A family was left in utter disbelief after uncovering the astonishing past of one of their cherished relatives.
US law enforcement made a discovery about a man residing in Australia that seemed almost too incredible to be true.
William Leslie Arnold had spent decades in Australia, where he established a family and earned a reputation as a ‘family man’ during his time there.
He also became a prosperous businessman, likely becoming a notable figure in his community, and ultimately constructing a good life in the country.
However, following his death in 2010, his family learned about his earlier life in America before he managed to relocate to Australia… and it’s nothing short of horrifying.
Through a DNA test, authorities found out that in 1958, a teenage Arnold had murdered both of his parents following an argument over the family car in their native Nebraska, before burying their bodies in the backyard.
At just 16 years old, he resumed attending school as if nothing had happened.
Two weeks later, he was apprehended and eventually confessed to the killings, resulting in a life sentence at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.
Although he became a model inmate, Arnold orchestrated a jailbreak after eight years in 1967. Investigations later suggested he had likely relocated to Chicago.
Investigators subsequently discovered that he had married and adopted the alias, John Damon.
He then moved to New Zealand with his second wife, before finally settling in Australia, where he passed away at the age of 67, having built an entirely new life.
His family had no inkling of his past, with his stepdaughter Kelly telling The Omaha World-Herald: “It’s a total shock. Mindblowing.”
Another stepdaughter, Shawn, said: “A lot of things that didn’t make sense or were uncomfortable now make sense. We all need to work our way through it, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Detectives remain baffled over how Arnold managed to evade recapture after his escape and create a false identity robust enough to facilitate his move to another country.
His true identity was only confirmed after a DNA test, which compared a man from Australia believed to be Arnold’s son with a sample from Arnold’s family member—they were indeed a match.
Deputy US Marshal Matt Westover, who resolved the case, said: “Even though it’s solved, it’s still a mystery. You want to fill in the other pieces of the puzzle.”
The details of how Arnold managed to escape and relocate across the globe might remain an enigma forever.