Where Are Brenda Groene’s Mother Darlene Torres and Sister Brandy Hoagland Now? – Brenda Groene, 40, her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie, and her oldest son, Slade Groene, who was 13 at the time, were discovered chained and beaten to death with a hammer in their Idaho home on May 16, 2005. Dylan and Shasta Groene, two of her children, were also taken.
A documentary on Investigation Discovery, ‘People Magazine Investigates: Groene Family Massacre,’ focuses on Joseph’s crimes and the other small children he murdered. Brenda’s mother, Darlene Torres and sister, Brandy Hoagland are featured on the broadcast and discuss how the family dealt with everything. So, how about we learn a little more about Brenda Groene’s Mother Darlene Torres and Sister Brandy Hoagland?
Must Read: Who Were Joseph Duncan’s Victims? How Many Did He Kill?
Brenda Groene’s Family Murder
Joseph Duncan is accused of following the Groene family for days before breaking in with night vision goggles. Brenda Groene, 40, her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie, 37, and her son, Slade Groene, 13, were reportedly tied up before being bludgeoned to death with a hammer. He abducted the two younger children, Shasta (8) and Dylan (9), and took them from campsite to campsite while avoiding authorities.
Over the next two months, Joseph Duncan and the two children relocated. He is accused of assaulting both children before killing Dylan. The police were alerted to the missing children and reportedly went on a hunt for the two toddlers.
Duncan was finally discovered with Shasta, an 8-year-old survivor of the terrible Groene family killing, at a nearby Denny’s in Coeur d’Alene. Employees and patrons of the restaurant phoned the cops after identifying the child and the attacker.
Duncan was apprehended by the police and eventually confessed to his actions and pled guilty in court.
Joseph Duncan III was found guilty of three charges of first-degree murder, according to reports. For his crimes against children, he was also prosecuted. Apart from the Groene family, he admitted to additional murders, including the murder of ten-year-old Anthony Martinez in Beaumont, California.
In 2021, while on execution row at the Terra Haute Federal Correctional Institution, he died of fatal brain cancer. His lawyers were attempting to negotiate a plea deal for the serial killer at the time.
Darlene Torres and Brandy Hoagland: Who Are They?
Darlene Torres had four daughters, the oldest of whom was Brenda. The 40-year-old was born and raised in Coeur d’Alene, and at the time of the incident in May 2005, he was living on rural family property near the city. She was divorced and seeing Mark at the time. Brenda had always known him, according to Darlene, and they planned to marry soon.
The family first learned of the tragedy from the news, but it wasn’t until the police arrived that they learned which of their loved ones had died. Brandy said on the show that the family didn’t have time to grieve the loss of Brenda, Slade, and Mark because they were focused on finding Dylan and Shasta, the two younger children who had been taken.
Shasta was found at a café in Coeur d’Alene and brought there by her captor, Joseph Duncan, after several weeks. The family eventually heard that Dylan had been murdered, so it was a melancholy reunion. Nevertheless, they were relieved to see Shasta again.
“It’s the most fantastic feeling after going through what we’ve been through the last seven weeks, so worried,” Brandy remarked at the time. It’s an incredible sensation to be able to hold her in your arms right now and see a smile on her face.” Joseph was eventually found guilty of the murders of five individuals and was linked to the murders of two more people in Washington.
Darlene commented on Dylan’s death by saying that he was always around Shasta and that “Oh Lord, it’s hard to understand. The empty, lonely, and painful manner in which he died… hurt will last the rest of my life; it is profound.” She thought that justice had been accomplished when Joseph was sentenced to death.
Darlene Torres and Brandy Hoagland: Where Are They Now?
“He was incredibly cuddly; he was just a little teddy bear,” Brandy said during her victim impact statement about her nephew, Dylan. It’s been a harrowing experience. It’s just a void in our lives and a tremendous hole in our hearts.” When the children’s father, Steven Groene, sued Brandy in 2012, the family became embroiled in legal troubles. She was in charge of a donation fund that had been set up after the children had been taken.
Brandy allegedly did not use the money in the best interests of the children, according to Steven. Brandy and her husband, Brad, now live in Hayden, Idaho, where she spends time with her children and grandchildren. In addition, she appears to work as a consultant for an IT consulting firm, based on what we can gather. Darlene, on the other hand, has kept a low profile but appears to reside in Idaho as well.
You can stream ‘People Magazine Investigates: Groene Family Massacre’ episode on Investigation Discovery.
