On July 15, 1976, a Thursday in Chowchilla, California, a shocking crime unfolded. It was the middle of summer, and schools were out, but 55-year-old bus driver Frank Edward Ray was driving 26 students home from a summer class trip to the swimming pool. The children on the bus ranged in age from 5 to 14.
As they were heading home, Ed encountered a van blocking the road. He attempted to drive around it, but the van was deliberately obstructing the path. Ed stopped the bus and turned off the engine. Suddenly, three men wearing nylon stockings over their faces emerged from the van. One man held Ed at gunpoint, another took over driving the bus, and the third followed in the van.
The kidnappers drove the bus and van to a remote area by a river branch called Brenda Slough, where they concealed the bus in a grove of bamboo. They had another van waiting there, which they used to separate Ed and the children into two groups. Both vans were heavily modified, with black-tinted windows, creating a terrifying, claustrophobic environment that felt like a death chamber.
The kidnappers drove the two vans for over 110 miles across 11 hours. The children were tired, scared, and nauseated, with many vomiting from motion sickness. Finally, after driving through the night, they arrived at their destination—a rock and gravel quarry—early on the morning of July 16.
Meanwhile, parents waiting for their children quickly sensed something was wrong. Ed was known for being punctual, and when the kids didn’t arrive home on time, panic set in. Parents began calling the police, and by 6:30 PM on July 15, a massive search was underway. The entire community held a vigil that night, praying for the safe return of the children and Ed.
At around 3:00 AM on July 16, the kidnappers arrived at the quarry with Ed and the 26 children. They forced everyone to climb down a ladder into a dark hole in the ground—a makeshift underground bunker they had prepared. The kidnappers ordered the children and Ed to remove their shoes and some clothing. Inside the bunker, there was minimal ventilation, limited food (cereal, peanut butter, bread), and scarce water supplies. There was also a rudimentary bathroom, indicating the kidnappers intended to keep their captives there for a while.
As each child entered the bunker, the kidnappers asked for their first and last names, writing them down on a hamburger wrapper. Once everyone was inside, they removed the ladder, sealed the opening with a heavy metal sheet, placed two 100-pound batteries on top, and covered it with dirt.
Within hours, the roof of the bunker began to collapse slightly—not enough to allow escape, but enough to make it seem like they might be buried alive. The kidnappers then left, planning to demand a $5 million ransom from the Chowchilla Police Department. However, when they tried to call, the phone lines were jammed with calls from concerned citizens reporting the missing children. Frustrated, the kidnappers decided to take a nap and try again later.
After 16 harrowing hours in the bunker, Ed and some of the older children decided to attempt an escape. They stacked mattresses to reach the opening, which was buried under heavy debris. A 14-year-old boy named Michael Marshall and a 10-year-old named Robert Gonzalez played crucial roles, using a piece of wood to wedge open the hatch. Together, they managed to dig a hole large enough for everyone to climb out.
Once free, the group walked to the quarry guard’s shack to seek help. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured.
When the kidnappers woke up and turned on the TV, they were stunned to see that all 27 captives had escaped.
The culprits were identified as Frederick Newhall Woods IV, James Schoenfeld, and Richard Schoenfeld. Frederick and James were brothers, and all three came from wealthy families. Frederick’s father owned the quarry where the bunker was located.
Richard initially returned home and contacted his father, who arranged for a lawyer and prepared to bail him out. Meanwhile, James and Frederick went on the run. For eight days, the FBI conducted an intense manhunt. Richard eventually turned himself in, but it took another two weeks to apprehend James and Frederick.
When the FBI searched their homes and bunkers, they discovered notebooks containing detailed plans for the kidnapping and ransom notes they had intended to use. Despite their wealth, the motive behind the crime was purely financial greed.
All three men pleaded guilty to kidnapping for ransom and robbery. However, they denied the charge of inflicting bodily harm, as a conviction on that count carried a mandatory life sentence without parole. They were found guilty on the bodily harm charge and sentenced to life in prison, but an appellate court later overturned this conviction, ruling that the minor injuries sustained by the children did not meet the legal standard for bodily harm.
