Remembering
Kenny and Louis Youngpeter

 

A Loving and Kind Family

Ken Youngpeter had his whole life ahead of him. Ken and his wife Judy had just finished building their dream home in the small town of Delphos, Ohio. Ken built the house from the ground up with the help of his father, Louis. Ken’s life revolved around his family. Every day, when Ken got home from work, he would play on the family room floor with his two very young children, Tony and Kelly. They were his pride and joy. Ken, Judy, Tony and Kelly were a close and loving family. No one could have imagined that Ken would be brutally murdered at the young age of 27 after stumbling upon a burglary at his home.

Louis Youngpeter, Ken’s father, was much like Ken in nature. He was easygoing, smiled often and loved people. Louis and his wife, Mildred (Mid), had a strong marriage. They laughed together often and were a loving couple. Louis and Mildred enjoyed fishing in the summer and enjoyed spending good times with their friends. They had two sons, Ken and Neal. Louis was especially proud of his grandchildren and looked forward to watching them grow up. Louis loved his sons and would have done anything for them. In 1974, Louis would pay the ultimate price trying to save Ken’s life.

Double Murder in a Small Town

On July 17, 1974 Ken Youngpeter and his wife, Judy, were visiting Ken’s parents, Louis and Mildred. Ken was helping his dad with some farming. While working on the farm, Ken noticed a car pull in the driveway of his home, which was next door. Ken did not recognize the car and believed it was someone from work, so he decided to go home. Ken walked to his house and found the door kicked in. Ken went into the house and was confronted by a stranger with a shotgun. The stranger was Robin Bender. Bender chased Ken out the door and began chasing him around the house.

Judy Youngpeter looked out the window and saw her husband in danger. She immediately ran out the door to help her husband. “He would have done the same thing if I were in that position,” she says today. When Judy arrived, Bender forced her and Ken into the house. Bender made Judy tie her husband Ken to a chair. “He [Bender] was jumping around like a crazy person,” says Judy, “He kept saying we saw his face and kept putting the gun to our heads, threatening to kill us.” After about ten minutes of ranting and raving, Bender placed the shotgun to Ken’s chest. Ken looked at his wife and said, “Is this all there is?” Bender then fired three shots at point blank range into Ken Youngpeter’s chest. Judy immediately took off for the door. Bender fired the gun at Judy and one bullet hit Judy in the side, leaving a massive wound.

As soon as Judy left to help her husband, Mildred Youngpeter immediately went to call the police. Unfortunately, she could not get a line out. She then went to find her husband. When she found Louis, she told him what was happening. Louis immediately took off to save Ken and Judy. Mildred grabbed Ken and Judy’s two-year-old daughter (their son was at a friend’s house) and took off to a neighbor’s home so she could call the police.

When Louis arrived at Ken and Judy’s house, a crazy Robin Bender came out with the loaded shotgun. He chased Louis around the house, firing the shotgun at him. A bullet hit Louis in the shoulder and he fell to the ground. Bender then came upon the wounded Louis. He put the shotgun to Louis’ throat and fired a bullet at point-blank range, killing Louis Youngpeter.

After killing Louis Youngpeter, Bender saw a critically wounded Judy running down the street to the same neighbor’s home that Mildred Youngpeter had went to earlier to call police. Bender jumped in his car and began driving across the yard to reach Judy and kill her before she went into the home. Judy made it into the neighbor’s house and managed to crouch next to the bar. A crazed Bender arrived at the house and bolted through the door. Somehow he failed to notice Judy and ran up the stairs.

By the time Bender had arrived at the top of the stairs, the neighbor, Mrs. Bockey, had locked herself in a room along with the Youngpeters’ young daughter. Mildred Youngpeter did not have time to get into the room and remained in the hallway. Bender then put the shotgun to Mrs. Youngpeter’s head and said, “Where’s the girl?” Mrs. Youngpeter responded, “What girl?” Bender then said, “You know what girl!” and he pulled the trigger. By the grace of God, the gun jammed and Mildred Youngpeter was not shot and killed. Bender then heard police sirens and ran downstairs. He saw a police car out the window and then ran back upstairs. Mildred Youngpeter was now barricaded in the room with the others. Bender tried to kick the door in so he could “get some hostages.” When the door would not open, Bender ran to an open window and removed the screen. Before he jumped, Bender told them “I will come back and kill you all!” Bender jumped out the window and took off. Judy made it out the front door and collapsed in the bushes.

Bender Takes Plea Deal and Admits He Would Have Killed Police

When police arrived, they summoned an ambulance for Judy and began an intensive search to find Bender. Bender stayed on the run for several days and committed several more robberies. Fortunately, no one was killed. Bender was arrested at a bar while attempting to pay with coins he had stolen during one of the robberies after the murders. He was brought back to Ohio and pled guilty to the murders of Kenny and Louis Youngpeter and for shooting Judy Youngpeter. Bender received two consecutive (back to back) life sentences for the murders (two counts of aggravated murder), five to fifteen years for shooting Judy (felonious assault), and also received two six-month to five-year sentences for subsequent convictions for attempted escape and obstructing justice.

In addition to killing innocent people, Bender also made it very clear that he has no issues with murdering police officers. In his confession to a local newspaper right after his guilty plea, he stated that he had seen a police officer about 15 feet away while hiding in a cornfield. Bender stated, “I stayed there about 15 to 20 minutes staring at the policeman, trying to figure out how to get across the road. I was trying to decide whether to shoot him or not. I decided against shooting him unless it was a last resort. I made up my mind I was not going to be taken alive that day. If they caught me, there would have been a shootout.” Later in the interview, Bender discussed being at a police roadblock. Bender stated, “When I neared the roadblock, I put the shotgun on my lap. If they did spot me, I was going to take two or three of them with me.” Fortunately, they did not spot Bender and no officers were killed.

The Aftermath

Judy Youngpeter would remain in critical condition for several weeks and would go through several excruciating surgeries. Judy recovered physically, however bullet fragments remain in her body to this very day. Judy still deals with the emotional wounds, as do Mildred Youngpeter, Josephine Bockey, and Judy and Ken’s children. Even after 36 years, they can still hear Robin Bender’s last words to them: “I will come back and kill you all!”