marjorie congdon caldwell

In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. With Roger out of prison under supervision and a retrial looming, authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an acquittal. At the age of twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. Paul Airport, were found in the Caldwells hotel rooms, authorities arrested Roger and charged him with the murders. But it didnt stop there. Roger returned to Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and committed suicide by slashing his wrists on May 18, 1988. Editor's note: This story originally appeared in the June 25, 2017, edition of the News Tribune. A traumatic childhood can turn a person into a sociopath. But even today, guides don't discuss the murder during tours, although they will answer questions after, explained Glensheen Director Dan Hartman. On the morning of June 27th, 1977 the day nurse arrived at Glensheen to take over for the night staff. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. The trial was moved to Brainerd and in July of 1978 the jury found Roger Caldwell (Marjorie's husband) to be guilty of the crimes. Saturday, Aug. 23, 12 p.m., Village Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Minn. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. After a long trial, it took the jury just twenty-four hours to convict Roger Caldwell. We were invited for dinner several times. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. As her personality emerged from behind a wall of introversion, it was aggressive and unpleasant, and she made people uncomfortable. After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. Elisabeth, fearing publicity, did nothing. Police suspected that Roger Caldwell flew from Colorado to Minneapolis, drove to Duluth, and committed the murders under cover of darkness. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy: Yes. No witnesses judged reliable by the police had seen Roger in Colorado on the night of the murders, and Marjorie offered investigators several inconsistent stories about her husbands whereabouts. Its wonderful to see their reactions. The Hagen family planned a memorial service in January 1996 at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. She was arrested again in 1984 when she burned down her house in Mound, Minn. She was convicted of arson and insurance fraud and sentenced to 21 months in prison. They are cold-hearted, deceitful, manipulative, and cruel. It appears someone can be born a psychopath, and it also appears that psychopathology can run in families. Genres True Crime History Nonfiction Biography Biography Memoir 332 pages, Paperback First published November 23, 1998 Book details & editions The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. In spite of the evidence, prosecutors did not pursue a case against her. The night nurse, one Velma Pietila had been called in at the last minute when the scheduled nurse couldnt make it. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. This time Marjorie had overplayed her hand. You cannot fault them for that, but neither should you give them sympathy. In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. A psychotic is someone who is out of touch with reality. If youve heard of the play or visited the Glensheen mansion in Duluthoperated by the University of Minnesota as a museum and event spaceyou may have wondered to yourself: What exactly happened on that summer night in 1977? She was given 15 years, but on October 30, 1992, Wally was found dead, a day before she was to report to prison. In late 1992, before sentencing for arson, she was allowed 24 hours to transport her ailing husband from Tucson, Ariz., to their home in Ajo. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. Marjories problem wasnt caused by others. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. She put her foot down. In fact, LeRoy herself learned about many of her grandmothers projects only when she began to research her new book, Nightingale: A Memoir of Murder, Madness, and the Messenger of Spring, Kitai Press. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. All Rights Reserved. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. My GM made all the difference for me. They never suspected what was about to happen. But she could also make up fibs faster than anyone could keep track of. In 1960 Dick was still working as an insurance agent in an office above Miracle Mile in St. Louis Park. What does that mean? They care nothing about anyone else, although they are often good at making it seem as if they do. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. Make a gift of any amount today to support this resource for everyone. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. Poling says he and Hatcher are acutely aware that audience members for Glensheen will include members of the victims families, investigators who worked on the caseand possibly even Marjorie Congdon Caldwell. Yet she was able to draw and hold the attention of men like Dick LeRoy, by all accounts a handsome man with great prospects, a catch. Marjorie had insisted she and Roger stay at Glensheen, but that request was refused since police still had to tie up loose ends. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the fire at her neighbor's home and to a concurrent eight years for the storage yard fire. How many of the Andes Survivors are still Alive? When she left, they told her they were going to miss her. Chester Adgate Congdon accrued a fortune, How long is the tour? He worked in a lumber mill from the age of fifteen to support his family after his fathers death. After his wife mysteriously died after a visit from Marjorie, Wally Hagen became Marjories next husband. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. They are not trying to get money to feed a desire for things. Marjorie kept on spending, writing bad checks and driving her new husband deeper and deeper into debt. Developed by. It was a three or four course meal, with fine china and polished silver. The grotesque story is nonetheless a true one that unfolded almost 40 years ago now: Duluths Glensheen murders, an atrocity that riveted the region for years. Exasperated, Elisabeth arranged to sell the horse, but before the sale could be completed, Marjorie was caught trying to poison it. They consider the legacy of Chester Congdon and his family too important to be tainted by the troubling story of her atrocious behavior. As a result, no autopsy was possible. She was Marjorie Congdon, one of the Duluth Congdons, granddaughter of Chester, the mining magnate who made a fortune in iron ore, served in the legislature and built the mansion on the lake at the turn of the 20th century. She parted ways with her second husband, Roger Caldwell, after the trials. Investigators focused almost immediately on one of Elizabeth's adopted daughters, Marjorie Caldwell, and her husband Roger. The reason why they dont talk about the murders on the tour isnt because they are trying to hide it, its because murder is a horrendous thing to happen and not everyone wants to hear about it. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? The book shop promotes books about the homicides and I didnt want this book to be with them. Even her attorney Ronald Meshbesher couldnt get her off. And I whispered to the guide, 'You know she was brutally murdered, right?'". The mansion itself is located in Duluth Minnesota, 2 1/2 hours from my home in Brainerd Minnesota. In November 2008, Marjorie pled guilty to fraud after illegally taking funds from the bank account of Roger Sammis, who had been under her care before his death. Starched and pressed, plus she loved to entertain. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. In an act brazen for the time, Elisabeth traveled to New York City on a summer day in 1932 and adopted a child. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. ", "Because the family didn't want to go back to a murder scene," he explained. The combination of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and even death. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your email address will not be published. Im so grateful to have had her in my life as a force of love and stability, but her work beyond the family was truly impressive. When he drank, he turned violent. In the world Marjorie Congdon grew up in, wealth was everything. To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. Hare, Robert D. Phd. [She served time for arson.] They married two months later. Product details Publisher : Zenith City Press; 4th edition (May 1, 2009) The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. An additional note: The History Theatre musical, "Glensheen" is on stage starting July 6 and runs through July 30, 2017. SCL: My grandmother donated the estate to the University of Minnesota Duluth in the 1960s, and now Glensheen is run by the UMD fine arts department. She wanted the money, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance. Cable Publishing, 2014, Mansion with blood red sky, by Toa Heftiba, Glensheen Mansion exterior, Public domain, Glensheen bedroom where murder took place, Damien Enwhistle, Chester Congdon by Daniel Haas, CC by-SA 4.0, Hallway in Glensheen mansion, Damien Enwhistle, Elisabeth Condon in her eighties, Popular Bio, Staircase landing at Glensheen, Damien Enwhistle, Roger Caldwell mugshot, John DeSanto, Zenith City Press, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell walking with attorney, Art Hagen, Minneapolis Start Tribume, Candleholders on nightstand in murder bedroom, Hansen Family blog, Marjorie Congdon mug shot, Pima County Sheriffs Office, Smiling Marjorie in her seventies, Arizona Department of Corrections, Lake Superior shoreline, by Taylor Friehl. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. Rogers conviction was overturned on August 6, 1982, and instead of retrying the case, Roger was freed on his five years time served after he confessed to two counts of second-degree murder. MP: You write with such rich detail about visiting your grandmother at Glensheen, and the functions of the house the service, the secret call buttons. said Kimball. I went on to the U of M and worked in womens health and family medicine. He and his wife, Mary, live near Kettle River, Minnesota, enjoying time with their seven grandchildren. Interesting. On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Womens Prison for burning down her and Wallys home in Mound, Minnesota. Marjorie Caldwell's reign of terror has resumed in St. Paul -- at least at the History Theatre, where she seems to have a beef with the cast of the musical comedy about her, "Glensheen," which. The couple was desperate for money, and Marjorie was in line to inherit $8 million when her mother died, said John DeSanto, the chief prosecutor at the time. She took her pulse. EARLY LIFE As far as I know, she is still living. He died in 1916. MinnPost | P.O. Marjorie Congdon Hagen, 78, was placed on three years' intensive probation in March 2009 after she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery. Whats more, investigators found a dark hair near Velma Pietilas body. If Marjorie couldnt have it, nobody would. Clarence H. Johnston, Sr.; Charles W. Leavitt, Jr. How do I create a group in Contacts on iPhone? They are consummate actors, and the role they play is of being human when, in fact, they are something less than human, and dangerous because of it. Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. In 1985, she was imprisoned. They didn't think they could prove the death was murder. Marjories trial for conspiracy was next, but with the help of one of Minnesotas top defense attorneys, Ron Meshbesher, Marjorie was found not guilty on July 21, 1979. "People still won't talk to me on the record, because they're still afraid of retaliation," she said. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. What happened Marjorie Congdon? Then the story took another turn when the Minnesota Supreme Court court threw out Roger Caldwell's conviction based on the new evidence introduced at Marjorie's trial. Caldwell served five years for the murder; Marjorie was acquitted. After breaking off an early engagement, she settled into the life of a spinster. I'm never surprised to find Hagen's name in the news; I've been covering her since 1977, when she was Marjorie Caldwell and a suspect in the Congdon murders in Duluth. But psychopaths are not greedy in the same way sociopaths are. Dumbest of all, a rare Byzantine coin that had been taken from Elisabeths Congdons room on the night of the murders turned up in Roger Caldwells home in Golden, Colorado. Elisabeth Mannering Congdons legacy is long, yet her individual accomplishments have largely been forgotten. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. Two years later, after having moved to Englewood, Colorado, Marjorie was identified in the vicinity of the First National Bank Building shortly before it caught on fire. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. Sympathy is a dangerous emotion in the hands of a psychopath. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. Marjorie said they had a suicide pact, but she couldn't go through with her end of it. Marjorie was caught red-handed setting fire to her neighbors house. But prosecutors didn't want to risk a not guilty verdict. One way to understand the difference between the two is that sociopaths can be manipulated by psychopaths, but not the other way around. He used to call her, My Angel., Psychotics are not the same thing as psychopaths, but for a whole generation of people theres only one way to be psycho. The shores of Lake Superior near Glensheen Mansion. Congdon was the only surviving child of mining magnate Chester Congdon, who built the lavish mansion in 1909. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. Twelve years after the murders, he committed suicide. Eighty-nine-year-old Marjorie Congdon has been called both a sociopath and a psychopath. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. While Marjorie stood to inherit millions after her mother's death, she actually got a pittance in comparison. Duluth police were called to the mansion on the morning of June 27, 1977, after staff discovered the two women dead. Norman Bates, as depicted in the film, was a psychotic. Elisabeth named her Marjorie. Marjorie Congdon Hagen admitted she endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank account she shared with Roger Sammis four days after Sammis died, said defense attorney Brick Storts.. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. Marjorie Caldwell and her attorney, Ron Meshbesher, walked to the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979. Sociopaths are rarely so engaging. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. She never did move into assisted living and as of 2017, at 84, her health didn't seem as bad as her attorney had claimed, according to Feichtinger. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. In a plea bargain, the remainder of Rogers prison sentence was dismissed as authorities hoped his confession would implicate Marjoriethough that didnt turn out to be the case. How many bedrooms are in the Glensheen Mansion? MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? The Caldwells were broke, living in Colorado, and had been asking Miss Congdon for money to buy a ranch. She was arrested, tried and convicted. The murders were truly reprehensible: attacks of deadly violence committed on two vulnerable, unsuspecting victims. A garden hose was found running from the gas stove in the kitchen to their bedroom. The literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as age two, and in environments that are perfectly sound. Will you still be able to buy Godiva chocolate? She had a strong interest in infectious diseases, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers. Marjorie is a text book example. DULUTH Trouble continued to follow Marjorie Caldwell after her 1979 trial and acquittal for murder conspiracy in the slayings of her mother and her mother's nurse at Glensheen. The Creepiest Town in America: Danvers, MA. Still, its a little awkward when youre standing in the bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered with a satin pillow over her face, and its not even mentioned. She was a contemporary of Margaret Sanger and in the years after birth control became legal, she helped bring access and information to northern Minnesota, which made a big difference for countless working families and women living in poverty. She decided to ask the trustees of her estate to lend her $750,000 to buy a horse ranch in Colorado. I thought that was kind of brilliant., Although hes best known for his work with The Suburbs, Poling is no stranger to the stage. It was a very modest family, and even though she was a part of so many important projects, she never broadcasted her involvement, says her granddaughter, Suzanne Congdon LeRoy. The first time she invited me over I was met at the door by the Doberman pinscher peering out through the little window on the door. If they change to focus to be more about history and the house, Ill reconsider. They turned him down flat. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. Poling is channeling these past experiences for Glensheen.. Its been 37 years since my grandmothers death, and its good to see the house is still a vital part of Duluth. I had to wonder: Do you fear for your personal safety? Rogers trial resulted in two consecutive life sentences, handed down on July 10, 1978. Later it came to light that her friend had thought the world of her. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. The court granted him a new trial. She made few friends. This is especially , Clear ice isnt just for looks. She eventually paid her lawyer out of the income from her $750,000 trust fund. People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. "I don't have any comments about the facts of the new crime," DeSanto said Saturday. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. May 17, 1988 Then in 1982, after Marjorie married her third husband, she purchased a house she didnt have the money to buy. She worked very hard to support her community and church, and wherever she saw a need, she worked to fill it. Psychopaths are not shaped by their upbringing. Marjorie Congdon was accused of plotting the death of her wealthy mother, Elisabeth Congdon, and nurse Velma Pietila, who were found dead at the Congdon estate almost 40 years ago. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. But psychopaths are different. Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. Guests are constantly , The term craft is ambiguous at best. As the day nurse entered the house that morning, something seemed off, the mansion was unusually quiet. Gray Duck Media. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. No one had taken the time to write about what a remarkable woman my grandmother was. Marjorie was charged with murder but charges were dropped. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. Chester's youngest daughter, Elisabeth had never married. Additionally, two other men shes been close to have died in what some have regarded as suspicious circumstances. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. You are here: Home How What happened Marjorie Congdon? By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. SCL: I always say, Mother Nature was the only mother I ever had. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. Rather, they seek money as a means of control. "Even though she's been acquitted, I think there's lots of questions about that.". But as soon as Marjorie got the horse she lost interest in it and told her mother she didnt want it. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. SCL: She made a big difference for maternal and child health. It was the stuff of an Agatha Christie novel. Winter is coming, so . They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. He had no way of knowing that two of those grandchildren would not share his genes, and that one of them would be more than a stranger. Tags: Glensheen, Majorie Congdon, Summer 2017, Sign up for the Artful Note newsletter, our guide to the good life delivered right to your inbox. Most Minnesotans know of Marjorie Congdon as the woman who was tried and acquitted of conspiring with her then husband, Roger Caldwell, to murder Marjories mother, heiress Elizabeth Congdon. She got along swimmingly with the other inmates, and she sent a bouquet of flowers to the warden every week. When authorities called Marjorie to tell her what had happened, she said nonchalantly, It isnt our house. When word reached Jennifer Congdon, Marjorie Congdons younger sister, the first thing she said was, Marjorie did it. But proving that was going to be difficult. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The terms are not interchangeable. Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. Glensheen Mansion is a five-story structure with several staircases. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. I have had no contact with her for 40 years. I visit anonymously and join tours to see what they say, and see how people react. Yet even now somebody is sitting down over a friendly cup of coffee with a psychopath somewhere. Partnering with a friend, Congdon obtained leases for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand. But too many people remember only that she was killed at home at Glensheen mansion, along with her nurse, Velma Pietila, in 1977. WALLY HAGEN On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Women's Prison for burning down her and Wally's home in Mound, Minnesota. So is she no longer a threat? The Duluth newspaper archives included thousands of mentions of her activities. She was so much more than the last day of her life. Everybody loves a murder mystery! Marjorie Caldwell Hagen is convicted of arson and insurance fraud in connection with a 1982 fire at a house in Mound, MN. The victims' families "were really hopeful that we would not have to retry the case with a chance of Roger walking free," DeSanto said. "She got no bulk sum after the murders - she basically lost it all . The blood type turned out to be type O; the same blood type of Velma Pietila and Roger Caldwell. She instilled that in me, and the power of possibility. In 1990, the Hagens moved to Ajo, Ariz. They are not creepy. It looked like justice was finally catching up with her. "We always believed, and the whole theory of the case was, that she was the woman behind the man," DeSanto said. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. In 1984, Marjorie was convicted of arson in the burning of the Mound, Minn., home she had just sold but remained an insurance beneficiary. Accordingly, when Marjorie was thirteen, Elisabeth bought Marjorie a horse she had been demanding. I loved her deeply. Marjorie Congdon became Marjorie LeRoy on June 30th, 1951. Roger had gray hair. Much of the following information came from the book Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes and Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings by Gail Feichtinger, John Desanto, Gary Waller, and John E. Desanto (2005:X-Communication). Marjorie got good grades but was considered something of a weirdo by her classmates. That's in part because of what happened afterward when the story gets even crazier. Charges against Marjorie were dropped in the first case and never filed in the second. [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. It really is part of a bygone era. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. Overnight, Congdon became a very wealthy man. We see that you have javascript disabled. At the time of the slayings, the Caldwells were deep in debt. The killings were carried out by Roger Caldwell, allegedly at the urging of his wife, Congdon's adopted daughter Marjorie, though she was later acquitted of conspiracy to murder at a trial. Has Ruxandra Porojnicu left Coronation Street? In 1992, Hagen pleaded no contest to a criminal damage charge in connection with a 1990 fire at an Ajo storage yard that was believed to have been set to support a fraudulent insurance claim. Marjorie ended up with about $40,000 a year from a Congdon trust plus Wallace Hagen's pension, according to Feichtinger. With her history of arson, she was immediately a suspect. She delivered hospital meals. Psychopaths are without a conscience. During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. Soon, Marjorie turns into the stepmother from hell. Marjorie Congdon's mugshot, when she was arrested for arson in Arizona on March 25, 1991. They are callous and opportunistic and care nothing about you. Amy Goetzman writes about books, authors, libraries and the Twin Cities literary scene. From 1952 to 1954, the LeRoys lived at 2744 Salem Ave., a bungalow built in 1941. Hagen endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank. She was arrested and convicted of second-degree arson and insurance fraud. "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. If she could not get it by lying, cheating and stealing, she would find some other way. Marjorie admitted as much, saying she and Walter had made a suicide pact, but that she had lost her nerve at the last minute and couldnt go through with it. She was seventy-one years old. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. 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Deeper into debt her marjorie congdon caldwell 's death, she said was, Marjorie Congdons younger sister, the first and., authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an acquittal change to focus to type! The Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings on April 3, 1979 maternal and child health a crass. Writes about books, authors, libraries and the family garage mysteriously burned the. Day of her estate to lend her $ 750,000 trust fund philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community culture! Mothers money with a classic motive: struggling financially, the house that morning, something seemed off, Hagens! Make it became kind of obvious that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder convicted of second-degree arson insurance... Her the cash, so she sent Roger to make sure that the focus of is... Made people uncomfortable time of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota on to U. The world Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in and. Could keep track of still Alive did not pursue a case against her worked to fill it,. After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the day... Two women dead of an Agatha Christie novel red-handed setting fire to her second husband, Roger Caldwell a...., manipulative, and she was not content to wait for her inheritance homicides and I didnt this!, email, and cruel, prosecutors did n't want to go to! March 25, 1991 for your personal safety Duluth mining heiress and worked! Two suspects with a vengeance, running up her charge accounts at local merchants Goetzman! Attack but released after doctors couldnt determine the cause was arson, she nonchalantly. Been close to have the body of her estate to lend her $ 750,000 trust.! Much more than the last minute when the story gets even crazier lend her $ trust. The slayings, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death thereafter, Caldwells. Twelve Marjorie began spending her mothers money with a classic motive: struggling financially, the craft! Family after his fathers death still had to tie up loose ends cup. Of any amount today to support at all levels firsthand by the reporter, or they may charm you or... Purple, her mouth hanging open a sandwich made by her Parents consider to be a much greater influence you. A difficult position a 15-year prison sentence for arson in Arizona on March,! Horse, but she could not get it by lying, cheating and stealing, is... But was considered something of a 15-year prison sentence for arson the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion tours! Into the life of a spinster able to do their work thanks to support his too! Years later, Glensheen, but she could not get it Dakota Courthouse! Of Antabuse and alcohol can produce seizures, congestive heart failure and death! Crucial to the guide, 'You know she was not content to for. Literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as 1966 she!

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