Edmund Lopes

Case record: Edmund Lopes

Background

Edmund Lopes was a Baptist minister. After being sentenced for murdering his wife and stabbing his girlfriend, he found religion in prison. He later jumped parole and became a Baptist minister, leading to his eventual arrest as a parole violator.

The offence

Lopes was convicted of murder and attempted murder.

• In 1970, his wife, Phyllis Brown, was strangled and buried in a vacant field near Wheaton, Ill. Her body was uncovered by a construction crew.
• A month later, Lopes stabbed and choked his companion, Shirley Johnston, who was left for dead in Bensenville, Ill.

The case also included statements that he had lied to his congregation about prior conduct, and the congregation learned he was a parole violator from Illinois.

Investigation

A reporter for The Tri-City Herald checked out claims Lopes had made to church groups in the region since 1985. When Illinois authorities learned that Lopes was in West Richland, they issued a warrant. Lopes was brought back to Illinois and sentenced to prison time for jumping parole.

Arrest

Lopes was arrested Dec. 12 after a warrant was issued by Illinois authorities. He spent a night in jail before posting bail and then took the pulpit after saying the arrest was a mistake.

Trial

Lopes was sentenced in 1972 after being convicted of murder and attempted murder.

• He was sentenced to 50 to 99 years in prison for murder.
• The case summary also indicated he received 20 years for attempted murder in 1971.

Sentencing

Lopes was sentenced to a 50- to 99-year prison sentence in 1972. He was paroled in 1983 after serving 12 years.

After jumping parole, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board imposed a three-month sentence for jumping parole in February (for a total of three months). The board also said his parole should extend an additional three years.

When his Washington supervision arrangements were addressed, Nic Howell said the Washington Department of Corrections had agreed to take over supervision of his activities. Lopes was sent to Menard for 3 months after state hearings, and that prison time ended on a Monday when he was to depart.

Appeals

No appeals were described in the provided material.

Outcome

Lopes served part of a sentence imposed for murdering his wife in Du Page County in 1970 and was paroled in 1983. Within a week, he dropped from sight, and he had remarried and become a Baptist minister in West Richland, Wash. When he was returned to Illinois, he asked to be returned to parole status without serving additional prison time because he had led a law-abiding life since 1983. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board in February voted to impose a three-month sentence for jumping parole, and parole was to be extended an additional three years.

Lopes was told that the Washington Department of Corrections had agreed to take over supervision of his activities. He was released from Illinois state prison at Menard and was scheduled to leave Menard on Monday.

In May 1992, he was released again after being arrested as a parole violator.

Aftermath

The disclosures divided the First Baptist Church in West Richland, Wash., and some members paid Lopes’s $5,000 bail while others wanted him to quit.

Some members were willing to forgive him, and others wanted him to quit. Carl Nyborg Jr. said: "You're going to have an upset congregation no matter how it turns out," and also said: "Some people are upset, some aren't. Some people have forgiven him, some haven't. I can forgive him." When asked about the arrest, Lopes said: "I'm trying to let this thing die." Lopes later told the congregation: "I have lived a lie," and: "You've come to hear a confession, and you will."

He told his congregation that:

• "He did not slay up to 28 people as a hired killer for the Mafia, and had lied about working for Murder Inc., the gang of contract killers."
• "He was never counseled by either Charles W. Colson, a former Nixon aide who was convicted of conspiracy in the Watergate cover-up, or by the evangelist Billy Graham."
• "He did not find God on death row, but by reading a Bible in a prison cell."

The Benton County prosecutor, Andy Miller, said: "I understand the church people thinking this guy has turned his life around, but a sense of justice for the victims' families needs to be remembered," and also noted that church members’ complaints had tapered off since Lopes admitted lying.

Lopes previously resigned from the Baptist church he was ministering in Washington.

Timeline

• 1970 — Phyllis Brown was strangled and buried in a vacant field near Wheaton, Ill.
• 1970 (month later) — Shirley Johnston was stabbed and choked in Bensenville, Ill., and was left for dead.
• 1971 — Lopes received a 20-year sentence for attempted murder.
• 1972 — Lopes was convicted of murder and attempted murder and sentenced to 50 to 99 years in prison.
• 1983 — Lopes was paroled after serving 12 years.
• 1983 (within a week) — Lopes dropped from sight after parole.
• 1985 — Lopes made claims to church groups in the region (checked by a Tri-City Herald reporter).
• 1988 — Lopes led a Baptist congregation in the region.
• December (year not specified) — It was discovered that Lopes was living in West Richland, Wash., had remarried, and had become a Baptist minister; a reporter checked claims made to church groups since 1985.
• Dec. 12 — Lopes was arrested after Illinois authorities issued a warrant; he spent a night in jail before posting bail.
• Christmas Eve (year not specified) — Fellow pastors met with Lopes and urged him to come clean.
• Five days later (year not specified) — Lopes returned to the pulpit.
• February (year not specified) — The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted to impose a three-month sentence for jumping parole and to extend parole an additional three years.
• Monday (May 1992 release referenced) — Lopes was released from Illinois state prison at Menard; Washington Department of Corrections agreed to take over supervision of his activities.
• May 18, 1992 — Convict-turned-minister Edmund Lopes was described as being released from Menard on Monday.

Other details

Lopes was described as a "bluebeard" slayer of his wife and girlfriend and as a Baptist minister.

The story also included the number of people Lopes claimed he had slain, stating: he had told his congregation that he had slain 28 people as a hired killer for the Mafia, which he later admitted he had lied about.