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Lois Riess, dubbed the "Killer Grandma," is an American woman who committed two murders in 2018, leading to a nationwide manhunt and her eventual capture. Background Born in 1962 in Rochester, Minnesota, Lois Riess appeared to lead a typical life as a wife, mother of three, and grandmother. However, beneath this facade, she struggled with a severe gambling addiction and had a history of financial misconduct, including embezzling from her sister. Biography The Murders On March 11, 2018, after a heated argument, Riess shot and killed her husband, David Riess, at their home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. She then forged his signature to withdraw $11,000 from his bank account and fled the state. Riess traveled to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, where she befriended 59-year-old Pamela Hutchinson, a woman who resembled her. On April 5, 2018, Riess murdered Hutchinson to assume her identity, stealing her ID, credit cards, and vehicle. She used these to continue her escape, traveling through several states. Capture and Sentencing Riess was apprehended on April 19, 2018, in South Padre Island, Texas, after a tip from a restaurant employee who recognized her. She pleaded guilty to both murders and received two life sentences without the possibility of parole. She is currently incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee.
