An odd thing about that Las Vegas shooter's father
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
Eugene, Oregon
October 4, 2017 6:53pm CST
You may have read that the father of Las Vegas shooter, Stephen Paddock, was a convicted bank robber and had been on the FBI's ten most wanted list. The odd part to me is that Benjamin, the father, was serving time in a Texas federal prison, escaped and settled in Springfield, Oregon under the assumed name Bruce Ericksen. He operated the first bingo parlor in Oregon in 1977.
I remember seeing that rather seedy looking storefront when driving down the main street. The FBI caught up with him in 1978, but he was paroled in 1979 (so fast?). Many local residents wrote letters and signed petitions on his behalf. He returned to Oregon, ran bingo parlors again, but got in trouble for rolling back odometers in an illegal business he ran. He paid a big fine, then moved to Texas, where he died in 1998.
His sons apparently never lived here with him.
16 people like this
13 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38652)
• Midland, Michigan
8 Oct 17
@TheHorse It took a very long time to affect him if that was partially the reason for his actions. Although, after reading about the father's criminal history, I felt like the son possibly got some of his damaged genes even though I've no clue whether that type of thing can be passed on or not.
The kids never knew their father was in prison when they were living with their mom.
The son was controlling and somehow that may have impacted his actions, but how, we may never know.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
That is a good question @JudyEv.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (79724)
• United States
5 Oct 17
Interesting about the father. I didn't hear much about this crazy mans childhood
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
No, I have not either. He apparently did not live with his father.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
5 Oct 17
So maybe he was mad at the world. Or not. I think it is very sad, and also sad that the dad was a crook.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (205745)
• Walnut Creek, California
7 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic My did was a professor. I'm a professor. This is not coincidence.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74560)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Oct 17
What a terrible father image, Stephen Paddock had for a male example, growing up!:(
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
Very true, it makes you wonder.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
@kobesbuddy Well, not by his father at least. We know nothing of his mother except that he liked to send her elaborate cookie gifts.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (74560)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic Not to defend him in this heinous crime, but this man was never shown the correct way to go!
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (53679)
•
6 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic It is painful to think about the grief and pain he has brought to so many people.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
The old man was quite a piece of work, robbing banks and all. Who knows if or how often he saw the two boys?
3 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
5 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic That's true, but gambling seems to have run in the family. Bingo is just a form of it.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
@peavey Yes, bingo is gambling, but the old man ran the games here.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Oct 17
Weird. Sometimes prisons let offenders out early if they have committed a violent crime. They do it to make room in the prisons for more offenders.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic .....That's for sure. He is either very lucky or they needed the room.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Oct 17
It is odd he got out so soon, having escaped from prison the way he did.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10745)
• Canada
5 Oct 17
He didn't have a good role model so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
2 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40055)
• Laguna Woods, California
7 Oct 17
@JamesHxstatic - Some people just seem to have trouble living an honest life, even when they are given the opportunity. He could have kept running the Bingo parlors and made a good life for himself, if he had avoided rolling back odometers. It's a shame. He was a terrible example for his sons, but hardly bad enough to cause one son to shoot hundreds of people from a hotel room. It is hard to explain that, isn't it?
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Oct 17
Yeah, how the heck do you get paroled after just a year?
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
5 Oct 17
That was really odd, after a prison escape too, besides robbing numerous banks. Many local folks thought he was a good guy.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Oct 17
Yes that was a strange local connection.
2 people like this
