34°06′42″N 118°23′10″W / 34.1117°N 118.3861°W / 34.1117; -118.3861
65-718: The Wonderland murders , also known as the Four on the Floor Murders or the Laurel Canyon Murders , are four unsolved murders that occurred in Los Angeles on July 1, 1981. It is assumed that five people were targeted to be killed in the known drug house of the Wonderland Gang , three of whom—Ron Launius, William "Billy" Deverell, and Joy Miller—were present. Launius, Deverell, and Miller, along with
130-651: A 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 -year prison sentence and a $ 250,000 fine. Numerous television shows have covered the Wonderland murders, including: List of unsolved deaths This list of unsolved deaths includes notable cases where: Cases where there are unofficial alternative theories about deaths – the most common theory being that the death was a homicide – can be found under: Death conspiracy theories . [REDACTED] Media related to Unsolved deaths at Wikimedia Commons Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA )
195-639: A 33% reduction in veteran homelessness since the creation of the Opening Doors initiative. The prominent role of the Department of Veterans Affairs and its joined up approach to veteran welfare are such that they have been deemed to distinguish the US response to veteran homelessness internationally. The General Services Administration (GSA) has delegated authority to the VA to procure medical supplies under
260-583: A 48% increase in ambulatory care visits, and decreased staffing by 12%. By 2000, the VHA had 10,000 fewer employees than in 1995 and a 104% increase in patients treated since 1995, and had managed to maintain the same cost per patient-day, while all other facilities' costs had risen by over 30% to 40% during the same period. Authored by Senator Jim Webb , the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 doubled
325-623: A brutal home invasion and armed robbery at the home of Eddie Nash , a nightclub owner and organized crime figure. The incident resulted in Nash's bodyguard, Gregory Dewitt Diles, being shot and injured. Nash suspected that porn actor John Holmes had been involved, as he had been at Nash's house three times on the morning of the attack (at which times Holmes left the sliding door open). Nash sent Diles to retrieve Holmes for questioning; Diles supposedly spotted Holmes walking around Hollywood wearing one of Nash's rings and brought him back. Scott Thorson ,
390-621: A few days after the crime. There they found more than $ 1 million worth of cocaine, as well as some items stolen from the Wonderland Avenue townhouse. An initial theory of the murders centered on Holmes. After his left palm print was found at the crime scene on the Launius' headboard, he was arrested and charged with four counts of murder in March 1982. The prosecutor, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Ron Coen, attempted to prove Holmes
455-508: A former boyfriend of Liberace who was in Nash's house to buy drugs, claimed he witnessed Holmes being tied to a chair and repeatedly punched and his family threatened until he revealed the assailants' identities. Around 4:30 a.m. on July 1, 1981, two days after the robbery, an unknown number of unidentified men entered the Wonderland Avenue townhouse and bludgeoned Launius, DeVerell, Miller, and Barbara Richardson (Lind's girlfriend who had been visiting) to death. The weapons used by
520-495: A four-year joint investigation involving local and federal authorities, Nash was arrested and indicted on federal charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for drug trafficking and money laundering, conspiring to carry out the Wonderland murders, and bribing the sole holdout juror of his first trial. Nash, already in his 70s and suffering from emphysema and other ailments, agreed to
585-553: A limb in battle, PTSD , etc.) are provided comprehensive care and medication at no charge. Veterans with lesser qualifying factors who exceed a pre-defined income threshold have to make co-payments for care for non-service-connected ailments and prescription medication. VA dental and nursing home care benefits are more restricted. Reservists and National Guard personnel who served stateside in peacetime settings or have no service-related disabilities generally do not qualify for VA health benefits. The VA's budget has been pushed to
650-703: A national home for Civil War veterans, based on the U.S. Soldiers Home in Washington, D.C. and the Naval Asylum in Philadelphia for U.S. active-duty veterans. The bill establishing the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was passed on March 3, 1865. The very next day, President Abraham Lincoln vouched for the mission of the future facilities in his second inaugural address: With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in
715-518: A plea bargain in September 2001. He admitted to having bribed the lone holdout in his first trial with $ 50,000 and pled guilty to the RICO charges and money laundering. He also admitted to having ordered his associates to retrieve stolen property from the Wonderland Avenue townhouse, which might have resulted in violence, including murder, yet he denied having planned the murders. Ultimately, Nash received
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#1732765247931780-448: A prostitute in a motel, and McCourt was at his own home. Lind died of a heroin overdose in 1995, and McCourt died in 2006. Although neighbors would later report having heard loud screams around 3:00 a.m., no phone calls were placed to the police until 4:00 p.m. on July 1, over twelve hours later, when furniture movers working at the house next door to the crime scene heard Susan moaning and went to investigate. The house
845-447: A variety of services for veterans, including disability compensation, pension, education, home loans, life insurance, vocational, rehabilitation, survivors' benefits, health care, and burial benefits. The Department of Labor (DOL) provides job development and job training opportunities for disabled and other veterans through contacts with employers and local agencies. In 1973, the Department of Veterans Affairs assumed responsibility for
910-407: Is $ 2.491 trillion for compensation benefits; $ 59.6 billion for education benefits; and $ 4.6 billion for burial benefits. The history and evolution of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are inextricably intertwined and dependent on the history of America's wars, as wounded former soldiers and other US military veterans are the population the VA cares for. The list of wars involving
975-554: Is a Cabinet -level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country. Non-healthcare benefits include disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance. The VA also provides burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans and family members at 135 national cemeteries . While veterans' benefits have been provided by
1040-464: Is a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) responsible for providing burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans and their families. Its primary mission is to honor veterans and their service to the nation by ensuring they receive dignified and respectful interments in national cemeteries. Key responsibilities of the NCA include: The Center for Women Veterans (CWA) was established within
1105-791: Is currently vacant with the retirement of Thomas G. Bowman on June 15, 2018. The third listed executive on the VA's official web site is its Chief of Staff (currently Pamela J. Powers); the Chief of Staff position does not require Senate confirmation. In addition to Secretary and Deputy Secretary, the VA has ten more positions requiring presidential appointment and Senate approval . The department has three main subdivisions, known as administrations, each headed by an undersecretary: There are assistant secretaries of veteran affairs for: Congressional and Legislative Affairs; Policy and Planning; Human Resources and Administration; and Operations, Security and Preparedness. Other Senate-approved presidential nominees at
1170-521: Is required for VA services for veterans with military-related medical conditions. VA-recognized service-connected disabilities include problems that started or were aggravated due to military service. Veteran service organizations such as the American Legion , Veterans of Foreign Wars , and Disabled American Veterans , as well as state-operated Veterans Affairs offices and County Veteran Service Officers (CVSO), have been known to assist veterans in
1235-414: Is systemic. I was too trusting of some and I accepted as accurate reports that I now know to have been misleading with regard to patient wait-times," Shinseki said in a statement. In September 2017, the VA declared its intent to abolish a 1960s conflict of interest rule prohibiting employees from owning stock in, performing service for, or doing any work at for-profit colleges ; arguing that, for example,
1300-543: Is to prevent and end veterans' homelessness . The VA works with the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to address these issues. The USICH identified ending veterans' homelessness by 2015 as a primary goal in its proposal Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness , released in 2010; amendments to the 2010 version made in 2015 include a preface written by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez that cites
1365-423: The 1920 presidential election , he issued a promise to the more than four million Americans who served in the war: It is not only a duty, it is a privilege to see that the sacrifices made shall be requited, and that those still suffering from casualties and disabilities shall be abundantly aided and restored to the highest capabilities of citizenship and enjoyment. At the time of the election, dissatisfaction with
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#17327652479311430-559: The Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Department of Health and Human Services , which then relay approved requests to the VA. The VA is also allowed to provide paid medical care on an emergency basis to non-veterans. On March 27, 2020, the VA made public its COVID-19 response plan within its medical facilities to protect veterans, their families, and staff. One initiative in the department
1495-688: The Veterans Administration hospital where he was convalescing to question him about the murders. Nothing came of the visit; Holmes was barely awake and his responses to their questions were incoherent. In 1990, Nash was charged in California state court with having planned the murders, and Diles was charged as a participant. Thorson testified against them, but the trial ended with a hung jury vote of 11–1 for conviction. A second trial, in 1991, ended in acquittal for both Nash and Diles. Diles died from liver failure in 1997. In 2000, after
1560-591: The War in Afghanistan (1,833). It is these wars that have primarily driven the mission and evolution of the VA. The VA maintains a detailed list of war wounded, as it is this population that comprises the VA care system. The Continental Congress of 1776 encouraged enlistments during the American Revolutionary War by providing pensions for soldiers who were disabled. Three weeks after passing
1625-599: The secretary of veterans affairs , who is also a cabinet member, to lead the agency. As of June 2020, the VA employed 412,892 people at hundreds of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, clinics, benefits offices, and cemeteries. In fiscal year 2016 net program costs for the department were $ 273 billion, which includes the VBA Actuarial Cost of $ 106.5 billion for compensation benefits. The long-term "actuarial accrued liability" (total estimated future payments for veterans and their family members)
1690-585: The Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. CWA has held summits and forums for female veterans and created social media campaigns and exhibits to highlight women's military service. CWA offers a Women Veterans Call Center (1-855-829-6636) to assist female U.S. military veterans with VA services and resources. In 2018, the Center for Women Veterans launched the "I Am Not Invisible" photography project, featuring individual portraits, to highlight and represent
1755-617: The American way of life than any other legislation—with the possible exception of the Homestead Act ." Further educational assistance acts were passed for the benefit of veterans of the Korean War . The Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 1988 ( Pub. L. 100–527 ) changed the former Veterans' Administration, an independent government agency established in 1930 into a Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs. It
1820-683: The Bureau of Pensions and National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Service for their compensation and medical care respectively. After winning the election, President Harding appointed a committee in April 1921 to identify a solution. On August 8, 1921, Harding signed Public Law 67-47, popularly known as the Sweet Act, which established the Veterans' Bureau , which absorbed the War Risk Bureau and
1885-577: The Civil War, Indian Wars , Spanish–American War , and Mexican Border periods, as well as discharged regular members of the Armed Forces, were cared for at these homes. The United States' entrance into World War I in 1917 caused a massive increase in veterans, overwhelming the federal system. When the Republican nominee for president Warren G. Harding accepted his party's nomination to
1950-748: The Department of Veterans Affairs by Public Law 103-446 in November 1994. The center's mission is to: Center for Women Veterans activities include monitoring and coordinating delivery of benefits and services to women veterans; coordinating with Federal, state, and local agencies and organizations and non-government partners which serve women veterans; serving as a resource and referral center for women veterans, their families, and their advocates; educating VA staff on women' military contributions; ensuring that outreach materials portray and target women veterans; promoting recognition of women veterans' service with activities and special events; and coordinating meetings of
2015-466: The GI Bill's college benefits and provided a 13-week extension to federal unemployment benefits. The new GI Bill more than doubled the value of the benefit from $ 40,000 to about $ 90,000. In-state public universities are essentially covered to provide full scholarships for veterans under the new education package. For those veterans who served at least three years, a monthly housing stipend was also added to
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2080-861: The National Cemetery System (NCS), with the exception of Arlington National Cemetery , which was transferred from the Department of the Army . This was made official by Public Law 93-43, also known as the National Cemeteries Act of 1973. Five years later, Congress established the State Cemetery Grants Program under Public Law 95-476. The National Cemetery Administration now administers this program, which provides assistance to states and U.S. territories in establishing, expanding, and improving veterans cemeteries. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA)
2145-641: The Rehabilitation Division of the Federal Board for Vocational Education. In 1922, it gained a large number of veterans' hospital facilities from the Public Health Service, most of which had been recently established on former U.S. Army bases. Charles Forbes led the fledgling agency through its initial two years, before resigning in 1923. His replacement, former brigadier general Frank T. Hines took on director of
2210-526: The United States from the American Revolutionary War to the present totals ninety-nine wars. The majority of the United States military casualties of war , however, occurred in the following eight wars: American Revolutionary War (est. 8,000), American Civil War (218,222), World War I (53,402), World War II (291,567), Korean War (33,686), Vietnam War (47,424), Iraq War (3,836), and
2275-615: The VA Federal Supply Schedules Program for both the VA itself and other government agencies. The Department of Veterans Affairs is headed by the secretary of veterans affairs , appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate . The secretary of veterans affairs is Denis McDonough who was selected by President Joe Biden and sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris on February 9, 2021. The deputy secretary of veterans affairs position
2340-640: The VA include the Chief Financial Officer; Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals ; General Counsel; and Inspector General. The VA employs 377,805 people, of whom 338,205 are nonseasonal full-time employees. The American Federation of Government Employees represents 230,000 VA employees, with VA matters addressed in detail by the National VA Council . The VA, through its Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), provides
2405-475: The VHA. On May 30, 2014, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki resigned from office due to the fallout from the scandal, saying he could not explain the lack of integrity among some leaders in VA healthcare facilities. "That breach of integrity is irresponsible, it is indefensible, and unacceptable to me. I said when this situation began weeks to months ago that I thought the problem was limited and isolated because I believed that. I no longer believe it. It
2470-591: The Veterans Affairs Inspector General of 3,409 veteran patients found that there were 28 instances of clinically significant delays in care associated with access or scheduling. Of these 28 patients, six were deceased. The same OIG report stated that the Office of Investigations had opened investigations at 93 sites of care in response to allegations of wait time manipulations, and found that wait time manipulations were prevalent throughout
2535-463: The Veterans' Administration. Hines, who had remained in charge of the Veterans' Bureau for seven years, was named the first Administrator of Veterans Affairs , a job he held until 1945 when he was replaced by General Omar Bradley . The close of World War II resulted in not only a vast increase in the veteran population but also a large number of new benefits enacted by Congress for veterans of
2600-471: The Veterans' Bureau. By the 1920s, the various benefits were administered by three different federal agencies: the Veterans' Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. The United States final federal consolidation of veteran government entities came on July 21, 1930, when President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398, merging all three agencies into
2665-415: The agency tried to serve World War II veterans. As a result, the VA went through a decentralization process, giving more authority to the field offices. The World War II GI Bill was signed into law on June 22, 1944, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . "The United States government began serious consolidated services to veterans in 1930. The GI Bill of Rights, which was passed in 1944, had more effect on
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2730-432: The battle, and for his widow, and his orphan’ by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's veterans.” The VA's primary function is to support veterans in their time after service by providing benefits and support. Providing care for non-veteran civilian or military patients in case hospitals overflowed in a crisis was added as a role by Congress in 1982, and became known as the VA's "fourth mission" (besides
2795-566: The benefit to any dependents, such as their spouse or children. In May 2014, critics of the VA system reported problems with scheduling timely access to medical care. In May 2014, a retired doctor said that veterans died because of delays in getting care at the Phoenix, Arizona, Veterans Health Administration facilities. An investigation of delays in treatment in the Veterans Health Administration system conducted by
2860-580: The benefits programs for World War I veterans ran rampant throughout the country. To receive benefits, veterans had to navigate through three different federal agencies: the Bureau of War Risk Insurance (BWRI) for insurance and compensation, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) for medical and hospital care, and the Federal Board for Vocational Education for rehabilitation, education, and job training. Veterans from previous conflicts continued to rely on
2925-424: The contributions, needs, and experiences of America's two million women veterans. The VA categorizes veterans into eight priority groups and several additional subgroups, based on factors such as service-connected disabilities, and their income and assets (adjusted to local cost of living). Veterans with a 50% or higher service-connected disability as determined by a VA regional office "rating board" (e.g., losing
2990-412: The federal government since the American Revolutionary War , a veteran-specific federal agency was not established until 1930, as the Veterans' Administration. In 1982, its mission was expanded to include caring for civilians and people who were not veterans in case of a national emergency. In 1989, the Veterans' Administration became a cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs. The president appoints
3055-404: The floor. Both bedrooms had been thoroughly searched and ransacked. Despite suffering severe brain damage in the attack, Susan ultimately survived and recovered, but she was left with permanent amnesia regarding the night of her attack, had to have part of her skull surgically removed, and lost part of one finger. Neither Lind nor McCourt was present during the attack. Lind was consuming drugs with
3120-411: The girlfriend of an accomplice, Barbara Richardson, died from extensive blunt-force trauma injuries. Only Launius' wife Susan survived the attack, allegedly masterminded by organized crime figure and nightclub owner Eddie Nash . Nash, his henchman Gregory Diles, and porn actor John Holmes were at various times arrested, tried, and acquitted for their involvement in the murders. The Wonderland Gang
3185-489: The killers were believed to be a combination of hammers and metal pipes. Richardson's bloodied body was found on the living room floor beside the couch where she had been sleeping that night. Miller was found on her bed, with DeVerell at the foot of the bed in an upright position leaning against the TV stand; a hammer was found on the bed. Launius was found beaten to death on his bed with his gravely injured wife, Susan, beside him on
3250-553: The law compensating the injured, the Continental Congress in September 1776 also approved a resolution awarding grants of public land to all who served in the Continental Army for the duration of the conflict. Direct medical and hospital care given to veterans in the early days of the U.S. was provided by the individual states and communities. In 1811, the first domiciliary and medical facility for veterans
3315-539: The law. Congress and President Barack Obama extended the new GI Bill in August 2009 at a cost of roughly $ 70 billion over the next decade. The Department of Defense (DoD) allows individuals who, on or after August 1, 2009, have served at least six years in the Armed Forces and who agree to serve at least another four years in the U.S. Armed Forces to transfer unused entitlement to their surviving spouse. Service members reaching 10-year anniversaries could choose to transfer
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#17327652479313380-667: The limit in recent years by the War on Terrorism . In December 2004, it was widely reported that VA's funding crisis had become so severe that it could no longer provide disability ratings to veterans in a timely fashion. This is a problem because until veterans are fully transitioned from the active-duty TRICARE healthcare system to VA, they are on their own with regard to many healthcare costs. The VA's backlog of pending disability claims under review (a process known as "adjudication") peaked at 421,000 in 2001, and bottomed out at 254,000 in 2003, but crept back up to 340,000 in 2005. These numbers are released every Monday. No copayment
3445-456: The morning of the murders, Holmes had arrived at her house with blood splattered on his clothes and recounted how he led three thugs to the tightly secured drug house on Wonderland Avenue, escorted them in, and stood by as they bludgeoned the five people inside. She said Holmes never told her the names of the three other assailants. Holmes died on March 13, 1988 from AIDS complications. One month before he died, two LAPD detectives visited Holmes at
3510-537: The murders, in her first newspaper interview in July 1981, Holmes' first wife, Sharon Gebenini Holmes, stated he had told her he had known the people in the Wonderland Avenue townhouse, and had been there shortly before the murders occurred. She did not divulge any additional information to the police. In April 1988, one month after Holmes' death, Gebenini stated in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that on
3575-482: The right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. The middle section of that quote would later form the guiding principle for the future Department of Veterans Affairs. While domiciliary care for Civil War veterans
3640-586: The rule prohibits VA doctors from teaching veterans at for-profit universities with special advantages for veterans. In 2018, the VA instead established a process for employees to seek waivers of the policy based on individual circumstances. In 2023, the VA adopted a new mission statement: “To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.” The VA's previous mission statement, established in 1959, was, “To fulfill President Lincoln's promise ‘to care for him who shall have borne
3705-663: The three missions of serving veterans through care, research, and training). It can provide medical services (reimbursed from other federal agencies) to the general public for major disasters and emergencies declared by the President of the United States, and when the Secretary of Health and Human Services activates the National Disaster Medical System . During disasters and health emergencies, requests for VA assistance are made by state governors to
3770-542: The war. In addition, during the late 1940s, the VA had to contend with aging World War I veterans. During that time, "the clientele of the VA increased almost fivefold with an addition of nearly 16,000,000 World War II veterans and approximately 4,000,000 World War I veterans." Prior to World War II, in response to scandals at the Veterans Bureau, programs that cared for veterans were centralized in Washington, D.C. This centralization caused delays and bottlenecks as
3835-485: The workforce had to be housed in a new purpose-built home, the Pension Bureau building , which housed the organization from 1885 to 1926. Furthermore, many state veterans' homes were established. Since domiciliary care was available at all state veterans homes, incidental medical and hospital treatment was provided for all injuries and diseases, whether or not of service origin. Indigent and disabled veterans of
3900-570: Was a willing participant who betrayed the gang after not getting a full share of the loot from the Nash robbery. However, Holmes' court-appointed defense lawyers, Earl Hanson and Mitchell Egers, successfully presented Holmes as one of the victims, who had been forced by the real killers to give them entry to the house before the murders took place. After a publicized three-week trial, Holmes was acquitted of all criminal charges on June 26, 1982. He spent 110 days in jail for contempt of court for refusing to testify or cooperate with authorities. Shortly after
3965-473: Was authorized by the federal government but not opened until 1834. In the 19th century, the nation's veterans assistance program was expanded to include benefits and pensions not only for veterans but also their widows and dependents. Prior to the end of the American Civil War in 1865, Delphine Baker, a volunteer nurse during the war, rallied support to petition the federal government to create
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#17327652479314030-544: Was centered on the occupants of a rented townhouse at 8763 Wonderland Avenue, in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California : leader Ronald Lee "Ron" Launius; second-in-command William Raymond "Billy" DeVerell; DeVerell's girlfriend Joy Audrey Gold Miller, who was also the leaseholder for the townhouse; Tracy Raymond McCourt; and David Clay Lind. All five were involved in drug use and drug dealing. On June 29, 1981, Launius, DeVerell, Lind, and McCourt committed
4095-430: Was managed by the National Home system at 11 various campuses, the pension benefits was split amongst various agencies in the federal government. Throughout the mid-to-late 19th Century, the Bureau of Pensions managed financial benefits to veterans, widows and dependent children. With the completion of the Civil War and an expansion of eligibility in 1890, pension numbers soared, from 303,000 to 966,000 in 1893. Eventually
4160-486: Was notorious for round-the-clock mayhem and debauchery, and when questioned, neighbors said the Wonderland Gang's drug-fueled parties often included loud, violent screaming and disruptive noise, so when they heard the murders occurring, they simply believed another party was taking place. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives Tom Lange and Robert Souza led the murder investigation and searched Nash's home
4225-587: Was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 25, 1988, but came into effect under the term of his successor, George H. W. Bush, on March 15, 1989. The reform period of 1995 to 2000 saw the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) dramatically improve care access, quality, and efficiency. This was achieved by leveraging its national integrated electronic health information system ( VistA ) and in so doing, implementing universal primary care, which increased patients treated by 24%, had
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