SUZAN THORNELL CARSON | Along With Her Husband, Michael Bear Carson, Dubbed "The San Francisco Witch Killers"; Considered Suspects In Nearly A Dozen Other Deaths In The U.S. And Europe | Autographed Letter Signed

Suzan Carson. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Santa Ana, CA. December 5, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.

Suzan Thornell Carson

Background Information

Suzan Thornell Carson, born Susan Barnes in 1941, is an American serial killer who, along with her husband Michael Bear Carson (born James Clifford Carson), was convicted of three murders committed between 1981 and 1983 in Northern California. The couple became notorious as the “San Francisco Witch Killers” due to their belief that they were killing individuals they deemed to be witches.

Early Life and Relationship with Michael Bear Carson

Before her involvement in the crimes, Suzan was a divorcée with two teenage sons. She met Michael Bear Carson after he had experienced significant personal turmoil, including a divorce from his first wife. Their relationship began amidst a backdrop of drug use and an interest in mysticism. They adopted new names – Michael took on “Bear” as part of his identity transformation, while Susan became Suzan.

The Carsons’ lifestyle was heavily influenced by countercultural movements prevalent during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They moved to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, where they immersed themselves in the local counterculture scene, which included drug use and radical political beliefs.

The Murders

The first murder linked to Suzan occurred in March 1981 when Karen Barnes, a roommate of the Carsons, was found dead in their apartment. She had been brutally stabbed multiple times and hidden in a blanket. The Carsons later confessed that they believed Karen was a witch. Following this murder, the couple fled to Oregon and then to Alderpoint, California.

In May 1982, Michael shot and killed Clark Stephens during a dispute at a marijuana farm where they were working. This murder also stemmed from their increasingly paranoid worldview that led them to perceive threats from those around them.

The final murder occurred in January 1983 when they killed Jon Charles Hellyar after deciding he too was a witch. This incident escalated into violence while driving on U.S. Route 101; Suzan stabbed Hellyar during an altercation that ended with Michael shooting him.

Arrest and Conviction

After fleeing from the scene of Hellyar’s murder, the Carsons were apprehended following a high-speed chase initiated by witnesses who reported the crime. Initially confessing to all three murders during a press conference, they later retracted their confessions before trial but were ultimately convicted on multiple counts of murder.

On June 12, 1984, Suzan received sentences totaling up to life imprisonment for her role in these murders. She has been incarcerated at Central California Women’s Facility since her conviction.

Current Status

As of December 2024, both Suzan and Michael remain imprisoned for their crimes. Recent reports indicate that Michael Bear Carson has been denied parole despite being eligible under California’s elderly parole program due to his age and time served.

In popular culture

Underground journalist Richard D. Reynolds wrote a nonfiction book about the murders entitled Cry For War (Squibob Press, 1987). The Carsons' story has also been included in several true crime documentary TV anthologies, including: Deadly Women (Season 6, Episode 1, "Hunting Humans"); Wicked Attraction (Season 2, Episode 1, "The Two Bears"); The Devil You Know (Season 2, Episode 2, "A Serial Killer in the Family"); and Snapped: "Killer Couples", Season 2 Episode 10.

Additionally, the murders are outlined in an episode of the podcast Criminology, including an interview with Jennifer "Jenn" Carson, Michael's daughter from his first marriage, and Lisa Ling interviewed Michael's daughter in an episode titled "Children of Killers" in her series This is Life with Lisa Ling. In 2018, the crimes, along with other murders in the same vicinity, were featured on the Netflix docu-series Murder Mountain.

In summary, Suzan Thornell Carson is an American serial killer convicted alongside her husband for three brutal murders rooted in their delusional beliefs about witchcraft, reflecting their descent into violence fueled by drugs and paranoia.

VIDEO: I Lived With A Killer | Season 1 | Episode 8 | The San Francisco Witch Killers | https://youtu.be/VeUvtLmt0jk

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