Island Search Fearing for the Grahams the FBI agents traveled to Palmyra Islands to see if they had been stranded there. HILO In 1974, Buck Duane Walker and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, sailed in a leaky boat to Palmyra Atoll and returned to Honolulu Harbor in a beautiful yacht owned by a San Diego couple who had been vacationing on Palmyra. Read our revised Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice. Betty Fullard-Leo said the Graham case left the family shocked and disturbed. It was revealed that Buck and Stephanie had been living on the island of Palmyra as well and had known the Grahams. He was tried for escape and sentenced to five years in prison. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2009. But none of these possibilities are looked at, and in fairness they should be. What made this case difficult was subpoenaing of witnesses who lived and traveled by boat. The San Francisco medical examiner confirmed the findings of the FBI examiner. During the years following the Grahams disappearance, Palmyra atoll visitors had maintained a stack of newspaper clippings about the incident in a jungle shack. Buck Duane Walker was a convicted felon and fugitive. Also on Palmyra were Wesley G. Walker (a.k.a. As Bucy, a graduate of San Diegos Cal Western School of Law, did research for his own book on the high-profile murder and what he believes to be Stephanie Stearns role in it, he hardly expected to discover that the Hawaii FBI still had custody of Muffs remains 28 years after Stearns acquittal. Muff wanted to leave the area, but Mac stubbornly did not. The Story of two couples who met on a | by Jean Campbell | CrimeBeat, David Meirhofer & Wayne Nance Montana Serial Killers, Jack Unterweger Celebrity Writer Serial Killer, Christian Martin Kentucky Murder Suspect. Conservatives are terrified of the past. When it arrived its motor had frozen up and it was barely limping along. She is merely married to her beloved husband whose identity is not known. [5], Malcolm Graham's body has never been found.[6]. According to Stearns, the Grahams disappeared sometime between August 28 and August 30, 1974, and the young couple found the Grahams' Zodiac rigid inflatable dinghy upside down. On August 27th, Mac radioed his friend in Hawaii. , Paperback Stearns received a two-year sentence for the theft and Walker a 10-year sentence for the theft to run concurrently with his 5-year sentence for selling ecstasy. Walker told his girlfriend that they had told them they were to "make themselves at home" if they (the Grahams) weren't back yet from fishing. Stearns claims to have studied mathematics, yet in her supposed log she cannot engage in simple addition. Macs friend tried to get authorities involved, but they declined to investigate at the time so he had a friend fly over Palmyra to see if he could spot The Sea Wind. Palmyra was privately owned by the Fullard-Leo family until 2001, when the Nature Conservancy bought it for $37 million for preservation and research purposes. It was interesting to read some of the activity behind the scenes; however, I still have no understanding of why Bugliosi took on this client. Walker, then known as Buck Duane Walker, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, were arrested in Honolulu in 1974 after returning from Palmyra aboard a yacht stolen from a well-to-do San Diego couple, Malcolm "Mac" Graham and his wife, Eleanor "Muff" Graham. Reviewed in Australia on May 23, 2017. Its been grueling, Stephanie Stearns told reporters after hugging her tearful parents, who sat in the front row throughout the trial. Reviewed in Australia on January 26, 2017. Teach important lessons with our PowerPoint-enhanced stories of the pioneers! Bucy's book is rivetting & he proves beyond a reasonable doubt in my mind what the evidence & common sense already indicated, that Stearns' was guilty of involvement in the murders of Mac & Muff Graham, obstructing justice, & much more than theft of a yacht. Its been grueling, Stephanie Stearns told reporters after hugging her tearful parents, who sat in the front row throughout the trial. They also found The Iola hatch cover onshore which told agents that Roy and Stephanie had planned on scuttling The Iola as no one would go to sea without a hatch cover for their vessel. It was a difficult case. During World War II it housed a US Naval base that had long been abandoned. Time and again she is exposed as a liar and a perjurer, yet the jury forgives lie after lie all the while ignoring the honest and forthright testimony of the Pollocks (The LEONARDS in ATSWT.) The strange goings-on at Palmyra Atoll were remarkable enough to spawn a legend about the island being unlucky, and today you'll still hear Pacific travelers talk about the "Palmyra curse." Its been grueling, Stephanie Stearns told reporters after hugging her tearful parents, who sat in the front row throughout the trial. Alas, poor Muff, her bones at the time of publishing, languish in the care of the FBI, forty years after her torture and murder by Stearns and Walker, still not at rest, forlorn and forgotten. The Grahams were upper-crust people, pretty conservative and reserved. Stephanies Miranda rights were read to her, but she didnt heed the warning about her right to remain silent and begins to repeat what she told Bernard Lennard. Stearns, whose defense attorney was Vincent Bugliosi, was acquitted. Months passed with no word or sighting of the Grahams. Well, kind of, Video shows Memphis jailers beating Black inmate before his death. The Iola owners also had very few provisions along with them. Stephanie Walker Education. Malcom and Eleanor Graham Extended Preparation. Roy and Stephanie were spotted the next morning coming ashore in a small rowboat. Authorities found out that a woman had visited Buck the day before his escape. To this day no one ever has. The ex-con, Buck Duane Walke r, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, had arrived at Palmyra in their shabby, poorly stocked boat while the Grahams were anchored there. learn from my experience - do not waste your money, Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2017. Malcom and Eleanor Graham Extended Preparation. Something went wrong. Countys first Black homesteader inspires a play, Obituary: San Diego Operas longtime arts educator Nicolas Reveles praised for his passions, wit and kindness, New UC San Diego art gallery director hopes to encourage alternative and socially conscious art practice, Someone San Diego Should Know: Edna Nerona, Art of the plate: Go behind the lens with La Jollas Eric Wolfinger, the nations most acclaimed food photographer, San Diego Holocaust survivor Rose Schindler dies at 93, New director of arts advocacy group says San Diego has vibrant, edgy art scene that needs continued support, Pepsis new soda has no carbonation, but its way better than youd think, Escondido farm produces 100,000 pounds of mushrooms a week, Sopa Azteca: Ladlefuls of authentic tortilla soup, Reused grey water cuts water usage, saves you some green. I read the entire book and felt I did get something out of it. Necrophilia, cannibalism, and dismemberment were all part of his routine in his attempts to satiate his morbid desires. Her son, Dorian Graham Muncey, 58, Macs nephew, said he was shocked to learn his aunts bones were being passed around in a law class. A woman acquitted on charges that she helped her boyfriend murder a yachtswoman on a remote Pacific atoll in 1974 says her faith in the American judicial system has been reinstated.. Stephanies defense attorney was famed Vincent Bugliosi who believed that she was innocent. She had begun rowing to shore hoping to make it before they caught up. She also said she lied about taking the yacht and failed to report the Grahams disappearance to authorities in order to protect Walker, who was then a fugitive on drug charges. Other impressions of the young couple were that Roy didnt really fit the image of someone who sailed or even had a lot of experience sailing. It is considered an incorporated territory of the United States and is under its sovereignty since 1911. Partington doubts that authorities will release Walker, because he recently published a book claiming to be innocent. Logically, if there were two boxes, it doesn't make much sense that Walker would have done something different with his body than he did with Muff's, but we'll never know. Stephanie did testify on her own behalf and was able to give her version of events. The duo has been together since 2004. Duane Buck Walker was convicted in 1985 for the grisly murder in 1974 of a San Diego woman on an island paradise on Palmyra atoll about 1,200 miles from Honolulu. The two of them were arrested and brought in for questioning. Please try again. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. The Sea Wind was equipped with auxiliary engines, stocked with abundant food and stores, and fitted with a complete tool shop. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2009. Muff Graham, formerly Eleanor LaVerne Eddington, had grown up here.Her mother, Rose King, and sister, Peggy Faulkner, of San Diego, were quoted in media coverage of the murders. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. "That's a parole consideration date," Partington said. He had a rougher appearance and gave off an aura of being dangerous. Stephanie Stearns and Roy Allen introduced themselves to the impromptu welcoming committee. 1 on The New York Times hardcover bestseller list in March 1991 and is still in print as a trade paperback and ebook. , Item Weight Shortly after the Grahams disappearance, an ex-convict and his girlfriend were arrested for stealing the Sea Wind, but they werent charged with murder until a traveling sailor stumbled across Muffs remains on the Palmyra beach in 1981. Her attorney, Vincent Bugliosi, and Bruce Henderson wrote a book about the case, "And the Sea Will Tell." He was in his 70s at that time and in poor health. An FBI agent from the Hawaiian field office was assigned and met with Bernard and the Coast Guard at the yacht harbor. Palmyra is today owned by the Nature Conservancy and is the site of some climate change research. Stephanies defense was that she blamed Buck Walker for the murder. In 1981, other visitors to Palmyra found Muff Graham's skeletal remains, which showed signs of dismemberment and burning (possibly by Mac Graham's acetylene welding torch) and appeared to have been concealed underwater in a large metal container. Its been grueling, Stephanie Stearns told reporters after hugging her tearful parents, who sat in the front row throughout the trial. The fate of the Grahams was unknown until Muff Graham's charred bones were found on Palmyra in 1981. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Stearns was pretty easy to get along with so most of the conflict came from Walker. The trial lawyer who represented Walker, Earle Partington, sued Bugliosi for defamation, claiming that both the book and the docudrama portrayed Partington in a negative light. Reviewed in Australia on March 24, 2022. Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to Willits area, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, Tahoe really does not want you to drive up this weekend, Ukiah business celebrates longtime employee with a billboard on Hwy. She was working when authorities paid her a visit to arrest her. Walker earns an annual salary ranging between $ 45,000 $ 110,500. The book has kept interest in the case alive. He found out that the soil was not amenable to growing marijuana. In October, the Sea Wind was recognized in a Honolulu yacht harbor with Stearns and Walker now its crew. I just finished this after reading And the Sea Will Tell (a 2nd time last week). Dark came, no sign of them. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. Cameron Todd Willingham Accidental Fire Or Intentional Arson. WebStephanie Stearns was tried separately in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. The murder was the basis of a best selling book And the Sea Will Tell, which was turned into a popular mini-series starring James Brolin. Where is Mac Graham? On August 30, according to Stephanie Stearns, Buck Walker told her that the Grahams had invited the two of them over for dinner aboard the Sea Wind. 'Buck' Walker infamous for high-profile Palmyra deaths. They also showed that the zodiac wouldnt have worked if it had been found the way Stephanie and Buck said it was. So you have the boat that Bernard recognizes as the Sea Wind, but had been painted over and a person on deck who didnt own the yacht. When he was released in 2007, he took up residence in a San Francisco motel for several years before moving to a 22-foot trailer in Willits, a small town about three hours from San Francisco. A careful reading of FINAL ARGUMENT answers these, and many more questions that should have been asked, but were not. In 1981, Muff Graham's bones were found on a Palmyra beach. Stearns, 39, who was convicted along with Walker of stealing the couples yacht, testified that she lied to authorities to help him escape capture but knew nothing of the murder. The next morning they had found Grahams inflatable Zodiac boat overturned and washed up on shore in the shark-infested lagoon. The agent didnt feel that this would involve the FBI because perhaps the owners had sold the boat or the owners were onshore. It was believed he fled on foot after leaving the dinghy at the loading dock near the Ilikai Hotel. And I long ago accepted I'll never know what happened down on that island.". "I don't think he's likely to be paroled," Partington said. You'll receive an email with an opt-in link to complete your subscription. The next morning when the Grahams didnt return, they went out looking for them, and that is when they found the washed-up zodiac onshore. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. Her body was then placed in a small metal storage container that had been removed from one of the old military rescue boats on the island and then finally dumped into the lagoon. It was made into quite a good TV miniseries in 1991, but as it aired during the ground phase of the first Gulf War, almost nobody saw it. After Stephanie completed her high school education, she received a Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University. While talking to his friend he told him that Stephanie was on her way over to the Sea Wind in her dingy with what looked like a cake. The skeleton was identified as Muff Graham, and she died in very grisly fashion--hit over the head, dismembered, and her face burned with a welding torch. The murder was the basis of a best selling book And the Sea Will Tell, which was turned into a popular mini-series starring James Brolin. San Diego sailors Malcolm Mac Graham III, 43, and his wife Eleanor Muff LaVerne Graham, 41, sailed the 37.5-foot ketch Sea Wind into Palmyra in July. WebStephanie Stearns was tried separately in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco. Forensics suggested Muff Graham had been bludgeoned to death, her body dismembered, and then burned with an acetylene torch. Roy then did something that was impolite due to resources being scarce at sea. Bugliosis careful analysis of the tides revealed Stearns was lying about her activities purportedly occurring on the 30th and 31st of August 1974. She made the dock and took off running with the Coast Guard officer giving chase. For myself, after arguing on behalf of thousands of defendants as a Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender, I too now change sides, and argue on behalf of MAC and MUFF GRAHAM. Authorities would later identify them as Buck Duane Walker and Stephanie Stearns. I purchased this book after reading Vincent Bugliosi's fascinating book, And The Sea Will Tell. She successfully convinced a jury that Walker committed the murders alone, having to hide the bodies in the aluminum boxes to conceal them from her as well as the authorities. When I read Vincent Bugliosi's book "And the Sea Will Tell," I found it a captivating story. He died from a stroke in 2010. The night before Sanders and Wolf were to leave Palmyra they had cocktails with the Grahams aboard the Sea Wind. The box had been wired shut. On August 30, according to Stephanie Stearns, Buck Walker told her that the Grahams had invited the two of them over for dinner aboard the Sea Wind. In January 1981 a South African couple visiting the atoll, found a human skull and other bones that had apparently fallen out of a World War II vintage metal box washed up on the beach after a storm. His friend decided to reach out to any yachtsmen in the Pacific by radio asking if anyone had seen The Sea Wind. As others have said, the book doesn't seem to have been edited, so much of it reads like a stream of random thoughts, with little coherence, and the endless errors in grammar, spelling and sentence construction are distracting. He told his friend that perhaps they wanted a truce. Island Search Fearing for the Grahams the FBI agents traveled to Palmyra Islands to see if they had been stranded there. In one of the most beautiful settings in the world, Mac and Muff Graham would disappear in the summer of 1974. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. He was recaptured in 1981 in Arizona. Stephanie Walker Education. Mac Graham then took out his .357 Magnum handgun and assured the two men he could take care of himself and wasnt afraid of Roy. In May, they sailed to Kauai, and prepared the boat to set sail for Palmyra atoll. He also recognized Roy Allen who had been standing up on the deck. He also made regular radio calls to his friend back in Hawaii to check-in and updated him on his discoveries. Copyright 2023 Ellen G. White Estate, Inc. In so doing I arrive at an opinion and conclusion contrary to that of the jury, and am persuaded STEARNS and WALKER acted in concert, murdered the GRAHAMS for reasons set forth. The book went to No. Sanders had a run-in with Roy where he tried to give him some advice regarding his boat and suggested he and Stephanie set sail for Samoa for more supplies. WebFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Final Argument: An Inquiry into the murders of Mac and Muff Graham on Palmyra Island by Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns at Amazon.com. Wesley G. "Buck" Walker, the former Big Island marijuana grower convicted in the 1974 murder of a wealthy San Diego couple on Palmyra, has died in California at age 72. Wesley G. "Buck" Walker has been paroled from federal prison after serving 22 years of a life sentence for murder in a case that led to a best-selling novel and a TV miniseries. Sadly, Mr. Bugliosi passed away in 2015. Including serial killers, cannibals, and mass murderers. However, the organization of the book is erratic, confusing at points, & chopped full of grammatical errors & poor punctuation. If youre traveling south from Hawaii the Palmyra Islands are approximately 1000 miles due south. Her body was stuffed inside the metal container and weighted down to sink in the lagoon, but in 1981 it floated up. Several years ago I happened upon "And The Sea Will Tell", a book written by VINCENT BUGLIOSI and BRUCE HENDER-SON. Stearns was pretty easy to get along with so most of the conflict came from Walker. No signs of Mac Grahams remains have been located. So too, there is considerable variance between Bugliosis cross-examination as revealed in the original trial transcript re Pollock and Shoemaker and his recounting this same testimony in his book. Then known as Buck Duane Walker, the former Big Island marijuana farmer was convicted in the 1974 murder of a San Diego couple on Palmyra, a remote Pacific island just north of the equator and about 1,100 miles south of Honolulu. The ex-con, Buck Duane Walke r, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, had arrived at Palmyra in their shabby, poorly stocked boat while the Grahams were anchored there. Enter youremail to subscribe to Dr. Munger's updates! We also recommend using Mozillas Firefox Internet Browser for this web site. The waitress pointed them to the bar she had sent Buck to for a drink. Her boyfriend, Buck Walker, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to life in prison. The officers spotted him and notified the FBI. Roy just got angry at the suggestion and told him to leave.