(The graves of Ann, Tyler, Erika & Ryan. Picture credit: findagrave)
The case I am about to share with you is one of sheer horror, heartbreak and anger, a case that was considered a 'cold case' for nearly 25 years despite the fact that the police had a very good idea who did it, they just didn't have enough evidence in their opinion at that time of their investigation back in the mid 1980s.
This is my 60th true crime case that I have covered and this is quite a milestone for me. All of the late nights, the time, the effort, the blood, sweat and tears have all been worth it to get to this point. I appreciate all of the support, views and donations from those who read my posts. Before I begin, just a reminder that I am on Patreon & my birthday is coming up on the 5th of November so if you would like to subscribe to my personal blogs or just make a donation, you can do so here
I would also like to mention that this post will be sharing some gruesome details so please bear that in mind.
So, let's begin....
To anyone on the outside looking in, Michael and Ann Curry seemed to have it all. They were a good looking young couple in their twenties with a beautiful house, two beautiful children, Erika (4) and Ryan (1) and Ann was over eight weeks pregnant with a baby boy they were going to call Tyler.
Having a beautiful pregnant wife, two lovely children and a wonderful home would have been most for some people and the dream of others but for some reason, Michael wasn't happy. Side note: as I go along in this post, you will no doubt see some comparisons with The Watts Family murder case. Ann was only 24 years old and about to have her third child with the man she loved, sure they had problems like every other married couple but it was nothing that they couldn't work out in her mind. Michael on the other hand felt trapped, the pressure was on to financially keep his family going. They had been going through some financial issues for a while and couldn't really afford to have another baby.
Feeling the financial strain and tired of his marriage (between the endless bills and always being busy with the kids, there was not much time for just him and Ann. The spark had gone out of their marriage), Michael began an affair with another married woman who worked in the same Hospital with him. Michael worked as a Supervisor in one of the Hospital's offices. It was whilst Ann was in hospital suffering with pregnancy complications that the affair developed from flirting into a more physical relationship.
(The Curry Family in the 1980s. Picture credit, unknown)
Little is known about the other woman other than that Michael fell hard and fast for her but things turned sour when her husband found out what his wife had been up to. According to Michael Curry, the man told him that he could hurt him without actually touching him. Michael wanted out of his marriage to Ann but he couldn't afford to pay for a divorce or child support for the three children.
Just three weeks after the affair heated up and the woman's husband finding out, Michael Curry closed the door of his house and went to work as usual on the 29th of August 1985. It was a very hot day and he was only at work for a short while when he decided that he was going to leave and pick up a fan from a local store. Michael left at 9:40 am and had been gone from the office for three and a half hours. When he returned, he had a fan with him but colleagues noted that he was drenched in sweat.
What nobody at the time knew was, that Michael Curry had actually gone home, waited for his pregnant wife and children to come back to the house (he knew they had been visiting Ann's mother that morning and had to go shopping for a birthday gift not that far from the house). Michael took the bush axe he had bought just a few weeks earlier out of it's storage place and waited for his family.
It's not known in what order the murders took place but Michael went psychotic and used the axe to brutally murder his family. Ann suffered a violent blow to the head and had her throat slashed in such a ferocious manner that she was almost decapitated. There were also injuries to her chest from where the axe had struck her. As if this wasn't harrowing enough to read, what that monster did to Erika and Ryan was almost to hard for me to share with you but I want to give you the truth of the situation.
Little one year old Ryan died not far from where his mother lay in a pool of her own blood. Michael had struck him across the head with the axe. He was later found covered in blood and his little hands were gripping the carpet.
Having to face the details of what this evil man had done to Ann, his unborn child and little Ryan was almost too much to deal with but what he did to Erika was even more sickening. Michael struck her so hard with the axe that he ripped her jaw off. The little girl's teeth, glasses and bits of her mouth and jaw were found scattered around the room. Nobody could imagine the sheer horror, fear and agony this children and their mother went through at the hands of the very person who's job it was to love and protect them.
Reading about the crime scene was very hard and I've covered a lot of true crime cases. I was filled with heartbreak and anger.
(Ann, Erika and Ryan. Picture credit, unknown)
After murdering his beautiful family, Michael returned to work as if nothing had happened. He later returned and pretended to have just discovered the bodies. He ran to the next door neighbours putting on a performance shouting ''They've killed my family, why did they kill my family''.
The investigation was a total joke. Investigators couldn't find any blood on Michael, they figured he must have been wearing some overalls when he did the murders. There was also some confusion with the times in which the murders took place because of the hot weather and the house itself had the heating turned up (this could also have been done by Michael in a way to have the bodies decompose quicker). Questions were raised from day one, a door in the house had been smashed from the inside, obviously Michael had tried to make the crime scene look like a break in. Nothing else in the house was touched and Michael claimed that he had checked the bodies when in fact he had no blood on him.
You're not going to believe this but the cops let Michael go for almost 25 YEARS!!!! Despite it obviously being him, leaving work for three and a half hours to find a fan, the affair, the lack of blood on him, the bush axe that he had bought weeks before the murders that was kept in a place that only he knew about. All fingers pointed back to him but they still let him go.
(The most recent mugshot I could find of Michael Curry. Picture credit, unknown)
Michael moved to another house and carried on with his life, thinking he got away with it. Can you imagine how Ann's family must have felt?
In 2008 however, Michael was in his 50s and the case was reopened (can you believe it took 25 years?) and he was brought to trial. In 2011 he was found guilty on all counts, he tried to appeal but it got thrown out.
Finally after 25 years he was brought to justice but it never should have taken that long.
I will be sharing my thoughts on this case over on Patreon
Thank you for taking the time to read my latest case and for all of your support during these 60 true crime cases that I have covered. Much love and thanks x
RIP Ann, Tyler, Erika and Ryan.
Further reading & sources:
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Heartbreaking is an understatement in this case! What could possibly make a man justify such horrifying and disgusting acts of violence to his wife and children. Truly well written and extremely intense!
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