Athena Valentini was found dead in her California home in October 2018 with ten stab wounds, missing her phone and dog. Her son, Levente Lazar, claimed to be in Indiana, but cell phone records, surveillance footage, and his search for "murder Grover Beach" before the crime exposed his involvement. Detectives used these clues to confront him during the interrogation.
Police discovered a 39-year-old man dead from a gunshot to the back of his head at a residence after a 9-1-1 call. His 36-year-old wife, found at the scene, appeared distraught, but detectives questioned whether her grief masked guilt, as her statements during the investigation raised suspicions.
On February 13, 2018, Lori Eisenberg's husband, Larry, died after his body was found two weeks later with a lethal Benadryl dose. Autopsy ruled out drowning or stroke. Investigators discovered Lori's search history on lake conditions and Larry's phone logs showing her movements, leading to her conviction for murder. She received a life sentence with 30 years minimum.
In August 2023, Devyn Michaels killed her ex-husband Jonathan Willette inside his mother's home in Henderson, Nevada. She admitted to hitting him, stating he was breathing when she left but later claimed to have no memory of subsequent events. His head was never found, leading to her 28-year-to-life prison sentence.
Antonetta Stevens lured Ashley Bocanegra to a Buford, Georgia parking lot using her fiancé's phone. The attack, filmed by the perpetrators, led to Ashley's death in ICU. Her son was seven. During interrogation, Stevens requested a lawyer but continued speaking. The boyfriend, unaware the attackers lived in his building, described a random attack, contributing to conflicting accounts that affected three families.
In Bismarck, ND, a house fire in January 2020 revealed Chad Entzel's body. His wife, Nikki, had a life insurance policy and alibi, but an autopsy showed he died three days prior, contradicting her story. Detectives uncovered her scheme through evidence from the fire scene.
29-year-old nurse Tasha Bentley murdered her husband, Gary, after obtaining a $1.625 million life insurance policy and planning to move in with her lover. Detectives uncovered her secret affair, the policy taken out 12 days prior, and her own bullet, leading to her confession during interrogation.
Gabrielle Bohnâs husband was shot in the head while lying in bed next to her. She initially claimed it was an accident, cried during interrogation, blamed his mother, and insisted she feared guns despite carrying one. Detectivesâ question about whether he touched the gun led to her conviction, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence.
In February 2017, a man missed a court date and vanished in Hillsdale, Michigan. Police initially assumed he fled, but three weeks later, Amish children discovered his body. Ashley Hoath, who used his identity, claimed Jay Clark killed him after she demanded his removal. Hoathâs polygraph score of -18, below the deception threshold, raised suspicion, though detectives scrutinized her accounts during the investigation.
In September 2015, a patrol officer discovered Britney Pearl Chappelleâs burned body near Lake Arlington, Texas. A mother of three, she was fatally beaten and set on fire after trusting her hosts. Alexandria Flores claimed she was a victim, asserting Junior controlled events and she tried to help Chappelle. Detectives uncovered her fabricated story, which collapsed after a photograph revealed her involvement.
On October 13, 2021, Jason Schaefer, 33, was shot five times during a mail delivery in Longmont, Colorado. Investigators used surveillance, GPS data, and a Nissan Rogue with a missing hubcap to link his ex-girlfriend, Devan Schreiner, to the crime. She was arrested, initially cooperative, but later failed to explain her actions. Schreiner received a life sentence without parole, and her son Chase lost both parents that day.