He and two others hijack a school bus with 26 children and a driver in 1976 in Chauchilla. But opposing Woods's release were survivors Jennifer Brown Hyde and Laura Yazzi Fanning; Matthew Medrano, son of survivor Jodi Heffington Medrano who has since died; and Carol Marshall, mother of survivor Michael Marshall, and Lynda Carrejo. The state would be willing to pay ransom for them. Over the course of her studies, she noted that numerous traits and facts about the children, including that a majority of the children, upon recollection, did not name the time they spent in the vans or the hours they spent being buried underground as the worst of their experiences; they also remembered that the highest degree of terror occurred at any time whenever their location was changed: from the school bus and into the small vans, from those vans and into the hole at the top of the buried van, and even from their placement onto the buses taking them home after their ordeal ended. One boy shot a lost tourist with a BB gun when their car broke down in front of his house. Frederick Newhall Woods IV, James Schoenfeld, and Richard Schoenfeld planned the Chowchilla kidnapping for over a year. He said, they the blacksreally tore the place up. He had boyish charm that enabled him, when he could overcome his shyness, to enter into intimate relationships with women, but the relationships seemed to end quickly, and over these relationships there was the same quick, jealous guarding that caused him to ward off intruders on the family estate with a shotgun, and, on at least one occasion, with gunfire. The Schoenfeld brothers surrendered to authorities in California after several days in hiding. Mr. Woods also met Songel Nichols, who was to become his wife. 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. Frederick Woods was among three men convicted of hijacking a school bus full of California children for an attempted $5 million ransom in 1976. . I fully take responsibility for this heinous act. 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. At the time, they were given 27 life sentences without the possibility of parole. Yet here I am, a mess.". He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, said his former wife, whose name is now Padgett and who is now living in Georgia. Hyde, during Friday's hearing, said Woods has yet to fully make amends for his crime and 'is still a millionaire. Woods was arrested weeks later after fleeing to Vancouver, British Columbia. Like his accomplices, he received 27 life sentences without the possibility of parole. A number of them have even spent time in prison for "doing something controlling to somebody else". Frederick Newhall Woods, now a bit frail, had been incarcerated 43 years for helping commit one of California's most shocking crimes. After 17 unsuccessful attempts, a California man who kidnapped 26 children on a school bus in 1976 has been recommended for parole. Now Frederick Newhall Woods IV, the "mastermind" of the trio, could be paroled next month and walk out of state prison as a multimillionaire. For a grueling 16 hours, the bus driver and one of the oldest students worked tirelessly to free themselves and the other children from the makeshift prison before they ran out of air or the roof of the truck collapsed in on them from the weight of the dirt above. A copper penny is taped to a page, date 1971, and the inscription reads our lucky penny., On a final page is a snapshot of a puppy. By 7:30 p.m., an all-points bulletin was broadcast while numerous people, including the parents of the missing children, initiated a widespread search. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. He was really adamant that I not see my former boyfriend. The possibility of parole for Frederick, Richard, and James stirred controversy, with Ray and some of the hostages stating that they should be kept in prison, while other hostages, sheriff's officers, and the judge that presided over the case and passed down the sentence stated that they should be released from jail. Finally, on July 25, 1977, the three pleaded guilty to 27 counts of kidnapping for ransom without inflicting injury. He is the son of Fred Nickerson Woods 3d, who owns the California Rock and Gravel Company, based here, and the quarry in Livermore where the schoolchildren and their driver, Franklin Edward Ray,. Although the children and Ray were safe, the perpetrators were still out there. Inside The 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping That Left 26 Schoolchildren Buried Alive. 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. And he's just letting those trucks, beautiful fire engines, turn into junkers. Victim Jennifer Brown Hyde, who was nine at the time, said she 'felt like an animal going to the slaughterhouse.' Woods appeared via video on Friday before the panel where his attorney, Dominique Banos, said his client has not faced any disciplinary actions since 2019. A van blocked the road ahead of the bus; one man held a gun to the driver while the other drove the bus. Terr also found that many of the children had developed a strong fear of strangers, even if they were in safe public areas with numerous passerby, and even refusing to answer the front door. He is an elderly inmate, fast approaching 70, and clearly presents no danger to anyone.. 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. When five members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police placed him under arrest, he remarked, I'm really sorry I'm going to miss this on the news tonight., When he was taken to his cheap hotel to pick up his single suitcase of belongings, he reintroduced himself to the desk clerk. He was 57 at the time. After 17 unsuccessful attempts, a California man who kidnapped 26 children on a school bus in 1976 has been recommended for parole.. As a teenager and a young married, he enjoyed a liberal stipend from his wealthy parents, but was penurious about purchasing such things as household goods. Mrs. Padgett said she had lived with Fred Woods for some time before she learned that he had a younger sister, Wendy, who was retarded and kept in an institution. The next evening, James arrived at the U.S.-Canadian border in Idaho and tried to get in, using a false story, but was denied entry, and he instead went to Spokane, Washington. of 1. Then they were taken to the quarry in Livermore, California. Abduction I asked him if he felt funny, finding a dead man. Bill Young/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty ImagesThe interior of the moving truck in which Ed Ray and 26 children were buried alive. United States. At a parole hearing held online last week due to Covid-19 safety precautions that featured testimony from multiple survivors, Woods said that he is a changed man. In July 1976, dozens of parents in rural Chowchilla, California, faced their worst nightmare when their children went missing. Larry Park, who was just six years old at the time of the Chowchilla kidnapping, later told 48 Hours, Where their eyes were it almost looked hollow. During Friday's hearing, Woods apologized for his actions, telling the parole panel that he 'had empathy for the victims which I didn't have then. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Frederick Newhall Woods has been approved for parole in 2022, Frederick Newhall Woods, along with James and Richard Schoenfeld, were arrested for the 1976 kidnapping. The group was loaded into the two vans and driven around for 11 hours, during which time the hungry, petrified children soiled themselves and clung onto each other in fear. 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. Miraculously, the driver and children managed to dig themselves out and escape relatively unharmed and the kidnappers were eventually caught. The guards were shocked to see the group and immediately called for the police. Ray and Michael Marshall, aged 14 at the time, managed to find an escape for the group, which finally led to the apprehension of the three kidnappers, Frederick Newhall Woods IV, the quarry owner's son, and his two friends, James, and Richard Schoenfeld. A local NBC affiliate reported at the time of James parole that he would join Richard in caring for their elderly mother at her home in Mountain View, California. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. The story soon began to unfold. Despite the significant wealth of their families, James Schoenfeld told CBS that he and Woods were in serious debt at the time of the kidnapping and that the crime was financially motivated. Frederick Newhall Woods IV, son of the quarry owner, 25 years old, 6 foot, 145 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes; . The bravura performance was another illfitting piece in the puzzling portrait of a wealthy, privileged young man who, evidence indicates, is the central figure in a crime that is bizarre even by Catifornia standards. Reports suggest that in his past hearings, Frederick has been evasive and refused to acknowledge the severity of his crimes. By the time I was 21, I was using meth. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he had everything, and saved everything, said his former wife, 24yearold Songel Padgett, whose oneyear marriage to Mr. Woods ended in divorce in early 1972. The panel's proposed parole decision will become final within 120 days. But as of the 48 Hours episode, Park is nine years sober and volunteers as a pastor at a local church. Richard Schoenfeld was paroled in 2015; James was paroled three years later. 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. It is possible that the money has helped finance some of Woods prison activities. 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. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) His parole stirred great controversy from the hostages. Nevertheless, the three were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, although the prevention of parole was later overturned in 1981. In 2012, Richard was granted parole and in 2015, James was granted the same, according to CNN. On Friday, March 25, 2022, Woods read aloud an apology at his parole hearing. Three years later, his brother followed suit. The old vehicles, collected originally as a hobby by both the young Mr. Woods and by his father, Frederick Nickerson Woods 3d, were in the last two years a business asset. Frederick Woods pictured in 2021 (AP) After 17 unsuccessful attempts, a California man who kidnapped 26 children on a school bus in 1976 has been recommended for parole. Powered by. When Frederick Newhall Woods and two other gunmen hijacked. Said business included buying a mansion, running a gold mine, and operating a Christmas tree farm. Frederick, Richard, and James, drawing from their discussions over perfect crimes, decided to get the money they needed by holding hostages for ransom. 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. The interior of the moving truck in which Ed Ray and 26 children were buried alive. Other photos show the couple at Disneyland where they went on their honeymoon, Mr. Woods gawky, gangling, white socked, his suit illfitting on a skinny frame, vestiges of acne still on his face. Male (all three) A grammar school classmate said that he was a little different, shy, awkwardpeople made fun of him.. The young mechanic who worked at the Woods estate described James as a pretty decent person. He was intelligent, quick with the math needed in the automobile trans actions, but usually quiet, the mechanic said. You can check out his prison record here. As per Woods's wife, he was a loner. Birth Date By Wayne King Special to The New York Times. 'I'm overwhelmed to the point that I had to leave work,' she said. After nearly 40 years, James gained his freedom in April at the age of 63, after twenty parole hearings. After 16 hours, the victims were able to dig their way out and escapeas the kidnappers were asleep. I just remember the kids got a hold of me and were holding onto me. And now, more than 40 years later, all three will soon be walking free once again. , updated pauline hanson dancing with the stars; just jerk dance members; what happens if a teacher gets a dui They had been in the hole for nearly 16 hours, completely terrified. One of the eldest children, Mitchell Marshall, bravely announced to the group that he wasn't going to die without putting up a fight. The authorities here confirmed that a search of the Woods estate had turned up a draft of a $5million ransom note that authorities said may have been written by young Woods. Theyre vulnerable. ', 'He could have done much more,' she said. But Woods and his attorney, Dominique Banos, emphasized that he had a discipline-free record since his last parole hearing in October 2019. XD;Frederick Newhall Woods accused of kidnapping and robbery in the abduction of 26 Chowchilla area youngsters and their bus driver. And Im remembering the last time that I saw her and wishing I could have told her goodbye.. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. But when they woke up and turned on the news, they saw that the children had already escaped. He dug until he was exhausted and then he kept on digging. she said, I would have friends. 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. A Portola Valley fireman, who, like others who talked about Mr. Woods to reporters, asked not to be identified. 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. "I was 24 years old," he said, per Fox News. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. At the timehe wasn't really workinghe told me from time to time his father would lean on him. Six days later, his older brother, James, and the third kidnapper, Frederick Newhall Woods, both 24, were captured -- Woods in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Schoenfeld in Menlo Park. Park said he turned into an angry child and his parents eventually sent him to a facility for youth offenders. 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. Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, Snow plow drivers prepare for another round of winter weather, FSU women's basketball: Ta'Niya Latson and Makayla Timpson earn ACC postseason honors, Calls for more protection after cashier attacked, beaten at Bronx grocery store, Sublime menace and sonic enormity: 50 years of Pink Floyds The Dark Side of the Moon. Frederick Newhall Woods IV, left, is escorted . However, according to CBS News, their families appealed the conviction and in 1980, a panel of judges ruled that the kidnappers would eventually be eligible for parole instead of spending life in prison without said eligibility. When police finally caught up with the perpetrators, they were stunned. Now I fully understand the terror and trauma I caused. Fred (Frederick)Rick (Richard)Jim (James) Ray and Michael Marshall, aged 14 at the time, managed to find an escape for the group, which finally led to the apprehension of the three kidnappers, Frederick Newhall Woods IV, the quarry owners son, and his two friends, James, and Richard Schoenfeld. While Woods has lived a relatively cushy life in prison, his victims continue to suffer from the trauma he inflicted upon them more than 40 years ago. 'I was 24 years old. However, his parents were always together and into each other. She concluded, about three years later, that they were traumatized by the ordeal, resulting in panic attacks, nightmares of abductions that led to their deaths, and personality changes. Many of the children continued to report symptoms of trauma for at least twenty-five years after the hijacking, including substance abuse and depression. An appeals court ordered Richard Schoenfeld released in 2012, and former Gov. 'This is an individual who's demonstrated how dangerous he is,' she said after Friday's decision. But man, you're in the weird people capital of the world, so I didn't think much.. 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. "48 Hours: Live to Tell": Twenty-six school children abducted and buried alive in a truck trailer by three young men. But I never saw any of that shotgun thing, pointing them at people and shooting at them, the youth said. Twenty-six children and their bus. We would not have lived much longer. On July 23, news broke that Richard had confessed to committing the mass abduction and was now being held on $1 million bail, news that was heard by both Frederick and James. 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. I fully take responsibility for this heinous act.'. An incredible survival story. Six months after the mass abduction, Bay Area psychiatrist Lenore Terr had gone to Chowchilla to help with a noted rise in nightmares and phobias that were being experienced by the children; Terr conducted interviews with all but one of the children, also performing follow-up interviews three to four years afterward. He was not even getting along with his parents and got few friends. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. On August 7, 2015, James was paroled. We enjoyed ourselves, she said. Marshall cautiously stuck his head out of the dirt to make sure their abductors werent nearby, then he and Ray helped the other 25 children out of the truck. 'I remember children just screaming and crying,' Park recounted forCBS. 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