The Grahams were a happily married couple touring the world, and Mr. Graham ran his business remotely. : If released, Walker would normally be returned to the place he was tried, Honolulu. However, the book does add information and give detail missing in And The Sea Will Tell. The book has kept interest in the case alive. WebFind helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Final Argument: An Inquiry into the murders of Mac and Muff Graham on Palmyra Island by Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns at Amazon.com. Stearns was acquitted, and her attorney, Vincent Bugliosi, wrote a book about the case, "And the Sea Will Tell," made into a 1991 TV movie starring James Brolin as Graham. In 1985, Walker was convicted of murdering the Grahams and was sent to prison. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights , updated March 2009. After Bugliosi argued that Buck Walker had committed the Palmyra murders himself without Stearns's participation or knowledge, and following her testimony at the trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Defense lawyers said Walker was solely responsible for the murder and hid it from Stearns, who testified she thought the Grahams had drowned on a fishing trip, and joined Walker on a search that found the Grahams overturned dinghy but no sign of the couple. They are part of one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns were tried separately for the murder of Muff Graham. The ketch had been reregistered under the name Lokahi and had been partially repainted. I hope Stearns will some day pay for what she did. Especially when he started talking about his plans to grow marijuana and exchange it for supplies. Her manipulative skills are unusually sharp as can be observed while she was at work on Palmyra Island the summer of 1974, and in her interplay with counsel and court during her murder trial. So the FBI put a trace on the make and model of her car and that led them to a hotel in Nevada. You will then have access to all the teacher resources, using a simple drop menu structure. On June 26, 1974, a small sailboat, called The Iola, docked at one of the makeshift harbors in Palmyra. Stephanie ended up being acquitted of all charges. Meaning it didnt get caught up on the reef and sink. They arrived from Palmyra Island, 1,100 miles south of Honolulu, later claiming they abandoned their own boat and took the Grahams' after the couple mysteriously disappeared. Wesley G. "Buck" Walker, the former Big Island marijuana grower convicted in the 1974 murder of a wealthy San Diego couple on Palmyra, has died in California at age 72. Macs patience with Roy was wearing thin as he did not like Roy destroying the islands natural environment. The Palmyra Islands are primarily unoccupied but do host a transient population mostly made up of scientists and researchers. The two of them were arrested and brought in for questioning. For the past 10 days, he had been hiding out in the lava flows on the big island of Hawaii. The motive according to prosecutors was theft and desperation since their boat was not seaworthy and they were running out of provisions. These presentations help teach about Ellen White, her ministry, and her writings. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. But the one body was enough: Walker and Stearns were arrested in Arizona for murder. She is merely married to her beloved husband whose identity is not known. The skull also showed charring and a hole in the left eye socket which was consistent with a gunshot wound, but investigators could not say conclusively it was due to a bullet due to its deterioration. Bernard Lenard spotted a 38-foot ketch with distinct lines in a Honolulu marina that looked like The Sea Wind, but it had been repainted. Duane Buck Walker was convicted in 1985 for the grisly murder in 1974 of a San Diego woman on an island paradise on Palmyra atoll about 1,200 miles from Honolulu. Stephanies defense attorney was famed Vincent Bugliosi who believed that she was innocent. Bucy was amazed that the remains of slain sailor Eleanor Muff Graham remained unclaimed in FBI storage so long after the trial instead of receiving a proper burial, and he vowed to do something about it. Months passed with no word or sighting of the Grahams. Buck Walker was not as fortunate as Stephanie and was found guilty and received a life sentence. A few hours later, the vote was changed to 10-2. "You just never expect anything like that to happen in a place that's so beautiful," Fullard-Leo said. We have provided a download link below to Firefox 2 installer. The writings of Ellen White are a great gift to help us be prepared. Walker receives an annual salary that ranges between $46,796, as per NBC News Sanders had a run-in with Roy where he tried to give him some advice regarding his boat and suggested he and Stephanie set sail for Samoa for more supplies. ATSWT reviewed the supposed facts surrounding the murder of the Grahams on Palmyra, and followed STEPHANIE STEARNS (aka JENNIFER JENKINS) upon her arrest and trial for her role in the planning and participation in those murders. He took half the pack of cigarettes when Mac handed it over to him to take only one. You'll receive an email with an opt-in link to complete your subscription. Back at the Coast Guard offices, Stephanie told her story again this time to the FBI. Palmyra was privately owned by the Fullard-Leo family until 2001, when the Nature Conservancy bought it for $37 million for preservation and research purposes. Suffering from terminal cancer, he was paroled in 2007 and has since died. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. On August 30, according to Stephanie Stearns, Buck Walker told her that the Grahams had invited the two of them over for dinner aboard the Sea Wind. Her broken and bleached bones were spilling out of a half-buried metal chest that apparently had washed ashore. Six years later, a corroded chest was found partially buried in a lagoon at Palmyra. Mr. Walker and Miss Stearns turned up here in October 1974, sailing the Grahams's yacht, the Sea Wind, which they had partly disguised and repainted. When they arrived they found that they were not alone, as had been their hope. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. Buck Walker) and Stephanie Stearns (referred to as "Jennifer Jenkins" in the book), who had sailed there together from Hawaii on Stearns's sailing vessel Iola, a deteriorating, patched-together wooden sloop that lacked a reliable auxiliary engine. Macs friend radioed the following week as planned, but there was no response from The Sea Wind. During the voyage back to Hawaii, it was claimed that a large swordfish damaged the Sea Wind's hull below the waterline, necessitating her repair and subsequent repainting and renaming. Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Notorious atoll murderer dies after parole to Willits area, Bay Area honeymooners say snorkel boat abandoned them off Maui coast, Tahoe really does not want you to drive up this weekend, Ukiah business celebrates longtime employee with a billboard on Hwy. Stephanie Walker Salary. Murdoch has survived scandal after scandal. The box had been wired shut. The federal system generally does not parole aging offenders until they reach 70 at the earliest, he said. They showed up at 6:30 PM but the Grahams weren't there. This act aroused suspicion; acquaintances of the Grahams easily recognized the distinctive Sea Wind despite its new paint job. Wesley Walker (AKA Buck) Stephanie Stearns Buck and Stephanie They buy a boat that had sunk and was raised from the harbor in Maui. It was interesting to read some of the activity behind the scenes; however, I still have no understanding of why Bugliosi took on this client. We have provided a link on this CD below to Acrobat Reader v.8 installer. Although Walker never testified, the defense claimed that he and Stearns were attempting to return the Sea Wind to Hawaii with the Iola in tow, but the Iola ran aground on the reef as they exited the lagoon and had to be abandoned. Her first exhibition in her new role with the university is the faculty art exhibition, Are We Not Drawn Onward to New Era, from March 4 to June 18, Not all was funny in comedians life when she dealt with isolation and depression, The James Beard Award winner was billed by the New York Times as the Annie Leibowitz of food photography, As recently as three weeks ago, Schindler shared her tale of survival at UC San Diegos Hillel Center, drawing tears from some of in the audience, Felicia Shaw is the new executive director of the San Diego Regional Arts & Culture Coalition, which advocates for funding of local arts organizations and programs, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Quel Fromage founder brewed far more than coffee. The Grahams were able to communicate with both of their mothers. When told that authorities were searching the island yet again for Mac's remains, Walker is said to have remarked, "Go ahead and search. Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. This includes personalizing your content. Roy did not make a good first impression on the other group members either. Walker subsequently escaped from a federal prison in Washington State. A writer attempted to raise funds to bury Muff back in San Diego where the Grahams were originally from. Macs friend in Hawaii would get their mothers letters and would read the Grahams responses during his weekly radio contact. HILO In 1974, Buck Duane Walker and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, sailed in a leaky boat to Palmyra Atoll and returned to Honolulu Harbor in a beautiful yacht owned by a San Diego couple who had been vacationing on Palmyra. He had been awaiting sentencing on a drug conviction when he and Stephanie had absconded on The Iola. It was revealed that Buck and Stephanie had been living on the island of Palmyra as well and had known the Grahams. Several years ago I happened upon "And The Sea Will Tell", a book written by VINCENT BUGLIOSI and BRUCE HENDER-SON. , Item Weight : His 70th birthday will be Sept. 18. After Bugliosi argued that Buck Walker had committed the Palmyra murders himself without Stearns's participation or knowledge, and following her testimony at the trial, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. When Stephanie and Roy arrived they could see how the Sea Wind outshined The Iola in every way. He had been awaiting sentencing on a drug conviction when he and Stephanie had absconded on The Iola. It was a circumstantial case and if they lost they wouldnt be able to charge them again should their bodies ever be discovered. Stearns, whose defense attorney was Vincent Bugliosi, was acquitted. Walker, then known as Buck Duane Walker, and his girlfriend, Stephanie Stearns, were arrested in Honolulu in 1974 after returning from Palmyra aboard a yacht stolen from a well-to-do San Diego couple, Malcolm "Mac" Graham and his wife, Eleanor "Muff" Graham. While Stephanie is placed under arrest, authorities were still searching for Roy who had evaded police at the marina. learn from my experience - do not waste your money, Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2017. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. Her boyfriend, Buck Walker, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to life in prison. She is merely married to her beloved husband whose identity is not known. They found nothing, but sharks. Buck Duane Walker was a convicted felon and fugitive. In one of the most beautiful settings in the world, Mac and Muff Graham would disappear in the summer of 1974. What made this case difficult was subpoenaing of witnesses who lived and traveled by boat. She was acquitted Friday by a federal court jury. Sharron was taking a walk down the beach and discovered an aluminum container that contained human remains washed up on shore. Walker pleaded guilty and charges were dropped against Stearns. Eager to win every point, when necessary he shaves the truth. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. : As the various sailing groups are introducing themselvesRoy noticed that Mac Graham was a smoker. Betty Fullard-Leo said the Graham case left the family shocked and disturbed. Stephanie came from money and was able to afford a high-priced attorney. Wesley Walker (AKA Buck) Stephanie Stearns Buck and Stephanie They buy a boat that had sunk and was raised from the harbor in Maui. Walker has a date of Aug. 28 for his "projected" release from federal prison, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Web site. Forensics suggested Muff Graham had been bludgeoned to death, her body dismembered, and then burned with an acetylene torch. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. The trip to Palmyra atoll typically takes about a week, but the Iola got lost and the journey took Stearns and Walker nearly three weeks. She made the dock and took off running with the Coast Guard officer giving chase. Buck got 10 years for his original drug conviction and 5 years for the stolen property. Final Argument: An Inquiry into the murders of Mac and Muff Graham on Palmyra Island by Buck Walker and Stephanie Stearns Paperback May 1, 2014 by Tom Bucy (Author) 37 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $5.99 Read with Our Free App Paperback $24.95 2 Used from $22.50 6 New from $23.02 Walker was a Big Island marijuana grower, he and Stephanie Stearns were on bail for ecstasy drug charges in 1973 and decided to flee to the South Pacific instead of serving time. Stearns received a two-year sentence for the theft and Walker a 10-year sentence for the theft to run concurrently with his 5-year sentence for selling ecstasy. Her boyfriend, Buck Walker, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to life in prison. We also recommend using Mozillas Firefox Internet Browser for this web site. Stephanie Walker Salary. Investigators assumed Mac was in the other box, which for some reason never floated up. The author does a reasonable job of analyzing & proving that Stephanie Stearns was definitely involved in the brutal murder of Muff Graham. Stephanies Miranda rights were read to her, but she didnt heed the warning about her right to remain silent and begins to repeat what she told Bernard Lennard.