5 Killed in Haunted House - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

smalltime · 10-31-2004, 11:28 AM

I just found this story and I thought it was interesting

5 Murdered in Arkansas Haunted House
Man charged with first degree murder in Bentonville Haunted House Killings

Posted on Saturday, October 30, 2004

By James Ferguson
Benton County Daily Record

BENTONVILLE – Jim Ewaldsen was arrested last night and charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder after he brutally killed five people with a chainsaw and injured two others.

Ewaldsen was working at the Nightmares Haunted House when he apparently brought a chainsaw into a “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” room of a maze. The first victim Troy Candel, 19, was an employee who was acting as Leatherface in the room. Ewaldsen killed Candel with the chainsaw and then proceeded to kill four more people as they came into the room.

Four other employees tackled and subdued Ewaldsen after one of the patrons fled the room when her boyfriend was attacked by the chainsaw. Two of the employees were hurt by the chainsaw while attempting to subdue Ewaldsen. Dan Whitestone got an abrasion to the leg and Thomas Badger had a limb severed. Both were taken to Northwest Medical Center where Badger is currently listed in serious condition.

“This is the most horrendous thing any of us have ever seen” , Benton County Sheriff Keith Lowell told the Daily Record. “This is the kind of slaying you think is only made up in Hollywood.”

The blood spattered scene had the dead bodies of Ben Johansen, 23; David Niven, 25; Julie Burke, 21; and Grace Mcabee, 18. The name of the woman who escaped the scene has not been released.

Even with the grizzly murders that happened Lowell commended the bravery of the young men who were able to wrestle the chainsaw from Ewaldsen. “These young men showed extreme courage and were willing to put their own lives in danger to help others. They are a very brave group of people.”

Ewaldsen has recently been in jail for aggravated assault and DUI charges. He has been employed at the haunted house for the last couple of weeks helping them put it together and working as an “actor”.

Sheriff Lowell also noted that Ewaldsen seemed extremely agitated and could have very well been on drugs. “He was being very uncooperative and had to be forcibly contained. He was screaming and yelling and very violently attempting to attack police officers”

The owner of Nightmares, Bobby Sampier was visibly very distraught over the events and told the Daily Record, “I don't understand what has happened here tonight. Jim was a great employee and seemed to be a good person. I don't know why he would be driven to do something like this.”

Nightmares is currently closed and will most likely remain closed for the rest of the season.

Vortex22 · 10-31-2004, 11:39 AM

Holy shit...
That must have been one crazy bloodbath. What a psycho.

SecretMethod70 · 10-31-2004, 11:44 AM

I'm just........wow. That's messed up.

Rdr4evr · 10-31-2004, 11:44 AM

Man, can't even enjoy Halloween without some sick asshole ruining it.

maleficent · 10-31-2004, 11:50 AM

Disturbing... truly disturbing...

Maybe I'm just a twisted person, but if I was there, I'd honestly probably have thought that it was all part of the act... at least in the beginning.

TheBrit · 10-31-2004, 11:53 AM

Pretty fucked up. I thought this was why you yanks carried guns

. Should have shot him instead, safer.

World's King · 10-31-2004, 12:03 PM

Sweeeeeet.

That's the kind of stuff that makes Halloween Halloween.

sadistikdreams · 10-31-2004, 12:04 PM

SHIT.
There's so many ways that's wrong.
It's sacrilege, killing Leatherface with a chainsaw.

I hate these guys, ruining this holiday for the rest of us.

Halx · 10-31-2004, 12:14 PM

where's the link to the original story? I am skeptical.

ShaniFaye · 10-31-2004, 12:24 PM

well I checked the Benton County Daily Record and this is they only story they have talking about this particular haunted house (that I could find)

sorry...nobody killed

http://nwanews.com/story.php?paper=b...&storyid=13636

Quote:

Haunted house offers so much fun it’s scary

By Tracy M. Neal Staff Writer tracyn@nwanews.com

Posted on Sunday, October 31, 2004

Email this story | Printer-friendly version

BENTONVILLE — They stood outside the old, wooden rickety house. Minutes earlier a darkened bus had dropped them off in front of the house.

They did not know their whereabouts. The windows were blackened and they could not see outside the bus. The ride was a bumpy one.

Before the bus came to stop, a hideous figure had jumped out from a hidden spot on the bus.

Now cries and screams could be heard coming from the house. A figure dressed in black with a white mask stood looking down from a window. "I didn’t know it was going to be this scary," 9-year-old Otto Troutner told his mother minutes before entering the haunted house. "What did you think haunted meant?" his mother Janet Troutner of Centerton said as she laughed and smiled at her son.

Otto, his mother and others waited Friday to bravely enter the haunted house held by the Bentonville Breakfast Lions Club. "I get a bad feeling standing out here," Otto said as the moans, cries and screams continued coming from the house.

It was Otto’s second brush with a haunting experience. His first was six years ago, but he doesn’t really remember it.

Otto enters the home. Through twists and turns evil figures jump out to remind him to question what is waiting around the next corner.

Through the maze-like passages, a vampire and other nightmarish reminders jump from corners or cry out from above. An evil clown is beating a woman with a bat in a bath tub. A skull is in the toilet.

One of the last risks for Otto is to walk through a cemetery after finally leaving the home. A figure hangs from a tree. A chainsaw wielding madman jumps out. "It wasn’t scary," Otto tells his mother as he completes the haunting mission. "No, I wasn’t scared. It was fun."

His mother reminds him of his fear before entering the house. She holds up her hand and rubs it. She smiles. It was the hand her son was holding.

Eight-year-old Bryanna Stover also enjoyed the experience. She came with her father and other friends. "It was scary, but I didn’t really cry or scream," Bryanna said. "She was too scared to scream," her father, Bryan Stover said.

This is the third year the club has held the frightening event which begins with a ride on the fright bus and ends with a trip through the haunted house.

The last chance to enjoy the haunting experience will be Sunday. It should start around 5:30 p.m. according to Jim Durham, president of the club.

Proceeds from the fright bus ride and haunted house will go to support charities supported by the club.

The haunted house — Nightmares — is behind Kozy Heat. The fright bus drops visitors off for the haunting experience.

SecretMethod70 · 10-31-2004, 12:57 PM

Yeah, did a quick google search and absolutely nothing came up whatsoever pertaining to killings.

World's King · 10-31-2004, 01:17 PM

So, where did the story come from?

VitaminH · 10-31-2004, 02:11 PM

Something like that would have been all over AP sites like CNN and such. Whoever came up with that has been watching B horror movies. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Cynthetiq · 10-31-2004, 05:26 PM

I don't even see it picked up on Fark. I'm not a total fark member so maybe it's lurking there.

*Nikki* · 10-31-2004, 05:36 PM

Somebody please tell me this is not true.

reiii · 10-31-2004, 05:44 PM

It's not true, (see above)

runtuff · 10-31-2004, 06:00 PM

Its just a Halloween "story", does this mean Halloween is going to become like April Fools day??

onodrim · 10-31-2004, 09:20 PM

I really really hope it turns out to be not true. Maybe it was written by an anti-Halloween fanatic who was trying to keep people out the of the evil Huanted Houses.

Cynthetiq · 10-31-2004, 09:33 PM

I just got back from one...

wasn't that scary.. but was very entertaining.

CinnamonGirl · 10-31-2004, 09:47 PM

Y'know, I say that EVERY year. "What if some psycho with a real chainsaw decided to show up one night?" Which is why I run screaming from the chainsaw people....and everyone laughs at me.

sashime76 · 11-03-2004, 05:49 AM

Just happens that I have some friends live in Bentonville, story is untrue.

mrklixx · 11-03-2004, 07:01 AM

As Shani Faye pointed out, the website of the new source that this supposedly came from has no record whatsoever of it.

One of the red flags for me as to the authenticity, was that supposedly this happened "last night", and yet they tell the names of all the "victims". I don't know if it varies from state to state, but the SOP where I live is that they can't/don't release the names of murder victims until their families have been contaced, which can sometimes take days even for one "victim", much less five.

ratbastid · 11-03-2004, 07:09 AM

Next stop Snopes.

CSflim · 11-03-2004, 11:51 AM

Would make a great movie.

whocarz · 11-04-2004, 12:10 AM

Don't know if there's enough material for a movie. Perhaps a short.

Flyguy · 11-04-2004, 12:14 AM

October fools!!!!

Suave · 11-04-2004, 12:26 AM

I guess it's really haunted now! *does best Vincent Price laugh*

omega2K4 · 11-04-2004, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suave

I guess it's really haunted now! *does best Vincent Price laugh*

Hahahaha. I was going to post the same thing.

Redjake · 11-05-2004, 09:33 AM

you can tell by little things in the article that it's fake. just the way it is written seems very amateur. for example:

"Two of the employees were hurt by the chainsaw while attempting to subdue Ewaldsen. Dan Whitestone got an abrasion to the leg and Thomas Badger had a limb severed."

Dan Whitestone GOT an abrasion to the leg? Thomas Badger HAD A LIMB severed? nah. fake. the article is riddled with stuff like that.

KinkyKiwi · 11-05-2004, 09:58 AM

..sigh..thank god this isnt real...

10-31-2004, 11:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
smalltime Upright	5 Killed in Haunted House I just found this story and I thought it was interesting 5 Murdered in Arkansas Haunted House Man charged with first degree murder in Bentonville Haunted House Killings Posted on Saturday, October 30, 2004 By James Ferguson Benton County Daily Record BENTONVILLE – Jim Ewaldsen was arrested last night and charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder after he brutally killed five people with a chainsaw and injured two others. Ewaldsen was working at the Nightmares Haunted House when he apparently brought a chainsaw into a “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” room of a maze. The first victim Troy Candel, 19, was an employee who was acting as Leatherface in the room. Ewaldsen killed Candel with the chainsaw and then proceeded to kill four more people as they came into the room. Four other employees tackled and subdued Ewaldsen after one of the patrons fled the room when her boyfriend was attacked by the chainsaw. Two of the employees were hurt by the chainsaw while attempting to subdue Ewaldsen. Dan Whitestone got an abrasion to the leg and Thomas Badger had a limb severed. Both were taken to Northwest Medical Center where Badger is currently listed in serious condition. “This is the most horrendous thing any of us have ever seen” , Benton County Sheriff Keith Lowell told the Daily Record. “This is the kind of slaying you think is only made up in Hollywood.” The blood spattered scene had the dead bodies of Ben Johansen, 23; David Niven, 25; Julie Burke, 21; and Grace Mcabee, 18. The name of the woman who escaped the scene has not been released. Even with the grizzly murders that happened Lowell commended the bravery of the young men who were able to wrestle the chainsaw from Ewaldsen. “These young men showed extreme courage and were willing to put their own lives in danger to help others. They are a very brave group of people.” Ewaldsen has recently been in jail for aggravated assault and DUI charges. He has been employed at the haunted house for the last couple of weeks helping them put it together and working as an “actor”. Sheriff Lowell also noted that Ewaldsen seemed extremely agitated and could have very well been on drugs. “He was being very uncooperative and had to be forcibly contained. He was screaming and yelling and very violently attempting to attack police officers” The owner of Nightmares, Bobby Sampier was visibly very distraught over the events and told the Daily Record, “I don't understand what has happened here tonight. Jim was a great employee and seemed to be a good person. I don't know why he would be driven to do something like this.” Nightmares is currently closed and will most likely remain closed for the rest of the season.

10-31-2004, 11:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	I'm just........wow. That's messed up. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

10-31-2004, 11:50 AM	#5 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Disturbing... truly disturbing... Maybe I'm just a twisted person, but if I was there, I'd honestly probably have thought that it was all part of the act... at least in the beginning. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

10-31-2004, 12:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	Sweeeeeet. That's the kind of stuff that makes Halloween Halloween. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

10-31-2004, 12:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
sadistikdreams lonely rolling star Location: Seattle.	SHIT. There's so many ways that's wrong. It's sacrilege, killing Leatherface with a chainsaw. I hate these guys, ruining this holiday for the rest of us. __________________ "Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials." -Lin Yutang hearts, by d.a.

10-31-2004, 11:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
Vortex22 Upright	Holy shit... That must have been one crazy bloodbath. What a psycho.

10-31-2004, 11:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rdr4evr Banned	Man, can't even enjoy Halloween without some sick asshole ruining it.

10-31-2004, 11:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
TheBrit Psycho	Pretty fucked up. I thought this was why you yanks carried guns . Should have shot him instead, safer.

10-31-2004, 12:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
Halx Please touch this. Owner/Admin Location: Manhattan	where's the link to the original story? I am skeptical. __________________ You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals]

10-31-2004, 12:57 PM	#11 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Yeah, did a quick google search and absolutely nothing came up whatsoever pertaining to killings. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

10-31-2004, 01:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	So, where did the story come from? __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

10-31-2004, 02:11 PM	#13 (permalink)
VitaminH An embarrassment to myself and those around me... Location: Pants	Something like that would have been all over AP sites like CNN and such. Whoever came up with that has been watching B horror movies. Not that there's anything wrong with that. __________________ "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." - Napoleon Bonaparte

10-31-2004, 05:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I don't even see it picked up on Fark. I'm not a total fark member so maybe it's lurking there. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

10-31-2004, 05:36 PM	#15 (permalink)
Nikki ~~~~~~~ Location: Charleston, SC	Somebody please tell me this is not true.

10-31-2004, 05:44 PM	#16 (permalink)
reiii unstuck in time Location: Nashville/D.C.	It's not true, (see above) __________________ "Jombe? The chocolate icing" -hedonism bot Last edited by reiii; 10-31-2004 at 05:46 PM.. Reason: took out a few words

11-03-2004, 07:09 AM	#23 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Next stop Snopes.

11-03-2004, 11:51 AM	#24 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	Would make a great movie. __________________

11-04-2004, 12:10 AM	#25 (permalink)
whocarz Jarhead Location: Colorado	Don't know if there's enough material for a movie. Perhaps a short. __________________ If there exists anything mightier than destiny, then it is the courage to face destiny unflinchingly. -Geibel Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else. -Marcus Aurelius Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever? -GySgt. Daniel J. "Dan" Daly

11-05-2004, 09:58 AM	#30 (permalink)
KinkyKiwi "Without the fuzz" Location: ..too close for comfort..	..sigh..thank god this isnt real... __________________ Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps. Play with each other. Play with yourselves. Just don't play with the squirrels, they bite.

10-31-2004, 06:00 PM	#17 (permalink)
runtuff Crazy	Its just a Halloween "story", does this mean Halloween is going to become like April Fools day??

10-31-2004, 09:20 PM	#18 (permalink)
onodrim Cosmically Curious Location: Chicago, IL	I really really hope it turns out to be not true. Maybe it was written by an anti-Halloween fanatic who was trying to keep people out the of the evil Huanted Houses. __________________ "The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides" -Carl Sagan

10-31-2004, 09:33 PM	#19 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I just got back from one... wasn't that scary.. but was very entertaining. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

10-31-2004, 09:47 PM	#20 (permalink)
CinnamonGirl She's Actual Size Location: Central Republic of Where-in-the-Hell	Y'know, I say that EVERY year. "What if some psycho with a real chainsaw decided to show up one night?" Which is why I run screaming from the chainsaw people....and everyone laughs at me. __________________ "...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world." "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

11-03-2004, 05:49 AM	#21 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Just happens that I have some friends live in Bentonville, story is untrue.

11-03-2004, 07:01 AM	#22 (permalink)
mrklixx President Rick Location: location location	As Shani Faye pointed out, the website of the new source that this supposedly came from has no record whatsoever of it. One of the red flags for me as to the authenticity, was that supposedly this happened "last night", and yet they tell the names of all the "victims". I don't know if it varies from state to state, but the SOP where I live is that they can't/don't release the names of murder victims until their families have been contaced, which can sometimes take days even for one "victim", much less five.

11-04-2004, 12:14 AM	#26 (permalink)
Flyguy Banned Location: Swooping down on you from above....	October fools!!!!

11-04-2004, 12:26 AM	#27 (permalink)
Suave Twitterpated Location: My own little world (also Canada)	I guess it's really haunted now! does best Vincent Price laugh

11-05-2004, 09:33 AM	#29 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	you can tell by little things in the article that it's fake. just the way it is written seems very amateur. for example: "Two of the employees were hurt by the chainsaw while attempting to subdue Ewaldsen. Dan Whitestone got an abrasion to the leg and Thomas Badger had a limb severed." Dan Whitestone GOT an abrasion to the leg? Thomas Badger HAD A LIMB severed? nah. fake. the article is riddled with stuff like that. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.