If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. "Then went upstairs and smothered the 83-year-old heiress in her bed with a satin pillow.". After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. Our 12-acre estate features gardens, bridges, and the famous, Chester A. Congdon, 1909. Suspicions about Marjorie were already heightened by a 1974 incident in which Elisabeth became dangerously ill after eating a sandwich made by her daughter. They cannot believe the things people say about her. Her ability to coerce him in this way hinted at deeper implications. Marjories mother and the rest of the Congdon family put their foot down and refused to send her money to bail her out. 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. But too many people remember only that she was killed at home at Glensheen mansion, along with her nurse, Velma Pietila, in 1977. Caldwell served five. "She was knitting at the defense table," said Kimball. In 1975 Marjorie Congdon met Roger Caldwell at a Parents Without Partners meeting in Colorado. Glensheen Mansion is a five-story structure with several staircases. Sympathy is a dangerous emotion in the hands of a psychopath. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The landing where Velma Pietila was bludgeoned to death with a candle holder. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. He was taken into custody and arraigned on charges of first degree murder. A stroke had left her mobility and speech seriously impaired, requiring full-time medical supervision. The bottle in question was some type of clear spirit, , Bartenders everywhere know that people hate vermouth. She was charming and talkative. DeSanto charged Roger Caldwell first. She served 21 months. Its one of Americas great houses. In January 2004 Marjorie Congdon was released from prison after serving ten years of her fifteen year sentence for arson. But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. Glensheen, built just northeast of downtown Duluth in 1909, was the audacious symbol of Congdon's wealth and made the murders that much more intriguing. She and Caldwell kept asking Elisabeth for money, reportedly so they could realize their dream of a horse ranch. The elderly Elisabeth Congdon did what she could to help lessen the damage by covering at least $350,000 of her daughters indebtedness, but it wasnt enough to prevent Dick LeRoy from being ruined. How can I tell how big my Cockapoo will be? When she left, they told her they were going to miss her. "She's still doing crafts.". Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. Psychopaths are not shaped by their upbringing. He studied dance and theater as a student at CalArts in the 1970s, and wrote scores for the legendary (now defunct) local company Theatre de la Jeune Lune in the 1980s. Marjorie's behavior in court also had an impact on the trial. Pietila was beaten with a candlestick holder. "So they said, 'Do what you gotta do.'". Within hours of their return, Hagen was dead. Whatever the diagnosis revealed was something Elisabeth would never tell anyone. He passed the bar and took a job as a high school principal in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. When the new buyers inspected the house just days before they were to move in, they noticed the floors had been varnished, and there was a strong chemical odor. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. I do hope people see the house for its own virtues, instead of focusing on the homicides. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. Velma was covered in blood. Even her attorney Ronald Meshbesher couldnt get her off. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. The Catch: Exploring New Opportunities to Fly at Red State Reckoning: Playing Paintball in Martinsville, IN, Getting off the Boat at Ellis Island: Examining the Question of Immigration in New York City, Uncovering the Crime of the Century: The Hall-Mills Murders in New Brunswick, NJ, The Five Most Scenic Interstate Rest Areas in the US, Deadly Charm: The Murders at the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota, The Greatest American You Never Heard of: George C. Marshall and Dodona Manor, 6 Ways Mid-Range Hotels Give You More than Upscale Hotels. Glensheen, a new musical about the crime by acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher and music by The Suburbs Chan Poling, opens October 3 at St. Pauls History Theatre. She was given 15 years, but on October 30, 1992, Wally was found dead, a day before she was to report to prison. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. 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. Marjorie got good grades but was considered something of a weirdo by her classmates. Then in 1951 Marjorie became someone elses problem. It was an honor and a privilege to find out more about her. In spite of the evidence, prosecutors did not pursue a case against her. Better you should stay away from them. Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, one of Marjories daughters, recently published a biography of her late grandmother, highlighting Elisabeths philanthropic legacy. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. 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. Chester Adgate Congdon was a go-getter. In fact, the Congdon family was one of the most accomplished, distinguished and generous in Minnesota. They know exactly what theyre doing. What happened to them was a nightmare. One other big difference stands out. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. She and her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were living in Colorado and were flat broke.. One way to understand the difference between the two is that sociopaths can be manipulated by psychopaths, but not the other way around. They were set to inherit millions of dollars when Elisabeth died. As before, she was not considered a flight risk, so she was permitted to visit her husband one last time before being escorted to prison. said Kimball. Marjorie was charged with murder but charges were dropped. "I think also a downside of the murder is that people always viewed it from that lens, even in the history community," he said, "that they kind of forget it's actually this incredibly important historic site for our state. This time Marjorie had overplayed her hand. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. That's because 40 years later, Hartman said, about 70 percent of visitors don't even know about the murders. Required fields are marked *. Withdrawing further, Marjorie began to act strangely, pulling out her own hair and laugh in an odd manner. She loved nature and history, and taught her children and grandchildren to protect them. When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. At least three books have been written about Hagen, including, "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings," by former News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger, retired Duluth police detective Gary Waller and DeSanto. The lawyers tell you that you and your siblings would be set for life. Yet you became a nurse a very demanding, difficult profession. 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. Death Becomes Her: With Lianne Appelt, Scott Bruffey, Tom Cutler, Erin DeCaprio. The victims' families "were really hopeful that we would not have to retry the case with a chance of Roger walking free," DeSanto said. The case went to trial in the searing summer of 1978. This was now two years after the murders and, as Kimball recalled, two new developments hurt the prosecution. They win people over, before bending them to their will. As the day nurse entered the house that morning, something seemed off, the mansion was unusually quiet. 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. They purchased the house from Kenneth and Alice Wolfe; he was to become mayor of St. Louis Park and a State Senator. 15091511 E. Superior Street, Duluth, Minnesota. You find yourself not knowing what play youre in, Poling continues. They married on August 7, 1981, in North Dakota; Marjorie had not bothered to divorce Roger and is still wanted for bigamy in North Dakota. Marjorie used her inheritance to acquit her of the murder of the person who controlled her inheritance. You are here: Home How What happened Marjorie Congdon? I burst out laughing, says Poling. Before she was arrested, Marjorie arranged to have the body of her friend cremated. Elisabeth Mannering Congdon about the age she was when she adopted Marjorie. Who lived in the Glensheen Mansion? From 1952 to 1954, the LeRoys lived at 2744 Salem Ave., a bungalow built in 1941. The mansion itself is beautiful. Roger Caldwell was identified by a Duluth cab driver who remembered taking him out to Glensheen on the night of the murders. At the time, it was not possible to separate ore from sand, so the ore was worthless. Her nurse that night, 66-year-old Velma Pietila, had just retired and was looking forward to relaxing and traveling with her husband; shed been convinced to return to work for one more night because the regular nurse was on vacation. When she was alerted to the fire, she was nonchalant. MinnPost thanks these generous donors: INDIVIDUALS AND FOUNDATI0NS Blandin FoundationOtto Bremer FoundationBush FoundationSage & John CowlesDavid . Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. Are any of Freddie and the Dreamers still alive? The Congdon story is one that is quite close to me literally. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. On the morning of June 27th, 1977 the day nurse arrived at Glensheen to take over for the night staff. Nancy and her brother Tom were always curious about their mother's rich friend, Marjorie Congdon. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. An iron candlestick holder lay discarded nearby. 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