She attended the british prep school of wycombe abbey, she started resenting her parents during her senior year of high school, because they signed her up for higher level math and science classes, which led her to have to spend an extra year at the school, and they tried to control what she did. Both elizabeth haysom and i each claimed to have committed the crime alone. Ap he was the academically inclined son of a german diplomat, she the daughter of a wealthy society couple, educated in a string of european boarding. Yet elizabeth haysom shows us the only honest and humane way to expiate guilt for a horrific crime. Soring was convicted of killing the parents of his thengirlfriend elizabeth haysom in the unincorporated hamlet of boonsboro, bedford county, virginia with her help in march 1985.
Mortal thoughts offers a detailed view of soering s fatal attraction to exlover elizabeth haysom, whom he says was the real killer. Couple convicted of grisly 1980s murders get surprise. Jens soring moved to the us in 1977 and graduated from the lovett school, atlanta, georgia, in 1984. Jens soering and bill sizemore foreword by martin sheen in 1985, socialites derek and nancy haysom were found brutally stabbed to death in their home in boonsboro, virginia. He then matriculated at the university of virginia and entered into a relationship with fellow student elizabeth haysom. This is the closest jens soering and elizabeth haysom have been to freedom in the past three decades.
If soering had not been willing to murder them in pursuit of his own selfish motives, elizabeth s immature fantasy of wanting her parents. Nov 07, 2018 book and movie about elizabeth haysom and jens soering ken englades 1990 book beyond reason chronicles the lives of this deadly duo before and after the murderous violence committed against derrick and nancy haysom. Elizabeth waved extraditing back to the united states, where she would stand trial and jens fought to be deported back to germany where he would have served a lesser sentence, but was ultimately denied and had to come back to. Jens soering is the son of klaus soering, a midlevel german diplomat. Mar 09, 2017 elizabeth haysom maintains soering killed her parents and in 2011 reiterated that in a letter to the associated press. Beyond the sheer violence of the act came the shocking discovery that the affluent couples collegeage daughter, elizabeth, and her german boyfriend, jens soering, both honor students at the. Dec 21, 2019 elizabeth haysom and jens soering had met at the university of virginia and, even after decades of not being in contact, seemed eerily linked. Dec 15, 2017 karin steinberger and marcus vetters documentary killing for love, which opens today, explores the roles of elizabeth haysom and jens soering in the 1985 slaying of haysoms parents. Officials visit crime scene before granting jens soering. Bob mcdonnell the sworn statement of a lynchburg man who says elizabeth haysom and another man brought a. Elizabeth haysom was the child of derek william reginald haysom, a retired nova scotia steel executive, and nancy astor benedict haysom, an artist. Letter from elizabeth haysom to jens soering, december 20, 1984. Jens soering, the son of a german diplomat, and canadian elizabeth haysom, who were a couple at the time of the murders, will be released after decades in prison.
Jens soering and elizabeth haysom, convicted in sensational 1985 double murders, released by virginia soering won attention and believers over the years for writing books on his case. Jens soering deported to germany after 30 years in us. Karin steinberger and marcus vetters documentary killing for love, which opens today, explores the roles of elizabeth haysom and jens soering in the 1985 slaying of haysom s parents. She and jens soering were paroled from jail on november 25, 2019 more than 30 years after they were first convicted in the gruesome slayings of haysoms parents in 1985. When suspicion turned to the haysoms beautiful but troubled daughter, elizabeth, and her german boyfriend, jens soering, their case became one of the most notorious in. Jens soring parole brings closure to infamous case. Jens soring, usually rendered in english as jens soering, born 1 august 1966 in bangkok, thailand is a german citizen who in 1990 was convicted of two counts of firstdegree murder in virginia, united states of america. Jens soring, usually rendered in english as jens soering, is a german citizen who in 1990 was convicted of two counts of firstdegree murder in virginia, united states of america. Jens soering, elizabeth haysom granted parole in 1985 slayings of. Jens soering reacted in disbelief to testimony given by elizabeth haysom. Soering vociferously maintained his innocence in a series of books.
Aug 24, 2016 soering and elizabeth haysom, his girlfriend and fellow university of virginia honors student, fled overseas and eventually were arrested in england. In 2016 dna tests revealed that blood at the crime scene, which had once been attributed to him, actually belonged to two other men. Regardless of guilt or innocence, soering points out the brutal ironies in prison life that do little to rehabilitate or prepare inmates for any other life than that of a criminal. Following the haysoms murders, haysom and soring were arrested in london, england, for check fraud and shoplifting. Jens soerings guilt and a system failure of german journalism. Jens soering received two life sentences for the brutal murder of derek and nancy haysom in 1985. It was elizabeth haysom s bondage to a toxic male jens soering that led to the murders of mr. His lover, elizabeth haysom, got 90 years for serving as an accessory to the crime.
In not guilty, soring describes how elizabeth haysom confessed to jens soring. Feb 09, 2018 when jens soering met elizabeth haysom. A new chapter in a doublemurder case the new yorker. Jens soering is a german author who spent more than 33 years in american and british prisons for a doublemurder he did not commit. Elizabeth haysom and jens soering had met at the university of virginia and, even after decades of not being in contact, seemed eerily linked. Dec 15, 2017 jens soerings confessions to the murder of derek and nancy haysom since the time of his return to virginia following extradition from the uk it has been jens soerings claim that derek and nancy haysom were murdered by elizabeth haysom, possibly in conjunction with an unknown accomplice. Jens soering confessed to the murders of derek and nancy haysom and elizabeth confessed to being an accessory to murder. Dec 17, 2019 elizabeth haysom, left, and jens soering, appear in a picture released june 5, 1989.
He was the brilliant young son of a german diplomat. She was a beautiful, gifted descendant of lady astor. Jens soering freed in germany after 33 years in virginia. Jens soring, born in bangkok, thailand, is the son of a german diplomat klaus soring. The haysoms were wealthy, respected members of virginia society and the murder conviction of their daughter elizabeth and her german boyfriend jens soering sent shockwaves. One day in the life is a very candid account of a day in prison as told by jens soering, serving two life sentences in the state of virginia. Elizabeth haysoms statement was written before the announcement of her release by the virginia parole board. Jens soering, elizabeth haysom granted parole in 1985. Detective work could help convicted killer soering local. He still seems committed to some version of his innocence story, and will doubtless find many germans to join with him within his bubble of delusion.
Thus ends the amazing truecrime saga that i covered for the virginianpilot and that soering and i told in a cowritten 2017 book. Virginia killer with nova scotia ties to be paroled. Apr 01, 2012 one day in the life is a very candid account of a day in prison as told by jens soering, serving two life sentences in the state of virginia. Soering initially confessed the killings but later recanted, saying he was covering for his girlfriend, elizabeth haysom. Jens soering and elizabeth haysom, convicted of infamous. Jens soering arrived in frankfurt tuesday and said. Killing for love is merely a continuation of his dishonest innocence campaign, and amounts to a. Mar 08, 2017 the haysoms daughter, elizabeth, and her lover, jens soering, the son of a german diplomat, were convicted of the murders. Elizabeth haysom s statement was written before the announcement of her release by the virginia parole board. Soerings 1990 trial was the first in virginia to play out on live tv. Elizabeth roxanne haysom born april 15, 1964 in salisbury, rhodesia is a canadian citizen who, along with her then boyfriend, jens soring, was convicted of orchestrating the 1985 double murder of her parents, derek and nancy haysom, in bedford county, virginia. Jens soering, elizabeth haysom granted parole by virginia. April 4, 1985 the haysom family home in boonsboro was the site of a brutal stabbing deaths of derek and nancy haysom. Troy jens soerings new dnabased bid for freedom is nonsense, says elizabeth haysom, his former girlfriend and the daughter of the couple they were convicted of murdering 31 years ago.
Elizabeth was then expelled from the prep school in her senior year due to drugs and experimenting with her sexuality. In 1984, soering, the son of a german diplomat, was a freshman and a jefferson scholar with a full scholarship to the university of virginia. Richmond jens soering and elizabeth haysom, onetime classmates and lovers at the university of virginia convicted decades ago in her parents brutal killing, have won release from prison. He is serving two life terms for her parents murders. But it wasnt me who did it, it was the drugs which made me do it. She then returned to her parents in virginia and was then accepted into the university of virginia, where she met jens soering, who is the son of a german diplomat. After more than three decades, jens soering and elizabeth haysom have.
Combo picture, released june 25, 1990, of elizabeth haysom, left, and jens soering, who have been arrested for the murder of elizabeth s parents at their home in bedord county, va. Elizabeth haysom, 46, claims her former lover jens soering, 44, is guilty of murdering her parents. Beyond reason and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. I personally wish him the best in readjusting to life in germany. But elizabeth haysom was also a spoiled, willful daughter of privilege. Soring later says he saw dry reddishbrown smears on elizabeths forearms which were blood 1162. Soering and his girlfriend elizabeth haysom, both students at uva, were convicted of killing. Elizabeth and jens had met in a university program for high achieving students. But, as a 1990 book on the soering case recounts, she rebelled, ran away. There was no untruth about her too sordid for him to. Bob mcdonnell the sworn statement of a lynchburg man who says elizabeth haysom and another man brought a bloody car into his transmission shop.
Elizabeth roxanne haysom is a canadian citizen who, along with her then boyfriend, jens soring, was convicted of orchestrating the 1985 double murder of her parents, derek and nancy haysom, in bedford county, virginia. After 33 years, six months and 25 days, to finally, finally be back in germany, its so great. Son of german diplomat, girlfriend paroled 34 years after. A scenario of how the haysom murders may have occurred on june 8, 1986, in london, england, two people confessed to killing derek and nancy haysom on march 30, 1985, in bedford county, virginia. On monday, an attorney for jens soering mailed gov. Following the haysoms murders, haysom and soring were arrested in. Ap he was the academically inclined son of a german diplomat, she the daughter of a wealthy society couple, educated in. Introduction as i have observed before, many people were the victims of jens soering s relentless campaign of lies and defamation, but none more so than elizabeth haysom.
Documentary casts doubt on guilty verdict in 1990 virginia. Soering fled the united states shortly after murder investigators requested he provide fingerprint, footprint, and blood samples in. Dec 02, 20 a pretty, young socialite and the privileged son of a german diplomat find love on a u. Jens soering says new blood analysis proves his innocence in. Scenario of how the haysom murders may have occurred. John and suzanne peniche, from the lynchburg area, bought the home where elizabeth s parents. Man jailed for 1985 us murder of girlfriends parents. Jens soering deported to germany after 30 years in us prison. Regardless of guilt or innocence, soering points out the brutal ironies in prison life that do little to rehabilitate or prepare inmates for.
Jens and elizabeth were honor students at the university of virginia in 1985 when elizabeth s parents, derek and nancy haysom, were found brutally murdered in their bedford county home outside lynchburg. To say otherwise would ruin her chances for parole, something that gardner. A couple convicted of a brutal double murder in 1985 have won their release from prison, and will now be handed over to immigration authorities for deportation. When suspicion turned to the haysoms beautiful but troubled daughter, elizabeth, and her german boyfriend, jens soering, their case became one of the most notorious in the commonwealths history. Both initially confessed to the crime, but at trial jens recanted, saying he confessed falsely to save his girlfriend from the electric chair. But his love for elizabeth would draw jens soering into a web of madness and. Soring was convicted of killing the parents of his then girlfriend elizabeth haysom in the unincorporated hamlet of boonsboro. Troy jens soering s new dnabased bid for freedom is nonsense, says elizabeth haysom, his former girlfriend and the daughter of the couple they were convicted of murdering 31 years ago. Killing for love is merely a continuation of his dishonest innocence campaign, and amounts to a deeply cynical attempt to exonerate a murderer. At last, sweet freedom for jens soering bill sizemore. Book and movie about elizabeth haysom and jens soering ken englades 1990 book beyond reason chronicles the lives of this deadly duo before and after the murderous violence committed against derrick and nancy haysom. Introduction as i have observed before, many people were the victims of jens soerings relentless campaign of lies and defamation, but none more so than elizabeth haysom. This march 9, 2011 file photo shows soering speaking during an interview at the buckingham correctional center.
Excerpt from the book manuscript of jens soering, chapter 9, page 165 175. Soering and haysom were honor students at the university of virginia in 1985 when elizabeths parents, derek and nancy haysom, were found brutally murdered in their bedford county home outside lynchburg. Like the hero in charles dickens novel a tale of two cities, who gave his life for love. On june 7, while i was still trying to persuade the policemen to allow me to see my attorney, i nearly panicked and told the truth. His 2007 book the convict christ was awarded first prize by the catholic. But his love for elizabeth would draw jens soering into a web of madness and murder. Possibly the university of virginia freshman face book. The doublemurder case that still haunts me the new yorker. Elizabeth haysom, sentenced to 90 years for the brutal murder and neardecapitation of her.
Elizabeth stayed in washington to set alibi in case trouble happened. To anyone sufficiently well informed about the haysom murders, the evidence of jens soering s guilt is overwhelming and goes hand in hand with the irrefutable evidence of his lies. German national jens soering was convicted of murder in their deaths. Jens soring, usually rendered in english as jens soering is a german citizen who in 1990 was convicted of two counts of firstdegree murder in virginia, united states of america. Elizabeth haysom, sentenced to 90 years for the brutal murder and neardecapitation of her parents, has broken her silence from prison with a letter to. The gruesome murders of nancy and derek haysom in 1985 were an international media sensation. Elizabeth haysom and jens soering the haysom murders. The haysoms were wealthy, respected members of virginia society, and the murder conviction of their daughter elizabeth and her german boyfriend jens soering sent shock waves through the rural community of bedford county. Elizabeth haysom and jens soering elizabeth haysom, is the daughter of derek and nancy haysom. Elizabeth haysom is serving 90 years in prison for conspiring with soering to kill her parents, derek and nancy haysom.
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