The Rouse Family Murders
For this case I watched an episode of Blood Relatives. It’s season 3 episode 2, titled ‘Murder Mansion.’
A wealthy couple is killed in their home, several years later the killer is revealed.
Background
The Rouse family was a very wealthy family, who lived in Libertyville, Illinois, a wealthy suburb just an hour north of Chicago.
Bruce Rouse was a very successful self made businessman. He bought a gas station at an early age, and then opened several others. He was described as a workaholic, and was never really at home much. His wife Darlene, was a stay at home mom, but was a member of many organizations.
Darlene doted on their kids. Kurt, was the oldest, and was given the nickname ‘Wolfman.’ He had long shoulder length hair and a bushy beard. Lately, Kurt’s relationship with his parents wasn’t good. Kurt enjoyed drinking and doing drugs. He had been kicked out of the main house, but didn’t mind because he could do whatever he wanted.
Robin was the middle child. She was described as being beautiful, smart, and a goody two shoes. Robin was apparently her parent’s favorite, and would constantly “snitch” on her brothers when they were up to no good.
Billy was at one point very clean cut, and close to his parents, especially Bruce. However, he started spending more time with his brother, and started drinking and doing drugs as well. He was sent to a reform school, but never seemed to be able to get out of trouble, or get back into his parents good graces.
Bruce Rouse
Darlene Rouse
The Rouse mansion
The Murders
On June 6, 1980, around 8am, an employee of Bruce’s called the family home. The employee said Bruce didn’t show up for work, which was unusual. Robin went to check on her parents, and when she entered their bedroom, she found a horrific scene. Darlene and Bruce were dead.
Robin told Billy to call 911. When the police arrived, the three Rouse kids were waiting on the grand lawn, all in a state of shock.
The police searched the entire home, and then finally entered the master bedroom. There was blood all over the room, and brain matter was on the wall. Darlene had been shot first. A part of her head was missing, and the police determined that the shotgun had been in a close proximity to her head.
Bruce had been shot, his jaw was blow off. He was then hit in the face and stabbed five times in the heart. The police also determined Bruce had tried to sit up in bed, probably after he heard his wife get shot.
Darlene’s jewelry and purse were missing, and the police thought that maybe it was home invasion gone wrong. However, after a more thorough search of the mansion, they ruled that out.
Investigation
Darlene’s items weren’t the only thing missing. Bruce’s gun collection was also gone, taken from his gun case.
The police didn’t find any foreign fingerprints or forced entry, so they wanted to question the three Rouse kids.
Billy said he didn’t know who would kill his parents. He said he spent the night before with his dad, and that his dad seemed perfectly fine. Kurt told the police that he was with his girlfriend in the guesthouse, and that they slept through the storm. His girlfriend confirmed this.
Robin seemed the most shaken up, and I completely understand this since she was the one who first found them. Robin was described by the police as evasive, and she would stare off into space. When Robin finally snapped out of her trance, she said she came home around midnight, after going to a dance. She said she said goodnight to her dad, and went to bed.
The interviews abruptly stopped when their uncle arrived with a lawyer, and soon the Rouse kids all had lawyers.
More Evidence
The police were annoyed when they couldn’t talk to the kids anymore, but that didn’t stop them from looking around the property again.
Bruce’s car had been parked near the house, and an officer determined that the windshield wipers had been used recently. When they did a timeline of Bruce’s day, they were able to determine that he had arrived home before the thunderstorm started.
Their theory ended up being correct, when a tip came in. The tipster said that he was down at the river, and saw a pipe sticking out of the water. It wasn’t a pipe, it was a shotgun. Actually, several shotguns, and Darlene’s jewelry box with her jewelry were all found. The police now had their proof that someone killed the Rouse’s, staged the scene, and drove Bruce’s car to get rid of the evidence.
Another Death
Months after the murders, there was a lot of talk around Libertyville. Many neighbors and close friends of the couple believed it was one of the kids who killed their parents. About 50% believed it was Kurt, and about 50% believed it was Billy.
Darlene and Bruce had taken out quite a hefty life insurance policy out on each other. Each kid was about to inherit about 1 million dollars. (Some reports say it was about $220,000-300,000). When they did get their money, they moved on with their lives and didn’t speak to each other. Kurt moved to California, Billy moved to Key West, Florida and Robin stayed in Libertyville, and also inherited her dad’s cars.
One day in 1983, Robin was driving home from Wisconsin. It was a very stormy night, and it’s reported that Robin was going pretty fast. She ended up hitting a utility pole and died. She was supposed to go in and meet with the police the next day, they had convinced her to tell them what she knew. There were rumors that one of Robin’s brothers had tampered with her car, to shut her up once and for all. Robin had apparently told the police that she was convinced one of her brothers killed their parents.
However, after a through investigation, Robin’s death was ruled as a tragic accident.
A Shocking Confession
In 1995, the Libertyville police received a call from the police in Key West. They said they had Billy Rouse in custody. He had just robbed a bank, and the police knew that he was a person of interest in a murder case.
The police were excited, and they flew to Key West. They met with Billy in an interrogation room, and Billy finally agreed to tell them the truth. Billy said he on that night in 1980, he had just gotten home from a night of drinking. He said his mom noticed that he was drunk, and threatened to send him to military school.
Billy said he was fed up with his mom degrading him, and he went to the rec room to plot their deaths. He said he grabbed one of his dad’s shotguns, and waited for the lightning to strike. He said he killed his mom first, and then shot his dad. He said his dad wouldn’t die, and he hit him in the face with end of the gun as hard as he could. Bruce still didn’t die, so he went into the kitchen, grabbed a knife and stabbed him until he died. He then said he staged the scene, and took his dad’s car to get rid of the evidence.
The police asked Billy if he was sorry about what he did, and he responded “yes and no.” Billy also said his siblings had no idea that he killed them, and had no involvement.
Conviction
In 1996, Billy Rouse was convicted of two counts of first degree murder. He was sentenced to two consecutive 4o year terms.
Billy Rouse
Other
The Rouse family mansion suddenly burned to the ground, after years of being vacant.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m not sure if I believe his siblings didn’t know or weren’t involved, but I 100% believe that Billy was the killer or even the mastermind. The other kids weren’t found guilty, so in a way I do feel bad for them. Robin was probably scarred for life after seeing her parents in that way, and her accident is a tragedy as well. Kurt seemed to be a very troubled soul, and there has been no reports of him doing anything criminal.
It’s reported that Billy had learning disabilities, but I think he killed them because they were going to make him do things he didn’t want to do. It could also have been out of greed.
All in all, two people were killed by their own son, in a horrific way.
Sources
https://libbyhellmann.com/libertyville-rouse-murders/
https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/william-billy-rouse-confesses-parents-murders-illinois
https://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-billy-rouse-confession-20150102-story.html
