Tragedy on Route 66: The Horrific Story of the Welch Family Murders That Orphaned Four Boys

Route 66 has always been a passageway of dreams, a road symbolic of freedom and adventure in American culture. But in June 1961, it became the backdrop for a chilling tragedy that forever altered the lives of four young boys from Oklahoma. What began as a family road trip ended in the Welch family murders that orphaned four boys and unanswered questions that would haunt the survivors for the rest of their lives.

The Welch Family’s Journey Begins

James Dolphus ‘JD’ Welch and Utha Marie Welch were an ordinary couple in many ways, yet they radiated the warmth of small-town America. Living in Spencer, Oklahoma, JD, a broad-shouldered truck driver who worked for Trans-Con, and Utha, a dedicated homemaker, were raising their four young sons: Jimmy, 12; Billy, 9; Tommy, 8; and Johnny, the youngest at 5. JD and Utha had once had a fifth child, Noble, born between Jimmy and Billy, but Noble had been frail since birth and passed away in infancy – a loss the family carried with them.

JD and Utha Marie Welch.

JD and Utha’s lives revolved around family, friends, and community, participating in local events and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. In early June 1961, they decided to make a special journey to visit JD’s mother in Tulare, California, who was scheduled for surgery. JD’s family largely resided in California, and he had been eagerly awaiting the chance to reconnect with his relatives.

Heading West on Route 66

The trip was planned carefully: the family would drive their recently purchased two-year-old Oldsmobile, a car JD had bought only weeks earlier, and travel along Route 66 – the famous “Main Street of America” that connected communities and families across the American West. To make the journey even more memorable, JD and Utha allowed their boys to bring along a pup tent from their Boy Scouts days, promising they would camp along the way. The boys were thrilled, looking forward to nights under the stars and the spirit of adventure.

On 8th June, they set off westward, driving through Oklahoma and Texas before stopping for the night in Amarillo. Early the next day, they continued their journey, passing through the wide, barren landscapes of the American Southwest. By the time they reached Ash Fork, Arizona, it was already late, and they needed a place to rest.

A Fateful Decision in Ash Fork

JD stopped for petrol in Ash Fork and asked about a motel room, but finding the rate steep, he decided against staying there. The motel owner later told police that JD seemed put off by the price and chose to leave. This seemingly minor decision would have major repercussions. One can only speculate, but it’s possible the motel owner sized up the family’s shiny Oldsmobile – a symbol of middle-class comfort – and inflated the price, not realising this was the last opportunity for the Welch family to find a safe place to sleep.

Looking north-east across the Aubrey valley, close to where the Welch family made camp.

Strangely, JD didn’t stop in Seligman, Arizona, just 13 miles down the road, where more motels were available. Perhaps the cost was a factor, or maybe the boys, excited about camping, begged their parents to set up the tent. Whatever the reason, sometime around midnight, JD pulled over along a deserted stretch of Route 66 near the barren expanse of the Aubrey Valley, choosing a spot near two large piles of rubble. JD pitched the pup tent for his sons beside one of the rubble mounds while he and Utha prepared to sleep in the car.

The Grim Morning Discovery

As dawn broke on the 9th of June, Johnny, the youngest Welch boy, was the first to wake. Eager to see his parents, he went to the car and tried to wake them. What he saw left him confused and scared. Running back to his brothers, he told them there was “something on Mommy’s face.” Jimmy, the oldest, checked for himself, only to find that his mother’s face was smeared with blood. His father, too, had been shot, his head resting at an unnatural angle, riddled with bullet wounds.

The boys’ pup tent beside the Oldsmobile. Despite being so close, none of the boys heard the shots that killed their parents.

In shock and panic, the four young boys tried desperately to flag down passing cars for help. Several vehicles sped past, leaving the boys stranded and frightened on the lonely road. Finally, two California salesmen, Jere Eagle and Dan Cramer, pulled over, realising the horror that had befallen the young family. Authorities were called to the scene, and the initial responders included Highway Patrolman Dan Birdino and Deputy Sheriff Perry Blankenship, who arrived after his wife, Bertie, heard about the boys from a customer at the café where she worked.

Clues and Mysteries

The crime scene was perplexing. JD’s wallet had been emptied of about $60, yet Utha’s purse, which contained $147, and her valuable jewellery were left untouched. This unusual detail left authorities puzzled – why would a robber take only a portion of the available money and leave valuable items behind?

The Welch boys. L-R: Tommy, Billy, Jimmy, Johnny.

One of the most promising early leads came from Bertie Blankenship herself. Late on the night of the murders, a young man had walked into the all-night diner where she worked, asking for coffee. He had only a nickel – not enough even for a cup of coffee – but something about him made Bertie uneasy, and she gave him a coffee for free. A few hours later, the same man returned, this time with a $20 bill and ordered a full meal. When Bertie approached him, he acted as though he didn’t recognise her, an odd behaviour she recalled vividly.

Shown a photo of Bentley by Sheriff Jim Cramer, Bertie Blankenship identifies him as the man who visited the diner twice.

James Abner Bentley – A Prime Suspect

As the investigation unfolded, suspicion soon fell on James Abner Bentley, a transient with a history of violence. Bentley lived in Gilbert, Arizona, but his mother and estranged wife claimed he was in Fresno, California, on the night of the Welch murders. However, this alibi didn’t hold – Bentley had indeed been in Fresno, but a month earlier, when he killed a liquor store owner. Bentley’s involvement in the Welch murders became more apparent when he was arrested for the robbery and attempted murder of a gas station attendant in Phoenix later that June.

James Abner Bentley. he would be described as a ‘mad dog’ by a boy who witnessed his attempted murder of a Phoenix gas station worker.

Local police in Seligman already had Bentley’s mugshot but, inexplicably, did not show it to Bertie Blankenship. Only a year later, after Bentley’s cellmate claimed Bentley had bragged about killing the Welches and leaving the boys alive, was his photograph shown to Bertie. She instantly recognised Bentley as the man she had served in the diner that fateful night.

Justice, or Lack Thereof

Bentley was charged with the murders of JD and Utha Welch while he was on death row at San Quentin for the Fresno killing. Yet, due to the complexities of legal jurisdiction and the fact that California Governor Pat Brown was an opponent of the death penalty, Bentley’s case for the Welch murders was never fully pursued. On 23rd January 1963, Bentley was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin for the Fresno crime, taking with him any secrets he might have held about the Welch murders.

A Haunting Legacy

For the four Welch boys, this tragedy marked an abrupt and devastating end to their childhood. Jimmy, Billy, Tommy, and Johnny were left to grow up with the memory of that fateful night on Route 66, their lives forever marked by the brutal loss of their parents. Jimmy, the oldest, would later become a lifelong supporter of the death penalty, perhaps seeking some semblance of justice in the world for the horror he experienced.

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