Forensic Files Premiered ‘The Financial Downfall’: Navy Spouse Deanna Wild Falls to Her Death While Sightseeing at Big Sur Cliff in California (August 11, 2004)

A beautiful, vibrant young woman fell to her death from a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Initially, investigators thought it was just a terrible accident. But after a closer forensic examination of photographs taken at the scene, police had a very different story of what had happened. -The Financial Downfall, Forensic Files (S9,E12)

Editor’s Note: Full episodes of Forensic Files are available on a variety of media platforms. Forensic Files Channel features full episodes of Forensic Files on YouTube. You can also find full episodes of Forensic Files on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. On Netflix, the seasons are grouped as collection 1-9. On Amazon Prime Video, you can find Season 1-10 here; Season 11; Season 12; Season 13; Season 14; Season 15; Season 16; Season 17; Season 18; Season 19; Season 20; and Season 21. Start bingeing and see for yourself why Forensic Files is such a hit!

Related Links:
Forensic Files Wiki: Virginia McGinnis
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | IMDb
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Facebook Fan Club
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Full Episodes (S9,E12)
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Netflix (Collection 4, E20)
The Financial Downfall | Forensic Files | Amazon Prime Video (S9,E21)
Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Pushed Deanna Wild Off Cliff in California; Reardon Sentenced to Life, McGinnis Died Before Trial (April 2, 1987)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Vicious Vixens’ on ID; Virginia Reardon & Billie Joe McGinnis Kill Son’s Wife for Life Insurance Benefits (August 16, 2013)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Press Release: Department of State Returns Double Homicide Suspect Adib “Eddie” Ramez Makdessi to U.S. (July 22, 2003)

Eddie Makdessi
Fugitive: Adib “Eddie” Ramez Makdessi

DSS Returns Double Homicide Suspect to U.S.

Bureau of Diplomatic Security
U.S. Department of State
Washington, DC

August 4, 2003

Adib “Eddie” Ramez Makdessi, formerly of Virginia Beach and a fugitive from U.S. law enforcement, was located and returned to the United States by the Diplomatic Security Service on July 22. Makdessi was wanted for the 1996 murder of his wife, Elise Makdessi, and one of her co-workers, Quincy Brown.

Makdessi originally claimed that he and his wife were ambushed in their home, he was knocked unconscious and awoke to find Brown stabbing his wife. Makdessi stated he shot Brown with a gun from his wife’s nightstand. After several years of investigation, Makdessi was indicted with the first-degree murders of his wife and her co-worker in 2001. He then fled the country.

Law enforcement authorities contacted the DSS, which located Makdessi in Russia. However, no extradition treaty exists between the United States and Russia, so securing a provisional warrant was not possible. There was nothing law enforcement could do.

Read more from the Department of State here.

Victims:

Related Links:
Tailhook Plaintiff Wins Suit (1994)
DSS Returns Double Homicide Suspect to U.S.
Man accused of killing wife, her lover a decade ago finally to go on trial
Forensic Expert Uses Blood to Re-Create 1996 Slayings
Jury recommends life sentence for Makdessi
The word of a jailhouse snitch: Can it be trusted?
Officer, paramedic recall Elise Makdessi’s death
You’ll never believe what a convicted killer is requesting from a judge
State of Virginia: Adib Eddie Makdessi v. Harold Clarke (2016)
Eddie Makdessi Wiki: Sex, Lies, Videotape, Murder, and Conviction
Updates on James Kidwell and Eddie Makdessi | Forensic Files Now
Female sailor’s false rape allegation, plot fails | A Voice for Men
Navy Petty Officer Elise Makdessi Double Crossed & Murdered by Husband; Eddie Makdessi Found Guilty of Murder for the Life Insurance, Sentenced to Life in Prison (May 14, 1996)
Navy Petty Officer Quincy Brown Murdered by Military Spouse Motivated to Kill by Wife’s $700,000 Life Insurance Policy (May 14, 1996)
Eddie Makdessi Convicted of Two Counts of 1st Degree Murder in Virginia; Given Two Life Sentences for the Homicides of Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown (March 16, 2006)
Solved Premiered ‘Last Man Standing’ on ID: Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown Found Murdered in Makdessi’s Virginia Home (October 26, 2009)
Unusual Suspects Premiered ‘Deadly Accusations’ on ID: Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown Found Murdered in Makdessi’s Virginia Home (January 25, 2015)
48 Hours NCIS Premiered ‘The Double Cross’: Navy Sailors Elise Makdessi & Quincy Brown Found Murdered in Makdessi’s Virginia Home (April 25, 2017)
Forensic Files Sex Crimes Double Cross 1
Forensic Files Sex Crimes Double Cross 2
Deadly Accusations | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (Amazon Video)
Deadly Accusations | Unusual Suspects | Investigation Discovery (S7,E4)
Last Man Standing | Solved | Investigation Discovery (S2,E10)
Last Man Standing | Solved | Investigation Discovery (website)
Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance is a Common Motive for Murder

Military Spouse Jessica Meyers Found Dead in Abandoned Vehicle; Army Soldiers Jeremy Meyers & Christopher Baber Guilty of Murder for the Life Insurance Policy (July 20, 2003)

US Army

Initially Jessica Bart Meyers was reported missing to the police but five days later her dead body was discovered in an abandoned car near the harbor on July 20, 2003 in Tacoma, Washington. Jessica had been strangled to death. Fort Lewis Army soldiers Jeremy Meyers & Christopher Baber were charged with her murder. Jeremy and Christopher tried to make the murder look like a robbery gone wrong. Investigators discovered that Jeremy took out a life insurance policy on Jessica without her knowledge. And these two soldiers conspired to kill Jessica for the $100,000 life insurance policy. Jeremy offered to pay $10,000 to anyone who would help him with his plan to kill his wife. The murder would also allow Jeremy to move forward in a new relationship with 15 year old Sarah Benton, who he made travel plans with shortly before the murder. Christopher Baber was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 8 years in prison. Jeremy Meyers was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to 41 years in prison.

Investigation Discovery:

ID Go: A young army private with delusions of greatness has a lusty affair A young army private with delusions of greatness has a lusty affair with an underage tart. Nothing will get in the way of his illicit affair- including his loving wife and infant son. -Head Games, Deadly Sins (S4,E7)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch all of the Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. Download the ID Go app and binge away. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $2.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict.

Related Links:
Jessica Bart (January 29th, 1982 – July 20th, 2003)
Faked Robbery Leads to Murder Charges Against Two Soldiers
Two soldiers arraigned in death of one’s wife
Bothell family waits for justice
Two Fort Lewis soldiers convicted in killing of one’s wife
GI guilty in murder of his wife
Home Front Casualties
State of Washington v. Jeremy Myers (2006)
Is something being hidden in the Fort Lewis wife-killing case of Nabila Bare?
Psycho For Love: Jeremy Meyers killed his wife, Jessica Lynn Meyers, so he could be with his new girlfriend
Head Games | Deadly Sins | Investigation Discovery (S4,E7)
Head Games | Deadly Sins | Investigation Discovery (ID website)

Air Force Col. Philip Shue Died in an Apparent Car Accident, But Autopsy Revealed Much More; Texas Judge Ruled Cause of Death as Homicide (April 16, 2003)

36015280_124010812543
Colonel Philip Shue, US Air Force

US Air Force Colonel Philip Shue died of what appeared to be the result of a violent car crash until one took a closer look at the scene of the car crash and observed the injuries inflicted on Col. Shue’s body unrelated to the crash. After erratic driving, Col. Shue’s car veered off a highway driving away from San Antonio, Texas in the opposite direction of Lackland Air Force Base where he worked. The car crashed into a tree making impact on the driver’s side and Col. Shue was found dead at the scene with duct tape on his wrists and ankles, a six inch knife wound in his chest, and his nipples were removed. Local investigators and the U.S. Air Force all concluded that this was a deeply troubled man experiencing a psychological breakdown that led to suicide. But Col. Shue’s wife Tracy believes otherwise and shares that her husband was happy and lived life to the fullest until he started getting anonymous, threatening notes. Tracy wants justice for Col. Shue because the incidents leading up to the day in question definitely raise red flags and lead one to believe that this death was in fact more likely a homicide.

Tracy Shue believes that indeed there is a person of interest in the case and that all avenues of justice should be pursued in the death of her husband. Tracy revealed that Philip had been married before and as a stipulation of a divorce agreement, his ex-wife Nancy Shue was granted ownership of a one million dollar life insurance policy in Col. Shue’s name. Prior to Col. Shue’s death, he started receiving alarming letters including one that indicated the writer of the note overheard plans to commit his murder for the life insurance money; this person led the reader to believe they wanted to warn him that he was in danger. This did cause concern for Col. Shue because he knew that his ex-wife had a significant life insurance policy in his name. He attempted to cancel the life insurance policy but was unable to because he didn’t have the authority to do so. It wasn’t until around this time that he started to become stressed because he felt like he had lost control of his very own life. Tracy shared that Col. Shue was not the person that investigators and the Air Force tried to portray. Col. Shue was planning to retire and had paid a down payment on a new home in another state.

Was US Air Force Colonel Philip Michael Shue’s death a suicide or murder? Learn more from LordanArts’ BrainScratchers in depth analysis of this cold case. John Lordan is thorough in his examination and makes some interesting observations. Watch the 48 Hours Mystery ‘The Curious Case of Col. Shue’ on YouTube here. Please follow the case of Colonel Philip Shue with author Cilla McCain here.

Related Links:
Col. Philip Michael Shue (1948 – 2003)
Colonel Philip Shue
Colonel Philip M. Shue, USAF
Mishap or Murder?
Judge clears USAA in colonel’s death
Air Force Colonel Philip Shue’s Death Finally Ruled Murder
Texas Attorney General: Court Ordered Amendment to Death Certificate
The Curious Case of Col. Shue
The Curious Case Of Col. Shue [Video]
Preview: The Curious Case Of Col. Shue
Bizarre Circumstances Surround an Air Force Colonel’s Death
Dr. Wecht’s murder mystery tour: cold, hard facts on the famous
Turning Tragedy Into Activism: Remembering Colonel Philip Shue
7 Unexplained Deaths That Will Shake Your Faith In Reason
Unsolved Mysteries and Scary Stuff: Bizarre Cases of the Missing and Murdered Vol. 3
The Strange Death of Colonel Shue
Air Force Colonel Killed
New Relevations in Col. Shue Murder Mystery
Expert Blasts Faulty Medical Examiner’s Report On Death Of Col. Shue
Biography Colonel Philip Michael Shue, M.D., US Air Force
Facebook: Colonel Philip Michael Shue
Military Families for Justice
Follow the Case of Colonel Philip Shue with Author Cilla McCain
BrainScratch: Colonel Philip Michael Shue (YouTube)
Life Insurance Fraud is a Common Motive for Murder in the Military
Violent Crime, Suicide & Non Combat Death at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Army National Guardsman Charles Lewis Fatally Shot Before Deployment to Iraq; Step-Mother Teresa Lewis Conspired, Executed by State of Virginia (October 30, 2002)

Screen Shot 2018-02-19 at 7.48.18 PM
Charles ‘CJ’ Lewis, Maryland Army National Guard

In the News:

A Virginia woman, Teresa Lewis, is scheduled to be executed in on September 23, which would be the first US execution of a woman in five years and in the state of Virginia over a decade. A Virginia woman who used sex and money to persuade two men to kill her husband and her stepson, in order to collect a $250,000 life insurance policy. -RT America (July 30, 2010)

The US state of Virginia is set to execute by lethal injection a 41-year-old grandmother, the first woman to be put to death in Virginia in almost 100 years. -Al Jazeera English (September 23, 2010)

Despite Teresa Lewis’ admission of guilt, many are still coming to her defense. -ABC News (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis set to die on death row – 5:30 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis execution – 6 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis, 41, became the first woman executed in Virginia in nearly a century. -CNN (September 23, 2010)

Teresa Lewis executed – 11 p.m. -WAVY TV 10 (September 24, 2010)

Woman executed in Virginia. -CNN (September 24, 2010)

Mentally Challenged Woman Executed? -The Young Turks (September 24, 2010)

Theresa Lewis before her tragic execution. -Ignored Voices (November 18, 2010)

Investigation Discovery:

Preview: Teresa Michelle Lewis used sex for currency to get what she wanted. -To Love and To Murder, Deadly Women (S5,E5)

Marriage is a lifelong commitment of love, and wedding vows. ‘To have and to hold; for better, for worse; until death do us part’. But for these monstrous wives, it was only the vow of ‘death do us part’ they upheld. -To Love and To Murder, Deadly Women (S5,E5)

While mourning the death of his wife, Julian falls hard for his much-younger coworker Teresa. For a time, her spunk lifts him out of to his sorrows until a sordid affair plunges him even deeper into the abyss. -Second Chance at Death, Fatal Vows (S5, E1)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Related Links:
Teresa Lewis v. Commonwealth of Virginia (2004)
Profile and Crimes of Teresa Lewis
John Grisham Asks– Why is Teresa Lewis on Death Row?
John Grisham: Teresa Lewis didn’t pull the trigger. Why is she on death row?
Teresa Lewis: the face of gender differences on death row
Two Men Pulled the Trigger–Why Must Teresa Lewis Die?
For Teresa Lewis, Execution Would Be Unjust
Woman on Death Row Runs Out of Appeals
In Virginia, a Woman on the Verge of Execution
Debating Women and the Death Penalty
Death Row and the Pussy Pass
Lady Killer: How the planned execution of Teresa Lewis challenges our views on gender and capital punishment
Teresa Lewis, Mentally Disabled Woman, To Be Executed In Virginia This Month
Executing Teresa Lewis is Wrong
I’m very sorry: the final words of Teresa Lewis
Death-row woman Teresa Lewis’s last words: ‘I’m very sorry’
Teresa Lewis Appeared Fearful as She Entered Virginia’s Death Chamber
Virginia executes Teresa Lewis; people gather in Roanoke to protest
‘I witnessed my stepmom’s execution’
Teresa Lewis Executed; Kagan Broke with Female Colleagues in Stay Vote
Teresa Lewis executed in Virginia
Va. puts Teresa Lewis to death; rare US female execution
Virginia puts woman to death by lethal injection
Virginia executes Teresa Lewis for role in slayings of husband, stepson in 2002
Teresa Lewis is Executed; What Made Her Case So Interesting?
Teresa Lewis executed by lethal injection in Virginia for conspiring in murders of husband, stepson
Virginia executes its first woman since 1912 as Teresa Lewis dies by lethal injection amid international outcry
Va. executes first woman in nearly 100 years
US woman Teresa Lewis executed for family murders
‘Borderline disabled’ grandmother put to death for double murder
The cruel and unusual punishment of Teresa Lewis
Execution Of Virginia Woman Stirs Objections
Virginia’s execution of a woman may signal shift in national thinking
Only After Virginia Woman Is Executed Do The Gory Details Emerge
The Controversial Execution of Teresa Lewis, Who Had Her Husband & Stepson Killed for Cash
Teresa Lewis Executed in Virginia; Plotted Murder of Her Husband and Stepson
Supreme Court to revisit death penalty for mentally disabled
13 Female Murderers’ Last Meals Serve A Plate Of Bizarre Requests, From Sweet Peas To A Nice Bowl Of Apricots
Teresa Lewis: ‘Fatal Vows’ On ID Begins With ‘Frightened’ Executed Inmate’s Murder Story Of Julian Lewis
Episode 10: The Case of Teresa Lewis | Death’s Door Podcast
Contract Killer : The True Story of Teresa Lewis by Chelsea Cross
Executing Women in the USA | Amnesty International
Deadly Women Premiered ‘To Love and To Murder’ on Investigation Discovery: Teresa Lewis Used Sex to Get What She Wanted (August 26, 2011)
Fatal Vows Premiered ‘Second Chance at Death’ on Investigation Discovery: Father and Son Julian & CJ Lewis Murdered in Virginia Home (May 13, 2017)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Video Links:
Sex, money and the death penalty
US grandmother set to be executed
Virginia Set to Execute First Woman Since 1912
Teresa Lewis set to die on death row – 5:30 p.m.
Teresa Lewis execution – 6 p.m.
CNN: Accounts of Teresa Lewis being put to death
Theresa Lewis before her tragic execution
Execution of Teresa Lewis
Teresa Lewis executed – 11 p.m.
Woman executed in Virginia
Teresa Lewis Receives Execution By Lethal Injection
Mentally Challenged Woman Executed?
Song A Day #634: The Ballad of Teresa Lewis
Death Row Prisoners Last Meals
The Puppetmaster | Deadly Women (Preview)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S5, E5)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
To Love and To Murder | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (S5,E1)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (website)
Second Chance at Death | Fatal Vows | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)

Army SSG John Diamond Convicted of Murder of Air Force Capt. Frank Theer; Military Court Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (August 28, 2001)

Michele Theer photo
John Diamond, US Army

Army SSG John Diamond, 28, was accused of fatally shooting Air Force Capt. Frank ‘Marty’ Theer in Fayetteville, North Carolina on December 17, 2000. Capt. Theer and his wife Michelle were on their way to a Christmas party when Michelle claimed she needed to stop at her place of employment. After waiting for awhile, Capt. Theer exited his vehicle to check on Michelle. As he ascended the stairs at the office building, he was shot multiple times and died at the scene. The Fayetteville Police Department launched a homicide investigation and would learn that Michelle Theer was having an affair a married Fort Bragg Army Ranger named John Diamond. It was later theorized that psychologist and Air Force Reservist Michelle Theer was the mastermind behind the murder of her husband. She was accused of setting Capt. Theer up when she lured him to her office; she was also accused of manipulating SSG Diamond to commit the murder. The prosecutor’s theorized the motive for the homicide of Capt. Theer was the Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance money.

During the investigation, the police got a tip that a gun matching the murder weapon was in the custody of SSG Diamond which connected him to the crime. Conveniently, SSG Diamond admitted to having a gun that fit the description of the one used in the murder but he claimed his vehicle had been broken into and the gun was stolen. SSG Diamond was arrested by the US Army for having an unregistered weapon on a federal installation while they investigated his role in the murder. They would learn that despite his marriage status, he was in love with Michelle Theer and would do anything for her. The military courts charged SSG Diamond with first degree murder and on August 28, 2001, a six-member military panel at Fort Bragg found him guilty; Staff Sgt. John Diamond was sentenced to life in federal prison. Michelle Theer disappeared by the time the civilian authorities caught up with her but she was eventually located in Florida living under an assumed identity. Michelle Theer was convicted of conspiracy to commit first degree murder on December 3, 2004 and sentenced to life in prison, no parole.

Investigation Discovery:

In 2000, Michelle Theer was an Air Force wife in the military town of Fayetteville until a fatal shooting made her a widow. The investigation into her husband’s death led police to the door of an Army Ranger – taking orders from very unlikely accomplices. -Fayetteville, Sins and Secrets (S2,E3)

Sexy psychologist and doting Air Force wife Michelle begins a swinging affair with Army Sgt. Diamond while her husband, Captain Marty Theer, is away. But all’s fair in love and war, and Marty’s return will remind them that love is a battlefield. -Sergeant Swinger, Scorned: Love Kills (S4,E1)

Oxygen:

A frantic, distraught woman runs into a video rental store screaming that her husband has been shot. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples

Killer Couples: S8 E5 Preview – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen

Killer Couples: S8 E5 After the Verdict – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen

Psychologist Debbie Layton-Tholl talks about her experience meeting with Michelle Theer. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples

A lonely military wife and psychologist go searching for sex on the Internet with deadly results. -Michelle Theer & John Diamond, Killer Couples (S8,E5)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Related Links:
Website: Free John Diamond
Staff Sgt. John Diamond | The JAG Hunter
Wife of Slain Soldier Charged with Murder
Makeover Madness | People Magazine Investigates
Conviction of pilot’s wife in killing upheld
United States v. Staff Sergeant John M. Diamond (2007)
Investigator: Did Michelle manipulate for murder?
Witness: Did Michelle manipulate for murder?
John Diamond vs United States of America (2010)
Convicted killer wants prison to stop censoring his racy letters
Sinclair Takes His Legal Battle Online
Michelle Theer case featured on ‘Killer Couples’
Psychologist Michelle Theer, Her Internet Affair With John Diamond, and the Murder of Air Force Captain Marty Theer
On the Firing Line | Military Corruption
Army Wives: The Unwritten Code of Military Marriage | Tanya Biank
Cyber Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Defense | Robert Shimonski
Murder Along the Cape Fear: A North Carolina Town in the Twentieth Century | David Morgan
The Officer’s Wife: A True Story of Unspeakable Betrayal and Cold-Blooded Murder | Michael Fleeman
Fayetteville | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (S2,E3)
Fayetteville | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (website)
Fayetteville | Sins and Secrets | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Sergeant Swinger | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (S4,E1)
Sergeant Swinger | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (website)
Sergeant Swinger | Scorned: Love Kills | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Killer Couples: S8 E5 Sneak Peek – My Husband Has Been Shot! | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E5 Preview – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E5 After the Verdict – Michelle Theer and John Diamond | Oxygen
Killer Couples: S8 E5 Bonus Clip – Michelle Was Villified by the Media | Oxygen
Michelle Theer & John Diamond | Killer Couples | Oxygen (S8,E5)
Michelle Theer & John Diamond | Killer Couples | Oxygen (Amazon)
Air Force Capt. Frank Theer Murdered by Unidentified Gunman; Wife Michelle & Army SSG John Diamond Sentenced to Life in Prison (December 17, 2000)
Former Air Force Reservist Michelle Theer Convicted of Murder of Husband Frank Theer; Sentenced to Life in Prison, No Parole (December 3, 2004)
Sins and Secrets Premiered ‘Fayetteville’ on Investigation Discovery: Michelle Theer & John Diamond Left a Permanent Mark on Community (January 26, 2012)
Scorned, Love Kills Premiered ‘Sergeant Swinger’ on ID: Air Force Captain’s Murder Reveals Wife’s Evil Intent, Adultery & Greed (October 4, 2014)
Killer Couples Premiered ‘Michelle Theer & John Diamond’ on Oxygen: Affair Leads to Murder of Air Force Capt. Marty Theer (September 3, 2016)
Scorned, Love Kills: 6 Active Duty Military Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Navy Veteran Christopher Ingraham Jr. Fatally Shot While Sleeping; Girlfriend Katrina Bridges Found Guilty, Sentenced to 47 Years (January 4, 2001)

IMG_2315
Katrina Bridges, Jonesboro, Maine

In 1999, 18-year-old Katrina Bridges and 21-year-old Chris Ingraham were head over heels in love. Chris was the all American guy and he was in the U.S. Navy. He was the guy everybody loved to be around. It was a magical time for both of them that is until Katrina found out she was pregnant only three months after they began dating. Chris didn’t run away, he wanted to do the right thing, and he wanted to be a dad. Chris agreed to move to Maine from New York so Katrina could be close to her family. Chris needed to provide for the family so he got a job at the local Naval base as a clerk. Chris recognized he had a family and he was going to take care of them. The young couple had a supportive family including Katrina’s grandmother. But there’s something no one knew…Katrina had a serious problem. Cute little Katrina didn’t care who she took money from. And if she could steal from her own grandmother, she was capable of anything. Stealing was a bad habit Katrina had been doing for years. She stole from her school and family members in the past. Money was the object for her.

Katrina not only stole from friends and family but also the State of Maine. She received welfare benefits because she said there was no other income coming into the family even though Chris had a job. According to former FBI profiler Candice DeLong, compulsive thievery can be a sign of psychopathy and Katrina was a psychopath. DeLong explained that psychopaths steal because it makes them feel good, it’s a thrill, and they think they pulled one over on someone. The higher the risk, the more fun it is for them. And every time they get away with it, that buys them more time to steal something bigger and more valuable. Katrina’s life was all lies and she was a fraud. But one day, Katrina’s thieving ways were discovered. Her grandmother reported that some checks were missing and discovered Katrina had forged some checks and tried to cash them. Chris was appalled and when he confronted her, Katrina denied it. Chris reminded her that she stole from him, she stole from family, and he had enough.

Chris Ingraham didn’t know what to do; it was about money and trust. He was nervous about her raising their son because of some of the trust issues. He told Katrina that if she didn’t get professional help, he was leaving and taking their son with him. Chris gave her an ultimatum and this was most likely Katrina’s breaking point. Then one day, they got a knock at the door. It was a door-to-door life insurance salesman and this gave Katrina another option. When Chris got a life insurance policy for $15,000 that paid double indemnity in the event of an accident, Katrina saw a mountain of gold. So now there was a lot of money at stake. In Jonesboro, Maine on January 2, 2001, Katrina Bridges staged a robbery in her own home. Again, she was looking for money and she took some of Chris’ video games and sold them for a few dollars a piece. She called Chris at work and told him they had been burglarized. She told him they stole his shot gun and his video games. He told her to call the police…but she never did.

When Chris got home, he discovered that the shot gun was still there, no jewelry was missing, but the playstation games were gone. He knew that no one had broken into their home. He figured out that she took his games and sold them. He confronted Katrina and again she denied it. He told her he was done with her and the situation. The stage was set. Now Katrina had Chris exactly where she wanted him: defenseless and sound asleep. She didn’t have to go through with the murder but psychopaths are cool, calm and collected even when committing the most serious of crimes. She had no problem committing the murder, no guilt, no remorse, only nerves of steel. Katrina went into the marital bedroom and shot Chris once in the head while he lay asleep but the one shot didn’t kill Chris. Katrina attempted to shoot him a second time but the gun wasn’t working properly. So she just left him struggling for his life, took the child, and left the home. Now she needed to create an alibi. Katrina cut her hair and went to her mother’s house. She told her mother she was kidnapped by Canadian drug dealers.

Katrina said Canadian drug dealers broke into her house so she fled but was worried about what may have happened to Chris. The only reason for Katrina to cut her hair was to get rid of any blood smears or powder burns or powder soot that may have come from the gun when she fired it. Some ten hours after the shooting, Katrina finally went to the police. The police immediately went to the house to check on Chris and he was still alive and taken to the hospital; 24 hours later he died. Katrina told the cops there were two intruders and one of them raped Chris but the cops didn’t believe her story. Once Katrina realized her first story wasn’t believable, she changed her story and said Chris was depressed and he wanted them both to commit suicide. Now it was suddenly a murder-suicide pact. The police asked Katrina who pulled the trigger. Katrina said Chris wanted to commit suicide but he didn’t have the guts to do it himself and asked Katrina to do it. She put the gun to his head, she said she thought the safety was on, but then she pulled the trigger and the gun went off.

The cops arrested her on the spot because of her implausible stories and a history of lies, robbery, and Chris’ life insurance policy. It all pointed to her guilt. In 2003, Katrina Bridges was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to forty-seven (47) years in prison. Profiler DeLong summarized, “Katrina Bridges was cute, she was a pretty one, but she was pretty poison.” For Katrina, it wasn’t about the money, the lies and the thieving were fun. There were no indications Katrina had a drug problem, so what was she doing with the money? She didn’t need the money, she did it because it was fun but the consequences for those around her were devastating. Katrina Bridges was calculating, manipulative, secretive, and devious…and she’s right where she belongs.

Source: ‘Love Leaves Town’ Deadly Women, Investigation Discovery

Investigation Discovery:

With hearts of stone, these Deadly Women give their men special send-offs when “Love Leaves Town.” A young mom prefers her vices to her boyfriend. -Love Leaves Town, Deadly Women (S10, E12)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

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Love Leaves Town | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S10, E12)
Love Leaves Town | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
Love Leaves Town | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
Love Leaves Town | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘Love Leaves Town’ on ID: Katrina Bridges Shot Her Sleeping Boyfriend for the Life Insurance (November 25, 2016)
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on Investigation Discovery

Fort Hood Army Soldier Gary Prokop Killed by Wife & Friends for Benefits & Life Insurance; Tyshee Prokop Sentenced to Life in Prison (June 25, 1998)

Tyshee Prokop Deadly Women
She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep

When some brides vowed to love and honor their husbands, they lied. These Deadly Women made a mockery of marital commitment. They only promised “To Have and To Kill”. -To Have and To Kill, Deadly Women (S8, E14)

Tyshee Prokop and her childhood friends from Killeen, Texas murdered Gary Prokop, an Army soldier stationed at Fort Hood in 1998. Tyshee married Gary shortly after meeting him and they had a child together. But Tyshee wasn’t ready for family life. About a year and a half after they were married, they filed for divorce. Gary was going to get out of the Army and move back home. Tyshee conspired with her friends to have Gary murdered before he got out of the Army so she could collect medical benefits and the $100,000 dollar life insurance policy. He was murdered on June 25th with a single gunshot wound to the head while he was sleeping. One of the co-conspirators, Rodney Barfield, felt remorse about his involvement with the crime. He confessed his full involvement in the murder and detailed everyone’s roles. In 2002, Tyshee Prokop and her friends were arrested and charged with the murder of Gary Prokop. They were sentenced as follows:

Tyshee Manik Prokop – pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison
Charles Edward Turnbull III – convicted, sentenced to life in prison
Rodney Barfield – pled guilty, sentenced to 25 years
Reuben James Salgado – pled guilty (tampering with evidence charge)
Jacob Luther Harris – pled guilty (to a conspiracy charge)

Editor’s note: With a cable subscription, you can download the free ID Go app and watch Investigation Discovery programming at your convenience. And for those who do not have cable, you can watch “unlocked” episodes on the ID Go app including the latest premieres. For those who prefer commercial free programming during your binge session, Prime Video has an ID channel: ‘True Crime Files by Investigation Discovery” available for $3.99 a month. It’s a compilation of older seasons but totally worth the cost if you are a true crime addict. Download the ID Go app or purchase ID True Crime Files & binge away.

Related Links:
Spec Gary Thomas Prokop | Find A Grave
Army wife charged in husband’s killing
Killeen woman accused of murdering husband pleads not guilty
Jcc Man Arrested On Charges Tied To Texas Killing
Killeen woman pleads guilty to murder, avoids death penalty
‘Prokop 5’ murder suspect pleads guilty to tampering with evidence
Four of five sentenced for Killeen murder-for-hire scheme
Victim’s parents get child custody
Forensics could be key to two-year mystery
She Had Her Gang Boyfriend Kill Her Husband In His Sleep | Deadly Women
Tyshee Prokop had her husband, Spec Gary Thomas Prokop, killed for his military benefits and insurance
Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Prison Inmates | The Texas Tribune
Parole Review Info for Tyshee Manik Prokop | Texas Dept of Criminal Justice
ISO A Femme Fatale? Jail Babes Has The Hook-Up
Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance is a Common Motive for Murder
Violent Crime, Suicide, and Non Combat Death at Fort Hood, Texas (US Army)
Deadly Women Premiered ‘To Have and To Kill’ on ID: Gary Prokop Murdered for Military Death Benefits and Life Insurance (October 17, 2014)
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside
Deadly Women: 30 Military and Veteran Homicide Cases Featured on ID
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (S8,E14)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (website)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Amazon)
To Have and To Kill | Deadly Women | Investigation Discovery (Hulu)