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IcyPeas

(21,842 posts)
Fri Mar 25, 2022, 06:29 PM Mar 2022

Parole recommended for hijacker of a school bus full of children for $5 million ransom in 1976

There were 3 men convicted, 2 have already been released on parole. This is the last hijacker. I am surprised they got parole. What an awful crime. The kidnappers held their captives in a box truck buried in a quarry in Livermore, California, intending to demand a ransom for their return.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The last of three men convicted of hijacking a school bus full of children and holding them and their driver for $5 million ransom in 1976 was recommended for parole on Friday with the support of two of the victims.

Parole commissioners decided Frederick Woods, 70, no longer is a danger to the public after previous panels had denied him parole 17 times.
...
Woods’ accomplices, brothers Richard and James Schoenfeld, already were freed. An appeals court ordered Richard released in 2012 and then-Gov. Jerry Brown paroled James in 2015.

All three were from wealthy San Francisco Bay Area families when they kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver near Chowchilla, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco.

They buried the children, ages 5 to 14, along with their bus driver in a ventilated bunker east of San Francisco. The victims were able to dig their way out more than a day later.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/parole-recommended-inmate-1976-school-bus-hijacking-83676721





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Parole recommended for hijacker of a school bus full of children for $5 million ransom in 1976 (Original Post) IcyPeas Mar 2022 OP
I vaguely remember hearing an account of this. Truly horrific. hlthe2b Mar 2022 #1
I remember this so well. I was 14 in 1970. Karl Malden played Boomerproud Mar 2022 #2
I was in 6th grade when this happened alittlelark Mar 2022 #3
I was in 4th, living in Orinda ... totally remember this being on the news Hugh_Lebowski Mar 2022 #8
I am not in favor of him or the others who have been paroled Sherman A1 Mar 2022 #4
of the survivors 2 were in favor and 5 opposed the parole. (according to the article:) IcyPeas Mar 2022 #5
Let him rot. He doesn't deserve a moment's freedom. Dial H For Hero Mar 2022 #6
I wasn't born, but I remember the tv movie about it. Chicago1980 Mar 2022 #7
NO, No, No, No, No, No, No, and Mr.Bill Mar 2022 #9

hlthe2b

(102,138 posts)
1. I vaguely remember hearing an account of this. Truly horrific.
Fri Mar 25, 2022, 06:33 PM
Mar 2022

I hope all who suffered got the help they undoubtedly needed to get past this.

Boomerproud

(7,943 posts)
2. I remember this so well. I was 14 in 1970. Karl Malden played
Fri Mar 25, 2022, 06:33 PM
Mar 2022

the bus driver in the TV movie. I can just imagine the PTSD the victims went through.

 

Hugh_Lebowski

(33,643 posts)
8. I was in 4th, living in Orinda ... totally remember this being on the news
Fri Mar 25, 2022, 06:54 PM
Mar 2022

Within a couple years iirc there was also Jonestown (Jones was SF-based at time, lots of Bay Area folks were there), and also around then the Moscone/Milk murders.

Remember it all even though I was a kid.

IcyPeas

(21,842 posts)
5. of the survivors 2 were in favor and 5 opposed the parole. (according to the article:)
Fri Mar 25, 2022, 06:39 PM
Mar 2022
Two survivors, Larry Park and Rebecca Reynolds Dailey, spoke Friday in favor of Woods' parole.

But opposing Woods' release were survivors Jennifer Brown Hyde and Laura Yazzi Fanning; Matthew Medrano, son of survivor Jodi Heffington Medrano who has since died; and Carol Marshall, mother of survivor Michael Marshall, and Lynda Carrejo.
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