Prior to 1981--when the so-called Wonderland murders took place--the name John Holmes connoted his pornographic film work and his unusually large bodily asset. He was one of the most prolific performers in the adult movie business throughout the '70s.
He became more and more involved with drugs through the years (taking them and dealing them) and became aligned with underworld LA night club king pin Eddie Nash. Holmes also worked for the Wonderland Gang, a group of drug addicts and dealers who lived on Wonderland Ave. in Laurel Canyon.
After some shady dealings, Holmes was on the outs with the gang. So to ingratiate himself to them, he tipped them off to Nash' stash of money and jewels and they planned and orchestrated a robbery.
Nash then got his revenge on the gang on July 1st, 1981, and had four of its members brutally murdered in their Canyon hideout. Holmes was present during the slayings, and was eventually charged with committing the four murders but acquitted.
The murders were the subject of the 2003 movie Wonderland, starring Val Kilmer and Kate Bosworth.
