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She stabbed a man: Judge does WHAT in Duluth?
Minneapolis woman shoots cousin and his attorney in government center
70-year-old woman arrested for murder of her husband in Hill City
New Prague woman shoots husband then kills herself following night
Colorado GOP convention delegate seduced and robbed of $50,000 by woman in Minneapolis
What's New on CompuServe, February 6, 2002
by Cathryn Conroy, CompuServe News Editor
Leah Marie Fairbanks of Duluth, Minnesota pled guilty to first-degree assault for stabbing Ciro Carales-Toledo five times when the two got in a fight last May. Fairbanks, who is 26, was drunk at the time.
Her sentence: Judge Terry Hallenbeck has ordered her to read and prepare reports on eight works, including the:
• Declaration of Independence;
• Emily Dickinson's “We Never Know;” and
• Ernest Hemingway's “The Old Man and the Sea.”
You read that right. She stabbed a guy five times and as punishment she has to write book reports.
Do you think this sentence is ridiculous or fair?
The judge also sentenced her to 14 months probation. If she doesn't do her homework, she'll get up to eight years in the slammer.
Needless to say, this was a radical departure from the traditional sentencing guidelines. Fairbanks reportedly has a high IQ and is trying hard to turn her life after a divorce in which she lost custody of her children. She had no prior offenses.
Still, a different judge sentenced David Lee Mitchell, who also pled guilty to first-degree assault for the same fight, to eight years in prison. He does have a prior criminal record of robberies.
Fairbanks' attorney, John Lind, told the Associated Press, “It takes a lot of courage for a judge like Hallenbeck to do what he did. He just decided this person was worthy of a chance to be rehabilitated.”
The judge wrote about the risk of the sentence: “If she fails, it will be because she fails to abstain from chemicals. She cannot handle alcohol in any amount. It is poison to her biologic system and to her intellect.”
© 2004 KSTP5abc
February 9, 2004 — A judge denied a defense request for a change of venue for a woman charged with shooting her cousin and cousin's lawyer at the Hennepin County Government Center.
Attorneys representing Susan Berkovitz, 53, suggested that her trial be moved to Red Wing, Faribault or Owatonna because of extensive publicity about the case in the Twin Cities. However, Hennepin County District Judge Thor Anderson denied the request
Berkovitz is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 56-year-old cousin Shelley Joseph-Kordell of Minnetonka. She also is charged with attempted first-degree murder in the wounding of Joseph-Kordell's attorney, 53-year-old Richard Hendrickson of Crystal.
Her trial was set for April 12, 2004.
© 2004 The Aikin Independent Age
Published April 7, 2004 — Ardelle Manthey, 70, Hill City, has been charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of her husband, Francis Manthey, then 69. Francis Manthey was killed in the early morning hours of March 5, 2003, in Hill City.
A grand jury was convened from March 30 to April 1 and heard from 13 witnesses, after which it handed down the indictment, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Ardelle Manthey was arraigned in Aitkin County Court on April 1, 2004.
November 5, 2005 — Authorities say a New Prague woman shot her husband in the back of the head while he was sleeping, then used the same handgun to kill herself the following night. The Le Sueur County Sheriff's office says the bodies of 49-year old James Gullickson and 49-year old Elizabeth Gullickson were found on the bed in their master bedroom Thursday.
Abstracted from story by Steve Karnowski, Associated Press
September 17, 2008 — Police are trying to find the woman who apparently drugged and robbed a Republican National Convention delegate of about $50,000 worth of jewelry, clothing and cash in his downtown Minneapolis hotel room.
Gabriel Schwartz, a Denver, Colorado, attorney and Republican Party donor, told police he met the woman in a bar at the luxurious Hotel Ivy and invited her up to his room early on September 4, 2008. Police say that once there, the woman made the man drinks and suggested they get undressed.
The 29-year-old delegate told police that was the last thing he remembered. Police believe he was drugged but aren't sure what drug he was given, police spokesman Sgt. William Palmer said Tuesday.
When Schwartz awoke, the woman was gone and he was missing several items and some cash, including a watch he valued at $30,000.
“We have no doubt this happened,” Palmer said. “The guy has been very forthcoming with us. He's been very helpful in the investigation.”
The delegate gave police a detailed description, but investigators had no suspects, Palmer said.
Such thefts are “very rare” in Minneapolis, both in terms of the manner of the crime and the amount stolen, Palmer said.
“It's embarrassing to admit that I was a target of a crime,” Schwartz said in a statement Tuesday. “I was drugged and had about $50,000 of personal items stolen.”
“As a single man, I was flattered by the attention of a beautiful woman who introduced herself to me. I used poor judgment. If there is any good that can come from this humiliation, it is to caution others that date rape drugs can be used on men, too,” he said.
Investigators don't believe Schwartz did anything wrong. “This is not a prostitution thing,” the spokesman said. “This is a guy who got ripped off.”
Abstracted from Wikipedia and other news sources
Captured in April 2018 — Lois Ann Riess née Witte, was born February 28, 1962, in Rochester, Minnesota. She gained nationwide notoriety in 2018 after being charged with the murder of her husband in Minnesota and a woman in Florida, resulting in a nationwide manhunt. The media nicknamed her the “ Killer Grandma ” and “ Losing Streak Lois. ” Her case made headlines due to the shocking details and her ability to elude law enforcement for weeks.
She married David Riess when she was 20 years old, and the pair settled in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, after moving from their hometown of Rochester, establishing what seemed to be a stable life together. She had two sons and a daughter with David, and maintained a worm farm business that gave the family a meager but secure income. However, Lois Riess was known to be an avid gambler that eventually became an addiction.
In September 2015, Dodge County authorities launched an investigation into Mrs. Riess after evidence came to light that she had embezzled tens of thousands of dollars from her disabled sister's accounts, taking advantage of her position as guardian to feed her gambling addiction.
No prosecution ensued at the time despite considering criminal charges of felony theft by law enforcement. A civil judgment was rendered instead in 2017 that demanded Lois Riess pay back $100,534 to her sister; but the debt was never repaid.
Her husband, David Riess, then 54, was found dead on March 23, 2018, at their home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. He was discovered by authorities after concerned family members reported they had not heard from him in several days. David was found with multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was quickly ruled a homicide. Lois Riess was identified as the primary suspect after she went missing shortly after the murder, along with her husband's vehicle and significant funds from his bank account.
Lois Riess had forged David's signature on checks and withdrawn $11,000 from his account before fleeing the state. Evidence collected at the scene suggested the crime was premeditated, with Lois planning to use the stolen funds to finance her escape. Neighbors and acquaintances described David as a kind and well-liked man, with no prior indications of trouble in the marriage. However, Lois's escalating gambling debts were considered potential motives for the crime.
After leaving Minnesota, Lois Riess was captured on surveillance video at Smokin' Oyster Brewery in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.
Pamela Hutchinson, 59, from Columbus County, North Carolina, was visiting the area to help a friend scatter her late husband's ashes and on vacation when she encountered Riess. Lois Riess befriended Hutchinson, gaining her trust through friendly interactions and social outings. The relationship appeared to be amicable, with Hutchinson reportedly unaware of Riess' criminal intentions.
Investigators determined that Riess targeted Hutchinson because they shared a similar physical appearance, intending to steal her identity to evade authorities.
Then on April 5, 2018, Riess murdered Pamela Hutchinson in a rental condo where her body was later discovered with bullets in her back and chest a week later by maintenance staff, investigating a water-related problem in the building. They had been conducting door-to-door checks when they detected a strong, unpleasant odor emanating from the unit indicating a serious issue.
After murdering Pamela, Riess stole several of Hutchinson's belongings, including her identification, credit cards, and vehicle that she used to aid her escape. Investigators believe that Riess meticulously planned the crime to assume Hutchinson's identity as part of her effort to avoid detection following the murder of her husband in Minnesota.
Following the murder of Pamela Hutchinston, Lois Riess was captured on surveillance footage using Hutchinson's identification and credit cards to make various purchases. Riess also drove Hutchinson's white Acura TL across state lines.
Riess evaded law enforcement for weeks, traveling across the southern United States and staying in various hotels and casinos, while her case was featured on programs such as Dateline NBC and ABC's 20/20.
The stolen items and vehicle from Hutchinson played a crucial role in helping authorities trace Riess' movements until she was caught in April 2018 on South Padre Island, Texas.
On the night of April 19, 2018, Riess was arrested by U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement at a local restaurant called Sea Ranch on South Padre Island, Texas. She was sitting alone at a restaurant having a drink when authorities approached her. Her capture followed a tip from an individual who recognized her from news reports. She was taken into custody without incident.
Authorities recovered the white Acura TL taken from Hutchinson, along with several forms of identification belonging to Pamela. Two handguns were also discovered in the motel room where Riess was staying in South Padre Island.
After her arrest, Riess was held in Texas before being extradited to Florida to face charges for the murder of Pamela Hutchinson. In December 2019, Lois Riess pled guilty to four charges, including first-degree murder, grand theft, and identity theft, in connection with Hutchinson's death. In exchange for her guilty plea, the state withdrew its pursuit of the death penalty, and Riess was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Florida trial also resolved any potential appellate issues, ensuring she would remain incarcerated for life.
After her sentencing in Florida, Riess was extradited to Minnesota to face charges for the murder of her husband.
In August 2020, trial proceedings and a subsequent guilty plea were conducted within the auditorium of a school facility in Kasson, Minnesota. The Dodge County District Court designated this unconventional venue in response to public health requirements imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as prevailing social distancing protocols necessitated a space of greater capacity than a standard courtroom could provide. At trial she pled guilty to first-degree murder, receiving another life sentence without the possibility of parole.
During her Minnesota court appearance, Riess expressed remorse to her late husband's family, acknowledging the pain caused by her actions. The prosecution underscored the calculated nature of Riess' crimes, highlighting her use of the same firearm for both murders and her efforts to evade capture through identity theft and flight.
Riess was convicted of both counts of murder and was sentenced to two life terms in prison, one for killing her husband and one for killing Pamela Hutchinson, with no possibility of parole. As a result of an agreement between Florida and Minnesota, Lois Riess is serving both sentences in Minnesota.
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