The three boys, their father, and Randy Greenawalt walked out to the family Ford. They took off and later switched cars to a Lincoln and drove all day sticking to back roads. As they were getting away, one of their tires blew, so they planned to get another car. (Kennedy, p290).

             They pulled to the side of the road, armed themselves, hid, and Raymond flagged down a car with the Lyons family in it. After coming out to help, the four armed men appeared, put the Lyons family into their Lincoln, drove a mile into the desert, and started to transfer the belongings. When the boys were finished, Gary began shooting his shotgun into the radiator of the Lincoln to disable it. (Kennedy, p. 292) John Lyons was pleading with his captors to just leave the family there with water, but not to kill them. After an internal conflict, Gary agreed and sent the boys to the car for the water jug. They took too long and heard gunshots. When they looked they saw Gary on one side of the car and Greenawalt on the other side firing shotgun rounds into the car, killing the entire family. (Tison, 137) John Lyons suffered many shots, but still tried to get out alive. He was found about twenty-five feet from the Lincoln. Donnelda Tison was killed instantly. It seemed as though she had her body wrapped around her son to protect him from the shots. He was hit with one shot in the head. Theresa Tyson, no relationship to the Tisons, miraculously only took a shot in the hip and struggled out of the car and tried to make her way back to the highway. However, she was found about a quarter of a mile away from the car and probably bled to death. (Kennedy, p294).

             During their getaway, they stopped by a friend of Greenawalt to request that she take out a loan so they can buy a car. She agreed and they switched to a Chevy pickup. A week later they switched vehicles again, this time taking a blue and silver van from a newly married couple.