This Day in History: A mass murder event occurred on this day in 1961 aboard the Bluebelle. Bluebelle was a 60-foot twin-masted sailing ketch based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
"On November 8, 1961, the ship set sail with the Duperrault family safely on board. One Julian Harvey was the captain of the vessel, and he had brought his wife Mary Dene along for the ride too. For four days, then, the trip went just as the Duperraults had planned." Source
Late one night on the return voyage, Harvey allegedly killed his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Duperrault, and two of the children, Brian and Renee.
It is believed Harvey planned to kill his wife to collect on her $20,000 double indemnity insurance policy, but he was observed by Dr. Duperrault, and then had to kill him and his family who may have witnessed his murder. Harvey scuttled (deliberately sunk) the boat and departed in a dinghy.
There was one survivor, 11-year-old Terry Jo Duperrault. She had been rescued at sea three and a half days after the incident, having drifted upon a small cork dinghy without food, water or shelter for approximately 82 hours.
Terry Jo's survival led to her becoming known within international media as the "Sea Waif" and the "Sea Orphan".
Julian Harvey would eventually commit suicide days later.
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