James Clifford Carson was born on November 28, 1950. He spent his early years in a home that included his parents and siblings. Not much detail is known about his childhood, but by the mid-1970s, he was living in Phoenix, Arizona.

In 1977, James was married to his first wife, and they had a daughter named Jennifer. During this time, his behavior began to change significantly. This caused his wife to become worried, leading her to leave him and take their daughter with her. After his first marriage ended, he met Susan Barnes, a woman who had been divorced and had two teenage sons.

James and Susan married and started a new life together. They became involved in using drugs and exploring mysticism. At some point, James changed his name to "Michael Bear." He claimed that God had given him this new name in a letter he wrote to his daughter. Susan also changed her name, becoming known as "Suzan Bear."

In 1980, after a year spent traveling in Europe, Michael and Suzan returned to the United States. They settled in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco, California. There, they continued their involvement with drugs and embraced the counterculture of the time. Meanwhile, James's former wife grew increasingly scared of him. She worried that he might harm her or attempt to take their daughter away. To protect herself and Jennifer, she moved frequently and cut off contact with mutual friends.

In March 1981, the body of 23-year-old Karen Barnes was discovered in the apartment she shared with the Carsons in San Francisco. She had been brutally stabbed and her skull was crushed. The evidence pointed toward someone she knew, making the Carsons the primary suspects. They disappeared before her body was found. Later, they confessed to the murder, claiming that Suzan believed Karen was a witch.

The Carsons fled to a remote area near Grants Pass, Oregon, where they stayed until the spring of 1982. They then relocated to Alderpoint, California, where they worked on a marijuana farm. In May 1982, Michael Carson shot and killed Clark Stephens, a fellow worker, after a disagreement. He attempted to dispose of Stephens' body by burning it and burying it under fertilizer in the woods. When Stephens was reported missing weeks later, authorities found his remains.

Once again, the Carsons became suspects. After they abandoned their belongings, the police discovered a manifesto that called for the assassination of then-President Ronald Reagan. In November 1982, Michael was briefly arrested in Los Angeles. However, a mistake by the police allowed him to be released before he could be questioned.

In January 1983, the Carsons were hitchhiking near Bakersfield when they were picked up by Jon Charles Hellyar. Suzan decided Hellyar was also a witch and needed to be killed. An argument broke out while he was driving, leading to a physical fight. Outside of the car, Suzan stabbed Hellyar while he and Michael fought over a gun. Michael shot and killed Hellyar in full view of passing motorists. This incident led to the Carsons attempting to escape in Hellyar's car, which crashed shortly after. They were apprehended by the police.

Initially, the Carsons held a press conference confessing to all three murders. However, before their trial, they recanted their confessions and entered not guilty pleas. In June 1984, they were convicted of Karen Barnes' murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. They were later convicted of the murders of Clark Stephens and Jon Hellyar, receiving 50 years to life and 75 years to life sentences, respectively.

While incarcerated, the Carsons claimed their crimes were based on a belief that they needed to eliminate those they perceived as witches. They expressed no remorse for their actions throughout their time in prison. They were linked to a list of other potential victims, including political figures and celebrities. The Carsons were also suspected in numerous other deaths in both the U.S. and Europe.