KY KY - Howard, 61, & Helen Becker, 57, Erika Higgins, 9, Jefferson County, 25 June 1979

[ptucker]

My exact thoughts, Woodland. Solely based on this 1 article and my own opinion, I am leaning towards someone entering the home to attack the grandparents and EH running and hiding in the drawer. Whomever entered the home wasn't expecting her to be there. We haven't seen anything about the family being gone and arriving home, so it's unlikely someone was hiding in the home, assaulted EH and then shot the grandparents.


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I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

 

[ptucker]

I was trying to find KAREN (Erika's mother)

KAB has two of his sisters listed as "friends" on FB but I didn't see Karen. Again, maybe she doesn't have a FB account.


From my post: "Currently, I'm trying to figure out where Karen might be today... VT?"

I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

 

[ptucker]

She is a DVM in Floyd, Virginia, Kathleen (formerly David) that is.

I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

 

[ptucker]

Thanks, Woodland -- thought so too. I barely remember this case but do recall the timeline was a key factor in the verdict. And then as now I don't know whether Becker did the deed. It's one of the better late-20th c. yet-unsolved U.S. cases around, and this article lays it out nicely -- an interesting read and with a twist in the denouement.

I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

 

[fred&edna]

I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

I'm so sorry @ptucker. I have long wondered about those who knew the family. I'm glad you are here on Websleuths. I would love for you to become a verified insider on the case and share your memories of Erika.

There is more info about verification on the threads listed in this link:

Verified Professional and Insider Members

List of verified insiders and professionals, and info on how to become verified.

www.websleuths.com

 

[James1956]

I was Erika’s best friend since first grade. I spent the night with her at her grandparents’ house the night before this. I was with them hours before their murders. This has haunted me for decades. I am trying now (again) to get this case reopened and to get the police to receive assistance from The Vidoqc Society to solve this before my time on earth ends.

ptucker: I knew the Becker family fairly well. My mother and Helen Becker were friends, and I went to engineering school (Speed, U of L) with David. After Uvalde I started thinking about the Beckers again, as I do after most horrific mass murders. Like most, I didn't want to believe that David could have done this, but then I ran across this article:

1979 Rape/Triple Murder Defendant David Becker Now Identifies As a Woman with Autogynephilia - Women Are Human

US — Jefferson County, Kentucky. David Becker, accused in 1979 of raping his nine-year-old niece and then murdering her and his parents, now identifies as a woman and admits to having “had feelings in the past that were consistent with autogynephilia”. According to Jefferson County police...

www.womenarehuman.com

Maybe others have posted it here too; Like you, I just joined.

Unfortunately, the Becker family were only the first of several friends that I've lost over the years to gun violence - Acts always committed because there was a gun in the house. I hope like hell that we all come to our senses soon.

Your post about how this haunts you resonated with me - Write anytime if you wish...

Jim

 

[fred&edna]

Anyone know Kathleen/David's theory of the killings? I know the Becker daughters (including Erika's mom) supported their brother... I wonder if they have theories? Was there evidence of SA?

 

[Oakie]

Interesting....I'd never heard of this case, even though I was living in KY when it happened....