102. Murder On Route 66: The Welch Family Tragedy

In June 1961, JD and Utha Welch packed up their car, their four young sons, and headed west from Oklahoma to visit family in California.

It was supposed to be a simple road trip — a summer memory in the making.

But one quiet night near Seligman, Arizona, while the boys slept in a canvas pup tent, JD and Utha were gunned down in cold blood as they rested in their car.

The boys woke up as orphans.

In this tragic episode, we explore the mysterious murders that shattered a family on the side of Route 66 — and the long road to identifying James Abner Bentley, a violent drifter with a chilling trail of crimes behind him.

We unravel the investigation, the break in the case, and why — despite compelling evidence — Bentley was never tried for the Welch murders.

Featuring quotes from those who knew the case best, courtroom drama, and the shocking behavior of Bentley during his sanity trial, this episode dives deep into a brutal killing that’s been overshadowed by time — and the four boys who survived it.

Narrator: Curtis Hildreth

Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth

Sources:

Information in the Intro about Route 66 was taken directly from placards inside the Route 66 Museum in Kingman, AZ, and is not my original work.

 https://www.newspapers.com/image/603594952/?terms=Utha%20Welch

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702476639/?match=1&terms=James%20Abner%20Bentley

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702470937/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702462431/?match=1&terms=James%20Abner%20Bentley

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702276335/?match=1&clipping_id=new

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702411115/?match=1&terms=James%20Abner%20Bentley

https://www.newspapers.com/image/702374977/?match=1&terms=James%20Abner%20Bentley

https://www.dannydutch.com/post/tragedy-on-route-66-the-horrific-story-of-the-welch-family-murders-that-orphaned-four-boys

https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/people-v-bentley-cr-885321173