Case #11: The Privacky Family Murders

 Introduction: 

Seth Privacky


The date is November 29, 1998. The Privacky family gathered for a late Thanksgiving. How was the family to know that things would turn to a bloodbath by the end of the night once i8-year-old Seth Privacky murdered his entire family. 

Who Were the Victims: 

Stephen Privacky was Seth's father. He taught the fifth grade, and was described as a dedicated teacher and was reportedly (at least at one point in time) proud of Seth. 

Linda Privacky was Seth's mother. She was a receptionist at a medical office. 

John Privacky was Stephen's father, and Seth's grandfather. 

Jed Privacky was Seth's older brother. 

April Boss was Jed Privacky's girlfriend. She was described as someone who got along with everyone. April's stepfather had said that he just wanted to know why, and that he couldn't believe his stepdaughter would have done anything to Seth. 

Jed and April were both 19, attending Muskegon Community College, and studying to become teachers. The two had also talked about getting married at some point. 

Doreena Schaeffer was a cashier at a Dalton EZ Mart, said she known the Privacky family for over a decade. She also said she remembered the family as nice people. 

The Murders: 

The killings appeared to have started at 12:45 P.M.

Jed was seemingly the first victim. Seth had apparently shot him in the back of the head while he was sitting on the couch. He dragged Jed's body to the basement and waited for his father to come home. Stephen arrived with John (who Seth apparently was not expecting), he ambushed the two men in the garage, and shot them both. It would take two shots for Seth to kill his grandfather. Next Seth went upstairs and shot his mother in the head as she was getting out of the shower. The final victim was April Boss. He shot her in the head as she was coming into the kitchen. Seth claimed he had no idea April was coming for Thanksgiving dinner either. 

Seth and his friend Steven Wallace came up with a plan to remove the bodies and bury them. They tried dragging Stephen out to the driveway. They decided he was too heavy. Instead, they devised a plan to make it look like a robbery gone wrong. This is around when April's parents showed up.  

The Aftermath:

Police investigate the Privacky home


Deputies were called to the scene shortly before Midnight. When they arrived, deputies found Stephen's body in the driveway. This is because April Boss's parents went looking for her. They were the ones who called the police. April had been scheduled to work later that night, and never showed up for her shift. While police investigated, they found April and John's bodies in a back room off the garage. Jed was found in the basement. Linda was found in an upstairs bathroom. All five of the victims were reportedly shot in the head. 

More officers arrived, and as they did, an 18-year-old man named emerged from the woods near the house. He told them his friend Seth called him to tell him he killed his entire family. Steven Wallace told the police he went to the Privacky home and agreed to help dispose of the murder weapon, saying he tossed it into a pond at the park. Wallace had also come back to the house to help Seth cover up the murders. Steven Wallace's confession led to a manhunt for Seth Privacky. 

The high school Stephen taught at, and Seth attended, went on lock-down out of fear. The following day, 18-year-old Janavive Simonelli left school early and started driving around. She came across a lone hitch-hiker. She stopped to give him a ride, only to find that the hitchhiker she picked up was Seth Privacky. Seth asked her to drop him off at a friend's house, which she did. Afterwards, she called the police. 

Seth didn't find anyone home. So, he hid out in a pole barn behind his friend's house. The police found him there, and arrested him. Initially, Seth tried to pin the murders on his brother, Jed. This didn't last long, and Seth gave a full confession.

The morning of the murders, Seth allegedly had an argument with his father. In Seth's words, his father told him that his parents didn't love him anymore. Seth also said that after months of arguing, his mother and brother would always take his father's side.     

What Happened to Seth Privacky:

Steven Wallace was tried as an accessory to murder. He was acquitted because he was able to convince the jury that he was helping Seth out of fear for his life. 

Seth Privacky pled guilty to five counts of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison. He only served roughly 11 years in prison. 

On July 25, 2010, Seth and two other convicted murderers overpowered a semi-truck driver making a delivery to the Kinross Correctional facility where they were incarcerated. They hijacked the truck and drove it through the double fencing that surrounded the prison. Once they were outside, they fled on foot. 

The two inmates with Seth ended up surrendering. Seth ran across the street from the prison. A corrections officer shot him in the head while he was fleeing.  

Sources:

https://apnews.com/article/e22dd9c0386b926ac315bf3ed12f402b

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-nightmare-in-muskegon/

https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2018/11/question_remains_20_years_afte.html


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