Easter Sunday Terror

Tustin, California: Easter, 2 April 1961:

My home in Tustin at 10341 Ladera Senda, Santa Ana, was located in foothills of Tustin, the Cowan Heights neighborhood. The property sat on the crest of the hill. We had a 360 degree view, a six bedroom home with housekeeper quarters, a swimming pool, three car garage, and horse stable with two horses. There had been quite a bit of publicity in the newspapers concerning my father's business, Trust Deed and Mortgage Exchange, so it was no secret that we were well off.

I was ten years old. We were spending a quiet Easter Sunday evening at home, watching some dolphins perform on the television. I think they were playing ball with a baseball team in Florida. I quickly forgot what was on the TV when we heard a knock at the front door and my mother went to answer it.

She opened the door and found two guns pointing at her. The men pushed the door open and walked into the house! My mother immediately fainted, slipping unconsciously onto the slate floor. One would have thought our two watch dogs, a German shepherd named Blitzkreig, and a collie named Duchess, would have rushed to my parents defense. Instead they did not bark. They did not bite. They did nothing!

My father asked what the men wanted. They snarled, "You know what we want!" My father explained that, no, he didn't know, but maybe they could settle it without alarming the whole family. [Too late. We were alarmed! My mother having stirred, was alarmed as well.] They demanded my father's money. My father explained he was smart and didn't store his money at home.

Riley remembers he had been sitting in the family room next to the gun cabinet. Hearing the commotion, he took a shotgun out of the cabinet (he was about age 15), then thought better of it and put the gun back. This was an inspired decision as the robbers were under the influence of drugs, both had guns, and if they'd seen Riley with a shotgun pointed at them, they may have freaked and opened fire on us all.

Determined to find money, the robbers rounded up all six of us children and my mother, ushered us through the master bedroom, and into the master bathroom. The master bathroom had no outside entrance, no windows for escape, but the robbers kept poking their head and gun in the door and counting noses to make sure we were all still there. My brother and I were ready to give up our new bicycles if they'd just leave. Mother gathered us around, we knelt, and prayed for protection.

After our prayer, we listened to the discussion going on in the master bedroom. They said they wouldn't hesitate to slit our throats if my dad didn't give them what they wanted! The bathroom door opened, one of the robbers stuck his head in and told my mom to come out. Dad continued to explain that he had no great sums of money at home. Unbeknownst to me, my father had in fact withdrawn $10,000 from the bank sometime prior to this night of terror, and the cash was stashed in a large paper bag in a cupboard at the top of a floor to ceiling built in bank of drawers! My mother knew about the cash. She was ready to give it to them, but dad gave her a look that told her he did not want the location revealed. So, she remained silent.

They roughed up my dad a lot, kicking and punching him until he was black and blue from his waist to his knees. They ransacked the room. They opened cupboards and drawers and dumped the contents of every drawer onto the floor. They found in my dad's desk his credit cards, check books, and drivers' license. They found my mother's jewelry.

Next, they made my dad and mom lie on the bed, then taped their hands and feet. As they were tying my mother's hands, they spotted her wedding rings and took them off her finger.
While one held the hostages, the other scoured the house. They found my dad's guns from World War II's Nazi Germany. They disconnected our phones by removing a piece from each headset.

They threatened us with our lives if we did not give them at least two hours to get away before we sounded the alarm. Then, they gathered up their booty and left!

As they drove away, Riley ran up the hill to the nearest neighbor to phone the police. Richard untied my mom and dad. Not long thereafter, the police arrived along with the news crews. Many hours were spent interviewing and collecting evidence.

The next morning, the huge story hit the front page of both the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register.

The police followed these criminals for three years. They had a man that looked like my father who used my dad's identification to charge a Cadillac in Long Beach! When they were finally caught, it turned out to be a whole ring of men working together.

My dad, mom, Ricky, and I were called to testify in court and identify the men who had robbed us that night. As I was sitting in the witness stand, I could easily pick out as clear as day the two men. The lawyer asked if I could identify them and I said, "Oh yes!" But then, I froze! I was so petrified and afraid for my life that I couldn't remember which ones they were! Apparently the rest of my family didn't get struck by fear, because the men were convicted.

Moral to the story: Sometimes things beyond our control spin our lives out of control. All we can do in those times is to pray for help and protection. God does hear and answers our prayers. He can help us through anything we encounter.