Bonnie Hood and her husband Jim thought they were investing in a fantastic business opportunity when they bought a run-down mountain lodge in Camp Nelson, Tulare County, California. As a result, Bonnie began hosting guests at the inn, while Jim Hood went back to his job as a developer in Newport Beach. Sadly, on August 19, 1990, just moments after conducting a wedding ceremony, Bonnie was found dead inside the lodge. The brutal murder is detailed in CNBC’s “Blood and Money: The Hitman’s Story,” which also follows the police investigation that made every effort to apprehend the killer. Let’s explore the specifics and learn more about Bonnie’s murder.
How Did Bonnie Hood Die?
Jim and Bonnie Hood were reportedly a happy couple before she was murdered. Jim asserted that there was nothing wrong with their relationship despite the fact that they lived apart, with Bonnie electing to spend her days in the Lodge at Camp Nelson. Jim said that they did so for business reasons. Yet, those who knew Bonnie spoke highly of her as a compassionate person who loved to assist others and who welcomed guests with open arms. Bonnie was also personable with those around her and much liked by the Camp Nelson residents, which made the suddenness of her death all the more puzzling.
Everything appeared to be normal when Bonnie hosted a sizable wedding ceremony at the lodge on August 18, 1990. But, the lodge groundskeeper, Rudy Manual, called 911 operators at around 3 in the morning on August 19 to alert them of a potential homicide. When emergency personnel arrived on the site, they discovered Rudy bleeding heavily from multiple gunshot wounds while laying on the living room floor close to the phone. But as soon as Bonnie was found dead in the master bedroom, he urged detectives to check on her. Bonnie had bullet wounds, which were discovered during the initial medical examination. An autopsy revealed that Bonnie had been shot to death at close range. The shooter appeared to have broken into the lodge after using wirecutters to force a window open, and the police soon discovered both Bonnie and Rudy had been shot with the same revolver. To everyone’s amazement, nothing was found to have been taken, which led detectives to assume that the crime was likely a premeditated hit.
Who Killed Bonnie Hood?
When Bonnie Hood was killed, the police’s initial investigation was quite difficult because they had no leads or witnesses to rely on. The victim’s friends swore that she had no enemies at Camp Nelson, but officers combed the neighbourhood and knocked on doors in search of witnesses but came up empty-handed. Rudy Manual’s presence inside the lodge, incidentally, perplexed detectives as well because they had no idea what he was doing in the bedroom. Rudy later revealed that he and Bonnie were having an affair, but there was no way to verify that information because Bonnie’s husband, Jim, asserted that their marriage was strong and said he was unaware of an extramarital affair.
After Rudy had healed from his wounds, the police questioned him about what had happened that evening. They discovered that a white man in his 30s had broken into the lodge and then demanded money. The groundskeeper defended Bonnie right away, saying they didn’t have any money on them. At that point, the unknown shooter shot Rudy before moving towards Bonnie Hood. Also, Rudy insisted that just before shooting Bonnie and running away, the shooter made a confession about knowing her. Soon after, a witness by the name of Scott Wallen asserted that he had observed an unidentified male mingling with the wedding guests on August 18 during the ceremony. The neighbourhood barman also reported seeing the same man, and she was able to provide police a beer bottle bearing his prints.
Bruce Beauchamp was identified by the fingerprints found on the beer bottle despite his initial denials of any participation in the incident. From a photo lineup, Rudy was able to identify Bruce as the shooter, and a check of his home turned up a receipt for a pair of shoes that matched the bootprints found at the crime site. The police therefore detained Bruce and accused him of murder after becoming persuaded of his complicity. Curiously, while Bruce was being held by the police, officials learned that he had previously worked for Jim Hood. Readers should be aware that Jim has never been accused with killing Bonnie, despite the fact that this sparked speculations of a hit being organised. Rudy, on the other hand, refused to admit his liaison with Bonnie until Bruce was brought before the court, rendering his testimony untrustworthy. Bruce Beauchamp was exonerated in 1991 of all charges as a result of the lack of additional tangible evidence.
Unexpectedly, Jim Hood shot Bruce dead in his own office on March 22, 1992, approximately a year after he was declared innocent. Jim’s first trial resulted in a deadlocked jury after his initial claim of self-defense. He was sentenced to 27 years to life in prison as well as an additional two years for a firearms charge in 1994 after the jury found him guilty of murder in his second trial. After receiving parole, Jim was eventually released from prison in April 2017, however readers should be aware that Bonnie’s murder is still unsolved and that the authorities are still unsure of the identity of the shooter.
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