Story 1: The “Jolly! Jolly!” Murders of 1947

By: Kareeb Hassan

Christmas is usually always seen as a time filled with love, care and joy. A lot of people in America celebrate Christmas and are happy doing so as well. Unfortunately, one Christmas Eve would shock residents and authorities alike in December 1947.

It was an ordinary, calming, and peaceful Christmas Eve for the Everman’s in the small town of New Rochelle. At 12:03 PM his father left to work as a news reporter for 57 News, a popular radio station for news at the time. Meanwhile, his son, Merwick, his daughter, Elisa, and his wife, Maurel, would all play some board games to pass the time. When it was around 10:00 PM around midnight, a broadcast interruption occurred that scared those who listened.

“I would like to give a message to those who will be completely naive”, said an anonymous voice behind the screeching and static. “Late into the night, there will be no chance to lock your doors and protect yourselves…” Unfortunately, no one else really knows what the anonymous person said after these words. Though based on the people who listened to the broadcast interruption, it is widely believed that the unknown person warned of Santa coming to their homes and bringing them. “More than just coal”.

About 12:05 AM the following night, 911 was called, and the phone was from the Evermans. The mother was calling in a frantic voice about how a man in a supposed Santa costume was in their home trying to kill her children. Mrs. Everman had hidden the children in the closet and left herself in the master bedroom armed with a metallic stick of metal used to hold the blinds.

The supposed intruder happens to be in the living room downstairs. The master bedroom, where the mother and her children were located, was upstairs. Though police forces were sent, during the call two gunshots rang out along with the sound of the phone hitting the ground and a woman screaming in agony. Maurel Everson died at the age of 30 from one bullet to the chest and another to the leg. It is said that her screams were from the first shot before she was put out of her misery with the second shot to the head. Two more shots were shot in the closet, which killed 7-year-old Merwick with a shot to the stomach and left six-year-old Elisa nearly bleeding to death with a shot to the arm. After this, the supposed suspect was said to have set the kitchen on fire. Fortunately, necessary forces had arrived in about less than 20 minutes to deal with the issue. Elisa, her brother, and her mother would be sent to the hospital immediately. Only Elisa was able to recover in ER, while Merwick and Maurel were pronounced dead on arrival.

While police and fire departments were dealing with the sudden occurrence on Christmas. The man responsible was still at large. The suspect-22-year-old Derek Wyvern-went on to go to 4 different homes, just blocks from each other and proceeded to kill anyone who he found to have been inside. He robbed these same homes of their food and appliances. Leaving messages written in blood. The message was the same for each and every house he went to.

“Jolly Jolly to those who find this. Santa isn’t always filled with Kindness. Sometimes Claus has to give more. To the naughty kids than just a bunch of ******* coal.” This message was used as what is known as the serial killer’s “signature”.

Derek then proceeded to go to certain stores that were still open and kill all of the people that were inside. Eventually, for some certain houses, he would leave gifts at the door. Each of these gifts contained different objects, these objects were: a gun with a fully loaded clip, a pack of cigarettes, bloody gloves, and finally, a dead squirrel. Derek continued this killing spree up until 6:00 AM. Where he would peacefully come home. Knowing that he had killed 15 children, 7 adults, and even killed a dog that was attempting to scare him away.

It took until the following morning for SWAT team agents to bust down the door and arrest him. Derek was charged with homicide, arson, and also for his interruption of the radio station earlier that night. The event has been labeled the Jolly Jolly Murders after his unforgettable signature.

Story 2: Christmas Fire 1988

It was Christmas Eve, a family of two was going Christmas shopping to get their kids presents. These are Mr. and Mrs. Alter. They would go to their nearest mall. The SunnySide Adventure Mall was a mall in New York and was a rather small mall. However, there was a Toys R Us there, which was all they needed. Unfortunately for them, something unexpected would occur. That would unfortunately cut their lives short.

While they were at the local mall, a sudden boom would shake the very foundation of the building. A suicide bomber by the name I can not speak of due to lack of information had gone into the same Toys R Us. Causing a shootout before finishing it off by blowing up the very building he was in. Killing many customers, workers, and himself in the process. Henry Alter and Emily Alter would be found dead. Unable to see their children have a great Christmas. They, along with 15 other people, were killed and more than double the amount of people was brutally injured. This would cause a huge fire which, with the help of the many toys with flammable materials, would spread out to other stores.

By the time the firefighters had arrived almost 3 stores were engulfed in flames. Luckily, procedures were taken to protect other shoppers. After about 5 hours, the last ember went out. The fire had caused an estimated total of $350,000 in damages. More than 75 people were hospitalized and about 35 of them were found to be dead. More than 5 stores were burned and had to be closed. Looks like those holiday deals can’t truly cover everything.

A Real Christmas Horror Story: SunValley Mall Disaster

This one story is told by a Reddit user and goes back to when he was initially born back in 1985 in San Francisco, during December, and was staying with his grandmother and parents. It was about 2 days before Christmas when his family decided to bring the newborn baby (which was the Redditor) the following December. They were going to go to the SunValley Mall to go take pictures with the mall Santa and the Redditor. As the Redditors mother recollected from memory. When upon getting ready to leave for the SunValley Mall, his grandmother felt something was wrong...

The grandmother began to feel a dreadful feeling about going to the mall and, as a result, refused to go. This ultimately led the family and the Redditor to stay home for the day. The following night at 8:35 pm. An inbound plane headed for its destination, the Buchanon Field, missed its target from weather and ended up crashing into the SunValley Mall shocking everyone. People were dazed and confused after the crash and debris blew everywhere. It hit anyone in its vicinity and created a huge wall on the roof of the SunValley Mall. It would burst through the Macy's department store. The hole was about 50 feet long.

Children and their parents waiting to see the mall Santa, just like the Redditor's family had planned, and Christmas shoppers were confused. Some thought a bomb detonated, while others thought it was an earthquake. Injured people were desperately taken care of by people who weren't injured. Treating the burns by using ice from refrigerators and water from the mall fountain. The whole store was in that of chaos. Let's just say the debris and soot did not make it easy for people in the mall that fateful day.

All three people on the plane would, unfortunately, pass away and for those in the mall, a total of 79 people were injured, with four of them, unfortunately, passing away from their injuries. Numerous lawsuits were filed against the airport. Saying that it made no sense to have an airport so close to a shopping mall. Unfortunately, to this very day, these two places are still in business and are in full operation, while also being the same distance from each other that caused the tragic incident just 2 days before Christmas Day.

THANKS FOR READING!

Thanks for reading the three stories I had to offer today. Which one was your favorite? Share these stories with friends and family to give them a little winter scare. Now I know this is a little late to the Christmas party but being late to the party is better than not being there at all isn't it?