An ordinary-looking grandmother shocked everyone by committing a heinous crime – she killed her husband in a cold-blooded manner and then murdered another woman to assume her identity.
Lois Ann Riess, known as the “Killer Grandma” in media reports, triggered a nationwide manhunt in 2018 after disappearing from her home in Minnesota shortly before her husband’s body was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds.
Authorities suspected Lois of foul play as she vanished along with her husband’s car and a substantial amount of money from his bank accounts. It was later revealed that she had forged his signature, emptied his accounts, and fled south to sustain a life on the run driven by her gambling addiction.
Upon reaching Fort Myers Beach, Riess befriended Pamela Hutchinson, a woman resembling her in age, physique, and hairstyle. Prosecutors claimed that Lois targeted Hutchinson intentionally to assume her identity.
Unaware of Riess’s criminal past, Hutchinson socialized with her at various establishments. Tragically, Hutchinson was found shot dead in her holiday condo days later, with Riess absconding with her identification, credit cards, and vehicle to evade law enforcement across multiple states.
Florida investigators characterized the crimes as premeditated and callous. Riess was eventually apprehended in a Texas restaurant by US Marshals following a tip-off from a member of the public, ending her audacious run. Subsequently, two handguns were recovered from her motel room.
Riess confessed to both murders, acknowledging her guilt in killing Pamela Hutchinson and stealing her identity in Florida, where she received a life sentence without parole. She was then extradited to Minnesota, where she pleaded guilty to her husband’s murder, earning a second life sentence.
During court proceedings, Riess’s children delivered emotional victim impact statements, expressing their profound sense of loss and betrayal. In a recent HBO documentary, Riess attributed her actions to a “psychotic break” stemming from gambling addiction, financial struggles, and mental health issues, though these claims were met with skepticism by legal authorities and journalists closely following the case.
