Anyone remember the story of the man who killed his entire family in the DC area? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bryndis · 12-22-2008, 10:18 PM

So I was trying to find the articles on my computer of the man who was fired from his Government job and then returned to his nice home in the suburbs of DC, to shoot his three sons, mother and wife to death and then, their charred remains were found in a remote park nearby.
The man was seen in Europe.

Anyone remember this guy's name? Scary story, that your father would come back from work and kill you :\

crystaldawn · 12-22-2008, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryndis

So I was trying to find the articles on my computer of the man who was fired from his Government job and then returned to his nice home in the suburbs of DC, to shoot his three sons, mother and wife to death and then, their charred remains were found in a remote park nearby.
The man was seen in Europe.

Anyone remember this guy's name? Scary story, that your father would come back from work and kill you :\

Yes I remember that one. His name was Brad Bishop and he is still on the run. Here is an article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030102328.html

Necco · 12-22-2008, 11:05 PM

William Bradford "Brad" Bishop, Jr.

He wasn't fired, he was passed over for a promotion at the State Department. It's hard to track down a guy who had the means and the opportunity to make himself multiple passports before he left.

Edited to add: Sorry CD, I must have been typing while you were and you're faster.

bryndis · 12-22-2008, 11:09 PM

Thanks. This case always scares me because I want to eventually work for the Government.

Mastermind · 12-23-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Thanks. This case always scares me because I want to eventually work for the Government.

Why? There are plenty of individuals who work for the govt. that don;t kill their families.

I would think if you are a good and decent person, you should have a great career in government?

Brad Bishop could have been a toilet scrubber and he could have done what he did.

The advantage Bishop had was that his job made his means of escape easier.

Brad Bishop was a product of pure evil, not of anything the government did. (and this is coming from a guy who is believes in govt. conspiracies)

bryndis · 12-23-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastermind

Why? There are plenty of individuals who work for the govt. that don;t kill their families.

I would think if you are a good and decent person, you should have a great career in government?

Brad Bishop could have been a toilet scrubber and he could have done what he did.

The advantage Bishop had was that his job made his means of escape easier.

Brad Bishop was a product of pure evil, not of anything the government did. (and this is coming from a guy who is believes in govt. conspiracies)

Oh no I know, it's just I can see how stress was a huge factor on him. Some people just can't handle it, like him.

Mastermind · 12-23-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Oh no I know, it's just I can see how stress was a huge factor on him. Some people just can't handle it, like him.

I understand.

It's just that there are several people in the world who have stressfull jobs but managed not

I think if you look deeply into his background, Brad Bishop was messed up way before he got deeply into his govt. job.

I think family stress had more to do with his act than the job. It sounded like he wife and mother weren;t the most easiest people to get along with (not that they deserve what Brad did to them!

)

I think being passed over for the promotion was the last straw for Brad's mind.

TheCars1986 · 12-24-2008, 05:57 PM

I found it almost impossible that the guy who last saw him before he escaped managed to stumble onto him in a bathroom in FRANCE...years after the murders happened. I'm not convinced that the guy was definitely Brad Bishop.

Necco · 12-24-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

I found it almost impossible that the guy who last saw him before he escaped managed to stumble onto him in a bathroom in FRANCE...years after the murders happened. I'm not convinced that the guy was definitely Brad Bishop.

Consider the number of co-workers with semi-nomadic lifestyles (state department employees typically move to a new assignment every 2-3 years), add to that other non-state department personnel he would have met during his service (Marines who guard the embassies, FBI, CIA, etc.) and I find it surprising he wasn't spotted more than he was.

Dislimb · 12-24-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

I found it almost impossible that the guy who last saw him before he escaped managed to stumble onto him in a bathroom in FRANCE...years after the murders happened. I'm not convinced that the guy was definitely Brad Bishop.

I think it was Italy, actually. But you're right. The odds of that actually being him are very slim.

In any event, it's been over 30 years since he murdered his family so even if they caught him tomorrow he still technically got away with it.

Interesting little article here on the subject:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030102328.html

justins5256 · 12-24-2008, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryndis

Thanks. This case always scares me because I want to eventually work for the Government.

I think you'll be okay. There were other factors that made Bishop do what he did, I'm sure.

Drakken · 01-06-2009, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justins5256

I think you'll be okay. There were other factors that made Bishop do what he did, I'm sure.

Yeah, most government workers do not have a nagging mother and whining wife constantly harassing them and putting them down at home, like Brad Bishop. Doesn't justify the murders, of course, but even the detectives were rather sympathetic in the segment.

Just to say how things can turn when a parent, a spouse or a family member cannot bare it anymore, we have had a case with similarities a few days ago here in Quebec, in the city of Saguenay.

A man and his common-law spouse, who had three children together, couldn't bare anymore to cope with the financial strains and the stress of their lives. So they concluded a suicide pact. They left their respective jobs and spent lavishly on gifts for their families during the holidays. Then, on New Years' Eve, they killed their three children in their sleep (we still do not know how, but allegedly they were smothered to death) and attempted to commit suicide.

The thing is, while the man succeeded in killing himself, she didn't. After cutting her wrists she called 911 while she was bleeding, but she was found before she died. The result, she is now facing 3 charges of first-degree murder and 1 charge of assisting or encouraging a suicide.

browneyes106 · 01-06-2009, 12:59 PM

I hope Brad Bishop gets caught and brought to justice. The case is a lot like John List's case.

Mastermind · 01-06-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

I hope Brad Bishop gets caught and brought to justice. The case is a lot like John List's case.

Brad may be dead at this point given his age.

We would never know if he passed away in a hostel somewhere in Europe.

The thing that bothers me so much in this case is that i can understand killing your nagging wife and mother. But why kill your kids??!!! They did nothing!!!

That is the really evil thing about his act.

nohwheregirl · 01-06-2009, 08:47 PM

I'm sorry, but I cannot understand killing your nagging wife and mother.

12-22-2008, 10:18 PM	#1
bryndis eeek Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 22, 2008 Location: two states kind of Posts: 76	Anyone remember the story of the man who killed his entire family in the DC area? So I was trying to find the articles on my computer of the man who was fired from his Government job and then returned to his nice home in the suburbs of DC, to shoot his three sons, mother and wife to death and then, their charred remains were found in a remote park nearby. The man was seen in Europe. Anyone remember this guy's name? Scary story, that your father would come back from work and kill you :\

12-22-2008, 11:05 PM	#3
Necco Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2006 Posts: 1,149	William Bradford "Brad" Bishop, Jr. He wasn't fired, he was passed over for a promotion at the State Department. It's hard to track down a guy who had the means and the opportunity to make himself multiple passports before he left. Edited to add: Sorry CD, I must have been typing while you were and you're faster.

12-22-2008, 11:09 PM	#4
bryndis eeek Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 22, 2008 Location: two states kind of Posts: 76	Thanks. This case always scares me because I want to eventually work for the Government.

12-24-2008, 05:57 PM	#8
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,628	I found it almost impossible that the guy who last saw him before he escaped managed to stumble onto him in a bathroom in FRANCE...years after the murders happened. I'm not convinced that the guy was definitely Brad Bishop.

01-06-2009, 12:59 PM	#13
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	I hope Brad Bishop gets caught and brought to justice. The case is a lot like John List's case.

01-06-2009, 08:47 PM	#15
nohwheregirl THE Mystery Machine Senior Member Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Posts: 1,057	I'm sorry, but I cannot understand killing your nagging wife and mother.