Real-Life Villains

Fred Woods: Difference between revisions

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{{Partners_in_Crime_Infobox|Box title = Fred Woods|image = 360x0.jpg|fullname = Frederick Newhall Woods IV|alias = Fred Woods|origin = San Francisco|occupation = Ceo of the Ambria Acres Christmas tree farm and the eco Little Bear Creek gold mine and ceo of a unknown car dealership|skills = Running businesses from prison but keeps getting caught
{{Villain_Infobox|fullname = Frederick Newhall Woods IV|alias = Fred Woods|origin = San Francisco|occupation = Ceo of the Ambria Acres Christmas tree farm and the eco Little Bear Creek gold mine<br>Ceo of a unknown car dealership|skills = Running businesses from prison but keeps getting caught<br>Hijacking|hobby = Running his businesses from prison|goals = Kidnap a school of children for ransom (temporary succeeded with kidnapping but completely failed with ransom)<br>Get paroled from prison so he can live in his Mansion and run his businesses (so far unsuccessful)|image = 360x0.jpg|type of villain = Mass kidnapper|crimes = Mass [[kidnapping]]<br>Grand theft auto<br>Child Endangerment<br>Holding kids and adult hostage<br>[[Kidnapping]]<br>Child abduction<br>Bodily harm<br>Ransom<br>Robbery<br>False imprisonment<br>Hijacking<br>}}
hijacking|hobby = Running his businesses from prison|goals = Kidnap a school of children for ransom temporary succeed with kidnapping with but completely failed with ransom 1976
'''Fred Woods''' (born 1951) was the ringleader of the Chowchilla kidnapping in 1976. It was back in July 1976, when three young men from wealthy families kidnapped a school bus full of children in the Central Valley town of Chowchilla. Twenty-six children ages 5 through 14 and their driver were taken at gunpoint, driven in two locked and darkened vans for over 100 miles before being buried alive in an underground prison. It remains what is reported as the largest kidnapping ever in the United States.  
Running his businesses from prison without getting caught 2019 failed
 
get paroled from prison so he can live in this Mansion so far unsuccessful|crimes = Mass kidnapping
Grand theft auto  
 
Child Endangerment
 
holding kids and adult hostage
 
Kidnapping
 
Child abduction
 
Bodily harm
 
Ransom
 
Robbery
 
False imprisonment|type of villains = Mass kidnapper}}The 67-year-old inmate sat in a small conference room in San Luis Obispo, California, this week, hopeful that a parole board would finally grant him a release date. <strong>Frederick Newhall Woods</strong>, now a bit frail, has been incarcerated 43 years for helping commit one of California's most shocking crimes. 
 
It was back in July 1976, when three young men from wealthy families kidnapped a school bus full of children in the Central Valley town of Chowchilla. Twenty-six children ages 5 through 14 and their driver were taken at gunpoint, driven in two locked and darkened vans for over 100 miles before being buried alive in an underground prison. It remains what is reported as the largest kidnapping ever in the United States.  


The children were buried under dirt and rocks in a quarry — inside an old moving van with makeshift ventilation, toilets, some food and water.  The kidnappers left to call in their ransom demand — $5 million, which they expected the state would pay from a recently announced budget surplus.   
The children were buried under dirt and rocks in a quarry — inside an old moving van with makeshift ventilation, toilets, some food and water.  The kidnappers left to call in their ransom demand — $5 million, which they expected the state would pay from a recently announced budget surplus.   
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=== A youthful "stunt" ===
=== A youthful "stunt" ===
At the time of the kidnapping, Woods was 24.  His accomplices lived near him in some of San Francisco's nicest suburbs: his friend James Schoenfeld, also 24, and James' younger brother Richard, 22, two sons of a prominent Bay Area foot doctor. So, the mystery was, what motivated three rich kids to carefully plan and execute this crime?
At the time of the kidnapping, Woods was 24.  His accomplices lived near him in some of San Francisco's nicest suburbs: his friend James Schoenfeld, also 24, and James' younger brother Richard, 22, two sons of a prominent Bay Area foot doctor. So, the mystery was, what motivated three rich kids to carefully plan and execute this crime?


=== The motive: "Multiple victims to get multiple millions" ===
=== The motive: "Multiple victims to get multiple millions" ===
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He said, despite their parents' wealth, that both he and Fred Woods had run up serious debts. He explained, "We needed multiple victims to get multiple millions, and we picked children because children are precious. The state would be willing to pay ransom for them.  And they don't fight back. They're vulnerable. They will mind."
He said, despite their parents' wealth, that both he and Fred Woods had run up serious debts. He explained, "We needed multiple victims to get multiple millions, and we picked children because children are precious. The state would be willing to pay ransom for them.  And they don't fight back. They're vulnerable. They will mind."


Woods has been called the ringleader and a sociopath by his old nemesis, the sheriff of Madera County where the school bus was hijacked. Past parole hearings have found Woods to be evasive, unable or unwilling to follow prison rules and failing to acknowledge the severity of his crime.  He has been cited for multiple disciplinary infractions including three for possession of pornography and two for possessing cell phones. 
Woods has been called the ringleader and a sociopath by the sheriff of Madera County where the school bus was hijacked. Past parole hearings have found Woods to be evasive, unable or unwilling to follow prison rules and failing to acknowledge the severity of his crime.  He has been cited for multiple disciplinary infractions including three for possession of pornography and two for possessing cell phones. 
 
Perhaps it is the children — and their long struggles to lead normal lives — who provide a hopeful lesson from the Chowchilla kidnapping.  Psychiatrist Dr. Terr calls the kids, "little heroes of medicine" who have shown through their stories the devastation caused by even brief moments of terror and short separations from parents. Today we know the importance of prompt treatment for psychological wounds.  Whether caused by mass shootings or other traumas, intense therapy and early counseling provide the best chance for recovery from those wounds.


[[File:Chowchilla-mug-combo.jpg|thumb|220x220px|From left, Fred Woods, James Schoenfeld, center, and his younger brother Richard Schoenfeld.
Perhaps it is the children — and their long struggles to lead normal lives — who provide a hopeful lesson from the Chowchilla kidnapping.  Psychiatrist Dr. Terr calls the kids, "little heroes of medicine" who have shown through their stories the devastation caused by even brief moments of terror and short separations from parents. Today we know the importance of prompt treatment for psychological wounds.  Whether caused by mass shootings or other traumas, intense therapy and early counseling provide the best chance for recovery from those wounds.
All three pleaded guilty to kidnapping with one, Richard Schoenfeld, expressing remorse.  But Fred Woods was already considering another scheme: a movie of their crime.  In a newly discovered letter from 1976, Woods urges a friend to write a script. "I think it would make a damn good movie of the week, if not a feature," he writes.  "It's big — real big — and a hot item everybody wants to know about."  Woods adds, "If you do make it into a film, all I want is a percent of it."
[[Category:United States of America]]
All three kidnappers received mandatory life sentences.  But their families had money to appeal.  In 1980 a panel of judges hearing the appeal ruled the kidnappers would be eligible for parole. One member of this panel was Judge William Newsom, a strong believer in rehabilitation for felons.  
[[Category:Kidnapper]]
After he retired, Judge Newsom became an outspoken advocate for the Chowchilla kidnappers, saying that the notorious crime was just a youthful "stunt" that had "no vicious aspect to it." 
[[Category:Living Villains]]
Judge Newsom lived long enough to see his son, Gavin, elected California's 40th governor.  Now Governor Newsom will have the final say on whether Fred Woods is ever successful in his bid for parole.  
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
After being denied parole 16 times, Woods' most recent effort was on October 8. It was not a good day for him.  Just a few days earlier, prison investigators had found Woods guilty of conducting unauthorized business activities.  While his punishment was just 30 additional days in prison, a blip in a sentence that's lasted decades, the rules violation was a serious impediment to parole.  
[[Category:Male]]
The parole board decided not to release Woods and to set his next parole suitability hearing for 2024, when Woods will be 72.  "Despite his age, Mr. Woods is still committing his criminal behavior," the board chairman ruled.  "He chooses not to follow the rules of this institution."
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
His lawyer, Ms. Banos, says they will appeal, adding that as recently as January of this year the prison found no evidence that Woods was engaged in business from behind bars.
]]
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