Has Steven Bonilla been executed?

[MLFouche]

Hello,

I was wondering if anybody knew whether Steven Bonilla, the killer (one of
three) of Jerry Harris (the California night club owner), had been executed.
I read the book on the subject - written by Ann Rule - and thought it was
an interesting, and chilling, example of a true psychopath. Apparently he
ended up in San Quentin on death row. I did a web search (several actually)
and couldn't find any info. Does anybody know anythinga about this case - ie
when is his execution date?

Thanks for any comments/suggestions/knowledge!

Mike

[Patty]

You've got to be kidding. He was sentenced in 1995 for the 1987 murder
and has many years to go before all his appeals run out. California
averages only one execution a year, and with over 500 inmates on death
row, he probably has good odds of dying a natural death.

BTW I'm actually against the death penalty even though I certainly
believe some do earn it.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[MLFouche]

Thanks for the reply! I didn't realize it
was so recently. Well maybe the rest of his life behind bars is worse than
death.

With regard to the death penalty I have
mixed feelings. It seems a lot of innocent people are turning up on death row
the last several years.

Thanks again for the info!

Mike

[RAOUL]

On 24 Oct 1999 10:11:10 GMT, mlfo...@aol.com (MLFouche) wrote:

>Hello,
>
>I was wondering if anybody knew whether Steven Bonilla, the killer (one of
>three) of Jerry Harris (the California night club owner), had been executed.
>I read the book on the subject - written by Ann Rule

check to see if he's on the roster at www.cdc.gov.ca.us

[MLFouche]

I tried that address but it doesn't
lead anywhere - would you mind rechecking it? Thanks!

Mike

[rrm...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, October 24, 1999 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, MLFouche wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering if anybody knew whether Steven Bonilla, the killer (one of
> three) of Jerry Harris (the California night club owner), had been executed.

> I read the book on the subject - written by Ann Rule - and thought it was
> an interesting, and chilling, example of a true psychopath. Apparently he
> ended up in San Quentin on death row. I did a web search (several actually)
> and couldn't find any info. Does anybody know anythinga about this case - ie
> when is his execution date?
>
> Thanks for any comments/suggestions/knowledge!
>

> Mike

I just reread Ann Rule's story about this. I checked the CA inmate records and Bonilla is still on death row as of Sept. 2014.

[David]

Sadly, a great deal of Ann Rule's 'work' is fabricated. As to this story, while Bonilla truly deserves his fate, what was said about his family was made up of whole cloth. His father was not a gangster; his sister (crippled since birth) was not complicit in his crimes, nor was his mother. It seems some of the stories she collected were from the victim's widow. I think anyone would forgive the poor woman for embellishing but doesn't it require the writer to do a little work before going to print? In the end, she was always more of a novelist than crime writer. Unfortunately, she disparaged all too many people, innocent people, to pursue her career. THAT is called deceit. Lastly, it should be said that the Bonilla case is a perfect argument against capital punishment. Imagine how much money will be spent by the state in furthering the legal process. And over those years, the widow will continue to need to testify again, never able to put this to bed.

[cheal...@gmail.com]

David, had you read the book you would have known what you are talking about. Seems as though you fabricated your whole comment just to hear yourself think. Read before you comment, dont try to conspire against a great author because you're too lame to read.

[pirate...@gmail.com]

Everything David said was accurate and true. It seems as if he was there to have such a clear picture of the truth. Thank you David.

[jbt...@gmail.com]

What? The book didn't say his dad was a gangster or that his sister and mother were involved in the crime...

[yvonne...@gmail.com]

Is there any updates about the
In the name of love book
Story??

[gardeng...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 10:16:47 PM UTC-5, jbt...@gmail.com wrote:
> What? The book didn't say his dad was a gangster or that his sister and mother were involved in the crime...

i just read the book this week and agree with. jbt. she in fact verified that Bonillas were not gangsters. Nor were the mother and sister involved in the crime. The son clearly was the sociopathic criminal that hurt a lot of families including his own. jks

[David]

On Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 2:28:24 PM UTC-5, cheal...@gmail.com wrote:
> David, had you read the book you would have known what you are talking about. Seems as though you fabricated your whole comment just to hear yourself think. Read before you comment, dont try to conspire against a great author because you're too lame to read.

I don't normally read crap like this, by writers like this. Small-time nonsense. As to the story itself, I'm, sadly, all too familiar with the perp and the family. Steve was always a creep, and kept getting worse as he got older. He was a huge disappoint to his father (a janitor!) and the extended family as well. I haven't been involved in this blog in some time so it is good to see SOME folks have actually done some homework and now realize how little of Rule's book was true. THAT which she wrote about Steve, though, was. Oh, and to cheal's (sic.) point, I read the little book twice.

[debral...@gmail.com]

As of May 2018 he is still in prison.

https://inmatesearchdeathrow.com/steven-bonilla-california-death-row

[amandak...@gmail.com]

Ann Rule is one of the most famous and respected true crime authors out there. She never said his dad was a gangster or that his mom and sister were involved. Maybe you are getting this book confused with something else?

[bottled...@gmail.com]

On Monday, January 14, 2019 at 8:50:58 AM UTC-5, amandak...@gmail.com wrote:
> Ann Rule is one of the most famous and respected true crime authors out there. She never said his dad was a gangster or that his mom and sister were involved. Maybe you are getting this book confused with something else?

Read Rule's book. His mother Ella was arrested in the plot to murder the victim's widow Susan Harris AFTER Bonilla was incarcerated. The name of the book is "In The Name of Love". And BTW, Bonilla is still on Death Row after nearly 25 years (as of March 2019). https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-death-row/

[bottled...@gmail.com]

The book is Ann Rule's "In The Name of Love" and Bonilla's mother Ella was arrested in the plot to murder the victim's widow Susan Harris AFTER Bonilla sat behind bars. They plotted with a notorious prison gang, but someone turned them in and foiled the plot.

[bottled...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, October 24, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, MLFouche wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering if anybody knew whether Steven Bonilla, the killer (one of
> three) of Jerry Harris (the California night club owner), had been executed.
> I read the book on the subject - written by Ann Rule - and thought it was
> an interesting, and chilling, example of a true psychopath. Apparently he
> ended up in San Quentin on death row. I did a web search (several actually)

> and couldn't find any info. Does anybody know anything about this case - ie

> when is his execution date?
>
> Thanks for any comments/suggestions/knowledge!
>
> Mike

As of March 2019 Bonilla is still on Death Row after nearly 25 years.
https://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-death-row/

[levi...@gmail.com]

I have known Bill Nichols since high school and was unfortunate enough to meet Steve Bonilla in 1980. He is still on death row, which is a travesty. He really does deserve killing having tried to murder Harris's wife from death row. Truely an evil force he doesn't deserve any credit for being human.

[kim...@comcast.net]

On Sunday, October 24, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-4, MLFouche wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering if anybody knew whether Steven Bonilla, the killer (one of
> three) of Jerry Harris (the California night club owner), had been executed.
> I read the book on the subject - written by Ann Rule - and thought it was
> an interesting, and chilling, example of a true psychopath. Apparently he
> ended up in San Quentin on death row. I did a web search (several actually)

> and couldn't find any info. Does anybody know anythinga about this case - ie

[kim...@comcast.net]

[kim...@comcast.net]

[trik...@hotmail.com]

I lived next door to his tiny, elderly, physically and slightly mentally disabled sister. Believe me, she had nothing to do with any of his crimes. His poor parents went through hell and as far as I am aware, he tried to put out a hit on his sister. He harassed her for years through letters and court cases until her lawyer finally had him designated a vexatious litigant. The man sends harassing and disturbing letters to his sister to this day, scaring her. I take these letters from her so she doesn’t sit worrying over them. Haven’t read the book so have no comment on that. Don’t make assumptions from a dramatized version of the story.

[trik...@hotmail.com]

My comment was directed at the person who said disturbing things regarding his Family, taken from Anne Rules book.

[cosmo...@gmail.com]

Hi Kim- do you know anything else about this case or the Bonilla family. Not sure the timeline whether it was before or after the murders. However, I believe Steven Bonilla was married to a woman named Patricia. Patricia is someone who I knew and has now since passed away. I really want to learn more as I’ve heard there was a bar they owned in Los Gatos.

[CA]

This is the link to the California Supreme Court opinion affirming his conviction.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-supreme-court/1063572.html

This is the link to the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. You can enter in his name and find out his status.

https://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/search.aspx

The man spends his time writing letters to every jurisdiction in the state of California, multiple times a month, for years, contesting his conviction. He is literally the poster child for vexatious litigant.

[meatmyhomenowatthis]

On Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 1:28:24 PM UTC-6, cheal...@gmail.com wrote:
> David, had you read the book you would have known what you are talking about. Seems as though you fabricated your whole comment just to hear yourself think. Read before you comment, dont try to conspire against a great author because you're too lame to read.

@ cheal - am currently reading the awful Ann Rule book - it is laborious at best and so far portrays Jerry as a wanna be gangster type - the whole tax relief business with the palm trees just shouts SCAM.

[richard hugg]

[Greg Carr]

The guy is locked up in prison he has nothing better to do.

Inmate Search Results
Clicking on an Inmate Name will provide additional information about that Inmate
Inmate Name CDCR # Age Admission Date Current Location
BONILLA, STEVEN WAYNE J48500 75 01/20/1995 California Medical Facility
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