Thankfully, all the children and their bus driver returned home 36 hours after they were abducted, safe but traumatized. Dogdog.. On July 15, 1976, Frederick, Richard, and James put their scheme into motion. The 78acre Woods estate, called Hawthorne, where the young man lived in a converted outbuilding adjacent to the home of his grandmother and across a hill from his parents' home, is strewn with a hundred or more old vehicles, aging vans, a classic Pierce Arrow resting near decaying and nondescript family sedans, a hearse, buses, fire engines, some in garages, others rusting in the rain on hills gilded by summer stands of golden rye grass, fodder for a score or more of retired police horses bought and put to pasture by young Woods's grandmother, now an invalid and in the care of a nurse. READ NEXT: Why A Georgia Beauty Queens Alleged Murderer Still Hasnt Been Tried in Her Death, Two Kidnappers of 26 Children Paroled; One Remains in Prison, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He then can allow the decision to stand, or send it to a full board for further review. Although the children and Ray were safe, the perpetrators were still out there. He urged Woods to consider getting treatment. Frederick Newhall Woods did not have the same success with the parole board. ', 'I've had a character change since then,' he said at his hearing. AP Photo/California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Vermont kidnapping victim drives off with hands still tied together, Volkswagen reportedly refused to help cops track stolen car with toddler inside, Chinas secret police are actively hunting people on US soil, Dances With Wolves actor hit with disturbing new charges. Another survivor, Darla Neal, told CNN in 2015 that she deals with crippling anxiety to the point that she had to leave work. she said. Chowchilla bus kidnapper Fred Woods, 70, has been approved for parole - CNN. They all then staggered towards a rock quarry (which happened to encompass the area where they were buried), where they were found by two workers who, ironically, heard of them in the radio news. In October 2019, Woods was denied parole for the 17th time. But eight days later, Richard Schoenfeld turned himself in to the authorities, according to the San Francisco Gate. 'I remember children just screaming and crying,' Park recounted forCBS. Frederick Newhall Woods IVRichard SchoenfeldJames Schoenfeld Modus Operandi Inside The 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping That Left 26 Schoolchildren Buried Alive. When the boy climbed through the hole and alerted that there was no one present, Ray helped the rest of the children out of the van before climbing out himself. In the years after the kidnappings, the children continued to be affected by the trauma. The 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping is brought back to memory in CBS 48 Hours. On July 15, 1976, a school bus driver and 26 children aged between 5 and 14 were kidnapped by three armed men. Authorities issued an all-points bulletin for young Woods and his two friends, James Schoenfeld, 24 and his brother, Richard Schoenfeld, 22, sons of a wealthy podiatrist. Woods (the father) expected too much of him and he couldn't live up to it, she said. It is possible that the money has helped finance some of Woods prison activities. However, once this was proven to be wrong, local police and the county sheriff was called in to investigate, determining that the bus disappeared after successfully making its first three stops. were rarely seen in the company of their son They went their separate ways. The men had planned the Chowchilla kidnapping for over a year, tracing the bus route, converting the prison vans, creating the underground bunker, and even building a lead box to put the ransom money in, just in case police placed tracking devices in the cash. , updated If he did a good job, he'd brag about it to his father, but when he lost his job as A salesman, he didn't want to tell it to his father or me, his former wife recalled. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. According to CBS News, part of the reason he was denied parole was that he was conducting business from inside the prison that he did not have permission from the warden to be doing. When the day was about to come to a close, worried parents contacted the school, which initially assumed that the bus had broken down in the road. Woods was arrested weeks later after fleeing to Vancouver, British Columbia. The heir to two wealthy California families, the Newhalls and the Woodses, he inherited a trust fund from his parents that was described in one court filing as being worth $100 million (equivalent to $113 million in 2021), although Woods' lawyer disputed that amount. On July 15, 1976, 26 children ranging in age from five to 14 boarded a bus driven by 55-year-old Frank Edward Ed Ray for a summer field trip to a local swimming pool. On July 15, 1976, a group of 26 children attending summer classes at Dairyland Elementary School were returning from a trip to a local swimming pool when their bus, driven by Frank Edward Ray, was blocked on the road by three armed men and two white vans at 4.00pm. Said business included buying a mansion, running a gold mine, and operating a Christmas tree farm. The state prison spokesman, Luis Patino, said, As such, CDCR does not have any legal option other than to release inmate Schoenfeld and will do so. Richard, like his fellow kidnappers, was also incarcerated at San Luis Obispo. It was enough to pay for some therapy but not enough to buy a house.'. According to James Schoenfeld, the three believed while they were in their early 20s that their parents had become disappointed in them and that they were spending the money they had way too quickly. He just said he preferred not to be around children, she said. Frederick Newhall Woods first became eligible for parole in 1982 and has had 18 parole hearings since. Gavin Newsom has 30 days to review the decision and wither allow it to stand or refer it to the full Board of Parole Hearings for a review. ', She added:'He's not someone who should be released. There was no quit in him.. Originally the three were charged with joy riding, a fel. His father was expecting a lot from Woods which all the fathers in the world somehow expect from their children. I think I only saw a few pictures of him and his parents together in the family pictures. Woods, Wealthy Kidnap Suspect, Described as a Loner and a Loser, https://www.nytimes.com/1976/07/26/archives/woods-wealthy-kidnap-suspect-described-as-a-loner-and-a-loser.html. The governor can only reverse parole if the inmate was convicted of murder, which Wood was not. We would not have lived much longer. Now that youve read about the Chowchilla kidnapping, go inside the bizarre and terribly executed kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr. Then, learn about the tragic abduction of the Lindbergh baby. According to the Associated Press, the men had kidnapped the children because they were deeply in debt and planned to ask for a hefty ransom. The former wife, Mrs. Padgett, said in an interview in Georgia that during the time she lived with Mr. Woods at the estate, he kept a pistol in a small portable safe, along with personal and financial records and some cash. Woods will next be eligible for parole in 2024. They all walked to the security shack at the quarry and told employees what had happened. Police soon realized that only someone with unlimited access to the quarry would have been able to bury the truck and bring in 27 prisoners in the middle of the night without being seen. Richard Schoenfeld turned himself in to authorities eight days after the kidnapping; his brother was captured in Menlo Park, California, not far from the quarry; and Frederick Newhall Woods was arrested in Vancouver, Canada, after fleeing the country. And he's just letting those trucks, beautiful fire engines, turn into junkers. Frederick Newhall Woods III, a member of one of California's wealthiest and most prominent families, rented the San Jose warehouse where the two vans were found. By Once all 27 members of the group were inside, the kidnappers put a heavy piece of metal and two 100-pound industrial batteries on top of the entry theyd cut into the roof of the truck, filled in the rest of the hole with dirt, and left the scene. And Im remembering the last time that I saw her and wishing I could have told her goodbye.. There was just miles and miles of scenery., One major point of her incompatibility with Mr. Woods, the young woman said, were his racial views. There, they were transferred to a buried moving truck, with mattresses and a little bit of food. The Schoenfeld brothers surrendered to authorities in California after several days in hiding. When they were married, Mr. Wood was a salesman at a paint store, but lost the job. So, where are they now? But there were no children, and that set the stage in part for the young couple's breakup. The young man wanted no one near the estate, his former wife said, and once he fired a shotgun over the heads of some youngsters who played in an old caboose on the estate, she said. He liked police, programs; among his favorites were The Rookies, and also Mod Squad, his former wife said. It surprised me how much [money] he made, but it was a lot, the youth said. They kept their captives by stuffing them into a van buried under a pile of dirt. ', The comments below have not been moderated, By Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. While the men had equipped the van with fans and mattresses, carved makeshift toilets into the wheel wells, and provided bread, peanut butter, and water, Ray knew he and the students wouldnt survive long if they ran out of air. While James and Richard Schoenfeld had success with the parole board last decade, Woods despite his many attempts had not had success until this year. I said to myself as soon as the bus stopped: 'What have I got myself into?' 01:30 GMT 30 Mar 2022 Finally, 16 hours after the children had been buried alive, a ray of light streamed through the dirt and into the dark truck. Frederick Woods was among three men convicted of hijacking a school bus full of California children for an attempted $5 million ransom in 1976. . On July 29, fourteen days after the mass abduction, Frederick and James were both arrested when they were recognized by several civilians. Alias If he did a good job, he'd brag about it to his father, but when he lost his job as a salesman (at a paint store in Palo Alto) he didn't want to tell his father, or me.. (1) Frederick Newhall Woods IV, son of the quarry owner, 25 years old, 6 foot, 145 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes; (2) James Schoenfeld, son of a podiatrist in Atherton, 25 years old, 6 foot, 170 pounds, red hair and blue eyes; (3) James' brother Richard Schoenfeld, 22 years old, 5 foot 11 inches, 150 pounds, blonde hair and blue eyes. [Cover Image Courtesy: Alameda County Sheriffs Office], Read More: Best Netflix Kidnapping Movies. Theirs was a union of shared insecurity, according to the young woman who remarried after her divorce from Mr. Woods in 1972, after only a year of marriage. PLEASE NOTE ORDERS MAY TAKE LONGER TO SHIP AT THIS TIME. He came home and told me about it and was all excited. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Mr. Richard and James's father worked as a podiatrist, while Frederick's father was a businessman who owned and managed a multitude of businesses, including a rock quarry located in Livermore, California. A number of them have even spent time in prison for "doing something controlling to somebody else". The escape took place before the kidnappers had even been able to call in their ransom demands. The kidnapping was intended . Around 4:00 p.m., as Ray was driving the students home, a white van suddenly pulled in front of the school bus and came to a stop in the middle of the road. They had panic attacks and nightmares about kidnapping and death. He dug until he was exhausted and then he kept on digging. Frederick Newhall Woods was a child of his wealthy parents. But as of the 48 Hours episode, Park is nine years sober and volunteers as a pastor at a local church. He was denied parole numerous times for his minimization of the crime, his behavior in prison, and his possession of contraband like pornography and cell phones. Two victims who participated during Fridays hearing said they agreed that Woods should be paroled, according to NBC. Natasha Anderson For Dailymail.Com, Last kidnapper who hijacked school bus and kept 26 kids 'buried alive' in underground bunker could soon be set free, Man, 70, who masterminded hijacking school bus full of children for $5 million ransom in 1976 after being inspired by 'Dirty Harry' will be paroled: Kids and driver were buried in ventilated underground bunker and dug themselves out. 27 abducted The three masked men had hijacked the school bus, transferred the captives into prison vans, and buried them alive in a cargo truck at a quarry 100 miles away. His parents were very much into each other. . While behind bars, he continues to run his businesses and grows richer by the day. Twenty of the children feared of being abducted again, and twenty-one were afraid of "cars, the dark, the wind, the kitchen, mice, dogs, and hippies". What is lynching and what is the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Bill? Male (all three) So, where are they now? Less than a week later, Frederick Woods was captured in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and James Schoenfeld was captured in Menlo Park, California. Once the allotted time is up, the governor has 30 days to review their decision. After 17 unsuccessful attempts, a California man who kidnapped 26 children on a school bus in 1976 has been recommended for parole. And now, more than 40 years later, all three will soon be walking free once again. United States. Jessica O'Connor is a public historian focusing on Deep South Black History with degrees from Winston-Salem State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. It was back in July 1976, when three young men from. Sometime after 8:00 p.m., the school bus was discovered in the drainage slough, covered in bamboo and brush, but with no sign of Ray or the children. Over the years, there have been other troubling reports about Woods. He wasn't interested in anything. Thanks for contacting us. He just seemed the normal kind of guy, the former classmate said. Three young men from extremely wealthy families had meticulously planned and carried out the kidnapping all so they could demand a $5 million ransom to pay off their debts. They will mind.. We had no reason to expect to see them again. If no action is taken, Woods parole would be granted within 120 days from Fridays hearing. Yet here I am, a mess.'. 'He's ruined the lives of dozens of these kids - they still struggle, a lot of them, with the aftereffects of this. Fearing of embarrassment from asking their parents for financial support, they agreed to get themselves some money. 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