Casefile True Crime - Case 193: Suesan Knorr & Sheila Sanders

Episode Date: October 23, 2021

On July 17, 1984, a deceased female was located in a deserted area near Lake Tahoe, California. Investigators were stumped as to her identity or her killer, who had horrifically murdered her by setting her alight... --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn This episode's sponsors: Daily Harvest – Get up to $40 off your first box with promo code ‘CASEFILE’ BetterHelp – Get 10% off your first month of professional counselling with a licensed therapist Shudder – Try Shudder FREE for 30 days with promo code ‘CASEFILE’ Truebill – Take control of your finances and save money For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-193-suesan-knorr-sheila-sanders

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local Crisis Centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. This episode involves a crime against children. It may not be suitable for all listeners. Mrs Cross walked up the driveway of the East Salt Lake City home and rang the doorbell. She was counting on the job interview to go well and had dressed to impress. Her clothes and makeup were immaculate and her blonde wig was styled neatly.

For a difficult life, this was her chance at a new beginning. She wasn't about to blow it. Mrs Cross was responding to an advertisement in the local paper for a qualified nurses aid. The chosen candidate would provide round-the-clock care and companionship to Alice Sullivan, an elderly woman suffering from Parkinson's disease. Mrs Cross came with glowing references, a thorough knowledge of medications and a wealth of experience. Alice's son and daughter believed her to be the right person to assist their 86-year-old mother. They weren't wrong. After moving into a spare room in Alice Sullivan's home, Mrs Cross became the best live-in nurse the elderly woman ever had.

Kind-hearted and caring, she ensured Alice never went without, even buying her clothing and gifts out of her own pay packet. Despite gentle probing, Mrs Cross never discussed her personal life or history. It was clear that she was deeply religious as she spent her spare time locked in her bedroom reading the Book of Mormon. In a rare moment of vulnerability on Christmas Day in 1992, she revealed that she had two sons, one of whom had died in a car accident. That day, she put expensive presents for Alice's granddaughters under the Christmas tree, explaining that she never had any daughters of her own to spoil. Mrs Cross was a loyal companion. She never took time off and told the

Sullivan's that she considered them family. Still, there was something odd about the woman. The Sullivan's couldn't shake the feeling that Mrs Cross was hiding something from them. So, nearly 30 years earlier, on July 6, 1964, Clifford Sanders and his 18-year-old wife, Theresa, stood facing one another in the lounge of their cramped, low-set home in the Californian city of Galt. Sitting in the corner of the room was the couple's 11-month-old son, Howard, playing with his toys. He was used to the shouting matches between his parents and had learned to keep to himself when they flared up. But this time was different. Minutes later, the doorbell rang at

Galt Deputy Sheriff Fred May's house, 200 feet down the road. Theresa Sanders was outside, cradling baby Howard. She tearfully explained that her husband had come at her with an old model hunting rifle, intending to beat her with the butt end. Theresa managed to pry the firearm away from her husband, causing it to discharge. Deputy May headed to the Sanders' house, while Theresa remained behind, clutching Howard and rocking back and forth. She asked over and over if Clifford was going to be okay, hoping that she had just grazed his hand. When Deputy May entered the Sanders' lounge, he spotted Clifford's lifeless body face up on the floor and surrounded by a pool of blood.

A single bullet had shattered the 23-year-old's left wrist, entered his chest, and penetrated his heart. Authorities were well aware of the domestic situation in the Sanders' household. Two weeks earlier, Theresa had appeared at Deputy Sheriff May's house with bruises around her wrists and neck. Clifford had come home drunk, broken a window, and taken his anger out on his wife. Who was expecting their second child? Clifford had accused Theresa of infidelity before beating and choking her. Theresa opted not to press charges and tensions between the couple escalated until their final fatal confrontation. Theresa learned of her husband's fate en route to the local police station.

Her piercing, devastated screams were heard by street side onlookers as she was driven away. In September 1964, they're still pregnant Theresa Sanders faced trial for first-degree murder. Her lawyer spoke of the violence she had endured throughout her marriage, including being repeatedly punched, kicked, and burned with cigarettes. An acquaintance recalled the time Theresa had appeared on her doorstep needing a place to stay after escaping from her enraged husband. Even Clifford's sister didn't want Theresa to end up in prison, but acquitted so she could go home and take care of her children. On the stand, Theresa emotionally described how she had fought for her husband's rifle

in fear for herself, her son, and her unborn child. A court-appointed psychologist described her as an anxious, remorseful, and frightened woman who posed no danger to herself or anyone else. After nine days of proceedings, Theresa held her hands to her mouth and visibly trembled as the jury delivered their verdict. They ruled that Theresa had acted in self-defense and acquitted her of Clifford's murder. Theresa approached the jury in tears and thanked them while sharing a warm embrace with the female members. Her lawyer told reporters outside court that Theresa only had one thing to say, quote, all I want to do is go home and take care of my baby. In March 1965, Theresa gave birth to her deceased husband's child,

a girl named Sheila Sanders. Not long after, she met and married 18-year-old Robert Noor. The couple went on to have three children in quick succession, a girl named Susan and two boys, William and Robert Jr. Theresa stayed at home to look after the five kids while her husband took up work with the Navy, which led him to being away for long periods of time. Then in June 1969, Theresa filed for divorce, revealing she had once again found herself in an abusive relationship. In her filings, she described the daily threats and acts of great physical violence that Robert Noor senior had committed against her. A judge granted Theresa the divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty. She was awarded full custody

of her children, with the judge citing her fitness as a sole parent as a reason for his decision. For the second time in her life, Theresa found herself without a husband. She was also pregnant again. In August 1970, 24-year-old Theresa welcomed another child into the world. The little girl resembled her mother from the minute she was born, so Theresa named her after herself, Theresa Noor, though she was more commonly known as Terry. Two weeks after her 25th birthday, Theresa married railway worker Ron Pulliam. Although Ron wasn't physically violent, Theresa took his pistol to a friend's house for safekeeping after he threatened to kill her. This third marriage was also short-lived.

By 1972, Theresa went back to being a single mother. When her older children were in school, Theresa would take their younger siblings to diners and spoil them with ice cream sundaes. There were family outings to the drive-in theatre and long road trips into the Sierra Mountains. When money wasn't tight, Theresa showered her kids with gifts and designer clothes. She kept their home in Orangevale, California immaculate inside and out, and all of her children were always polite and well-mannered in public. It was approaching midnight on July 16, 1984, when a carload of people travelled down interstate 80 out of Sacramento City. The driver sat alone in the front of the vehicle, scanning the rolling

Californian landscape beyond the windshield. They eventually spotted a quiet, deserted spot within the Sierra Foothills, known as Squaw Creek. It was perfect. Nessled between two passengers in the back seat was a young woman. She was unconscious, and her hands and mouth were bound with duct tape. Once the car rolled to a stop, the woman was removed from the back of the car. She was laid on a blanket along with her possessions, clothing, a toothbrush, perfume, cutlery, and several pieces of expensive jewelry. A copy of the Jules Verne novel, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and a romance novel were also placed with her, as was a packet of infant diapers, one of which was soiled. Gasoline was then poured over her body and belongings.

The driver told their two companions, I'm going to run back and start the car. You light a match, and you just drop it and run. Once the fire took hold, the others raced back to the car where the driver was waiting. If you ever tell anybody about this, they warned, you're going to be next. At around four the following morning, a passing motorist noticed the flames arising from Squaw Creek and contacted the local fire department. A sheriff's sergeant arrived in the area and observed the small fire from the highway. Thinking it had been caused by a lightening strike, he radioed dispatch saying it would likely burn itself out or could wait to be extinguished later that morning. The sergeant went on his way and gave it no further thought. An hour later,

a truck driver was heading down Highway 89 when a woman ran from the surrounding woods to flag down his vehicle. She too had observed the minor fire at Squaw Creek and being a local that was familiar with bushfires, she knew something wasn't right. The occurring smoke didn't smell like burning wood. The truck driver retrieved his fire extinguisher and escorted the woman to the fire's location. It was contained and easily snuffed out. As the smoke cleared, the woman examined the remains. It looks like a mannequin, she said. Squaw Creek was soon swarming with police. The charred remains in the burn pile didn't

belong to a mannequin. It was the body of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young woman wearing a bright yellow hooded sweater. Aged between 14 and 17, she was less than five feet tall and weighed about 115 pounds. She had sustained third-degree burns to 91% of her body, with the fire itself causing her death. Superficial stab wounds to her back and buttocks indicated that she had been tortured, though it was unclear when or how these injuries occurred. A one-of-a-kind antique wedding ring was secured around her finger. Although the area where the victim had been found was a notorious dumping ground for bodies, the brutality of her murder horrified detectives. They examined missing persons, dental and fingerprint records, but were unable to ascertain her identity. She was given

the status of Jane Doe, a placeholder name used by authorities when the true name of a person is unknown. The local sheriff called Jane's murder one of the saddest and most vicious killings in recent history. A description of the items found at the crime scene was publicly released to help identification efforts. Most concerning were the infant diapers with detectives fearing that Jane Doe was the mother of a young child who might be in danger. Yet no one came forward having recognized any of her things. An artist's rendering of Jane depicting a smiling young woman with a chipped upper front tooth also failed to generate valuable leads. Eleven months passed and detectives were no closer to formally identifying Jane Doe or her killer. On June 24, 1985, the driver was

once again behind the wheel traveling towards Squire Creek. Like last time, it was approaching midnight and they were joined by two accomplices. There was one notable difference. Their latest victim was already deceased, tucked away in a cardboard box in the trunk. It was all planned out. They weren't going to start a fire like they had previously as they didn't want the two crime scenes linked. The driver accidentally missed the turnoff to Squire Creek and decided to continue onwards looking for another suitable place. They eventually came to a stop just outside the town of Truckee on the California-Nevada state border. The two accomplices emerged from the back seat and collected a shovel each from the trunk. As they started digging nearby, a police car happened

to pull up behind them. They raced back to the car and hid the shovels, just as an officer approached carrying a flashlight. The car's three occupants were certain they had just been caught red-handed. The foul smell of decomposition emanated from the trunk and would no doubt raise suspicions that something was awry. The officer asked what they were doing. The group informed him that they had pulled over to urinate. He then circled the vehicle while shining his flashlight over it. Speaking directly to the driver, he ordered them to move along and get back on the highway. The officer had failed to notice the rancid smell, the shovels, or the killer before them. They returned to their patrol car and drove off. The near miss rattled the trio who reformulated

their plan. The driver headed south where they came across a deserted road near a lake in the middle of bushy mountain land. The group pulled over, retrieved their shovels, and wasted no time in digging a hole. The cardboard box was discovered the following morning at Martis Creek Campground by a caretaker clearing trash in the area. It was positioned in a clump of weeping willow trees by the lake. Curiosity got the better of the caretaker who tore off the silver duct tape that sealed the box. When he opened it, a human arm sprung out. The body of a young woman was tightly packed inside in the fetal position, naked aside from a pair of underwear and white socks.

She was approximately 20 years old, 5 foot 4 inches tall, 105 to 120 pounds, with brown hair. The level of decomposition made it impossible to determine much else, including facial features or a cause of death. Samples of the victim's teeth, hair, and skin were compared to records on file to no result. There were no missing person reports that could be linked to the victim either. She too was formally listed as a Jane Doe, though trucky locals knew her as the body in the cardboard box. The killer had gotten lucky. The same medical examiner who conducted this autopsy also carried out the one on the Jane Doe found burnt alive at Squire Creek almost a year prior. The differences between the two crime scenes ensured the examiner failed to determine a connection.

Just like the investigation into the first Jane Doe case, the latest inevitably went cold. 4 months later, on October 14, 1985, Gayle Smith arrived at a rest stop just outside of the city of Fort Worth in Texas. The 20-year-old had been given a ride there by her step-brother, but that's as far as he could take her. Gayle had a 340-mile journey ahead of her to visit her mother in the city of Amarillo. As she was short on funds, Gayle chose to do what she had done many times in the past – hitchhike to her destination. She preferred accepting rides from long-distance truckers as she had come to trust them the most. Gayle's step-brother watched from his car as Gayle approached a male trucker with red hair and blue eyes. After a brief conversation,

she hopped into the passenger seat of his cherry-red tractor trailer. Gayle failed to arrive at her mother's and was promptly reported missing, but her fate had already been sealed. The morning after Gayle had left the Fort Worth rest stop, her body was found poorly concealed in a thicket of bushland near the Canadian River, about 14 miles from Amarillo. Her hands were bound by duct tape, and she had been taped tightly into the fetal position. She had been hit over the head with a blunt object, raped, and then strangled to death with a man's necktie. Although Gayle's step-brother hadn't written down the license plate of the truck that Gayle

had hitched her final ride in, he did recall the make of the vehicle as well as a description of its driver. Most importantly, he recalled two words emblazoned on the driver's side door. Jewitt Scott Jewitt Scott was a trucking firm based in Oklahoma. The company examined their records and provided the name of the only employee who had been in the Fort Worth area at the time Gayle Smith had gotten a ride. 42-year-old Benjamin Boyle, better known as Herbert, had a violent criminal history. Six years earlier in 1979, he tried to abduct a woman by forcing her into his car. Boyle pleaded guilty for attempted kidnap and was sentenced to five

years probation. At the time of Gayle Smith's murder, he was on the run from a rape that he had committed in Colorado. Boyle, who introduced himself as Mr Whipple to women he was attracted to, had secured a load earlier that morning and was headed to a town 60 miles north of Houston. Detective Sped down Highway 59 and caught up to Boyle's truck. Boyle admitted to giving Gayle Smith a ride but said he had dropped her off at a truck stop in Wichita Falls, 250 miles short of her destination. Yet, the case against Herbert Boyle was sealed almost immediately. His truck contained some of Gayle's possessions and her blood and hair were found in the vehicle's cab. Carpet fibres from the truck's interior matched those found on Gayle's remains.

Finally, Boyle's fingerprints were lifted from the duct tape used to restrain Gayle with the roll itself discovered in his truck. In early November 1985, Herbert Boyle was indicted for the aggravated sexual assault and capital murder of Gayle Smith. Given his criminal history and transient job, detectives reexamined other unsolved murders to see whether they could be linked to Boyle. One case that drew their attention involved a young woman known only as Jane Doe found buried in a cardboard box at Martis Creek Campground. Her murder bore striking similarities to that of Gayle Smith. Both women were found off a highway and near water. They were bound with silver duct tape, placed in the fetal position, and were discovered in a state of undress.

By delving into Herbert Boyle's travel logbook, receipts and maps, it was discovered that he had been in the truckie area at the time of Jane Doe's murder. Additionally, a foreign fiber on Jane's body matched a blanket from Boyle's house in Oklahoma. There was also a rope fiber found at the crime scene that matched a length of rope in Boyle's truck. Herbert Boyle only faced trial for Gayle Smith's murder. In court, he was depicted as mean and unlikable with perverted sexual urges. His wife and daughter expressed their concerns that Boyle would harm them if he should be found not guilty. His daughter told the court, I'm very scared of the man right now and I have been for some time. After deliberating for 20 minutes, the jury found Boyle guilty of the rape, kidnapping,

and murder of Gayle Smith. He was sentenced to death. Although the body in the cardboard box case never went to trial due to lack of evidence, authorities safely assumed that Herbert Boyle was responsible for her murder also. They were wrong. Nearly 20 years earlier, on July 6, 1964, 18-year-old Teresa Sanders watched as her husband Clifford moved around their house packing a suitcase. An exceedingly jealous woman, Teresa constantly accused Clifford of having an affair and had taken to controlling many facets of his life. She had imposed a strict curfew on him, drove him to and from work, and handled all of their finances. Clifford was afforded just 50 cents for lunch so he wouldn't be able to

meet other women at expensive restaurants. When it all became too much, Clifford would stay in hotels for days at a time. With his suitcase packed, Clifford headed for the door and took one last look at his pregnant wife and their 11-month-old son Howard. Minutes later, Teresa arrived at Deputy Sheriff Fred Mays House down the road. She claimed that Clifford had attempted to beat her with a rifle. While she confessed to shooting him, she claimed it was an accident, stating, I did not think it would do that much damage. I didn't think that old gun would hurt him that bad. Teresa said she had wrestled the weapon from her husband, causing it to discharge.

The rifle, which was kept in the couple's bedroom, was always loaded. However, the safety was also always on. This meant the user had to click the safety off, cock the hammer, take aim, and pull the trigger to fire off a shot. It was an elaborate manoeuvre, and Teresa's story didn't account for it. Nor did it account for how cumbersome the rifle was in length and shape. Due to its long barrel, there had to be some distance between the shooter and their target to ensure a hit. The fatal bullet that had penetrated Clifford's chest passed through his wrist first, meaning he had attempted to shield himself with his hand prior to being shot at. This implied that the gun was aimed at him before it was fired.

With many aspects of her story not adding up, Teresa Sanders was tried for her husband's murder. Clifford's sister did say in court that she wanted Teresa to be acquitted so she could look after her slain brother's children. However, she also added, I believe with all my heart that Teresa Sanders planned to kill my brother. She recalled a time when Teresa pointed out a bullet hole in the floor of her home while proudly admitting that she had tried to shoot Clifford, but missed. On another occasion, Teresa said that she would kill Clifford before any other woman could have him. The jury overlooked this information, instead viewing the petite, pretty, and heavily pregnant

Teresa as someone who wouldn't hurt a fly. As detailed in the book Whatever Mother Says by Wensley Clarkson, days after being acquitted of her husband's murder, Teresa visited the office of the prosecuting district attorney. She had one request, the rifle that had been used to kill Clifford. She wanted it back. Neither of Teresa's next two husbands, Robert Norcenia or Ronald Pulliam, met with foul play, but both marriages ended after Teresa's controlling nature became too much to bear. Following her second divorce in 1972, Teresa became somewhat of a religious fanatic, obsessively pouring over the Bible while constantly quoting scripture to her children.

They quickly grew to be afraid of their mother. Ranging from three to ten years old, Teresa physically disciplined her children harshly over the smallest of incidents. She perceived any slight as an intentional act of defiance, like when they accidentally spilled crumbs of food. The abuse escalated as the children got older. Daily beatings or whippings were common. After extreme punishments, Teresa forced her children to take ice baths so their bruises wouldn't be noticed at school. Although she abused all her children, it was Teresa's daughters, Susan, Sheila, and Terry, who bore the brunt of their mother's fury.

Chet Harris met Teresa in August 1976 after crossing paths with her in a bar. Chet was an editor for the Sacramento Union newspaper. At 59 years old, he was doubled Teresa's age. He was also an obese, five-time divorcee with a two-pack-a-day smoking habit and an addiction to pornography and alcohol. Still, he caught Teresa's eye and the pair married within three days of their first encounter. Chet made no attempt to hide the fact that he didn't like Teresa's children. They didn't like him much either. The only exception was Susan Noor, Teresa's third eldest. Extremely intelligent and a voracious reader, 10-year-old Susan formed a special bond with Chet, who engaged her in conversations about

politics and mythology. Years of beatings had made Susan reserved and frightened, but with Chet, she found an adult she could confide in. Their closeness angered Teresa, who was overcome with bitter jealousy whenever Chet showered Susan with attention. Her resentment towards her husband continued to fester as time went by. What bothered Teresa most was Chet's fascination with the witchcraft and the occult. While these practices were against her own religious beliefs, Teresa drew issue with how Chet's interest in them had rubbed off on her daughter, Susan. Less than three months into their marriage, Teresa filed for divorce. The departure of Chet Harris in November 1976 did

little to ease the tensions escalating in Teresa's household. By this point, Teresa petrified her children. She slapped them if they came home even a minute after curfew. If they talked back, they were hit with a plank of wood Teresa called the Board of Education. She even ordered her children to punish one another, with the younger boys made to hold down the girls so that eldest son Howard could beat them. Teresa herself became a recluse and refused to let anyone but her children into their house. She gained weight and barely bathed or changed her clothes. In the brief moments where she was thinking clearly, she would try to make amends for her behavior by treating her children to trips and treats. But these moments were rare.

Despite having ended their marriage, Teresa's mind often wandered back to Chet Harris, who she now believed was a demon sent to her by another one of her former husbands, Robert Nor Senior, who she claimed also practiced witchcraft. She would rant about him to her children. While the older kids largely ignored her, their younger siblings were terrified by her delusions and listened intently. Teresa never got over Susan's connection to Chet, and when she found out that they were meeting up behind her back, Teresa was furious. She pulled Susan out of school so she could keep an eye on her at all times. Life at home with her mother became especially hard for Susan when Teresa started accusing her

of being a witch. At 15 years old, Susan tried running away but was quickly detained and temporarily placed in a receiving home. She begged not to be sent back home, likening her life there to a concentration camp. After a number of meetings with Teresa, in which she was given the all-clear as a competent parent, Susan was returned to her custody. Teresa assured counselors that her daughter's stories were all lies and she would be safe. When they got home, Teresa instructed all of her children to punch Susan in the stomach. If they didn't do it hard enough, they had to punch her again. From then on, Teresa kept Susan handcuffed to her bed at night,

worried she would sneak out to perform witchcraft on her if she wasn't restrained. Susan was also kept sedated with medications her mother had stolen during her time as a hospice worker years earlier. During meals, she was tied to a chair and often left there for hours at a time. The constant abuse took its toll on Susan, who began mumbling nonsensical statements that only cemented her mother's belief that she was a witch or that a demon had entered her body. Among the many reasons Teresa had grown to resent Susan was her slim figure and teenage youthfulness. One day, she accused the demon of taking fat off of Susan's body and putting it on her own. In turn, she began force-feeding Susan to make

her gain weight. Teresa pushed the spoon into Susan's closed mouth with such force, it chipped her front upper tooth. Sometime in 1981, 15-year-old Susan was walking down the hallway when Teresa cornered her. She screamed into her daughter's stomach, asking the demon why she had put on more weight. Certain that Susan was making her fat and ugly on purpose, Teresa ordered her son Robert to restrain his older sister. He did as he was told and pushed Susan into the bathroom when they were suddenly interrupted by the ear-splitting crack of a gunshot. Susan clutched the left side of her chest and fell backwards into the bathtub. The gun-wielding Teresa snapped out of her murderous

rage and rushed to her injured daughter. She pushed her finger into the bleeding hole in Susan's chest and felt the bullet lodged in her back just below her left shoulder blade. In an uncharacteristic moment of tenderness, she said, I'm so sorry. A stunned Susan replied, I forgive you, you know I love you. Susan Norr was left in the bathtub for a month. While the bullet remained in her back, the wound itself healed and she made a miraculous recovery. The near-death experience didn't prompt any change in Teresa, who was still convinced that Susan was possessed by a demon. She moved her family to an apartment in North Sacramento where Susan's ordeal continued. From her early teens, Susan had

been forced by her mother to engage in sex work to support the family and all of her earnings were taken by Teresa the moment she returned home. Despite this, Susan found herself enjoying the work as it enabled her to leave the house. Her brothers didn't share the same concerns. Teresa still afforded them more freedom than their female siblings, allowing them to deal cannabis and take on small jobs. Still, they were also forced to hand over their pay to their mother. When Susan was home, she was handcuffed to the dining table and forced to sleep on a blanket on the floor. With no appetite, her weight plummeted. Teresa would kick her as she walked past. Then, in July 1984, Teresa grasped a pair of scissors like a dart and threw them into Susan's back.

The blades pierced Susan's skin, but she was so emotionally detached at this point that she didn't even flinch. Although Teresa said Susan provoked her, the incident led to a compassionate shift in her behavior. Susan noticed the change and saw it as an opportunity. Hours later, mother and daughter were sitting together on a sofa in the lounge. Teresa had been drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis and was in the best mood she had been in for weeks. Susan plucked up the courage and asked for a one-way ticket to Alaska to start a new life, explaining that Teresa would never see or hear from her again. Susan waited nervously as her mother considered the proposition.

She then said the words Susan had been longing to hear. Yes, she would let her go to Alaska on one condition. Teresa retrieved a bottle of antipsychotic medication she had pocketed from her old job and gave a handful of capsules to Susan, who washed them down with a quart of whiskey. Susan then lay face down on a blanket in the dining room and passed out within a few minutes. Teresa checked she was unconscious before commencing the operation. The only way she would allow Susan to leave was if the bullet lodged in her back was removed. That way there would be no evidence of her abuse if Susan ever decided to speak of it.

Susan's younger brother Robert, who was 15 at the time, performed the surgery under Teresa's orders. He cut into the skin and muscle just under Susan's left shoulder blade with an exacto knife and spotted the bullet. Sticking his fingers deep into the wound, Robert pried it out and was surprised by the lack of blood. His mother stated it was because a demon had possessed Susan's body and made her undead. Susan woke from the procedure a day later and it was immediately clear something was very wrong. She alternated between groggily murmuring and screaming in pain. Teresa pumped her full of antibiotics and painkillers, but soon Susan was overcome with fever. She began hallucinating and spoke of watching her life as a movie before her eyes.

When Susan's eyes yellowed from jaundice and the skin on her back turned black, Teresa claimed it was the devil revealing itself and refused to take her to a hospital. She made Susan wear infant diapers when she could no longer go to the bathroom. Sheila and Terry kept vigil at their ailing sister's side as she deteriorated on the floor. Every time Susan went still and silent, Terry gently shook her awake to make sure she was still alive. Susan would babble at her incoherently in response. Then one day, Teresa told her other children, we've got to get rid of Susan. She's going to die on us. We're going to have to kill her. On July 16, 1984, she collected all the photographs she had of Susan and burned them in the backyard.

Then she waited for nightfall. As midnight approached, Teresa drove down interstate 80 with sons William and Robert, who were forced to accompany her. The boys sat in the back seat with the unconscious and bound Susan sandwiched between them. Inside the trunk of the car were Susan's belongings, including clothes, jewellery and books. The diapers she had been wearing were bagged up as well. Upon reaching the secluded Squire Creek area, Teresa stopped the car and had William and Robert retrieve Susan. The pair were horrified, but did not dare disobey their mother. They laid Susan on a blanket with her possessions. 16-year-old William zipped up her hooded sweater, concerned that his older sister might get cold. Teresa then ordered Robert to get

a tank of gasoline from the trunk of the car, pour it over Susan and set her alight. The trio drove home in silence, until a bird smacked into the windshield. Teresa screamed in fright, turned to William and Robert and said, that bird was a sacrifice. God thinks we did a good thing. Upon returning home, Teresa ordered her eldest daughter, Sheila, to scrub the floor where Susan had spent her final days. Like her younger sister, Sheila had endured a heavily controlled life at the hands of her mother. Aside from running the odd errand, she was kept at the family home and less forced into sex work to line her up with her mother. She was then taken to the hospital and

home and less forced into sex work to line her mother's pockets. With Susan gone, Sheila was terrified that she would become her mother's next target. It wouldn't be long before her fears were realized. In the winter of 1984, 19-year-old Sheila Sanders was riding her bike to pick up a pack of cigarettes for her mother when she was hit by a car. After recovering from her minor injuries, Sheila felt a noticeable shift within her family. Teresa had told her other children that Sheila had died and a demon had taken over her body. Suddenly, Sheila found herself cowering from an increase in beatings. When Teresa was convinced she had caught a sexually transmitted disease from Sheila

after the pair shared the same toilet seat, she punished her daughter by handcuffing her to the dining table. History was repeating itself, though instead of Susan being force-fed, it was Sheila. It was Sheila. As detailed in the book Whatever Mother Says, Sheila once confided in her mother that she was depressed. Teresa retrieved her gun and handed it to her daughter, remarking, if you're so depressed, then kill yourself. With a shaking hand, Sheila placed the barrel to her temple and squeezed the trigger. There was a gentle click. The gun wasn't loaded. On a hot day in June 1985, Sheila snapped. After being slapped by her mother for refusing to eat, she retaliated by kicking Teresa in the leg. A furious Teresa screamed that her shin was broken,

then fell quiet. Later that night, she called on her sons, William and Robert. Teresa ordered them to restrain Sheila and lock her in the linen closet. Struggling with all her might, Sheila was no match for her burly brothers. Once trapped inside the two-by-four foot space, she pleaded to be let out. Teresa stuffed towels against the door to muffle her daughter's cries and turned up the television. The neighbors didn't hear a thing. Days later, Teresa made a rare trip out to the store. Her sons were at work, leaving 14-year-old Terri alone in the house with the imprisoned Sheila.

Taking her chance to help her sister, Terri opened the linen closet door, causing Sheila to fall out onto her side. With her hands restrained behind her back and wearing nothing but underpants and socks, Sheila was drenched in sweat and pleaded for a drink. Forbidden by her mother to give Sheila food or water, Terri retrieved a beer and held the liquid to her sister's lips. Then she heard the sound of a car door slam. Mother was home. Against Sheila's protests, Terri pushed her back into the stifling hot closet and shut the door.

While the decision to do so would haunt Terri for life, she understood that it was either shut the door or wind up in the closet with Sheila. Terri later heard a hallucinating Sheila say, There is a light above me. I think it's a hole. I'm going to climb towards it. A series of thumps followed. Then everything went quiet. Teresa ignored her daughter's body in the closet for three days. Then on June 24, 1985, she was compelled to act when the smell of decomposition began to permeate through the apartment. Teresa donned some rubber gloves, sat on her bed, and carefully picked off every

hair she could see on a set of pink pillowcases. She then lined the inside of a cardboard box with the pillowcases before ordering William and Robert to retrieve Sheila's body. Sheila was placed into the cardboard box, which was then loaded into the trunk of Teresa's car. For the second time in their life, Robert and William were tasked with helping dispose of one of their sister's bodies. Terri was forced to stay behind and clean up. As she scrubbed away at the dark fowl liquids that had seeped into the closet floor, Terri's mind raced. As the last remaining daughter, would she be the next to die? That night, Teresa watched as William and Robert dug a grave for Sheila outside the town of Truckee. All of a sudden, a police cruiser pulled up behind

them. William was certain they had been caught and was relieved to think that their nightmare would finally be over. By pure chance, neither officer picked up on what was going on and soon left. Teresa's luck continued when Sheila's body was found. Authorities incorrectly linked her murder to Herbert Boyle, the killer of Gail Smith. At this point, both Sheila and Susan had been named Jane Does, as their isolated life ensured no one could identify their remains. As far as Teresa was concerned, she had gotten away with everything. Just after 3am on September 29, 1986, 16-year-old Terri Noor emptied three cans of lighter fluid throughout her family's North Sacramento apartment. Checking once more that her escape

path was clear, she lit a match. With shaking hands, she slowly lowered it to the floor. The fire took hold much quicker than Terri anticipated. She leapt out a window, just as flames began climbing the walls. While running from the scene, Terri passed several fire engines on their way to tackle the inferno. She reached a hotel room, where her mother was waiting. The fire had been Teresa's idea. She had grown paranoid over a lasting stain in the linen closet, fearing it would link her to Sheila's murder. She had convinced Terri to start the blaze, promising her only remaining daughter that she could move out if she went through with it.

Terri accepted the offer. As her sons had since left her of their own accord, Teresa relocated to Salt Lake City in Utah, where she underwent a complete makeover. She became a Mormon and kept herself well presented with expensive clothes and makeup. She also cut her long dark hair and began sporting a blonde wig. With the remainder of her children either literally or metaphorically dead to her, it was time for Teresa to start a new life. Susan Noor and Sheila Sanders were the only two of Teresa's six children to be murdered, yet the remaining four, Howard, William, Robert and Terri, would struggle from the

abuses they had endured at her hands for the rest of their lives. Eldest Howard Sanders was the first to leave home and did so before the murders took place. One day, Howard read a newspaper article about the Jane Doe found burned to death at Squire Creek. Certain it was his sister Susan, he asked his mother where she was. Teresa said Susan had run away and claimed Sheila had too. Although Howard didn't believe her, he feared she would kill him as well, so he didn't press the matter. Over the years Howard struggled to hold down work for addiction had several run-ins with the law and his marriage ended in divorce. At 17, William Noor was the next to move out,

leaving between the murders of Susan and Sheila. He was summoned back home to help with disposing of Sheila's body and did so out of fear of his mother. Drugs and alcohol dulled the recurring nightmares William experienced, enough to help him maintain a marriage and job. Despite his troubles, he was a friendly and amiable man working hard to get his life on track. In the book Mother's Day by Dennis McDougal, William reflected on his family, saying, I never wanted to see any of them again. When I left, I was like, I'm out. I was out and I was staying out. Robert Noor remained living with his mother until her move to Salt Lake City, where he left her soon after. Like his brothers, he sought reprieve from his childhood memories

through the use of drugs and alcohol. After a string of arrests, he was jailed for burglary and took the opportunity to earn his high school equivalency diploma to expand his employment prospects upon his release. However, his newfound freedom didn't last long. 22-year-old Robert was sentenced to a further 15 years in prison for the second-degree murder of a bartender shot dead during a robbery. He narrowly avoided a murder conviction and the death penalty by cutting a deal with the prosecution to testify against his co-accused. Theresa kept her word with youngest daughter, Terry. After she had started the fire that consumed their North Sacramento apartment, Terry was finally free to live her own life. Her experiences

from then onwards mirrored those of her siblings. Adding to her turmoil was the discovery that she was unlikely to conceive the children she desperately wanted due to the severe beatings she suffered throughout her youth. Terry had also endured childhood sexual abuse. In 1993, her oldest brother Howard admitted to authorities that he had molested Terry when she was six and he was 13. Howard faced no repercussions for these actions. Over the years, Terry confided in friends about her childhood, including the murders of her sisters. Few believed her, and those that did encouraged her to speak to police, who ultimately dismissed her story as far-fetched. On one occasion, a sheriff took interest in

Terry's allegations and interviewed her. A detective was then assigned to investigate whether any unsolved homicides could be linked to Theresa Norr. He concluded there were none, and Terry was once again brushed off. More than once, Terry tried to end her pain by taking her own life. Then one night, her outlook changed. In the last week of October 1993, 23-year-old Terry Norr sat on a sofa blinking back tears. She had just had an argument with her husband, who accused her of lying once again about her sister's murders. Terry's attention was drawn to the television screen before her, where a suited man spoke solemnly towards the camera. It was John Walsh, the host of America's

Most Wanted. The series reported on unsolved crimes or wanted fugitives, while requesting viewers to offer their tips and insights via a toll-free phone number. Terry watched intently and made a decision. She grabbed for the telephone and dialed the show's tip line. A woman on the other line listened as Terry revisited the story of her sister's murders. To her disappointment, Terry was told there was nothing the show could do for her. Exhausted by the lack of help and support from all ends, Terry broke down sobbing. Yet, unlike others, the woman who answered the call didn't dismiss Terry entirely. She suggested that Terry contact the county authorities where the murders took place.

Sergeant John Fitzgerald at the Placer County Sheriff's Substation in Tahoe City took Terry's call. While detailing Susan's murder, Terry referenced an antique wedding ring her sister had been wearing when set alight at Squire Creek. Sergeant Fitzgerald's interest was already peaked, but the ring mention really drew his attention. Shaking with emotion, Terry explained how no one believed her story about her mother, not even her husband. Sergeant Fitzgerald responded, young lady, if it's any consolation to you, you can tell your husband this. I found a 17-year-old female burning near Squire Creek on July 17, 1984. I believe she was your sister.

10 days after Terry's call, Sergeant John Fitzgerald arrived on the doorstep of a modest, low-set home in East Salt Lake City. An older lady named Mrs. Cross answered the door. She was the living carer for the home's owner, an elderly woman named Alice Sullivan. Sergeant Fitzgerald looked at the photograph in his hands of Theresa Nor, then eyed the haggard and pale woman standing before him. She invited them inside. The search for Theresa Nor had not been an easy one, as she had gone by many surnames throughout her life. Mrs. Cross was initially reluctant to admit to anything, but eventually revealed that she was going by her maiden name. Her actual name was Theresa Nor.

Theresa remained calm when shown the warrant for her arrest. Theresa then contacted Alice's son and informed him that she was being arrested. Knowing his mother's nurse is nothing but a kind-hearted and generous individual, he was stunned at the news and asked why. Theresa said she didn't know. When it came time to take Theresa Nor into custody, Sergeant Fitzgerald found her trying to escape via a rear door of the house. I feel like a sacrificial lamb being led to the slaughter, she told him. Investigators soon arrived at Theresa's former North Sacramento apartment. Luckily for them, the arson Terry committed years prior didn't do as much damage as Theresa had hoped. Once inside, officers came across a small closet in the hallway.

Sergeant Fitzgerald's stomach churned. According to Terry, Sheila had been locked inside the closet, but the door in front of him didn't have a lock. Sergeant Fitzgerald began to worry. Had Terry lied to him, he phoned her to clarify. As detailed in the book Whatever Mother Says, Terry explained, it's the smaller closet just outside the bathroom. This closet had been spotted by investigators, but they had dismissed it as the one used to imprison Sheila as they couldn't imagine anyone being kept inside such a small space. Staining found in this closet came back positive for human blood.

Meanwhile, police had arrived at William Nor's workplace in Sacramento and placed him under arrest. Robert Nor, who was already in prison, was also charged in relation to his sister's murders. The Placer County Sheriff told the Sacramento B newspaper that the case was one of the most bizarre and unbelievably sad family situations anyone could ever imagine. Why someone would do something this vicious is beyond comprehension, and when it's your own mother and brothers, it's almost unbelievable. As the horror of what Theresa Nor had done to her own children came to light, those who knew her as Theresa Cross were left in shock.

They couldn't marry up the two personalities of the one woman, the sadistic and jealous murderer, versus the compassionate and gentle nurse's aide. Some believed detectives had made a mistake and arrested the wrong person. Others thought she was taking the fall for her son's actions. Even those who suspected something was odd about the family never imagined the truth was far more heinous. A former neighbor told the Sacramento B, I knew those people were weird, but I didn't know how weird. It's just wild. It scares me, and it makes me leery of making friends.

Theresa Nor was charged with two counts of murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, and two special circumstances charges, multiple murder and murder by torture. When speaking of Theresa's sons, prosecutor John O'Mara made an extraordinary plea for mercy. He said that all of Theresa's children had been subjected to a family situation that not even Stephen King could imagine, and agreed that their role in the murders was mitigated by the abuse they'd suffered at the hands of their mother. Elder's son Howard told the Fresno Bee, I want people to understand that it's not my brother's fault. They were children at the time, and she had total control over them. She was crazy,

but she was the adult. As part of a plea deal, Robert Nor agreed to testify against his mother in return for a reduced charge of being an accessory after the fact. He was sentenced to three years to be served concurrently with his sentence for the fatal armed robbery. The serious charges against William Nor were also dropped, with his attorney stating that his client was raised in a cage and tortured by the zookeeper. William received a three-year suspended sentence, was placed on five-year probation, and ordered to continue therapy he had been receiving for post-traumatic stress disorder. He said he bore no animosity towards his mother, and when asked what he believed

should be her sentence, William replied, Whatever the court decides is fine. Three mental health professionals examined Theresa Nor to establish whether she was competent to stand trial. While it couldn't be ascertained what exact mental health issues Theresa faced when she murdered Susan and Sheila, her remaining children agreed that she suffered from paranoia and delusions. Howard remembered an episode when he was 14, where Theresa disappeared for four days straight. Upon her return, she spoke of having found some pennies. She had thrown them away, but then they turned back up at the motel where she was staying. She said that no matter what she did with the pennies, they kept reappearing.

Howard later remarked, I didn't understand it at the time, but looking back on it, I mean, obviously, they were paranoid delusions. The children learned to anticipate these episodes as they often occurred after Theresa had consumed a lot of alcohol. When drunk, she was also known to have explosive angry outbursts, prompting her children to hide from her when they saw a drink in her hand. Reports suggest that having her mother die in her arms from a heart attack when she was 12 might have triggered Theresa's lifelong mental health problems. Yet, sadistic and violent behavior seemed to run in her family. Her half-brother had a history of

cruelty to animals, violent assault, burglary, and armed robbery. This behavior culminated in a double homicide so brutal that knife markings were left in the wooden floor underneath the two victims. The professionals examining Theresa reached different conclusions. Two believed she was faking mental illness, while the other felt she was suffering from multiple personality disorder. The report prepared for the judge slanted towards the majority opinion. It read, When Theresa was asked about the two daughters she is accused of murdering, her reaction betrayed a preposterous and transparent attempt to feign mental illness. As a result, Theresa was ruled competent to stand trial. The presiding judge said,

Any defendant capable of such a performance would also be able to work with their attorney in preparing a rational defense. By her attempt to Malinga, I believe Theresa has rather clearly revealed that she understands precisely what is going on. When she found out that her son was going to testify against her, Theresa changed her plea. When asked by the judge if she was pleading guilty because she was in fact guilty, Theresa hesitated and then replied, I believe I would be found guilty. In return for Theresa's cooperation, the prosecution requested she be spared the death penalty. A more than likely sentence should the case go to trial. A booming voice then shouted,

No, in the courtroom. It was Robert Norcenia, the father of Susan, Robert, William and Terry. He yelled to his ex-wife, I hope you burn in hell for what you did to my kids. Outside, Robert Sr. told a reporter for the Sacramento Bee that Theresa should fry, adding, My daughter is in her grave and will be there forever. Why should she be allowed to live out the rest of her life? Theresa was sentenced in October 1995. A victim impact statement written by her son Robert Norcenia was read out to the courtroom. It read in part, My mother cruelly and calculatingly tortured her victims both physically and mentally over the course of years, killing them in every way possible over and over again.

We have all been sentenced to life without parole, reliving our own private nightmares in the early hours, imprisoned in our memories. Theresa's attorney made an impassioned plea for concurrent sentences. He argued that she, quote, never had a fair chance in life. She was raising these kids as best she could when she was still a child herself. The prosecutor snapped back, saying that Theresa's crimes were unspeakable and detailed the profound effect her actions had on her surviving children, quote. She's saddled them with so much emotional baggage they are never going to come out of this hole. In summing up, the presiding judge described Theresa's actions as callousness beyond belief. He sentenced her to two consecutive life

sentences. Theresa shook in her seat as her outcome was revealed. An attempt at parole in 2019 failed. Her case will be reviewed again in 2024, when Theresa will be in her late 70s. Following the revelation that her mother's carer was a killer, Alice Sullivan's daughter began clearing out the spare room the woman she knew as Mrs. Cross had occupied. She came across a number of carefully wrapped presents Theresa was planning on handing out at Christmas. As detailed in Whatever Mother Says, she said, It was so sad. I took them down to the basement close to tears. I still cannot believe that a good person like Theresa could be responsible for the crimes she is accused of. In hindsight, it's possible Theresa's children would have been

spared their horrific ordeal had she been convicted for the shooting murder of her first husband, Clifford Sanders, in 1964. Prosecutor at the trial, District Attorney Donald Dorfman, was certain he had a solid case against Theresa and was stunned when she was acquitted. He feared the jury would be fooled by the young, pregnant and seemingly innocent woman before them, and pleaded with them to find her guilty so she could not go on to harm anyone else. He told them, Not every murderer looks like the witch in Snow White. It would be easier if they did. Following the positive identifications of the Squire Creek and Martyrs Creek campground Jane Does, their unmarked graves were updated. The first now features the name Susan Noor,

with an image of a book underneath a tree paying homage to Susan's love of reading. The second carries the name Sheila Sanders alongside a blossoming flower. Beloved sister is written above the message. May you now find peace.