By David Lohr
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/family/theresa_cross/index.htmlUnforeseen Discovery, chapter 1
On the morning of July 17, 1984, 45-year-old Maybel Harrison was driving on California's Highway 89 when she noticed a bright light illuminating the woods. Concerned that a fire had broken out, Maybel decided to investigate. From her vantage point on the interstate, Maybel wasn't sure what she was looking at, but as she made her way down the rocky slope to get a closer look, a permeating stench stopped her. Alarmed, she ran back up the incline and flagged down a truck.
Robert Eden stopped his truck when he saw Maybel waving her arms. When she told him there was an unusual fire burning at the bottom of the hill, Eden grabbed his fire extinguisher and the two headed toward the source. After Eden doused the flames and the smoke began to clear, he and Maybel discovered what appeared to be a charred human corpse. As soon as the reality of the situation hit him, Eden ran back to his truck and reported the grisly discovery to authorities on his CB radio.
Emergency services personnel were already surrounding the area by the time Tahoe City Detectives Russell Potts and Larry Addoms arrived on the scene. After looking over the gruesome sight, Potts requested that criminologist Michael Saggs and Placer County Sheriff Donald J. Nunes be brought in. Within an hour, the four men were taking soil samples and photographing the area. The body was badly burned and the lower portion of the victim's left leg was detached and lying next to the body. The left arm was propped up on its elbow and the right arm was extended at the victim's side. The only part of the body not burned was the left side of the victim's face. It was obvious that the victim was female: her breasts, although severely charred, remained visible.
In all, investigators collected more than 30 pieces of evidence, which they found on and around the body. Among the items cataloged, a green Pepsodent toothbrush, a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, a yellow and black scarf, an underwire size 32C bra from J.C. Penney's, a black onyx bracelet, disposable diapers, a pair of hoop earrings, and several miscellaneous articles of clothing. After finishing up the crime scene, investigators dubbed the body Jane Doe #4873/84 and sent her to the Placer County Morgue.
Less than two hours later, forensic pathologist Dr. A. V. Cunha conducted the autopsy. The victim was between 18 and 22 years old, 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing approximately 115 pounds. The body showed signs of abuse, and there were two puncture wounds discovered on the victim's back. The discovery of an ovarian tumor indicated that Jane Doe had suffered a severe beating at some time prior to her death. Her physical injuries were life threatening, but the immediate cause of death was smoke inhalation. Following the autopsy, Jane Doe's fingers were removed and sent to Sacramento for prints. Her maxilla and mandible were also removed in case dental records surfaced. Investigators had few clues to go on and very little hope of discovering the identity of Jane Doe #4873/84.
Theresa, chapter 2
According to the 1995 book Mother's Day, by Dennis McDougal, Theresa Jimmie Francine Cross was born on March 12, 1946. Her father, Jim Cross, was an assistant cheese maker at Sacramento's Golden State Dairy, and her mother, Swannie Gay Cross, worked at a local lumber company. Theresa had an older sister, Rosemary, born in 1944 and two older stepsiblings, William and Clara Tapp. The stepchildren were from Swannie's first marriage, which unexpectedly ended with the death of her husband in 1939.
The Cross family prospered over the years and by the early 1950s they were able to move out of their small Sacramento bungalow and purchase a large house in Rio Linda, California. Nonetheless, their happiness was short lived, and sometime during the late 1950s, Jim Cross fell ill with Parkinson's disease. He could no longer work and was forced to quit his job. Following his diagnosis, Jim fell into a deep depression and often took his anger out on his children.
According to friends of the family, Theresa was a loner and jealous of her sister Rosemary. If they weren't fighting over a neighborhood boy, they were competing for their mother's attention. Theresa was especially fond of her mother, and outsiders felt that Swannie favored Theresa over Rosemary. In retrospect, the afternoon of March 2, 1961, probably affected Theresa more than anyone could have imagined. Theresa was escorting her mother to a local store that day when her mother suddenly collapsed. As Theresa held the woman in her arms, Swannie breathed her last breath and died. Her cause of death was congestive heart failure and on March 6, 1961, Swannie Cross was buried at Sunset Lawn Cemetery.
Following the death of her mother, Theresa fell into a deep depression, from which she never seemed to fully recover. Without Swannie's income, Jim Cross could no longer afford to keep the family home and was forced to sell it. Bit by bit, every piece of security Theresa had known was taken away from her. With her life in disarray, Theresa latched onto the first man that walked into her life.
Clifford Clyde Sanders was five years older than Theresa when the two first met at a mutual friend's house. Within weeks, the young couple was in love and discussing marriage. Whether Theresa actually loved Clifford or simply wanted security in her life is anyone's guess. Regardless, on September 29, 1962, Theresa Jimmie Cross became Theresa Jimmie Sanders. Shortly after the wedding, Theresa dropped out of junior high school and the couple moved into a one-bedroom apartment in the North Highlands district of California.
It did not take long for the marriage to start going down hill. Theresa was very possessive of Clifford and kept him on a short leash. On July 16, 1963, Theresa gave birth to their first child, Howard Clyde Sanders. Things seemed to settle down for a while, but eventually Theresa reverted back to her old ways. Howard was unhappy in the marriage and had it not been for Theresa's second pregnancy in the spring of 1964, he probably would have left her. Their one bedroom apartment was too small for another child and the growing family moved into a small white house just outside of Sacramento.
Defending Dignity, chapter 3
While Theresa and Clifford's marriage had its ups and downs, tempers came to a boiling point on June 22, 1964. Rather than spend the day with her and the baby, Clifford went out drinking with his friends. Later that evening, he strolled in drunk and Theresa boiled over. She berated him for neglecting his family and wasting their much-needed money on booze. Clifford was in no mood to argue and ended her tirade with a single punch to the face. Theresa went to the police station and filed assault-and-battery charges against him, but when it came time to arrest him, she refused to sign the papers and the charges were dropped.
According to the 1995 book Whatever Mother Says by Wensley Clarkson, Clifford had a huge argument with Theresa on his birthday, July 5, 1964. Theresa accused him of infidelity and he decided he had had enough. The following day, Clifford packed his bags and told Theresa that he was leaving her. Unfortunately, he never made it out the door. Theresa went into a rage, grabbed a rifle and shot her husband. Clifford stumbled backwards and fell dead.
Galt Police Chief Walter Froehlich was one of the first officers on the scene.
"I grabbed a gun to make him keep from hitting me and it went off," Theresa said. Clifford's body was lying facedown in the doorway of the kitchen and on the opposite end of the room Froehlich found the rifle leaning against a wall. Froehlich arrested Theresa and transported her to the Sacramento County Jail. Baby Howard was then taken to stay with one of Theresa's relatives.
The headline on the July 7, 1964, Sacramento Bee daily newspaper announced MURDER CHARGE IS DUE IN GALT DEATH. The first paragraph read: "Deputy District Attorney Donald Dorfman said he planned to file a murder charge today against 18-year-old Mrs. Theresa Sanders of Galt in the deer rifle slaying of her husband. Clifford Sanders, 23, was slain yesterday morning in the couple's small Galt home. Investigators reported the bullet apparently grazed off his left wrist and lodged in his heart."
On August 4, 1964, Theresa entered a plea of innocent by reason of self-defense in a Sacramento courtroom. Her trial was scheduled to begin three weeks later in Judge Charles W. Johnson's courtroom.
Unexpected Outcome. chapter 4
Deputy District Attorney Donald Dorfman wanted a first-degree murder conviction and on August 30, 1964, he began his opening statements to the jury. Dorfman accused Theresa of murdering her husband in cold blood and insisted she had concocted the allegations of self-defense in order to spare herself a prison sentence. The murder, in Dorfman's opinion, was committed because of Theresa's suspicions that her husband was committing adultery. Afterwards, Theresa's attorney, Robert Zarick, argued that Theresa acted out of self-defense and was only protecting herself and her unborn child.
One of the first witnesses called to the stand was Dr. Arthur Wallace, the man who performed Clifford Sanders' autopsy. Wallace testified that there were no powder burns on the body and blood tests revealed no presence of alcohol. He described the injuries to Sanders body and testified that the .30-30 caliber slug had passed through Sanders wrist before embedding itself in his heart. "It was my assumption, and I believe this is very correct, that the deceased apparently had his hand in some position in front of his chest," Wallace said. "The fact that it lodged within the soft tissues of the heart shows that its momentum was considerably slowed when it struck the chest." Following Wallace's testimony, a criminologist testified that the .30-30 caliber rifle found at the scene was the murder weapon.
Police Chief Walter Froehlich described the crime scene and events leading up to Theresa's arrest. Rapping up the prosecution's side, Dorfman questioned several of Sanders' relatives in an effort to show the victim was not a violent or abusive person.
Surprisingly, Theresa briefly took the stand and testified on her own behalf. She told the jury a tearful story of physical abuse and claimed her husband was a violent alcoholic. Mental health counselor Dr. Leroy Wolter described Theresa as anxious, remorseful, and frightened. It was his opinion that she acted in self-defense and was not capable of committing a cold-blooded and calculated crime. Friends and relatives enforced Wolter's testimony and described Theresa as a sweet young girl, who did not know what she was getting into when she married Sanders.
Closing arguments began on September 21, 1964. Dorfman repeated his opening statements and accused Theresa of murdering her husband out of jealousy. "This is clearly premeditated first-degree murder," he told the jury. "Not every murderer can look like the witch in 'Snow White.' She is 18 and pregnant, but that doesn't overcome the fact she maliciously shot and killed her husband without provocation."
On September 22, after deliberating for one hour and 45 minutes, the jury found Theresa Jimmie Francine Sanders not guilty. Dorfman was dumbstruck by the verdict. Whether he realized it at the time or not, the loss would eventually come back to haunt him.
Moving On, chapter 5
After earning her acquittal, Theresa regained custody of her son Howard and moved in with family friends. She was four months pregnant. Her marriage to Clifford may not have been happy, but at least it provided her with a sense of belonging. Now, at just 18, she was alone and again desperately seeking stability. To cope, Theresa turned to alcohol and began drowning her sorrows at a local American Legion Hall. It was there that she met Estelle Lee Thornsberry, an Army veteran who had suffered a debilitating blow two years earlier when a swimming accident left him a quadriplegic. Nonetheless, Thornsberry's disability didn't seem to bother Theresa and the two began dating.
On March 13, 1965, Theresa gave birth to Sheila Gay Sanders. Even though the child was not his, Thornsberry doted on her and treated her as his own. Deeply in love with Theresa, he suggested they all move in together and live as a family. Theresa agreed and a few weeks later they rented out a small apartment. In the beginning, Thornsberry enjoyed the living arraignments, but his feelings began to change when Theresa started treating him as a babysitter, rather than a love interest. With the relationship already rocky, things came to an end a few months later when Thornsberry discovered Theresa was cheating on him with his best friend. Following a heated argument, Theresa packed her belongings, along with most of Thornsberry's, and moved in with friends.
Shortly after her break up with Estelle Thornsberry, Theresa set her sights on Robert Knorr, a private in the Marine Corps. The two began dating and within a few months Theresa was pregnant and they began discussing marriage. In February 1966, Knorr was shipped off to Vietnam. Shortly after his arrival, Knorr was on patrol when a stray bullet struck him in the shoulder. The injury was not serious, but frightening just the same. After a brief stay in a field hospital, he was back on his feet and patrolling the jungle again. But, just weeks later, Knorr was again shot. This time the bullet hit him in the side, but barely penetrated the skin, earning him another brief stay in the hospital. His luck was running out though. A few months later, while walking across a bridge in the middle of nowhere, it suddenly blew up. Shrapnel from the explosion ripped through his arms and legs and the explosion threw him back to the ground. Luckily for Knorr, there would be no more close calls. His latest injuries earned him a trip stateside and he spent several months recovering at Oakland Naval Hospital.
By June 1966, Theresa was seven months pregnant and eager to settle down with Knorr. On July 9, 1966, the young couple drove to Nevada and exchanged vows in front of a local judge. It was Robert's first marriage and Theresa's second. Both were eager to settle into their new roles and rented a small apartment in Sacramento. Two months later, on September 27, 1966, Theresa gave birth to her third child, a girl. Theresa named the child Suesan Marline Knorr. Less than three months later, Theresa was pregnant again and on September 15, 1967, she bore Robert his first son, William Robert Knorr. A second son, Theresa's fifth child, was born on December 31, 1968. Keeping her older half-brother in mind, Theresa named the boy Robert Wallace Knorr.
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