Stringbean (David Akeman)

[gilligan fanatic]

I have been watching Hee Haw today on CMT and I wanted to look up info about some of the performers and when I got to String bean i was shocked that he and his wife were murdered at his house in 1973. From the little bit I have read ti doesn't sound like much was done to find the killer. I have been reading other threads here and you guys seem to know a lot about everyone. Now I don't know if UM ever did a story, but who knows, I don't. Do any of you know anything about him? Thanks in advance if you do. I read that City Confidential did a case on him so I am going to try to look for it.

[crystaldawn]

Gilligan Fanatic, I went ahead and moved this here because there is a true crime show about the case. I did see the City Confidential about Stringbean and thought it was just heartbreaking. Him and his wife seemed like such sweet people and so trusting (they hid their money in their house instead of putting it in a bank) and they were robbed one night and both shot and killed. I was watching an old Hee Haw recently and recognized Stringbean on there as well. The CC episode interviewed "Grandpa Jones" who was a very close friend of Stringbean's.

[gilligan fanatic]

That's fine you moved it, no problem at all

Yeah, I was reading they didn't even have that much. The robbers just knew they had some. Stringbean didn't trust banks or something like that. I think him and Grandpa Jones were neighbors so he was lucky that nothing happened to him.

[tv star collector]

I vividly recall reading about that tragedy in the newspaper back in 1974. Sam
Lovullo (the producer) remembers the incident in his book, "LIFE IN THE KORNFIELD: MY 25 YEARS AT HEE HAW":

"Now, String was not a believer in banking his money. He preferred cashing his
check, taking his green money, hiding some under his mattress and carrying the
rest around--sometimes huge sums--in his overalls. Often, in front of his
friends, he'd pull out a big fat roll of bills, show them off and tell the world
how good HEE HAW was to him. I suspect that one time some unsavory
characters saw him do this, and this may have led to his death. In any case,
in 1974--and after all this time it's still hard for me to believe--String and his
wife were brutally murdered."

In the 1975 book "YOUR FAVORITE COUNTRY MUSIC STARS," author Carolyn
Hollaran also remembers David "Stringbean" Akeman: "Money itself was not
the most important thing to Stringbean; having money and being in the position
to help others was more important to him. If any of his friends needed anything,
he would not hesitate to offer assistance. He never bragged about helping anyone,
it was a personal and private matter to him."

[Beardsley_Mantooth]

I did a little research around the web and discovered that there may be some closure on this case, according to a few sites I visited John and Melvin Douglas were convicted in the murder of Stringbean and his wife. In perhaps the most senseless aspect and probably they never found the money and made away with a few guns and a chainsaw. Stringbean was a great entertainer, a marvelous banjo player and sayings its a real shame that his life had to end this way would be an understatement.

http://www.biocrawler.com/encycloped...bean%22_Akeman
This appears to be the same bio that appears on wikipedia, so take it for what its worth. Other sites that I stumbled on mention nothing about a conviction or John and Melvin Douglas. So I would think either the info is wrong of the conviction is fairly new

[Awsi Dooger]

Originally Posted by Beardsley_Mantooth

I did a little research around the web and discovered that there may be some closure on this case, according to a few sites I visited John and Melvin Douglas were convicted in the murder of Stringbean and his wife. In perhaps the most senseless aspect and probably they never found the money and made away with a few guns and a chainsaw. Stringbean was a great entertainer, a marvelous banjo player and sayings its a real shame that his life had to end this way would be an understatement.

http://www.biocrawler.com/encycloped...bean%22_Akeman
This appears to be the same bio that appears on wikipedia, so take it for what its worth. Other sites that I stumbled on mention nothing about a conviction or John and Melvin Douglas. So I would think either the info is wrong of the conviction is fairly new

I'm confident it's true because that City Confidential show had too many details that wouldn't have been known if the murderers had never been caught and provided info.

Oh man, Hee Haw was a great show. I remember eight reasons I watched it as kid, barely into junior high -- Lisa Todd, Misty Rowe, Barbi Benton and Gunilla Hutton (Nurse Goodbody).

[snl 70s show fan]

there is a book on the case long out of print called the stringbean murders by warren b causey it is the most complete account of the case it is a little hard to find but if you check ebay you might find a copy there. i highly recommend the book even though it was written way back in 1975 and i can tell you from watching news reports a few years ago that one of the killers died in prison

[BarneyFife]

My father and mother knew the killers of stringbean and his wife. My parents run a bar called "Fuller's" in Goodlettesville, Tn, about 10 minutes from the Akeman's home. My Aunt and Uncle owned the bar, and my parents ran it for them. The 2 killers use to come in there all the time and drink beer. My parents said they were pretty wild, but never thought that they could actually kill someone. I can remember this story like it was yesterday. The Akeman's left the Grand Ol Oprey late that Saturday night, and were ambushed as they went into their home. The killers shot stringbean in his home, and killed his wife as she run through the yard to get away. The late great Grampa jones was the one who found the bodies. The killers never did find the money, as it was hid in the house. One of the killers died in prison in the 90's. And 23 years later, after the killings, the $20,000 was found behind a brick in the chimney of the Akeman's home. It was chewed into little pieces by mice from setting in the house so long.
I hate that the akeman's had to die like that, but i'm greatful that these 2 crazy men didn't come into "Fuller's Bar" and rob and murder my parents. Because it was a real busy Bar, and there was always lots of money in there.