4d. Except there was one wrinkle. Queen of the County, Part 5 - NBC News Invisible to a farmer, the devastating fungus would stealthily invade through the roots, withering the leaves in an instant and killing the tree seemingly overnight. The matriarch of the family, Bonnie Harkey aka The Pecan Queen, was murdered. April 24, 2015. Bruce had grown brazen with his declarations around town. That question would be answered 27 hours later and 178 miles away in Leon County, when several Texas Rangers, sheriffs deputies, and cadaver dogs found Bonnies body in a creek bed near an RV campground in Normangee. Who now owns the harkey pecan farm? - wholesalepecans.net With no money from Tommy Lee Jones and no authority to care for the orchards, Bruce was left to pine for his stake in Harkey Pecan Farms from a distance. (Many think Jones was less interested in pecans than in the excellent water rights that come with the property.) Outdoorsy types can enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, and swimming. Whether Bonnie was the instigator or not, it is true that those years were unstable for Bruce. In May the brothers had persuaded Carl to sell them his future rights to the Prichard Orchard for a measly $75,000, even though the property was valued at more than $500,000. Bruce Harkey, 59, said in interviews with The . A few hours after Carls confession, news reached Bruce that the investigation was tightening around him. Another time, when Bonnie refused to buy him a set of new tires, Carl blocked her car with his truck and refused to let her leave. He considered the pecans a hobby, however; his primary interest was turkeys, which he bred by the thousands and shipped as far away as North Dakota and New Hampshire. (It was eating me alive, I just couldnt do it anymore, she said.) (In one, Carl, around eight years old, sits next to Santa in a red cap, while Bonnie sits on Santas lap in a Christmas sweater.) One major source of tension was their blended family. Bruce and Judi were devastated. Bonnie H Harkey from Charlotte, North Carolina | VoterRecords.com Bruce began to spend more time with his nephew Carl, who was now 24. But the guardian for Bonnie Harkey, who was still living on the land, turned down the offer, saying Mrs. Harkey had a right to receive interest from the sale of the land, McAfee said. 1. Her ex-husband, a traveling salesman, had left her for another woman, and Bonnie had moved from Ocee to the city with their daughter, fourteen-year-old Connie. House District: 103 Senate District: 42 County District: Board Of Commissioners District 5 School Board District: School Board Dist 5. Bruce isdenying all allegations from prison although he does have a history of being accused of solicitation of murder. But Bruce, now a convicted felon, had trouble finding work. This was all Harkey before, the whole area, he told me, stretching his hand out. Bruce Harkey, they say, felt pressure from years of past-due child support. Today pecans are central to the economy of San Saba, which produces up to five million pounds a year and claims to be the Pecan Capital of the World (a title contested by Albany, Georgia, and Chandler, Oklahoma). Top: The door to the Harkey familys historic house. the Millican family The boys misbehavior got to be so unpalatable to Bonnies relatives that they stopped coming out to San Saba for holiday dinners. He just had a meltdown. Facebook gives people the power to. Family members have fought a long battle in court over who would inherit those lands after the death of Bonnie Harkey. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. But Bruce Harkey tells a different story. How much money can you make off a pecan tree? Though the civil side of Bonnies estate was still being hammered out, Carls legal wife, Melissa Pafford, and their two children were set to move into the Harkey house, and it appeared that the orchards would be divided among them and Johns heirs. And I said, Forwhat? Despite his protestations, he was arrested two days later, for criminal solicitation of capital murder, an allegation he pronounced absolutely and totally ludicrous. He vociferously contested Carls version of events. How much can you make off one pecan tree? But he said theyd gone to the San Saba Rivera lie that caused Lillian to break down and spill the real details as soon as Price tried to cross-check the story. A devout reader ofBetter Homes and Gardensshe stored all her back issues neatly in the laundry roomBonnie also put her stamp on the house, turning a closet into a bathroom, adding on an extra bedroom, and building a sunporch that could comfortably seat up to 27 people. Her reading glasses were resting on the floor beside her head, and she was cool to the touch. The two needed to get back immediately, the sheriff told him: Karen was dead and Bonnie was missing. But the marriage couldnt weather their sorrow, and by January they had divorced. Carl also had a temper, one so volatile that First Baptist Church barred him from the premises after he showed up at Bible study one Wednesday to demand money from Bonnie. As volunteers combed the property, chief deputy Bill Price returned to the sheriffs office to work the phones. Bonnie Harkey and Karen Johnson Find-A-Grave: Bonnie Katherine Sawyer Harkey Bruce Harkey on Trial for Capital Murder Woman Kidnapped, Buried Alive, Was Victim Of Murder- For-Hire-Plot Co-conspirators are sentenced in San Saba County double-murder A Tree Is Known By Its Fruit The death of the 'Pecan Queen' Bonnie Harkey, Texas Pecan Queen, Killed By Grandson It didnt matter that Carl had signed away his rightsBonnie still had a life estate in the property. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Local columnist Lindy Lieban Schulz voiced the collective unease. Dog the Bounty Hunter's Daughter Suffers Devastating Loss As a boy, Carl had suffered from ADHD and often butted heads with his mother; as a young man, hed developed a love for motorcycles and meth, which had worn his bottom teeth down to little yellow stubs. Who else is involved in this?, Carl paused for a moment and looked down. But she was now 85 and increasingly frail; it was common knowledge that she was suffering from dementia and required the attention of a caretaker. The co-worker and Bruces boss became so alarmed that they alerted the authorities, and a Texas Ranger and an ATF special agent began to record Bruces conversations. It was almost more than Bruce could bear. Riley, for his part, began turning his thoughts to the future, and in 1991 he purchased a third pecan grove, a 94-acre plot of young trees called the Prichard Orchard. View 11 photos $963,709 3767 sqft. IE 11 is not supported. A Tree Is Known By Its Fruit - Texas Monthly 4:12 Cold Justice An Exclusive Look Into the Case of Steven Phelps. He would say stuff like, Well, they just need to die so that I can have the farm, recalled Kami. Bruce, Carl said, had been talking constantly about getting rid of Bonnie. House in Marcq-en-Barul, Hauts-de-France, France Contact. Bruce pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, and at his sentencing, his lawyer tried to argue that he had simply been all talk. Bonnie H Harkey is listed at 1340 Sardis Rd N Charlotte, Nc 28270 and is affiliated with the Republican Party. Trending on Oxygen. House in Tourcoing, Hauts-de-France, France Contact. It was the kind of horrific end no one could have imagined for the demure Harkey matriarch. Of his two grandsons, in fact, O.B. But Carl was inconsolable, the days events washing over him with sudden, horrifying clarity. She also wrote large checks to foreign telephone scammers. Authorities say Harkey had a deal to sell his stepmother's pecan ranch in San Saba County for more than $570,000, but couldn't agree with Johnson on how much to give Bonnie Harkey. Bruce had taken in two of Jennifers granddaughters, and his money from the wheat field sale was going rapidly. Despite these outbursts, she continued to write checks for him. He grew controlling in his marriage, abusing Kami verbally and then, after she gave birth to their daughter in 1998, physically. (John by this time had settled outside Fort Worth and had three children of his own.) Theyre either dead or in jail., Even before her killing on March 25, it was clear Bonnie Harkey was slowing down. Whether the causewas resentment or desperation, Bruces life began to unspool soon afterward. . new . Native pecan trees already dotted the property, including one that theSan Saba Newswould later proclaim to be among the most beautiful and symmetric pecan trees in the county, but O.B., as he was known, planted the familys first orchard in 1926, installing a grove of 1,200 trees and naming it the Home Place Orchard. He and Lillian were out in Normangee, four hours east of San Saba, staying at a campground. While his grandmother was still alive, Pressley sold the rights to his share for about $70,000 to Bruce Harkey and his brother, the district attorney said. The jury deliberated for about an hour Tuesday, and Bruce Harkey received an automatic sentence of life in prison. John joined with Bruce in court to try to remove Connie as guardian; they failed, but then Connie died suddenly, in March 2011 at age 62, after a bout with pneumonia. His ex-wife, his eighth wife Kami, said Brucetried to have her killed, too. Leave them blank to get signed up. The Harkey brothers offered to give Bonnie Harkey $44,000, but her guardian thought she should receive $240,000, McAfee said. While admitting to the kidnapping and murders, Pressley says he did it because his uncle, Bruce Harkey, paid him to do it. The sentencing hearings for Carl and Lillian took place a couple of weeks later at the San Saba County courthouse. House in Marcq-en-Barul, Hauts-de-France, France Contact. Though pecan trees can grow with little to no help, they are famously temperamental when it comes to producing high-quality nuts, and Riley made himself an expertlearning how to graft buds onto a seedling, trim back branches, and fertilize with zinc. by 2Paragraphs in Culture | April 23, 2015. After talking the matter over with her pastor, Bonnie finally agreed. A search team, which included volunteers on ATVs, local firefighters, sheriffs deputies, and a bloodhound named J.J. from the nearby state prison, soon fanned out across the property. He explained their animosity. So, Bruce Harkey asked Pressley to kill everybody at the house, McAfee said. Season 10 Episode 10 - Videos 1:13 Preview Texas Double Murder Was "Epic Tale Of Greed" 1:46 Preview View 12 photos $1,107,711 5 Beds 6 Baths 2454 sqft. As a signal, Pressleys girlfriend rang the doorbell and when the caretaker came to the door, Pressley snuck-up behind the caretaker, killed her and kidnapped his grandmother. Carlbrought his grandmother to a campground where he held her head underwater and then buried her body in a shallow grave. Walnuts intended for retail sale can be removed from their shells and baked before packing and shipping. Search Begins for Missing Bonnie Harkey Police recall that Karen Johnson's death seemed unusual when they arrived at the scene -- and they were very concerned that Bonnie Harkey, who had dementia and health issues, was missing from the home. But her violent death in March shook the quiet Hill Country community about two hours northwest of Austin, both for its brutality and for the fact that members of her own family were charged in what authorities a far-reaching murder-for-hire scheme over the Harkey family fortune. But he didnt think she would survive the surgery to fix it, and Bonnie insisted on spending whatever days she had left in the house. Over generations, a family feud was brought on by a lust for land. At her hearing, Lillian, her pale blond hair held back by a white scrunchie, sobbed uncontrollably. He would go along and dig up an ant bed, and he would sprinkle them, and we would go to the next tree, Bruce recalled. Connie N Harkey (1948 - 1991) - Biography and Family Tree Bonnie quit her job at the telephone company, and she and Connie moved into the Harkey house. View 11 photos $759,263 4 Beds 5 Baths 1442 sqft. After reconstructing Bonnies movements that morning, the search team was stumped. If you want to enjoy the unmistakable flavor of chocolates but don't like candy, praline nuts are an excellent option. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Connie N Harkey. It also uncovered a dark tale of family, greed, and hate. Assist all periodontal surgeries, perform all post-operative follow-up appointments, assist patients . What's the average lifespan of a pecan tree? I made my way down U.S. 190, passing Harkey Pecan Farms and its rows of trees. Information from: Austin American-Statesman, https://www.statesman.com. The Harkey brothers founded Harkeyville, which in its heyday would boast a general store, a cotton gin, a blacksmith shop, a baseball diamond, a millinery, and a racetrack. He called KXAN from behind bars in the Taylor County jail, where he awaits trial. It bothered Bonnie that we didnt have any money growing up, recalled her sister, Wilma Cook. He had been playing video games in another room, he said through tears, and hadnt heard any commotion. Oops, this content can't be loadedbecause you're having connectivity problems, By Associated Press - Wednesday, April 30, 2014. There arent any Harkeys left.. Where is Harkeyville Texas? Like Bruce, Carl had a rap sheet, which included charges for trespassing and domestic violencein 2005 hed allegedly tried to run over his stepfather with a tractorand he also had an eye for pecans: after realizing that a truckful of nuts could net him several thousand dollars, hed begun filching them from Bonnies barn. Six months earlier, she had been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, and it was only a matter of time, everyone knew, before it claimed her. He started to warn me at least once a week, that if I ever tried to run , Bruce Harkeys federal detention order (contains profane, Travis County arrest report from 2003 (contains profane language). When the caretaker came to the door, Pressley sneaked up behind her, killed her and then kidnapped his grandmother. Pressley was in police custody hours later, confessing to the crimes., He did say he was sorry repeatedly, said Sgt. Bonnie Harkey owned the walnut farm and had given 94 acres of it to a grandson, Carl Wade Pressley. She got confused at church, showing up at the wrong Sunday school class one week. The judge disagreed, sending Bruce to federal prison for five years. It became the county seat in 1856. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. King, 26, has confessed to murder for the death of Johnson and faces up to 45 years in prison. San Saba offers something for everyone. In exchange for a lighter sentence, Carl and Lillian agreed to testify against Bruce, and jurors also heard from two inmates, including one former Aryan Brotherhood member, who claimed that Bruce had tried to hire them from jail to kill both Carl and Spinks. Tonight @DatelineNBC reports on the death of Bonnie Harkey, the matriarch of a prominent San Saba pecan farming family. By 1956, Leonard Bend Pecan Farm had 3,300 acres of orchards on the peninsula and had become the largest contiguous walnut orchard in Texas and the second largest in the United States. He genuinely thought he was fixin to get a not-guilty verdict, recalled Spinks, who was present. A copy of the Baptist magazineOn Missionsat on the table beside her. Her closed casket sat in the sanctuary alongside photos of her with Riley and Miss Kitty. But those who knew Bonnie best say members of her family just couldnt wait for her to die. As for Carl, he was like a bad penny who kept turning up. And then there was cotton root rot, the most pernicious of diseases, which could kill a tree from the inside. Bonnie, too, was grief-stricken. Riley would tell her something wasnt right, and she would say it was, and theyd get in a big fuss over it.. Bonnie Harkey had left 94 acres in her will to Pressley, who then sold that interest to Bruce Harkey and his brother for about $70,000, prosecutor Sonny McAfee said. He tried to have me killed. Davis said Bruce Harkey a former Reno police officer and investigator for the Texas Attorney Generals Office often went out of town on the weekends so it was not unusual that he was away when the killings happened. Just after eight-thirty in the evening, a call came in. Bruce Harkey, 62, was convicted Tuesday of the murder-for-hire plot that led to the 2012 deaths of his stepmother, Bonnie Harkey, and her housekeeper, Karen Johnson. The baby seemed healthy, but shortly after his delivery the couple learned that his epiglottis was not fully formed, which meant that after feedings Eric had to be held or laid on his stomach so that he wouldnt choke on spit-up. He is the living epitome of evil.. Carl started crying at this point, Lillian later recalled. The Harkey family was well known in their small Texas town. A portrait of Bonnie used in her obituary. Bruce, upset about being left again, told a co-worker at the nursing home that he was contemplating Kamis murder.