The morning of November 9, 1971 began just like any other winter morning. John took the three children to school, while Helen and Alma remained in the Westfield home. On the way back home from dropping off the children, John took two handguns out of his car and walked into the home.

He shot his wife, Helen, once in the back of the head and then went upstairs and shot and killed his mother, Alma. Shortly after killing Helen and Alma, John List drove to the post office and the bank. Once he returned home, he waited for his three children, John Jr., Patty, and Frederick to return home from school. Upon arriving at home, John shot and killed all three of his innocent children.

John dragged all of the bodies into the ballroom. He made his way around the entire mansion cutting his face out of every single one of the family photos. Before leaving the mansion for the last time, he turned on every light and left music playing throughout the home.

The bodies of the List Family were discovered one month later on December 7, 1971. Inside the house, police discover a note, written by John List, labeled “To the Finder”. Inside the letter, John explains where certain documents can be located and offers an explanation for murdering his entire family. John wrote in the letter that he couldn’t keep his family happy and he had no choice but to murder them all.

John List assumed the alias of Robert “Bob” Peter Clark for the next 18 years. He remarried a woman in 1985 and took on an accounting job.

Police continued to search for John List over the years and decided to hire forensic artist, Frank Bender to construct an age-progressed clay bust of how they believed John would look today. They featured the clay bust on an episode of America’s Most Wanted in 1989, the very first year the television show was on air.