The Goldmark Family Murders: Inside the 1985 Christmas Eve Massacre
The Goldmark family tragedy of December 24, 1985, stands as one of the most shocking and senseless crimes in Seattle's history. What began as a normal Christmas Eve preparation turned horrific when David Rice, a man consumed by paranoid anti-communist conspiracy theories, rang the doorbell of the Goldmark home in Seattle's upscale Madrona neighborhood. The family—Charles, a respected attorney; his wife Annie, a teacher; and their young sons Derek and Colin—had no reason to suspect danger when they opened their door.
The roots of this tragedy extended back decades to false accusations against Charles's parents. In 1962, John Goldmark, Charles's father and a Washington state representative, was falsely labeled a communist sympathizer by local newspapers. Though the family successfully sued for defamation, the damaging rumors persisted in extremist circles. Rice, influenced by far-right conspiracy theories and The Duck Club, an anti-communist group, tragically confused Charles with his father and became fixated on the family. Fueled by paranoia about a supposed communist takeover, Rice meticulously planned an attack that would leave the Goldmark family as victims of ideological delusions that had nothing to do with reality.
Key Takeaways
The Goldmark family was attacked on Christmas Eve 1985 by David Rice, who was driven by unfounded communist conspiracy theories.
Decades-old false accusations against Charles Goldmark's parents resurfaced and became twisted in extremist circles, ultimately targeting the wrong generation.
Rice's descent into violence was fueled by personal failures and radicalization through anti-communist groups that gave him a misguided sense of purpose.
War Sentiments of a Soldier
The complexities of combat create difficult moral challenges for those who serve. Many soldiers share similar feelings about the acts they must sometimes perform in the line of duty.
There exists a common sentiment among those in military service - a reluctance to take life coupled with the recognition that in certain situations, it becomes unavoidable. This internal conflict represents one of the fundamental struggles faced by individuals in combat zones.
Military personnel often develop coping mechanisms to reconcile their actions with their personal values. The psychological impact of such experiences varies greatly depending on training, support systems, and individual resilience.
For many who serve, war presents a stark reality where personal beliefs must sometimes yield to tactical necessities. This tension between human compassion and military obligation remains a defining aspect of the soldier's experience.
The Goldmark Family Tragedy
The Christmas Eve Horror
On December 24, 1985, the Goldmark family was preparing to host a festive dinner when their doorbell rang. Thinking it was an early guest, they answered—unaware this would be their final act. When invited guests arrived later, they discovered a horrific scene: the family bound to chairs with handcuffs, their bodies brutally beaten and stabbed, blood covering the walls of their Madrona home.
Charles Goldmark, a respected Seattle attorney, his wife Annie, a teacher, and their two young sons, Derek and Colin, had been attacked in their upscale neighborhood home. The shocking violence against this well-regarded family left their community stunned and searching for answers.
A Family Destroyed by Misguided Hatred
The Goldmarks were victims of a tragic misunderstanding rooted in decades-old political accusations. In 1962, Charles's father, John Goldmark, a Washington state representative, faced false accusations of being a communist sympathizer during his reelection campaign. These rumors, primarily spread by Ashley Holden, editor of the Tonasket Tribune, painted the family as part of a "conspiracy to remake America into a totalitarian state."
Though John Goldmark successfully sued for libel and was awarded $40,000 in damages, the damage to the family's reputation persisted in certain circles. These accusations eventually reached David Rice, a mentally unstable man involved with an anti-communist group called "The Duck Club."
Rice, heavily influenced by conspiracy theorist Gordon Jack Moore, believed in an imminent communist takeover of America. He confused Charles with his father and became fixated on the idea that Charles was a communist leader. This confusion, combined with Rice's deteriorating mental state, led him to target the Goldmark family.
After months of planning, including testing chloroform on himself and purchasing handcuffs and a fake pistol, Rice carried out his attack on Christmas Eve. He had no legitimate connection to the Goldmarks—they were simply victims of his delusional crusade against perceived communist threats.
The family had no enemies and had never been involved in radical politics. Charles was a Yale-educated attorney who had served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army and as legal counsel to the Democratic Party. The attack wasn't war; it was a senseless tragedy born from paranoia and mistaken identity.
The Goldmark Family's Journey
Charles Goldmark's Professional Success
Charles Goldmark built an impressive legal career after graduating from Yale Law School in 1973. Before his legal studies, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army following his undergraduate education at Reed College. By the mid-1970s, Goldmark had established himself in Seattle where he co-founded his own law firm. His professional reputation grew as he demonstrated a particular talent for winning cases, earning respect throughout the legal community.
Beyond his private practice, Goldmark maintained connections to political circles. He served as legal counsel to the Democratic Party in Washington state and played a significant role in Gary Hart's 1984 presidential campaign. His combination of legal expertise and political involvement made him a notable figure in Seattle's professional community.
The Family's Political Context
The Goldmark name carried political weight in Washington state well before Charles established his career. His father, John Goldmark, had served three terms as a state representative from Okanogan County. However, the family faced significant challenges when in 1962, John's political career was derailed by false accusations of communist sympathies published in local newspapers.
The accusations stemmed partly from Charles's mother Sally's brief membership in the Communist Party during the Great Depression—a connection she had ended long before. The family also faced criticism when Charles enrolled at Reed College, which some considered politically progressive. Despite winning a libel lawsuit against their accusers and receiving $40,000 in damages, these unfounded rumors persisted in certain circles for decades.
These false allegations about the Goldmark family's political affiliations continued to circulate among anti-communist groups like The Duck Club, creating a dangerous misconception. By 1985, these distorted stories would attract the attention of David Rice, a troubled man with extremist beliefs who confused Charles with his father John, ultimately leading to tragic consequences for the family.
Unraveling the Events
The Aftermath of Political Accusations
The story begins with a political shadow cast decades earlier. In 1962, John Goldmark was seeking reelection as a Washington state representative when his campaign took an unexpected turn. Local newspapers published damaging claims labeling him a communist sympathizer. The accusations were spearheaded by Ashley Holden, editor of the Tonasket Tribune, who portrayed John as part of a conspiracy to transform America into a totalitarian state. These claims gained traction partly due to Charles Goldmark's attendance at Reed College, an institution with a progressive reputation, and Sally Goldmark's brief Communist Party membership during the Great Depression.
Sally had joined the party during economic hardship, believing in its promises to help those in need. She later left after meeting John, who held strong anti-communist views. Despite this reality, Holden and his supporters manipulated her past to create a narrative that painted the entire family as un-American. The smear campaign proved effective, with John failing to secure even his party's primary nomination.
The Court Case and Lingering Falsehoods
The Goldmark family refused to let these falsehoods stand unchallenged. They engaged attorney William Dwyer to restore their reputation and filed a libel lawsuit against Holden and his collaborators. During the trial, Hollywood figures who had faced similar accusations testified in support of the Goldmarks. Charles himself defended his school's reputation, clarifying that Reed College had no communist affiliations. The family prevailed in court, with the judge awarding them $40,000 in damages.
Unfortunately, legal victories don't always erase damaging narratives from public consciousness. The accusations persisted for years, eventually finding their way to an anti-communist group known as The Duck Club. By 1985, these decades-old rumors resurfaced with deadly consequences. They reached David Rice, a man whose tenuous grasp on reality made him particularly susceptible to conspiracy theories.
Rice believed in an imminent invasion of the United States by foreign troops allegedly controlled by a Jewish-led communist conspiracy. His worldview was heavily influenced by Gordon Jack Moore, a former army colonel who traveled the country warning about supposed communist threats. Rice embraced Moore's ideology completely, seeing the Goldmark family as enemies of the state based on the old rumors.
Through a series of misunderstandings and deliberate misinformation, Rice confused Charles with his father John, developing a dangerous fixation. By fall 1985, Rice began stalking the Goldmark family, watching their house and even visiting Charles's office. This fixation would ultimately lead to a horrific crime on Christmas Eve, 1985, when Rice attacked the entire family in their home, ending their lives in a brutal act of misguided ideology.
The Revival of Old Falsehoods
David Rice's Path to Extremism
David Rice, born in Durango, Colorado in 1958, led a troubled life marked by numerous setbacks. After dropping out of high school in 10th grade, he failed to complete Navy boot camp. His marriage ended in divorce, leaving him separated from his son. Even when he secured employment as a welder, he eventually faced layoffs. By 1982, Rice had moved to Seattle where he lived either in his car or in shelters.
His circumstances changed when he met Ann Davis, a 40-year-old naturopath. After beginning a relationship, Rice moved into her Capitol Hill apartment. Through Davis, Rice found a sense of purpose and belonging that had previously eluded him. This newfound stability, however, would soon be overshadowed by dangerous ideologies.
Rice developed a deeply paranoid worldview. He believed the United States faced imminent invasion by foreign troops allegedly controlled by what he saw as a Jewish-led communist conspiracy. In his mind, South American and Korean soldiers waited at U.S. borders for orders to attack, as part of a grand scheme to establish a one-world communist government.
The Duck Club's Reach
Ann Davis introduced Rice to a local group called The Duck Club, led by former Boeing employee Homer Brand. This organization fixated on anti-Jewish and anti-communist conspiracies, providing an echo chamber for Rice's developing extremist views.
The Duck Club's meetings frequently featured the writings of Gordon Jack Moore, a former Army colonel who traveled across the country warning about supposed communist threats. Rice admired Moore tremendously, even calling him after reading one of his articles. Moore's rhetoric gave Rice what he desperately sought - purpose and direction.
During one Duck Club gathering, members discussed the Goldmark family and revived decades-old rumors about their alleged communist ties. These rumors stemmed from a 1962 smear campaign against Charles Goldmark's father, John, who had been falsely accused of communist sympathies during his re-election campaign for state representative. Though the Goldmark family had successfully sued for libel and won damages of $40,000, the allegations persisted in certain circles.
Rice became fixated on these rumors, confusing Charles with his father John. Despite John being deceased for years, Rice convinced himself that Charles Goldmark was a communist leader. He began stalking the family, surveilling their house and even visiting Charles's office. Rice's distorted perception led him to view the Goldmarks as enemies of the state who represented everything he had come to despise.
By fall 1985, Rice's obsession had escalated to planning violence. He tested chloroform on himself for six months, purchased handcuffs and a fake pistol, and prepared to carry out his misguided mission against a family whose only "crime" was being the target of long-disproven accusations.
The Deadly Scheme Unfolds
From Isolation to Conspiracy Obsession
David Rice embodied the profile of a troubled loner seeking purpose. Born in Durango, Colorado in 1958, his life followed a pattern of abandonment and failure. After dropping out of high school in tenth grade, he failed to complete Navy boot camp. His marriage dissolved, leaving behind a son, and steady employment as a welder ended with an unexpected layoff. By 1982, Rice found himself homeless in Seattle, living in his car or seeking shelter wherever available.
His life changed upon meeting Ann Davis, a 40-year-old naturopath who introduced him to an organization called The Duck Club. Led by former Boeing employee Homer Brand, this group fixated on anti-Jewish and anti-communist conspiracy theories. Rice, who had struggled to find belonging, embraced these radical ideas with unusual fervor.
Through The Duck Club's meetings, Rice was exposed to the writings of Gordon Jack Moore, a former Army colonel who traveled America warning about supposed communist threats. Moore's paranoid worldview deeply influenced Rice, who came to believe the United States faced imminent invasion by foreign troops under the control of a "Jewish-led communist conspiracy."
Fatal Misidentification and Violent Delusion
The Goldmark family became Rice's target through a tragic case of mistaken identity. The family had a complicated political history - Charles Goldmark's father John had been falsely accused of communist ties during a 1962 political campaign, and his mother Sally had briefly belonged to the Communist Party during the Great Depression before leaving it after meeting John, who was firmly anti-communist.
Rice confused Charles with his father John (who had died years earlier) and became convinced that Charles was a leading communist figure. Despite their actual history - Charles had served as an intelligence officer in the US Army and earned a law degree from Yale - Rice's delusion only grew stronger. For six months, he methodically planned his attack, even testing chloroform on himself to determine how long it would render someone unconscious.
On December 24, 1985, while the Goldmark family prepared for Christmas Eve dinner, Rice put his plan into action. When the doorbell rang, the family assumed an early dinner guest had arrived. Instead, they encountered Rice, beginning a horrific attack that would end with the entire family - Charles, his wife Annie, and their sons Derek and Colin - bound, beaten, and fatally stabbed.
When actual dinner guests arrived later that evening, they discovered a nightmarish scene - the family tied to chairs, handcuffed, with devastating injuries. What made the tragedy even more senseless was that Rice's entire motivation was based on falsehoods and conspiracy theories. The Goldmark family had no enemies, and Charles was certainly not the communist operative Rice believed him to be.
Rice would later attempt to justify his actions by claiming he "was a soldier" who believed "sometimes killing can't be avoided." In reality, he was a disturbed man who transformed baseless paranoia into deadly violence against an innocent family preparing to celebrate Christmas.
Charles Goldmark's Professional and Political Endeavors
Charles Goldmark built a distinguished career in both law and politics. After graduating from Reed College, he served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, demonstrating his commitment to national service. His academic pursuits continued at Yale, where he earned his law degree in 1973, establishing the foundation for his future legal career.
By the mid-1970s, Goldmark had established himself in Seattle's legal community. He co-founded his own law firm and quickly gained recognition as a respected attorney with considerable skill in handling cases. His professional reputation grew steadily throughout his career.
Beyond his legal practice, Goldmark maintained active involvement in Washington state politics. He served as legal counsel to the Democratic Party, providing expertise on complex political and legal matters. His political engagement extended to national campaigns, where he played a significant role in Gary Hart's 1984 presidential campaign.
Unfortunately, Goldmark's family history created complications in his life. His father, John Goldmark, had faced false accusations of communist sympathies during a 1962 state representative reelection campaign. Although the family successfully pursued a libel lawsuit against those spreading these rumors, the lingering effects of these allegations would later have tragic consequences for Charles and his family.
End File# exvargos/claude-eval-discord
no-seps/Claude-3-Opus/ddbf8f6c-8172-4a46-a9c9-6bb93f67cfe9_Claude-3-Opus_no-seps_0.md
Human: Write me a story about a group of travelers encountering a mischievous yet friendly monkey in Southeast Asia.
Claude: # The Monkey's Gift
The monsoon arrived with typical Southeast Asian drama—one moment clear skies, the next a torrential downpour that transformed the dusty streets of Luang Prabang into rivulets of muddy water. Five travelers huddled beneath the awning of a small café, watching sheets of rain pound the colonial-era buildings.
"So much for our sunset tour of Mount Phousi," sighed Maya, a botanist from Singapore who had been particularly looking forward to identifying the native flora on the hillside.
"The forecast said it would clear by evening," replied Daniel, an American photographer who'd been chasing the perfect Mekong sunset shot for three days now. He wiped condensation from his camera lens with the hem of his shirt.
The travelers had met just three days earlier on a slow boat down the Mekong River. Despite their different backgrounds—Maya the botanist, Daniel the photographer, Elena the Spanish medical student, Raj the Indian tech entrepreneur taking a sabbatical, and Khim the retired Thai teacher revisiting places from her youth—they had quickly formed the kind of intense friendship that sometimes happens when strangers share adventures.
"I know a temple not far from here," suggested Khim, peering at the rain. "Very old, very beautiful. Not many tourists. Perhaps we go there until the rain stops?"
With no better options, they dashed through the downpour, following Khim's lead down narrow alleyways until they reached a small, weathered temple set back from the road. The ancient wooden structure stood silent and seemingly empty, its carved eaves dripping with rain.
"It doesn't seem to be an active temple anymore," Elena observed as they shook water from their clothes in the entry.
"No monks, but still sacred," Khim replied, removing her shoes. The others followed suit, padding quietly into the main hall where gold-leafed Buddha statues gazed serenely from shadowed alcoves.
As they admired the faded murals depicting scenes from Buddhist mythology, a sudden chattering sound drew their attention to a small window high in the wall. There, silhouetted against the gray sky, sat a medium-sized monkey with distinctive golden-red fur.
"A rhesus macaque," Maya identified immediately. "They're common around temples."
The monkey tilted its head as if understanding her words, then disappeared from view. Moments later, they heard scampering across the roof.
"Should we be worried?" Raj asked, glancing nervously upward. "I've heard stories about aggressive temple monkeys."
"Just don't make eye contact or show food," Daniel advised, already raising his camera.
Too late for warnings—the monkey suddenly swung through an open window, landing with remarkable grace on the temple floor. Instead of approaching them, however, it scampered to a small altar, picked up something, and then sat watching them, tail swishing back and forth.
"Is it... holding an offering?" Elena squinted.
"A flower," confirmed Khim. "Someone must have left it for the Buddha."
The monkey's behavior grew more curious. It approached Daniel, who stood perfectly still, camera forgotten at his side. With unexpected gentleness, the monkey placed the slightly crushed lotus bloom at Daniel's feet, then backed away, watching expectantly.
"I think it wants you to follow," Maya said, fascination overriding her scientific skepticism.
The monkey chattered, ran a few steps toward a doorway they hadn't noticed before, then looked back at them. The message seemed clear.
"This is exactly how horror movies start," Raj muttered, but curiosity had taken hold of them all.
The doorway led to a narrow staircase. The monkey bounded up easily while the humans followed more cautiously. At the top, a small room opened onto a covered balcony offering a breathtaking view of the town and the mountains beyond. The rain had stopped, and the setting sun had broken through the clouds, bathing the landscape in gold.
"Your sunset," Khim said to Daniel, who was already framing shots with newfound urgency.
The monkey sat on the balcony railing, somehow looking pleased with itself.
For the next hour, they watched the sky transform through impossible shades of orange, pink, and violet. The monkey remained with them, occasionally approaching for a curious inspection of Maya's notebook or Raj's watch, but never grabbing or stealing.
"I've never seen a wild monkey behave this way," Maya remarked. "It's almost as if..."
"As if it wanted to show us this place," Elena finished.
As darkness fell and they prepared to leave, the monkey led them back downstairs and then, with one final chatter that sounded remarkably like "goodbye," disappeared into the night.
Walking back toward their guesthouses, they passed a local market. An elderly vendor selling wooden carvings caught Khim's attention.
"That temple you visited," the old woman said when Khim described their adventure, "some say it's watched over by the spirit of a monk
David Rice's Crossed Paths with the Goldmarks
David Rice's fixation with the Goldmark family developed through a complex web of conspiracy theories and misinformation. Rice, who believed the United States faced imminent invasion by foreign troops controlled by a "Jewish-led communist conspiracy," found purpose in these paranoid worldviews after a series of personal failures. Born in Durango, Colorado in 1958, Rice had dropped out of high school, failed Navy boot camp, experienced a failed marriage, and faced employment struggles before arriving in Seattle in 1982, where he initially lived in his car or shelters.
His life changed after meeting Anne Davis, a 40-year-old naturopath who introduced him to "The Duck Club." This local group, led by former Boeing employee Homer Brand, focused on anti-Jewish and anti-communist conspiracy theories. Through this organization, Rice absorbed radical ideas from figures like Gordon Jack Moore, a former Army colonel who traveled the country warning about communist threats.
The Goldmark name emerged during these group discussions, connected to decades-old accusations. Rice conducted his own research at the library, discovering information about John Goldmark, a former state legislator who had been falsely accused of communist ties in the 1960s. Critically, Rice confused John with his son Charles, developing an obsession with the incorrect belief that Charles was a communist leader.
By fall 1985, Rice's obsession intensified to dangerous levels. He began stalking the Goldmark family, watching their house and even visiting Charles's office. Despite having only briefly met Charles at a social gathering through Anne's connections, Rice became convinced that the Goldmarks represented the "communist agenda" he so feared. His delusions led him to extensive preparation for violence—testing chloroform on himself for six months, purchasing handcuffs and a fake pistol.
This misguided fixation tragically culminated on December 24, 1985, when Rice approached the Goldmark home as the family prepared for Christmas Eve dinner. What should have been a festive holiday gathering instead became the scene of horrific violence, with Rice's manufactured conspiracy theories driving him to commit unimaginable acts against a family who had done nothing to deserve such a fate.
