5 key details about the triple murder of Beverly Therrien, Pamela Johns, and Michael Ramsey

The Thanksgiving Day triple homicide of Beverly Therrien, Pamela Johns, and Michael Ramsey left the East Hartford, Connecticut, community shaken. On November 25, 2010, police discovered the bodies of Beverly Therrien, 74, and her two housemates, Pamela Johns, 60, and Michael Ramsey, 53, inside Therrien’s home on Naomi Drive.

All three victims had suffered fatal blunt force trauma to the head, a crime scene investigators described as an act of "overkill," according to nbcconnecticut.com, (October 16, 2012). As revealed in Fatal Family Feuds Thanksgiving Threats S2E6, on March 23, 2025, on Oxygen, the case uncovered years of tension within the Therrien family.

Prosecutors later argued that Beverly Therrien’s son, Brett Bednarz, held his mother responsible for his father’s death and targeted her and her tenants, Pamela Johns and Michael Ramsey, out of rage and resentment, as per fox61.com, January 21, 2016.

Despite lacking the murder weapon, forensic evidence, including DNA on a bloody tissue and a discarded trash bag, led to Bednarz’s conviction in 2016, according to courant.com, December 12, 2018.

Meet two brothers drawn into a life of crime when there father passes HERE

5 key insights about the triple murder of Beverly Therrien, Pamela Johns, and Michael Ramsey

1) A Thanksgiving Day crime scene that shocked East Hartford

The triple homicide of Beverly Therrien, Pamela Johns, and Michael Ramsey unfolded on Thanksgiving morning, November 25, 2010, at Beverly Therrien’s home in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Officer Tara Hawkins from the Hartford Police Department responded to a wellness check requested by Therrien’s niece, Kris Raiman, after Beverly failed to answer multiple calls.

Upon entering the unlocked home, Officer Hawkins immediately noticed "so much blood," as recounted in Fatal Family Feuds Thanksgiving Threats S2E6, March 23, 2025, on Oxygen. Inside, police discovered the bodies of Beverly Therrien, 74, along with her live-in tenants Pamela Johns, 60, and Michael Ramsey, 53.

Each victim had suffered blunt force trauma to the head, believed to have been inflicted with a hammer-like weapon. According to nbcconnecticut.com, on October 16, 2012, the crime scene showed signs of selective ransacking, suggesting the perpetrator may have been familiar with the home’s layout.

2) Family tensions rooted in money and blame

Investigators quickly uncovered long-standing tensions within Beverly Therrien’s family, largely centered around finances and unresolved grievances. Therrien had accumulated wealth through years of saving and stock market investments, as per Oxygen.

This financial stability became a point of contention, particularly after the death of Beverly’s ex-husband, Andrew Bednarz, who passed away from a heart attack in September 2010.

Family members, including Beverly’s son, Brett Bednarz, blamed her for Andrew's death due to a locked door that prevented a neighbor from helping him during the medical emergency, as outlined in Fatal Family Feuds Thanksgiving Threats S2E6. East Hartford Police Department investigator Patrick Sullivan stated:

"This family feud was about money. It was about jealousy. It was about greed," according to Oxygen.

Additionally, the resentment escalated after Andrew’s will left his assets solely to Beverly Therrien, further deepening the family divide.

3) Prior violence and a restraining order against Brett Bednarz

Six months prior to the murders, Brett Bednarz had been arrested for assaulting his mother at her home, an incident that required her hospitalization. Despite this, Beverly Therrien posted bail for Brett but later secured a protective order to prevent him from returning to her home, according to nbcconnecticut.com, October 16, 2012.

The restraining order prohibited Brett from being at 154 Naomi Drive, the site of the murders. Even so, investigators would later find evidence suggesting he had returned to the home in violation of the order.

As per courant.com, on December 12, 2018, prosecutors revealed that Brett’s DNA was located on a checkbook found in Beverly Therrien’s room, on duplicate checks, and on other personal items belonging to Beverly. These findings indicated he may have visited the house shortly before the killings.

4) Breakthrough evidence: DNA on a tissue and trash bag

Forensic breakthroughs were critical to solving the case. Initially, investigators struggled to link Brett Bednarz to the crime scene, as his DNA was naturally present from having lived at the house previously.

However, a major turning point came when police discovered a tissue stained with both Brett Bednarz's DNA and Michael Ramsey’s blood, as reported by fox61, on January 21, 2016.

Prosecutors theorized that Bednarz had left the tissue behind after committing the murders. Further evidence emerged when a trash bag hidden behind a bookcase in Brett’s former bedroom was found to contain the DNA of all three victims, along with Brett’s, as per Courant's report on December 12, 2018.

Prosecutors also argued that Brett likely used a drywall hammer to commit the murders, which caused hatchet-like wounds to the victims' skulls, though the weapon was never recovered.

5) Arrest, trial, and conviction of Brett Bednarz

On October 15, 2012, Brett Bednarz was arrested and charged with the murders of Beverly Therrien, Pamela Johns, and Michael Ramsey. His first trial in May 2015 ended in a hung jury. However, during the retrial in January 2016, additional forensic evidence strengthened the prosecution’s case.

According to Fox61, on January 21, 2016, prosecutors highlighted how Brett’s DNA was present on key items, including the bloody tissue, the trash bag, and the checkbook.

Ultimately, Bednarz was convicted on three counts of murder and one count of violating a protective order. He received a 60-year prison term for each of the three murder convictions.

The courtroom saw relatives of both Pamela Johns and Michael Ramsey express relief and gratitude for the verdict. Michael Tillotson, Johns’ son, told reporters: