The Unsolved Murder of Larry Jo Phebus

9/8/2025

By M.P. Pellicer | Stranger Than Fiction Stories
On March 28, 1963 authorities found the decomposed and nearly nude body of a teenager in a desolate farm field 2.5 miles southwest of Alexander, North Dakota.

Chester Phebus came back to California to identify his brother's remains c.1963

The boy was found by Clark Jenner and his employee, John Mann, in a rough terrain, lying about half a mile off the county road on the Jenner farm. The body was in a patch of weeds between two plowed fields on a section line near Lonely Creek. The body was tossed just south of where U.S. 85 turned east to Watford City.

There was no identification with the remains. The blue jeans and shorts were around his ankles, and his shoes were nearby. Inside his pant pockets was a flashlight, and $1.40 in change.

Around him were beer cans, soda bottles, a brown glove, a towel and a piece of car seat cover of green Turkish cloth. Old car track were found on the edge of where the body had been left.

Lloyd Powell, County Commissioner said he noticed a strange automobile in the area around the time the boy was murdered.

The victim was eventually identified as Larry Joe Phebus of Tioga, age 14. Larry lived with his brother Chester who worked in the oil fields for Jacobson's Construction and National Tank in Williston, and he'd been reported missing since October, 1962. The brothers had moved there from Petersburg, Indiana since August, 1961.

Sam Wallace, 19, lived with the brothers and identified the clothing as belonging to Larry Phebus. He told local newspapers, "I gave him the money to buy it. I know it's him."

Little or no progress was made in the first year of the Phebus case

Clarence Leiseth, the McKenzie county coroner planned to take the body to Minot in order to conduct an autopsy. The coroner tentatively ruled death by strangulation with a clothesline rope that was still wrapped around the boy's neck and wrists. He surmised that it appeared to be a sex crime. Initially he was not sure if he had died where the body was found, or if he had just been dumped there.

Larry Phebus was about 5 feet tall, slender with light brown hair. He'd been wearing blue-jeans, a green, rust and white sports shirt, black loafers, dark socks and a black sports jacket with a zipper front.

Two months after his brother had disappeared, Chester Phebus decided to leave for California, and abandoned his car in Williston, North Dakota. It was impounded, and after the identification of the body, the police were examining it for any clues to the crime.

The authorities asked Chester to return in order to help with the investigation. Sheriff LeRoy Lutz said, "We're living in hope that the brother can give us a missing link that will help solve the crime."

Chester Phebus palying solitaire after taking lie-detector test c.1963

In exchange for him returning to speak to police, three traffic charges pending since December 19, 1962 against him, and 30 days in jail were canceled. He had left the state before starting his jail terms for various traffic infractions. He went to California to be with his mother Mary Harrison and his siblings Robert, 16, Linda, 13 and Cindy 2. He had hoped that Larry would turn up at her house.

By this time Chester had become a father when a daughter named Suzette was born in November, 1962.

The sheriff was disappointed that Chester could not offer anything to aid in the investigation. By his own request Chester agreed to take a lie detector test. Sam Wallace also did so as well. Both were cleared.

Larry's father, Robert Phebus, was in Indiana State Prison serving a sentence since 1959, for armed robbery of a coffee shop.

Larry Phebus

Chester told police he had last seen his brother on October 20. He left the boy at the Traveler's Hotel, while he went on a double date with Sam Wallace. As he was leaving Larry told him, "You'll be sorry you aren't taking me with you." When they returned from the movie theater in Williston, the room was empty. Usually Larry Joe would leave a note so they wouldn't worry.

Larry Joe had been traveling around the US with his brother following work in the oil fields. Chester had left home at an early age and had worked at a little bit of everything. In 1961, he was discharged from the Army after serving with the Second Engineers of the Second Infantry Division at Ft. Benning, Georgia. According to him he had been to all the states except Hawaii.

Larry had been in school only a few weeks, and was described as easy to get along with, but his teachers confirmed he had fallen behind academically.

Immediately after Larry's disappearance, Sam Wallace and Chester searched the surrounding area. However no one had seen or heard from him. Two days later on October 22, they notified police. The sheriff referenced a case of a 9-year-old boy from Stanley, North Dakota who had been molested in July, 1962. The offender had not been caught.

The autopsy confirmed Larry had been sexually molested and strangled. A comparison of dental records confirmed his identity. It was believed the body had lain at the spot where it was found since December, 1962. According to police, Larry Joe Phebus was known to hitchhike between Ray and Tioga, but never further than 30 miles.

The discovery of Larry Joe Phebus' body in a North Dakota field c.1963

A year went by and newspapers noted that the murder was still unsolved and little was being done about it.

Sheriff LeRoy Lutz said of two major suspects, that one had not been interrogated because he could not be found. The other was in an Alaska mental institution, and the state attorney said that for undisclosed reasons this man could be discounted. Sheriff Lutz thought the person might have been a transient, but he also worried for the children in the town if the murderer was a local man.

In November, 1963, Montana authorities considered a connection with the Phebus murder and the knife slaying of Signe "Stormy" Timberman, 8, and the sex slaying of two other children. Timberman was stabbed but not raped. On January 16, 1964, Robert Lee Rollins a 17-year-old, high school student was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to first degree murder in the death of Stormy Timberman.

In June, 1963 Debra Demarias, 5, was found dead in a railway yard in Glendive, Montana. The child had been sleeping with her stepfather, mother and 2-year-old brother along the railway tracks after coming to Glendive on a freight train from Missoula. Four transients were questioned, since the family had stopped in a hobo camp, however her murder was never solved.

Chester Phebus c.1963

Larry's early life seems to have been turbulent. His father, Robert Phebus had gone to prison for forgery in the 1950s during his early childhood, and his parents divorced in 1958.

A reddit post from December 2021, reported: "So my grandma was friends with him (Larry Phebus), I’m from Tioga and he had his genitals cut off and I believe that is how they decided he was sexually assaulted. Sorry I know this is an old thread but, my grandma talks about him from time to time."

Larry's parents outlived at least 3 of their children: Donald (1943-1944), Larry (1948-1964), and Chester (1941-1996).

Larry Phebus' murder has never been solved.

David and Ingeborg Hoven’s 10 children. The Hovens’ son, Albert, back row, far right, and his family were murdered in McKenzie County in 1930 and Charles Bannon was lynched for the murders. At some time Albert’s last name was changed from Hoven to Haven.

Larry's body was found only 20 miles from the scene of a tragedy where a family of six were slaughtered in 1930.

The Haven (Hoven) family members were: Albert, 50, Lulia, 39, Daniel, 18, Leland, 14, Charles, 2, and Mary 2 months old. They had lived on the farm for more than 10 years.

The last time they were seen alive was February 9, 1930.

Charles Bannon worked as a hired hand for the Havens, and stayed on the land after the family disappeared. He told those who came looking for the Havens that he had rented the place, since the family had decided to leave the area.

James Bannon came to join his son at the farm. Together they worked the land and took care of the livestock.

State's Attorney J.S. Taylor, accused killer Charles Bannon, Williams County Deputy Sheriff Earl Gorden and Sheriff Charles Jacobson

By October, 1930 Bannon started selling the farm property and crops. His father left North Dakota, saying he was trying to find the Haven family. Perhaps his action was spurred by the neighbors who had become suspicious.

On December 1, 1930 Bannon Sr. wrote a letter telling his son to watch his step and "do what is right."

On December 2, 1930 handwriting experts were examining a letter Bannon claimed was written by Daniel Haven the oldest boy of the family. Bannon said it was mailed from Colton, Oregon. It seemed authorities weren't convinced about the welfare of the family. The handwriting would be compared to Daniel Haven's school papers filed away since his graduation from the 8th grade two years before. Authorities compared written statement by Charles Bannon, and they had the same misspelled words as the letter from Oregon.

Police were holding him on a charge of embezzling four hogs from the missing landlord. A check had been made with the police in Oregon, and there was no knowledge of the family being there. There was also no reference to the box number Mr. Haven had supposedly left as a return address.

Authorities had good reason to suspect foul play, since besides their abrupt disappearance, insurance policies were allowed to lapse and taxes go unpaid.

Charles Bannon with his father James F. Bannon c.1931

It became known that Harold Sempel a farmer near Schafer had tried to cash a check made out to Bannon, but the account was closed out. Bannon had not tried to straighten the matter out, claiming that he believed Mr. Haven would give him the money due once he returned. He denied embezzling the pigs, and some wheat he sold, saying under the agreement made with Bannon this belonged to him.

Authorities were also looking for James Bannon, his father, who had driven to the west coast earlier in the year with a Williston youth. The young man returned to North Dakota, and said the elder Bannon disappeared without leaving any word when they reached Portland, Oregon.

The police were undecided if this was a case where the family had been murdered, or they were safe but not notifying authorities. Adding credence to the theory they had left of their own free will was a rumor that Mrs. Haven suffered from a mental disorder, and that her attacks had become more severe in late years. Relatives said that Mr. Haven would not have gone this long without communicating with them.

A mattress was found in Cherry Creek two miles from the Haven farm. It was recovered from a frozen stream by a deputy sheriff, and was sent off to find out if there were any bloodstains on it, and if was tied to the murder.

Charles Bannon was lynched by masked men, this was the last lynching to take place in N. Dakota c.1931

Bannon gave a statement to the deputy sheriff admitting to the murder but claimed it was a stranger who had instigated the act.

By the end of December, James F. Bannon was extradited back from Oregon to North Dakota. He was found at an auto camp with newly bought groceries. Police believed he was planning to live in the camp sites around the area, and stay out of the towns.

Charles Bannon gave a second confession to his attorney and his mother that it all started with the accidental shooting of the eldest child, after they quarreled about chores. He was forced to kill Leland, Lulia and Albert in self defense.

Four bodies were buried less than a hundred feet from the farm home inside the barn. The other two bodies were buried a few miles away in an old Indian burial grave on his mother's farm.

He spoke of having nightmares about the murder. In one Mrs. Haven was standing over him with a knife. He said that he would lock the house door at night because he was afraid, since it seemed that people were always peeping in through the windows. Another night he dreamt a snake got in through a hole somewhere, and when it came in the house it changed into a man who looked like Haven. The figure came and stood over him, and stared at him a long time.

In January, 1931 the rifle Bannon used to shoot the Haven family was found. The stock of the gun was under the eaves of a bunk house, and part of the barrel was on top of a chicken house. Bannon said he broke the gun when he struck Mrs. Haven over the head.

Charles Bannon wrote a final confession in January, 1931 where he told the whole truth, in which he killed the whole family after the accidental shooting, not in self defense but because he was scared. He said he had acted alone. He shot the entire family except the baby which he beat to death.

One time Haven family farmland east of Watford City

On the night of January 28 or 29, a crowd of men with masks came looking for Bannon. There were 75 men and at least 15 cars. The mob took the sheriff away from the jail. They battered the front door down and overpowered the deputy.

The men took Bannon to the Haven farm planning to hang him where the family died, but a caretaker ordered them off the property threatening to shoot any who did not leave.

From there they took him to the bridge over Cherry Creek, a half-mile from the jail. He was pushed over the side of the bridge.

Charles Bannon was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Williston, and even present day his grave remains unmarked.

Investigation of the hanging noted the noose had been tied by "someone with expert knowledge." The governor had ordered investigators to get to the bottom of the hanging, but at the end it was concluded it would be impossible to identify any of the members of the mob.

James Bannon escaped being lynched but was tried for the murders. His trial was moved to another county where he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He was released on parole in 1950, when he was 76 years old.

Present day Schafer is a ghost town with just a few buildings left.

In 1968, Donna Michalenko mysteriously disappeared from Kief, North Dakota. Foul play was suspected, but her body was never found and she is still considered a missing person. At the same time she disappeared her dog was found shot dead inside an abandoned Lutheran church.

Among the sparse, and poorly populated fields of North Dakota, no doubt killers can be found.