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September 25, 1987, is etched as a haunting chapter of Missouri history—the Buckner family massacre. Events of that night in Licking, a quiet community, marked one of the most unimaginable acts of violence—undoubtedly to leave a deep scar on the local area and beyond.
Perpetrated by James Schnick, this horrifying crime took the lives of his wife, Julie Schnick, his two young nephews, Kirk and Michael Buckner, and other family members. This heinous event would be referred to by Investigation Discovery in the upcoming feature as The Heartland Massacre. The Heartland Massacre special is set to air on August 21, 10.00 PM EST.
5 shocking details about the Buckner Family Massacre
Here are five chilling details about this devastating tragedy.
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1) The gruesome crime scene
The morning of September 25, 1987, turned out to be like none had anticipated. James Schnick, armed with a rifle, entered the house of the Buckners and turned it into a bloodbath. His victims included Steve and Jeanette Buckner, along with their four children, ages two through fourteen.
It was a horrific scene of multiple family members shot to death inside their home. The details of the crime scene read like a litany of horrors, veritable scenes of gore etched into the memories of those to come across the news.
2) The meretricious allegations
From here, in the wake of the massacre, Schnick attempted to mislead investigations off his trail by making a stunning accusation. He first blamed his 14-year-old nephew, Kirk Buckner, as the killer. Schnick claimed he found Kirk responsible for the killing and acted in self-defense.
This false accusation was a desperate attempt to wriggle out of the horrid actions he perpetrated. But as the investigators pieced together the evidence and Schnick's story unraveled. It became evident that he was a lone killer, and his efforts to shift blame onto a family member only complicated the tragedy.
3) The extensive trial and sentencing
The ensuing legal battle was every bit as fierce as the actual crime. Schnick was charged initially with seven counts of first-degree murder, but four of those charges were dismissed before the actual trial. The prosecution case against him was very saddening, and the court has heard accounts of detailed descriptions of the murders.
Schnick was convicted of murdering his wife Julie, alongside his two nephews, Kirk and Michael Buckner. The trial concluded with Schnick being sentenced to death for the three murder counts. However, this sentence was later commuted to three life sentences without parole in 1992.
4) The trauma to the community
The shocks of the Buckner family massacre reverberated much further than the immediate impact of the crime. The small community of Licking was in total shock and sadness following the murders. The Buckner family was so well-liked, thereby making their loss even more tragic.
This massacre became a matter of discussion and the press jumped onto it, fumbling to make sense of how such violence could strike so close. The toll on residents and the communal effort of absorbing the tragedy reflected the deep impact of the massacre on all concerned.
5) Schnick died in prison
James Schnick spent his life in prison until his death on May 11, 2024, at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri. He was 73 at the time of his death. The cause of his death was not immediately known, an autopsy is still pending.
His death put a close to the dark chapter begun by the massacre for the families affected and the broader community at large. While Schnick's death closed one chapter of the story, the memories of his crimes against the Buckner family continue reverberating to this day as a grim reminder of the violence he had unleashed.
The Buckner family massacre is one of those events that are at the same time tragic and chilling, etched in the memory of Missouri and beyond. A crime with murders so brutal, joined by false accusations from Schnick and the eventual life sentence, paints a haunting picture of violence visited upon the Buckner family.
