowed into the house after the dog was put in the basement. Ransacking the house might mean they were searching for something. The sisters might have been killed first as a way to get William Parsons to talk or give up something.

Good point. It's possible someone he knew in prison or on the outside thought Parsons had, for example, a safe full of money and threatened to kill the sisters if he didn't reveal and open the safe. Somewhat like the Clutter Family murders in KS where the killers finally realized there was no safe full of money and killed the family out of anger and to punish them.

 

[Richard]

Bumping this thread up.

 

[Richard]

Peter Jacobs, body builder from a 1947 magazine cover.

Peter Jacobs, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, had been arrested and charged (in January 1949) with extorting money from Dr. William Parsons in 1948 and 1949. The scheme involved forged documents alleging that Dr. Parsons had treated Jacobs' wife with medical procedures or practices which caused her to be hospitalized.

Jacobs was charged in a separate 1949 blackmailing scheme along with three other men:

Robert Markland, 21, of Laurenceburg, Indiana

Ernest Betke, 21, of Fessenden, North Dakota

Eddie Hill, 28, of Detroit, Michigan

In serving arrest warrants on Jacobs, police discovered $20,000 in stolen auto parts at Jacobs' home. Presumably, this led to further legal charges against him.

According to Eddie Hill, Jacobs was the ring leader of the 1949 extortion attempt, and he told police that Jacobs had ordered him (Hill) to beat Dr. Parsons when they got the money from him. Jacobs therefore included physical force and injury in his plans.

In July 1964, Peter Jacobs certainly may have felt that Dr. Parsons had set him up in the past. Might he have been trying, again, to extort money from Parsons? Or might he have been looking for revenge of some sort?

To subdue and suffocate three people, would indicate a person - or persons - of considerable strength.

LINKS:

Clipping from Detroit Free Press - Newspapers.com

more extortion - Newspapers.com

Where was Peter Jacobs at the time of this triple murder?