The Johnson Family Murders

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27th November 2019  •  5 min read

On the 2nd of September, 2003, in Bellevue, Idaho, 16-year-old Sarah Marie Johnson ran out of her home screaming that somebody had murdered her parents. An investigation revealed deep secrets and a grudge Sarah had been holding over her parents.


The Johnson Family Murders

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On the morning of the 2nd of September, 2003, 16-year-old Sarah Marie Johnson from Bellevue, Idaho, ran to her neighbor’s home in hysterics. When Kim Richards opened her front door, Sarah screamed that somebody had shot her parents, Diane and Alan Johnson. She told Richards that she was at home at the time of the shooting but hadn’t witnessed it. According to Sarah, she was asleep in her bedroom when she heard gunshots echo out. While she didn’t know for sure, she said she presumed that they were dead for when she called their names, there was no response.

Alan was an executive and director of Webb Landscape and Garden Centres and Diane was employed at the Hailey Medical Clinic. Their daughter, Sarah, was a student at Wood River High School and their son, Matt, was attending the University of Idaho. The family lived in Glen Aspen Drive, an affluent street where the $500,000 homes sit nestled among towering cottonwood, pine and aspen trees.1

The Johnson Family Murders
Alan and Diane. Credit: Alan Diane Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund/Facebook.

After letting Sarah inside her home to calm down, Richards approached the Johnson home and slowly opened the front door. She recalled that as soon as she opened the door, she smelt a strange odor. She said there was “debris, pieces or hair, skin and a sogginess under my feet.” In the main bedroom lay the lifeless body of Diane. She was tucked up in bed and presumably killed while still asleep. Laying on the floor next to the bed was the bloody body of Alan.

It was theorized that Diane was killed first and then Alan was shot while in the shower. However, Alan lived long enough to get out of the shower and walk to the bedroom where he collapsed beside his wife and bled to death. There was a trail of blood and footprints on the carpet leading from the bathroom to the bedroom. 2

One of the first officers on the scene was Marshall Randy Tremble. He said that the crime scene “took him aback.” Skull fragments sullied the bedroom floor and walls and blood spatter stained both the bathroom and the bedroom. There was a Winchester rifle on the bedroom floor which was typically kept in an adjoining guest house. Eerily, a crucifix that fell from the wall lay on top of the murder weapon. “There was quite a bit of carnage,” recalled Tremble.3

Initially, it was believed that this may have been a murder-suicide. However, by the following day, investigators announced that they had ruled both deaths as homicide. The sheriff announced that they had several persons of interest that they were wishing to speak to as soon as possible and had “two or three motives” which could have led to the killing. However, he did not elaborate any further.

Suspicion soon fell upon Sarah who by this point, had changed her story several times. As it transpired, Sarah had been dating a 19-year-old undocumented immigrant named Bruno Santos and her parents had disapproved of him. Allegedly, Alan and Diane had threatened to have Bruno arrested if Sarah didn’t cut ties with him. Grounds existed for an investigation into statutory rape since Bruno was 19 and Sarah was a juvenile.

An investigation of the crime scene turned up a discarded bathrobe and blood-stained latex glove that had been hidden in the garbage can outside the home. They contained the DNA of Sarah, Alan and Diane. Presumably, Sarah had hoped that the garbage truck would have picked the garbage up. However, investigators had sealed off the street and turned away the garbage truck which was making it rounds shortly after the shooting.

Investigators had also discovered that Sarah’s socks were spattered with Diane’s blood despite the fact that Sarah claimed she did not go near the bodies out of fear of what she would find. Furthermore, when Sarah had been brought in for questioning, it was noticed that she had a bruised shoulder which was indicative of recoil from the rifle.4

On the 30th of October, Sarah was arrested and charged as an adult in the double homicide of her parents. Prosecutor Thomas said that despite the fact that Sarah was being charged as an adult, he wouldn’t be seeking the death penalty.

Investigators pieced together the string of events leading up to the murders of Alan and Diane. On the 29th of August, Sarah hadn’t come home and claimed she was staying overnight at a friends. The next night, her parents found her at Bruno’s home. This was the breaking point for Alan and Diane and they went to police to report Bruno for statutory rape.  Then on the 2nd of September, Sarah opened a rental unit which was adjacent to the home. She removed the .264 caliber rifle that was stored here and subsequently shot her parents.

Sarah pleaded not guilty to the murders and she was held on $2 million bond. By this point, Bruno had been deported to Mexico but was ordered to return to the United States when immigration officials discovered his importance to the case.5

During Sarah’s trial, the prosecution alleged that Sarah had killed her parents for opposing to her relationship. They contended that Sarah had hoped that with her parents out of the way, she and Bruno could live on their inheritance. Her defense, however, was alleging that it was Bruno who had killed Alan and Diane. “He has committed crimes recently and we have evidence he has the proclivity to do more,” Pangburn said. “We also have evidence part of his previous record has been purged,” said defense lawyer, Robert Pangburn. The other charges they were referring to was controlled substance charges.6

The prosecution refuted the claims that Bruno was involved, stating that there was absolutely no evidence to connect him to the crime scene or even the home. All of the physical evidence pointed towards Sarah. In addition to the DNA evidence, Diane’s sister testified that just the day before the murders, Sarah had asked for the keys to the gun safe.

On the 16th of March, 2005, Sarah Marie Johnson was found guilty of both murders.

During the sentencing phase, Diane’s sister, Debbie Davis, addressed Sarah: “I hope your father looking into your eyes when he was shot will be burned in your mind forever,” while Alan’s sister, Lynne Murrill, said: “She is a spoiled rotten brat that thinks only of herself. I can’t believe how she could kill the two people in the world who loved her the most.”

Sarah’s own brother, Matt Johnson, also addressed his sister, stating: “I think some honesty needs to come out of you, and you need to plead to the court for some for forgiveness. Of all the things I miss, I miss their hugs — their bear hugs,” said Matt Johnson. I lost the two best friends I ever had. Judge, I would like to see the maximum sentence because after tomorrow I don’t want to have to hear about her or this event again. I feel she has no remorse and feel she would do it again, except she would do better planning and she would try to get away with it.”7

She was subsequently sentenced to two concurrent life terms plus 15 years for a firearm enhancement.

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Footnotes:

  1. The Times-News, 4 September, 2003 – “Bellevue Couple was Murdered”
  2. The Times-News, 9 September, 2003 – “Sheriff Bypasses Coroner in Shootings”
  3. The Times-News, 9 February, 2005 – “Carnage at Crime Scene Took Him Aback”
  4. The Times-News, 31 October, 2003 – “Daughter Faces Murder Charges”
  5. The Times-News, 4 November, 2003 – “Girl Pleads Innocent”
  6. The Times-News, 6 November, 2004 – “Defense Points to Boyfriend”
  7. The Times-News, 30 June, 2005 – “Family Gets Day in Court”

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Kathrina Walsh
Kathrina Walsh
4 years ago

Silly and selfish girl. Doing something like this to be with a man and now you are in prison for life!

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Kathrina Walsh

She Didn’t Do It.

Nickypendley
Nickypendley
6 months ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

Okay says the DNA.

Bella
Bella
4 years ago

Imagine going to the extremes to be with a man only to try and blame him afterwards. Very sad situation. The parents deserved better. May they Rest In Peace.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Bella

Sarah Didn’t Do It,She Did Not Pull The Trigger.

Joy ketelhut
Joy ketelhut
2 months ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

How do you know? She was spoiled brat.

amy
amy
4 years ago

how do you become so self absorbed that murdering your parent’s doesn’t even phase you? That’s a very dangerous girl

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  amy

She Didn’t Do It.

TONI M BAUMAN
TONI M BAUMAN
4 years ago

It sounds like you’re in inmate with this convicted criminal. I guess there is honor among thieves. I do think you should cease the slandering comments of an innocent man though. And yes I say innocent because the judicial system has declared who the killer is…. and it’s not this Christopher character.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
3 years ago
Reply to  TONI M BAUMAN

Hey,I Already Said About How I Know That An Innocent Woman Is Mistakenly Incarcerated,Check Out The Details,Once Again & You Will See How.

How Much Longer Will The Abuse Last?

Bonnie Akridge
Bonnie Akridge
3 years ago

I could just slap this stupid child. Beautiful family that loved her, bright future ahead of her but she let herself think she was in love with this big time loser and killed her parents over him?? Yeah, let me kill my parents and then him and I will ride off into the sunset of blissful living.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Bonnie Akridge

No,She Did No Such Thing,To Her Parents.

lakesid
lakesid
11 months ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

you really are an idiot, jack. it’s pretty obvious that she murdered her own parents.

Knut Olestad
Knut Olestad
2 years ago

I’m gonna take a wild guess and say the police knows their job, and you’re being delusional.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Knut Olestad

I Am Not Delusional.

Sydney
Sydney
2 years ago

I’m just gonna destroy your entire argument with 1 clue Diane’s sister (Diane was Sarah’s mother) gave detectives. The day prior to the shootings “Diane’s sister testified that just the day before the murders, Sarah had asked for the keys to the gun safe.”. This clue would make Sarah, at the very least, an accomplice since the gun safe was locked but then unlocked by Sarah. The gun safe was also unlocked, not broken into, and with Sarah being the one with the key it’s pretty self explanatory. I honestly have no idea how you think Sarah is innocent and… Read more »

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
2 years ago
Reply to  Sydney

Sarah Never Said About Wanting The Keys To The Gun Safe & She Never Even Touch Those Keys,Linda Vavold Was Bribed By Jim Thomas Into Making It Up.

Sarah Was Not Even In The Guest House That Day.

Bunny Slippers
Bunny Slippers
2 years ago

Dear ‘Jack Johnson’. Sounds like Sarah’s somehow achieved internet access…

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
2 years ago
Reply to  Bunny Slippers

It Might Now Be Time For Sarah To Make Her Escape From Prison,Perhaps Similar To How It Was Done In The Shawshank Redemption,Except Maybe She Could Use A Poster Of Michael Jackson To Hide The Opening To Her Freedom.

If She Winds Up Being Captured,However,Then She Will Need To Argue That She Got Kidnapped From Prison By Christopher Kevin Hill & That He Confessed To Her That He Shot Her Parents To Death,Only To Avoid Paying Rent On The Guesthouse.

Donna TENAGLIA
Donna TENAGLIA
2 years ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

Dear Jack, Sorry but you are an illiterate idiot😫

Squiff Dibbler
Squiff Dibbler
2 years ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

nob end

Andreea
Andreea
2 years ago

My response to your comment is ”ha ha, very funny” as I hope it is a person who has nothing to do all day and decided to enflame the comment section. If you really believe what you said it might be time to see some doctors, clearly something’s a miss.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Andreea

You Really Need Help.

Kristen
Kristen
2 years ago

Hey Sarah, what have you been smoking?

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago
Reply to  Kristen

Nothing.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago

Do You Have Any Updates On This Case?

WRE
WRE
1 year ago

This demonstrates the fundamental reason why lowering the age to be considered an adult is stupid and dangerous!!! It plays into the hands of the propaganda tyrants!!
The cognitive mind is still developing even at 18!!
That’s why the “traditional” age of adulthood was 21!!! By that time…while the brain is still growing and developing… it has reached a certain level of stability!!! It has begun to rely more on “thought” than emotion!!!
The tyrants know this is scientific fact and use it to prey on the young!!!

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
1 year ago

It Might Now Be Time For Sarah To Grab The Prison Chef’s Butcher Knife,Take Him Over To A Wall & Hold Him Hostage,By Holding It To His Throat & Demand That Her Arrest & Conviction Be Thrown Away,With Prejudice & That She Be Released From Prison,Right Now,Saying That She Did No Such Thing To Her Parents,While Also Saying That Either Judge Richard Bevan Comes Right Over,Throws Away Her Arrest & Conviction,With Prejudice & Grants Her Release From Prison,Right Now Or Otherwise,She Will Slice The Chef,With His Own Butcher Knife. Sarah,While Holding The Prison Chef Hostage,With His Own Butcher Knife,Will Need… Read more »

M tobin
M tobin
9 months ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

You obviously live in a fantasy world. Go take your meds and stfu already, we’re tired of reading your incoherent psychobabble ramblings.

CherCee
CherCee
6 months ago

Should be consecutive instead of concurrent life sentences.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
6 months ago
Reply to  CherCee

No Time,Because She Didn’t Even Do It.

Last edited 6 months ago by Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
6 months ago

This is how I know that Sarah Marie Johnson is not guilty of the murders of her Parents,Alan Scott Johnson & Diane Marie Johnson. Alan was 6 feet 6 inches tall & Sarah is only 5 feet 2 inches tall,meaning that she was too short to shoot him in the chest by shooting from straight across,while standing flat on the ground. The actual shooter in this case is Christopher Kevin Hill,who is 6 feet tall,he shot Alan from straight across,while standing flat on the ground,all that he had to do,after he shot Diane,who was sleeping in bed,was aim the rifle… Read more »

Big poppa pump
Big poppa pump
18 days ago
Reply to  Jack Johnson

He was in college you fucking idiot. He wasnt even in town

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
17 days ago
Reply to  Big poppa pump

Matthew Was In College,Yet,At What University?

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