The murders of Sandra Bird and Martin Anderson are over 40 years in the past, but the story still captivates residents locally and nationally.
A case in point took place at Emporia State University’s White Library on Sunday as the Emporia Gazette reporters that covered the investigation, Nancy Horst and Bobby Mlynar, discussed their involvement in and reporting of the case as it unfolded. Over 150 people attended the presentation.
Horst says the discovery of Sandra Bird near the Rocky Ford Bridge in July 1983 was initially handled as tragic traffic crash by the Kansas Highway Patrol, and there weren’t any significant rumors of foul play until Martin Anderson was shot dead in Geary County four months later. Horst was on several Lyon County beats at that time, including the County Commission, District Court and Sheriff’s Office, while Mlynar was on the Police Department and Municipal Court. Both say they were glad they had the chance to work together on the case.
Horst says the evidence they uncovered outweighed any concerns about public opinion.
Mlynar says they covered for each other, and she “fell into the case.”
Horst says journalism principles are still the same, but the process of reporting was much different than it is now — even without the consideration of social media.
It took until Anderson was killed and Sandra Bird’s body being exhumed before the investigation changed track to homicide. Ultimately, Bird’s husband, Thomas, the minister at Emporia’s Faith Lutheran Church, was convicted of first-degree murder and criminal solicitation to commit murder in Lyon County for his wife’s death — but acquitted of first-degree murder in Geary County for Anderson’s murder. Thomas Bird’s secretary and Martin Anderson’s wife, Lorna Anderson, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Geary County and solicitation of first-degree murder in Lyon County.
Mlynar says the biggest thing that stood out to her wasn’t the murders. It was the children.
Mlynar also says the other aspects of the case as it developed, including the autopsies and Tom Bird’s involvement — and the movie “Murder Ordained” that followed — have helped to keep the murders relevant.
Both Bird and Anderson, now Lorna Anderson Moore, were discharged from parole supervision around 20 years ago. Bird became a marriage counselor in Iowa. Anderson Moore became the CEO of Interfaith Housing Services in Hutchinson.
The presentation was part of the a series of presentations through the William Allen White Community Partnership and Red Rocks State Historic Site. Red Rocks has its season opening event April 22, followed by several Sundays at the Site events this summer.
