The tragic mass murder behind the Oscar-winning voice actor of the “Exorcist”

The history of cinema is marked by some of the most gifted and dedicated actors, from pioneering stars like Charlie Chaplin to modern-day talents like Joaquin Phoenix, who was celebrated for his portrayal of the Joker. However, despite their captivating on-screen performances, many of these actors have often had to suffer the dire consequences of their own actions.

One of these actresses, despite great success in her professional life, neglected her family and committed a cruel killing spree that history will never forget. Mercedes McCambridgeborn in 1916, was a celebrated radio, film and television actress who was known for her performance in The incorruptible (1949). In addition to her notable acting roles, such as Emma Small in Johnny Guitar and Luz Benedict in giantMcCambridge is best known for his voice as a demon in The Exorcist.

Although McCambridge had a successful professional career, she did not have the same positive influence on her family, especially her beloved son John Lawrence Fifield (later known as John Lawrence Markle). So what was the cause of the tragic mass murder of John Markle’s family in 1987 and how does this devastating incident relate to McCambridge?

The Exorcist

Release date

26 December 1973

Duration

2 hrs 2 mins

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A closer look at McCambridge’s relationship with her son

Before we delve into the actual shooting spree that took place on the fateful night of November 16, 1987, it is imperative that we examine John Markle’s childhood and his relationship with his mother, Mercedes McCambridge. John Markle was born on December 25, 1941, in California to Mercedes McCambridge and William Fifield. However, McCambridge divorced Fifield in 1946 and remarried in 1950 to Fletcher Markle, a well-known film and television director.

John was eight years old when his mother heard the voice of the demon in The Exorcisthad a troubled childhood. According to records Neither his biological mother nor his adoptive father had time for the boy, so he was cared for by a housekeeper who never recognized McCambridge.John received his master’s degree from the University of California in 1968 and married Christina Mull that same year.

After earning his PhD in economics from UCLA in 1973, he worked for various companies before settling at Stephens Inc., a one-man futures trading firm. Despite his professional success, John Markle always sought his mother’s approval, which led to the tragedy that is now considered one of the most devastating incidents of the 20th century.

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The mass murder of McCambridge’s family: A tragic story

John Markle, who had excelled in accounting, became vice president of the organization in just eight months, faster than any of his previous employees. He lived in a large old Victorian house with his wife Christine and his two children, Amy and Suzanne, aged 13 and 9 respectively. Although he lived far from his Oscar-winning mother McCambridge, John always sought his mother’s approval.

To impress her, he opened an account with Stephens Inc., but was unaware that despite his ability to make money for others, his financial situation was in shambles. So he decided to secretly embezzle funds from his employer by creating false records of investment losses in the company’s ledger and depositing the profits into his mother’s account. In October 1987, however, a Chicago brokerage firm that had handled these transactions alerted Stephens Inc. to the discrepancies in the ledger, sparking an investigation that brought John’s embezzlement to light.

After the company fired him on November 13, 1987, it offered John a choice: leave McCambridge a total debt of $1.2 million plus interest or ask her for $600,000 in cash, with the rest to be paid from her estate after her death, but she refused. On the night of November 16, 1987, John Markle made a heartbreaking decision after losing his only hope of righting the biggest mistake of his life

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John’s last letter

In his farewell letter he wrote: John admitted to murdering his wife and daughters and called his lawyer Richard Lawrence before killing himself fifteen minutes later. Most disturbing, however, was the blood-soaked Halloween mask that investigators believe he wore when he killed his family in cold blood. Investigators also discovered a letter from John to his mother that reads:

“You were never there for me when the going got tough. When I cried on the phone, you called me a ‘crying coward’… Do you realize that? That you’ve hurt every member of my family. That you’ve hurt me; that you’ve never done anything but manipulate me for your own ends… You were never there when I needed you, and now my whole family and I are dead – so you can have the money. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?”

In the letter, John also stated that he could have survived and gotten another job if she had offered Stephen’s amends. He blamed the mother alone for the death of his family. The terrible tragedy of John Markle and his unfortunate wife and children is heartbreaking. So what do you think about this unspeakable story?