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Shadows and Strikes: Alex Ewing. The Hammer Killer Case.



The Hammer Killer: Alex Ewing

On January 16, 1984, a young family was found brutally murdered in their Aurora, Colorado home. Patricia Smith, a 50-year-old mother and grandmother, had been bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Days later, on January 19, an even more horrifying scene was discovered in Lakewood, Colorado, where Bruce, Debra, and Melissa Bennett were murdered in their family home. Bruce and Debra were found bludgeoned to death with a hammer, and 7-year-old Melissa was also killed in the attack. Only 3-year-old Vanessa Bennett survived, albeit with severe injuries.

 

The murders bore the same signature style — the brutal use of a hammer and intense violence. Investigators suspected they were dealing with the same killer, but despite exhaustive efforts, the case went cold for decades. The "Hammer Killer" was nowhere to be found.

 

A Trail of Unsolved Cases

The brutality of these crimes shook Colorado and left the communities of Aurora and Lakewood on edge. In the absence of leads, theories ran rampant. Was the Hammer Killer a transient drifter, moving from town to town? Or was he someone with a dark past, living in plain sight?

 

Without advances in forensic technology, detectives found themselves at a frustrating standstill. The physical evidence collected at the scenes, such as DNA samples, was stored, waiting for a day when technology could reveal the killer’s identity.

 

Breakthrough DNA Technology

In 2018, that day finally arrived. With the rise of advanced DNA profiling, investigators re-examined the forensic evidence collected at the Bennett and Smith crime scenes. DNA extracted from both scenes matched and pointed to a new suspect: Alex Ewing, a convicted felon serving a sentence in Nevada.

 

Ewing’s DNA had been uploaded to a national database, linking him to the murders of Patricia Smith and the Bennett family. It was a revelation that stunned investigators and the victims' families. The man responsible for some of the most brutal murders in Colorado’s history was finally identified, bringing a sliver of hope for justice after decades of pain and mystery.

 

Who is Alex Ewing?

 At the time of the murders, Alex Ewing was a 23-year-old drifter. Originally from Arizona, Ewing had a troubled history marked by violence and crime. In 1984, the same year as the Colorado murders, he was arrested for a brutal attack in Henderson, Nevada, where he attempted to bludgeon a couple to death with a rock while they slept. Ewing was apprehended after this attack and sentenced to a lengthy prison term in Nevada.

 

However, despite his violent past, Ewing was never linked to the Colorado murders until the DNA breakthrough in 2018. Investigators believe Ewing may have committed other unsolved crimes, as his movements during the early 1980s remain murky. While the full extent of his crimes may never be known, his involvement in the Hammer Killer murders has been firmly established.

 

The Trial and Justice Served

In 2021, nearly 40 years after the murders, Alex Ewing finally faced justice in a Colorado courtroom. The emotional trial saw family members of the victims recount the devastation wrought by the loss of their loved ones. Prosecutors presented overwhelming DNA evidence linking Ewing to the crime scenes, leaving little room for doubt about his guilt.

 

Ewing was ultimately convicted for the murders of the Bennett family and Patricia Smith. He received multiple life sentences, ensuring he would never walk free again. For the families and the communities affected by his brutal acts, Ewing's conviction brought a bittersweet sense of closure.

 

The Legacy of the Hammer Killer

The story of Alex Ewing, the Hammer Killer, serves as a grim reminder of how advancements in forensic technology have changed the landscape of criminal justice. For decades, families suffered without answers, while a violent criminal went unpunished. But DNA profiling — a tool unavailable at the time of the murders — eventually brought the truth to light, highlighting the importance of preserving evidence and the power of science in solving even the coldest cases.

 

Today, we remember Patricia Smith, Bruce Bennett, Debra Bennett, and young Melissa Bennett, whose lives were cut tragically short. Their stories have become part of the annals of true crime history, and their memory remains with us.

 

As we explore cases like that of Alex Ewing, we are reminded of the resilience of those left behind, the tenacity of law enforcement, and the role of technology in bringing justice, no matter how long it takes. For fans of true crime and those who seek justice for victims, the Hammer Killer case stands as a powerful example of hope, perseverance, and the eventual triumph of truth.


Sources used for this podcast:


1. Law and Crime. (n.d.). Cold case solved as jury convicts murderer who sexually assaulted and killed Colorado woman in 1984 hammer killer spree. Retrieved from https://lawandcrime.com/crime/cold-case-solved-as-jury-convicts-murderer-who-sexually-assaulted-and-killed-colorado-woman-in-1984-hammer-killer-spree/

2. People. (n.d.). People Magazine Investigates: Victim of Colorado hammer killer speaks out. Retrieved from https://people.com/crime/people-magazine-investigates-victim-colorado-hammer-killer-speaks-out/

3. The Denver Post. (2022, April 7). Alex Ewing, hammer killer, guilty of Patricia Smith’s murder. Retrieved from https://www.denverpost.com/2022/04/07/alex-ewing-hammer-killer-guilty-patricia-smith/

4. Mix 104.3 FM. (n.d.). Colorado Hammer Killer. Retrieved from https://mix1043fm.com/colorado-hammer-killer/

5. Shocking and Gruesome True Story of the Colorado Hammer Killer. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mix1043fm.com/colorado-hammer-killer/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

7. The Denver Post. (2018, August 11). Aurora and Lakewood Hammer Killer. Retrieved from https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/11/aurora-lakewood-hammer-killer/

8. Sportskeeda. (n.d.). 5 things to know about the Colorado hammer killer, Alex Ewing. Retrieved from https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/5-things-know-colorado-hammer-killer-alex-ewing    

9. Find a Grave. (n.d.). Debra Lynn Bennett memorial. Retrieved from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3336587/debra_lynn_bennett  

10. The Denver Post. (2018, August 25). 1984 Aurora Hammer Killer FBI profile. Retrieved from https://www.denverpost.com/2018/08/25/1984-aurora-hammer-killer-fbi-profile/ 

11. Oxygen. (n.d.). Alex Ewing says system is rigged in Patricia Smith’s murder trial. Retrieved from https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/alex-ewing-says-system-rigged-patricia-smith-murder-trial

12. Law and Crime. (n.d.). Cold case solved as jury convicts murderer who sexually assaulted and killed Colorado woman in 1984 hammer killer spree. Retrieved from https://lawandcrime.com/crime/cold-case-solved-as-jury-convicts-murderer-who-sexually-assaulted-and-killed-colorado-woman-in-1984-hammer-killer-spree/

13. Denver 7 News. (n.d.). Mistrial declared in second hammer killer trial after judge grants competency evaluation. Retrieved from https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/mistrial-declared-in-second-hammer-killer-trial-after-judge-grants-competency-evaluation

15. 9News. (n.d.). Hammer attack survivor speaks out about Alex Ewing. Retrieved from https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/blame/hammer-attack-survivor-alex-ewing/73-04286869-f36d-46cc-85c0-efd10c61d024

16. Investigation Discovery. (n.d.). People Magazine Investigates. Retrieved from https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/show/people-magazine-investigates-investigation-discovery


Photos and Video:

1. People. (n.d.). People Magazine Investigates: Victim of Colorado hammer killer speaks out. Retrieved from https://people.com/crime/people-magazine-investigates-victim-colorado-hammer-killer-speaks-out/

2. SKDB Fandom. (n.d.). EWING, Alex Christopher/Gallery. Retrieved from https://skdb.fandom.com/wiki/EWING_Alex_Christopher/Gallery

3. Denver 7 News. (n.d.). Mistrial declared in second hammer killer trial after judge grants competency evaluation. Retrieved from https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/mistrial-declared-in-second-hammer-killer-trial-after-judge-grants-competency-evaluation

6. Investigation Discovery. (n.d.). People Magazine Investigates. Retrieved from https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/show/people-magazine-investigates-investigation-discovery

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Stripes | 1981 | Columbia Pictures

Schitt's Creek | S5 S9 | The MVP | CBC Television

9 to 5 | 1980 | 20th Century Studios

Doctor Who | Midnight | S4 E 10 | BBC Studios Productions | Bad Wolf

South Park | 1997 | S23 E3 | Shots!!! | Comedy Central

Futurama | 1999 | S6 E13 | FOX | Matt Groening, David X. Cohen


























DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

All information contained in this video presentation is provided for entertainment purposes only. The authors leave any and all conclusions to individual members of the audience. The author offers no statements of fact beyond those available through diligent private research or through information freely available in the public record. To the extent that pending or settled criminal matters or crime or possible crimes, are discussed in this video presentation. All parties or defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. To the extent that any pending or settle civil matters are discussed in this video presentation, all parties or defendants are presumed not liable unless proven liable in a court of law. Copyright for material incorporated and presented under Fair Use is retained by the original author or copyright holder where applicable. Our cases are researched using open source and archive materials, and the subjects are real crimes and people. We strive to produce each episode with respect to the victims, their families and loved ones. At Hitched 2 Homicide we are committed to always discussing how victims lived, and not just how they died. All podcast information is gleaned from sources given. All opinions in the podcast are solely of Hitched 2 Homicide and are for entertainment purposes only.

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