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body was found in a ditch along Yore avenue, Sodus township.Dortch is charged with open murder in connection with the shotgun slaying of his allegedly illegitimate son, Johnny Freeman, 7, and the boy’s mother, Brenda Freeman, 26, of 588 Colfax, Benton Harbor.Their bodies were found in a ditch along Black Lake road, Pipestone township, on Sept. 27, 1974.Although Langford testified yesterday that he committed all of the murders alone, his testimony indicated that the in-LORENZO CROSS JOHNNY DORTCHAccused As Plotter Wanted Son KilledConfessed Hit-Man Testifies He Plotted With 2 Agents Held In Slayings Hereplotted the ditch murders with two insurance men who he said had written policies on the Freeman boy and the Walkerwoman. *And when the two agents’ supervisor became suspicious about the Freeman murders and the Walker policy, Langford tried to kill the supervisor, according to Langford’s testimony. However, the man escaped and testified yesterday.Langford was the main wit-fr-—ness in two preliminary examinations in Berrien Fifth District court. Bound over to Circuit court following the examinations yesterday were Lorenzo Cross, 25, of 1905 South Union, Benton township, and Johnny Dortch, 27, of 148 North Crystal, Benton township.Cross is charged with open murder in connection with the Feb. 18 killing of Audrey Bridgewater Walker, 26, of 239 Pipestone, Benton Harbor. HerBy NICK SMITH Staff WriterBrenda Freeman, her young son, Johnny, and Audrey Bridgewater Walker were murdered for $24,000 worth of life insurance policies on two of the victims, the confessed killer of the three testified yesterday.Testifying was Terry Young Langford, 23, of 384 Brunson, Benton Harbor. Admitting that he could be called a “hired killer,” Langford told how hepolicy, with triple indemnityclause, for the boy in early 1974.After the death of the boy, Dortch was paid $15,000 on the policy, Wright testified.Langford said that first talk with Dortch was arranged by Cross because Dortch was looking for someone “kinda strong and hard.” “He (Dortch)he wanted me to killJohnny but not Brenda,” Lang-(See back page, sec. 1, col. 7)TERRY Y. LANGFORDHired Killer
Newspaper Details
Benton Harbor Herald Palladium
Benton Harbor, Michigan, US
Thu, Mar 20, 1975
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Rachell B.
USA 17 Jun 2020
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