5 chilling details about the Carnation murders

Carnation murders
Homicide for the Holidays airs with the 2007 Carnation murders case this Friday, December 2 (Image via Amazon)

The tragic Carnation murders occurred in 2007 when Michele Anderson along with her boyfriend Joseph McEnroe, both aged 29, decided to wipe out three generations of the Anderson family, including her young niece and nephew, on Christmas Eve. They killed her parents Wayne and Judy Anderson first and then ambushed older brother Scott, his wife Erica, and their two kids when they arrived.

Michele and Joseph were arrested two days later and were charged with six counts of aggravated first-degree murder. Both confessed to the murders not long after, but were only convicted years later between 2015 and 2016 and sentenced to six lifetimes in prison, given that the death penalty was taken off the table.

In the many years that followed the tragic Carnation murders, multiple revelations have surfaced surrounding the Anderson family's internal feuds, possible motives, and the exact events that happened on Christmas Eve all those years ago.

This article will further discuss details about the case ahead of the upcoming episode of Oxygen's Homicide for the Holidays titled Christmas Carnage in Carnation, which airs on Friday, December 2, at 9:00 pm ET.


A Christmas Eve massacre, chilling confessions, and three other key facts from the Anderson family Carnation murders

1) The brutal Carnation murders took place on Christmas Eve 2007

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On Christmas Eve, the Anderson family was scheduled to have a get-together at Wayne and Judy's house. The latter was reportedly wrapping presents while her husband was watching TV when both Michele and Joseph arrived with firearms.

The accused tried to shoot Wayne, but failed when her weapon jammed. In the meantime, McEnroe diverted Judy's attention and then shot them both.


2) Michele Anderson ambushed her older brother, his wife, and kids in their family home

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The killer couple then cleaned up the mess before her older brother Scott Anderson and his family could arrive. They hid Judy and Wayne's bodies in a shed behind the house and waited for the remaining four members. When they arrived and began to get comfortable, Joseph and Michele showed up and shot Scott allegedly four times.

Scott's wife Erica, who managed to dial 911 briefly, was then shot dead. Michele then asked Joseph to shoot the kids because they did not want to leave behind any witnesses. The couple reportedly used 14 bullets to kill all six of the Anderson family members.


3) Judy Anderson's friend and co-worker was first to find the crime scene

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On December 26, two days after the Carnation murders, Linda Thiele, Judy Anderson's best friend and co-worker, noticed that she failed to show up for work, feeling something was amiss. She made her way to the Anderson household where a grisly crime scene awaited her arrival.

When Linda got there, she saw Scott Anderson lying lifeless on the floor. Upon moving closer, she realized that he had been shot. She also noticed the bodies of his wife Erica and the couple's young son Nathan. She then called 911 using Judy and Wayne's landline.


4) Michele Anderson confessed to the murders not long after authorities started questioning her

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On December 26, Michele Anderson and Joseph McEnroe arrived at Wayne and Judy's house about three hours after the authorities did, not looking bothered by the police cars around the property. The duo also did not inquire about Wayne and Judy's well-being, which immediately drew attention to their strange behavior.

Authorities then started interrogating the accused duo. According to Michele, they were on their way to Las Vegas to get married but turned around and returned home after getting lost. She claimed that she last saw her parents was on Christmas Eve, just before she left for Las Vegas, however she soon broke down and confessed to the killings. Michele reportedly told authorities:

"It’s not Joe’s fault. It’s all my fault. As soon as I shot the gun, I felt so bad, like what the hell have I done? I'm a monster."

5) The Carnation murders were reportedly fueled by anger over financial feuds within the family

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Anderson's motivation for killing three generations of her family was a major question that authorities wished to learn. She claimed that she was "tired of everybody stepping on" her and that her brother Scott owed her $40,000 but was refusing to pay it back. She stated that her parents supported him in the matter, which angered her, giving her the impression that she was treated unfairly.

Michele also claimed that her parents had started pressuring her to pay rent for the mobile home on their property where she and McEnroe lived for a year without paying any money. Detectives realized that the Carnation murders were motivated by money. When asked about the reason behind killing the children, she stated that they would be traumatized for life after seeing their parents getting shot.


Tune in to Oxygen's Homicide for the Holidays on December 2 at 9 pm ET to learn more about the 2007 Carnation murders.

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Edited by Abhipsa Choudhury