A local would like information about the 1971 murder in Saint Joseph Michigan of Janet Uland she was killed by David Purnell the great grandson of the founder of the House of David can anyone help?

Answer 1

I went to school with David Purnell. He was married at the time of the murder. He

picked the Uland girl up late at night after she dropped her car off at home. He then

took her to his townhouse in Benton Township (outside Benton Harbor). There while

showing her how to Golf in his basement he became aroused and beat her to death

with the golf club. He disposed of her body in Hagar Shores, Michigan, a few miles

from his home. He transported her body in a car he was driving from the dealership

where he worked as a car salesmen. The car was later sold; it was recovered and

the DNA was secured from the trunk. After the murder he repainted the basement

walls. His wife had been out of town on the night of the murder. Upon her return she

noticed the painted basement walls and upon learning of the girl's death she became

suspicious and contacted a friend who worked for the State Police. David was tried

and convicted of the murder. His defense at his trial was that his grandfather Benjamin

of the House of David told him to do it. He died last November (2007), still in prison.

He lived hard in prison and was kept medicated in order to control him. David had led

a normal life as a child and most people think the defense he offered up was for the

purpose of being judged scarred by his heritage. I hope this helps you. You can find

most of this information in the archives of the Herald-Palladium, St. Joseph, Michigan.