The Case of Michele Neurauter

Michele Neurauter, 46, was found hanging inside her Corning, New York, home on August 28, 2017. Although the scene initially appeared to be a suicide, investigators immediately noticed evidence that raised suspicions of homicide. A subsequent forensic review determined that Michele had been strangled. Her ex-husband, Lloyd Neurauter, was ultimately found to have entered the home and killed her, with their 19-year-old daughter Karrie involved in the plot and subsequent staging of the scene. Lloyd pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole.

Michele Neurauter was a 46-year-old mother of three daughters who lived in Corning, New York. She had been married to Lloyd Neurauter for approximately 25 years before the couple divorced. Following the divorce, Michele remained in the family home with their children. Friends remembered Michele as a devoted mother who enjoyed gardening, entertaining friends and spending time with her daughters. Her youngest daughter, who was 14 at the time of Michele's death, lived with her. Michele and Lloyd had been involved in a prolonged custody dispute concerning their youngest daughter. The dispute had continued for several years following their divorce.

On August 28, 2017, police were called to Michele's home after a neighbour reported suspicious circumstances. Michele was found hanging from a cord attached to a stairway railing. At first glance, the scene appeared to indicate suicide. Investigators, however, noticed injuries that did not fit comfortably with that explanation. A mark on Michele's chin was particularly concerning to investigators. There were also scratches and other injuries around her face, while photographs from the autopsy showed petechial haemorrhaging in her eyes, findings that raised questions about whether she had been strangled before being positioned as though she had taken her own life. Michele's body was subsequently cremated, meaning investigators could not later conduct another physical examination of her remains.

From the beginning, investigators questioned whether Michele had actually died by suicide. Her family and friends also rejected the idea that she had taken her own life. Investigators examined Michele's relationship with Lloyd and the ongoing custody dispute. Although Lloyd was reportedly in California at the time Michele was discovered, investigators discovered that he had travelled to New York shortly beforehand to help their daughter Karrie move into an apartment near Rochester. Surveillance footage contradicted parts of the account given to police about Lloyd's movements that weekend. Investigators subsequently obtained warrants and began monitoring communications between Lloyd and Karrie. The investigation eventually revealed that Karrie had been involved in the events surrounding her mother's death. A forensic pathologist reviewed the available autopsy photographs and other medical evidence after prosecutors sought an independent assessment. The pathologist concluded that Michele had been strangled and that her death was a homicide. Investigators determined that Lloyd had travelled from New Jersey to Corning, entered Michele's home and strangled her. Karrie subsequently admitted that she had helped her father and had helped stage the scene to make Michele's death appear to be suicide. The investigation also established that Karrie had been placed under considerable pressure by her father. Lloyd was arrested in January 2018 after police confronted him at a parking garage in Princeton, New Jersey. He threatened to jump from the building before being taken into custody. Karrie was arrested separately in Syracuse, New York.

Lloyd Neurauter pleaded guilty in October 2018 to first-degree murder, first-degree custodial interference and second-degree conspiracy. During his plea, Lloyd admitted that he had killed Michele and had coerced Karrie into helping him by threatening to kill himself. He also admitted that the murder was connected to the custody dispute involving their youngest daughter and the financial obligations arising from the divorce. On December 4, 2018, Lloyd was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Karrie pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and agreed to testify against her father. She was sentenced to one to three years in prison. Michele's mother, Jeanne Laundy, publicly supported a lenient sentence for Karrie, saying that she believed Michele would ultimately have wanted her daughter to have the opportunity to rebuild her life.

The case became notable because Michele's death was initially staged to look like a suicide, but investigators refused to accept the apparent suicide at face value. The forensic evidence ultimately established that she had been strangled, leading investigators to uncover her ex-husband's involvement and his daughter's coerced participation.