Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley

by Elizabeth Randall

The true story of the long-unsolved killing of a celebrity in northern “A page-turner.” —First Coast Living   The murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley, a former model and television hostess who was once engaged to Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., is still notorious more than four decades after it occurred. The only eyewitness said a man attacked Lindsley with a machete in broad daylight on the front steps of her mansion. Gossip swirled that neighbor Frances Bemis knew who killed Lindsley and would notify authorities—and then Bemis was later murdered on her nightly walk.   Police arrested only one suspect for Lindsley’s murder, which remains unsolved to this day. Here, Elizabeth Randall replaces the rumors with research, and draws from over one thousand pages of depositions, records, official county documentation, and interviews to reveal the story behind this shocking crime.Includes photos  

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2016

About the author

I am a widely published free lance writer, the author of four books and a high school English teacher.

Reviews

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in Jacksonville and we head to St. Augustine all the time, especially for the history. I had no idea something like this could have happened in the past, and the final outcome was horrible and atrocious. Lots of history in this, too, and the last time I went to St. Augustine I found all of the streets and places mentioned. Because... why not?

[Jak Krumholtz · Rating 4 out of 5]

For years I lived within a couple blocks of where this happened in the early seventies and I still pass it nearly every week. Names and places are still familiar. Despite being written much later by someone more independent this book comes to the same conclusion as an older book, Bloody Sunset did.

The feuding neighbor who had repeatedly and publicly threatened the victim had a trail of blood leading to his garage and car, whose clothes he'd been seeing wearing that day were recovered nearby covered in blood along with a machete he'd checked out from the county but never returned, who had blood at his office and who the only eyewitness identified as hitting her, somehow convinced a jury he didn't do it. The local good ol boy network in full action. After the trial the sheriff said continuing the search for the murderer would only result in putting an innocent person away.

This book let me know the victim more and really wanting to know more about her life. She seemed very outspoken, (marched with MLK here) smart and driven in a time when locally only white men should have been.

"St. Augustine is the most lawless city I've ever seen." - MLK

[Kathryn in FL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Elizabeth Randall takes us step by step through the murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley. Much like a detective would present her case before a jury, this book provides a background on the key characters in this case along with the dynamics of the neighborhood and an account of what happened on that grizzly day. Ms. Randall investigates all the key pieces of the case in meticulous detail more than 30 years later, it is one of the most thorough true crime stories I have ever read.

As a side note, my family moved to the next county 5 years after Ms. Ponsell Lindsley had died. For those born after 1979, I must state that it was a very different environment, I remember hearing about this horrible act, which made a big impression on me as a teenager. Though St. Augustine seemed somewhat remote to us at that time, realize that television didn't broadcast twenty-four hours a day and local news only came on in the morning, six o'clock pm and eleven pm. Rumor was very accurate that the murderer was known to all in the community and that he had been able to intimidate those who saw things and had the power to silence those who could bring him to justice.

Ms. Randall recreates that ominous day with great clarity. You can see it with your own eyes and you can sense the evil that permeates the air. A chilling tale to be sure and one that more than likely left many of the witnesses and the neighbors of Ms. Ponsell Lindsley with nightmares for many years to follow.

If you like true crime, this book is for you. I found it almost to intense to read. It will make you look at people with a little more curiosity. How well do you really know your neighbor?

[Anne Jennings · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very one-sided

I actually lived in the neighborhood with Alan and Patti. They would frequently have people over for social hour on Fridays and he was a very gracious host. She however treated him like a dog. It was very uncomfortable for everyone and you felt sorry for him when you left. After a while, I quit going. When Patti came down with cancer, it seemed that he was a wonderful caregiver. His second wife was quite charming as a Walter describes. She was a well-known interior decorator in the area. After being treated so badly, everyone was happy for him and his second marriage.

I first learned about this case when watching a program on television and was shocked. It didn’t seem possible that Alan could commit such a heinous crime. And I don’t know if he did. It sounds like he did not treat his girls well as Trustee but I question why Patti didn’t leave him if she knew. In fact, I wondered if she hadn’t committed the murder. And it certainly sounds like her family had the financial resources to support her and the girls if necessary.

Finally, there are a lot of grammatical errors in the book and that’s always annoying. Along with the fact that Ms. Randall never offered any evidence possible perpetrators other than Alan. Also, and this may be the most important thing, she never explained why Alan and the victim were so at odds with one another and what could have pushed him over the edge and over the hedge.

My thoughts are with the daughters and I hope that they are all doing well and have put this behind them as much as is possible.

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Athalia Ponsell Lindsley is the subject here and the author was driven to cover her "unsolved" murder from 1974 because her father, Harry Barkan was another crime in Florida in which the killer has remained unidentified.
The bloody history of St. Augustine up to the jailing of Martin Luther King in 1964 for a civil rights march sets the stage for the murder of Lindsey. The local Episcopal church turned away Black worshipers at the entrance. She was considered a Yankee outsider whose seven barking dogs caused animosity with her neighbor's, the Stanford's. She also made life a living hell by targeting Alan Stanford for not being a licensed engineer. The county was forced to investigate his credentials because of her complaint.
The night before a hearing for Al, Athalia was hacked up with a machete and almost decapitated. A trail of blood was seen leading to Stanford's house and his bloody clothes and watch were later found near a swamp. Despite the overwhelming evidence of his guilt, the suspect was found innocent. If it doesn't fit, you must acquit.
No transcript of the trial exists and so the author had to rely on newspaper articles for information. The evidence has been destroyed and modern DNA technology is of no use.
Elizabeth Randall has reached the only rational conclusion and the book is a quick read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is a true crime story of the murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley in 1974 in St. Augustine, Florida. The author pieces the story together from press clippings, public records and police reports. Athalia Lindsley was portrayed as a very interesting woman who was outspoken, involved in her community and not afraid to be a thorn in someone's side. To understand this crime and the outcome of the prosecution, you have to understand the city, the people who lived there and the mores of that time period. The story of this crime is a not a mystery of whodunnit but an examination of the society who condoned this murder to allow the culprit to go free. From this perspective, the story is interesting. Unfortunately, Athalia Lindsley will not be the first murder victim who did not receive justice.

The narrator, Charles Huddleston, was excellent. He conveyed the perfect respectful tone for this story.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who Done It
Elizabeth Randall has written and researched a very interesting case. The book fully covers the case of this tragic murder case. Elizabeth takes the reader along the path of both the victim and the murderer's lives.
Lindsley was attacked with a machete in broad daylight on the front steps of her mansion in St. Augustine. Lindsley’s neighbour Alan was the prime suspect, but he was acquitted after going through a trial. It was a very Interesting case, and after reading this book I think the courts allowed a guilty man to walk free. A great book for further discussion between book club readers and a great case for true crime buffs to solve. I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top quality true crime

Well written and researched true crime like this is hard to come by. The narrative flows, I never lost interest. The author makes the suspect and family real and human. I can't recommend it highly enough to fellow true crime readers.

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Circumlocutory account of an unresolved 1974 homicide. Only 150 pages but it seemed much longer.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read for a true crime fan detailing a case from the 1970s that remains unsolved--although after reading the book, I'm pretty sure the original person they tried for the crime was actually guilty. Just my opinion. Unfortunately, anyone still alive that may know something is 80+ and many people that were around during the time of the crime have passed away. So, we're unlikely to ever get any real closure with this case. It remains closed yet also unsolved.

The book isn't as detailed as I prefer, largely in part due to the fact that most of what is available is newspaper clippings, some court documents (but no trial transcripts it seems), public statements that were explained, etc., and of course anytime something is not solved there can only be so much information. That being said, a three star review from me still means that a book is decent and should be picked up for a read by someone interested in true crime. It is a rather quick read, around 150 pages, so it makes for good light reading, summer beach reading, etc.

[Jaeme · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was familiar with the incident, having read a previous work on the subject, however this fresh look at the murder was excellent. The author sadly has first-hand experience with this type of tragedy and her empathy for the subject shows. Unlike prior tellings, Ms Randall is an impartial investigator who, unsurprisingly comes to the same conclusion that so many of us have. As a former resident of St. Augustine and a north Florida native, I can attest that her observations and characterizations of the city and county are regrettably accurate.

For me, the best part of the book is the epilogue, which has the benefit of the passage of time. She offers short vignettes of the lives of the principals involved as they moved on after this heinous crime. Most importantly, she reminds us that the first and principle "victim" was Athalia. If there is any closure to the case, Randall has given it to us.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely reads like an amateur journalist writing a longform magazine article about a true crime rather than a book, but it's a curious case of a murder in north Florida where the (alleged) killer escapes justice. The author doesn't try to hide her bias but given the evidence, it's kind of crazy how apparent the killer is only to have an old boys club in a small community protect him from any repercussions. Still, how wild is it to get away with murder only to have some author come along 40 years later and write an entire book explaining that you're a piece of shit murderer and destroy any semblance of a reputation you tried to build in life? A vicious crime in a small town, if you're into true crime it's a sad case but a snapshot of an America where misogyny was visceral and a bigoted community in the South protected their own.

[Murrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a blatant example of small town crookery. But condoning murder? Too far, too much and too late in solving a past crime that has every bit of evidence, both good and bad, but certainly messed up. The terribly botched up court case with its corrupted truths tells a tale that creeps the skin to read. St. Augustine described as the least law-abiding town in the US by Martin Luther King, has, as its "glory", an inglorious history. One that holds its narrow minded perspectives sacred. The warped example of corruption in this case, stands out as a disgusting and shameful example of racism, elite favoritism and downright pompous evil in its stead. It is too late to prosecute those guilty of its tarnished reputation, but it's never too late to review how small town evil rots a society.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes a pretty shocking crime that I was completely unaware of. There isn't much of a mystery here which makes it all the more incredible that this is a true story. How terrible that Athalia was murdered and that the man who did it (whom everyone knows did it) got away. It's an interesting snapshot of a time not too long ago when heinous crimes against women weren't treated with the seriousness they truly deserved. In many ways, they still aren't. But I guess we can hope an injustice like this wouldn't happen today. Then again, the justice system hasn't come very far.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned of this story on the television series City Confidential. It was about a gruesome murder in broad daylight at 124 Marine Street in St. Augustine, Florida. I found out about the book "Bloody Sunset in St. Augustine" by Nancy Powell an Jim Mast and although it was out of print, I was able to get it with an inter-library loan. It's a captivating story about larger than life Athalia Ponsell Lindsley. Do you really know about your neighbors?

[Greg Jolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant work that deftly "solves" the unsolved mysterious death of Athalia Ponsell. Well researched and masterly written, Ms. Randall takes the reader along the path of both the victim and the murderer's lives and makes clear how mores and values of the times allowed a guilty man to walk.

[Lisa Millett · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Crime Thriller

This true crime book is well written, detailed and easy to follow. The author fully covers the case and offers insight to the lack of conviction in a case that seemed easily solved. The prime suspect seemed to have too many people on his side therefore he couldn't be convicted. Exceptional true crime book.

[Julie Angstadt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Case

Good story, but disappointing ending. Thalia Lindsley was murdered on her front porch. While her neighbor was the prime suspect, and there was evidence, he was acquitted. Interesting case, and I would recommend reading it. The reader can only wonder if the forensics testing today would have changed the outcome of the trial. I recommend reading the book.

[Jake · Rating 1 out of 5]

The case itself is very intriguing but the Author makes it so unbearable to read. She interjects all her personal feelings into the writing and at points makes no sense. It really feels like someone writing a blog post go put into a book.

Find another avenue to learn about this case since it is a wild one.

[Drew Haston · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love true crime, this is a book for you. If you love St. Augustine like me, this is a book for you. Also, the author is a fellow high school English teacher. Kudos to her. Despite a large amount of evidence, this case is still unsolved. I think if this crime had taken place with modern forensics, it may have been solved fairly quickly.

[Kay Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting true crime story, about a murder from the early 70s. I wasn't living in Florida at the time and knew nothing about the case. It's apparent that the murderer was tried and acquitted, perhaps because the victim was an outsider in St. Augustine society, and an "uppity woman," at that.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but pretty thin. No trial transcript was available and most of the major characters have passed away, so it's mostly put together from news reports and police records. Still, an interesting story about justice and society.

[Sallie Stoner-Twyford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, quick read. Could have been proofread better as it does not flow properly. It is choppy at best. Her beliefs on the death penalty should not be placed in this book as it does not apply to this case.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read some what along the lines of reading an in-depth newspaper article on a local crime. Shows how confusing witness statements can be & how difficult investigations of crime can be for law enforcement.

[randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a basic true crime story with the usual plot of trying to put together all the known facts and circumstantial evidence with no positive outcome.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well-written and thoroughly researched book with lots of interesting details. The photos remind the reader that this is a true crime.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok book, but subject matter very interesting

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really couldn't stay interested...

[Sabra Kurth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of coincidence.

[Michelle Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gruesome murder of a activist/socialite that was never solved.