The Christopher Hoefling Murder -The 2017 murder of Christopher Hoefling in Evansville, Indiana is the topic of theInvestigation Discoverydocumentary series"The Murder Tapes" Season 7 Episode Lauren Harpe From Survivor 44 -Since its debut in 2000, 'Survivor' has become one of the most popular television programs ever. I mean, I -- I regret it all of my life. "Now, you tell me; what kind of person does that?" He claims there was a conversation at a bar along with Becky's son, Ben, a year before Dr. Schwartz was murdered. "And he provided work for me. you're not gonna get my money.'". "When you heard the news that your father had killed a man, how shocking was that for you?" [3] Other reports suggest that Schwartz was planning to open a plastic surgery practice[8] or, at least, another office on the north side of the city. It was updated on July 29.]. "The only one that can really answer that question is Dr. Schwartz himself," said Wil Florin. [14] In December 2001, DEA agents raided Schwartz's office. I loved the man," Stragaj said. Robert Schwartzs untimely death was ultimately the result of a cunning plot to have him killed. And he says the only reason he was in the house that morning was because Becky Schwartz sent him there. Clara was the youngest of Roberts three children; she had an older brother and sister. But friends and colleagues of Dr. Schwartz have always suspected Becky was involved. Van Sant asked. Carter wants justice for a father whose life started and ended so badly, but who lived the long middle dedicated to others. The authorities believed Robert was killed about two days before being found. And we've alleged that Leo and Becky conspired to murder him," said Roebig. On May 13th, 1944, Robert was born. Becky Schwartz wouldn't speak with "48 Hours." Asked if he was interviewed by police, Carter told Van Sant he was. He sustained injuries to his eye sockets and tear ducts and suffered nasal damage and facial fractures that required plastic surgery. Wil Florin: When did you first start -- this is her own son you're -- and that -- that you're concerned -- your husband -- that his mother is setting him up for the murder? And Becky seduced her new boyfriend with expensive gifts, too. "How I knew he was dead?". "Here's another quote from the report," Van Sant said to Stragaj. I was scared," he said. She had nothing to do with the murder itself," said deVlaming. The jury could have recommended a life sentence for the convictions, which also included conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of soliciting a crime. And that became a problem for Carter. "All of those are false. I'm sure she planned it for a long time.". Leo Stragaj awaits trial as the only person charged. The authorities discovered instant messages between Clara and Kyle on her computer that discussed killing Robert. Dana says Ben has gotten past his drug problems and the two of them have settled down with their daughter, Kendall. said Dr. Patton. "Dad was always a role model to me and what I've always told everyone, 'If I could be half the physician he was, that would be a successful life," Carter Schwartz told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. "'Analysis of cell phone activity failed to support his alibi,' -- your alibi. A complaint was filed against her by the Arizona State Bar as a result of her involvement with Bradley Schwartz's drug fraud. This looks bad," Van Sant pointed out. WebIn 1961, 21-year-old Steven Schwartz robbed and murdered a dentist in Hobbs, New Mexico. "Well, I think she's been trying to find a purpose," Kym Rivellini said. When I go grab it, I found dead body," Stragaj replied. Millions and millions of dollars worth of money," said Becky's attorney, Denis deVlaming. A father of two daughters, a dog lover, a gym rat, a coffee connoisseur, and an all-around doughnut snob. WebContact Dr. Robert G. Schwartz, MD, for an appointment. In the same game, there also existed a character named Old Guy that signified Robert. "I kept telling him -- I said, 'it's like you've checked out of our marriage and I don't understand. Michael pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received 18 years in prison. Booking photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail. "And he said, 'Let me borrow $300 outta your paycheck.' The nature of the phone discussions had changed over the course of the night. "There's some folks who think that his past was being used against him," said Florin. "I thought always thought a lot of him, and I want that gun. As Meredith lay recovering in the hospital from her suicide attempt with prescription drugs, she had a surprise visitor: Becky. And then -- and did the rest in a crazy, violent rage, unless Leo helped her finish the job. No trial date has been set for Leo Tragaj's murder trial. Police looked at Dr. Schwartz's inner circle. Kyle was found guilty of his part in the crime in the end. Carter always believed the main reason Becky was with his father was because she wanted to spend his money. A prominent biophysicist, he had been stabbed multiple times with a 2-foot-long sword. After all was said and done, Kyle was convicted guilty of his role in the crime. [5], In 2001, Stidham answered an ad Bradley Schwartz had placed in a trade journal seeking someone to care for the pediatric patients in his Tucson ophthalmology practice,[6] Arizona Specialty Eye Care. WebDr. To say Steven Schwartz's life was extraordinary, as his son, Carter, does, is an understatement. Jurors recommended she spend 48 years in prison. "Very," he replied. "Every single night, seven days a week, we were together.". "I think he had that drive to somehow make up for the wrong and the pain and the suffering that he caused to Doctor Cook's family, to others in this community -- and I had that same drive as well," said Dyer. Rivellini and Denis deVlaming are Becky's criminal attorneys, hired to defend her against any possible future charges . Schwartz, Dyer says, may have had some gambling debts to pay off. And that he was the killer," said deVlaming. [3] They also arrested Schwartz the same night. '", Carter also struggled with Becky. by 2Paragraphs in Culture | February 11, 2017, Dr. Steven Schwartz with his wife Becky (48 Hours/CBS image), The 48 Hours episode The Strange Life of Dr. Schwartz investigates the murder of Dr. Steven Schwartz, a 74-year-olda wealthy doctor who was brutally murderedin his Florida mansion. Records indicate that he remains incarcerated at the River North Correctional Center in Independence, Virginia. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Not only her husband who is 16 years younger than Beckybut her teenaged daughter moved in with Becky as well, after Becky lavished her with attention and gifts, Meredith says. "Would you look out and see, 'All this money is going to Rebecca and her children. They started with his family, and Clara Schwartz, his youngest daughter, was discovered Dana Nichols: Just me knowing her and things that she's done before. What the authorities found out next was a shocking tale of manipulation and fantasy. "It all points to her. Schwartz began to reassure Bigger that he had his money. And I think that -- I think that Leo Stragaj believed that his time with the Schwartzes was limited. You can follow his daily exploits on Twitter and Instagram. The prosecution believed that Clara manipulated Kyle to do her bidding. The defense argued that the man prosecutors say she asked to commit the crime, Kyle Hulbert, is not mentally stable. Investigation Discoverys The Perfect Murder: The Devil Made Me Do It focuses on how Clara manipulated three other people into helping with her fathers murder. He's obviously dead -- right?" But as for Dr. Schwartz's dark past. I don't understand what's changed, what happened,'" she said. He says that confrontation was more than 10 hours before Becky called police to the house that night to report an alleged burglary. Van Sant asked. ", And strangely, Becky never wanted a memorial service. There's speculation that she wanted her husband dead so she could collect on his many millions," Van Sant noted. Becky Schwartz: I reassert my rights under Article I Section 9 of the Florida Constitution. In this small town where everybody knew everybody, Dr. Cook was known to carry large amounts of cash. "It was feeling numb when people describe it. "She's got something to hide. But her one-time friends, April Cox and Patrick Olive, who helped her manage the Schwartz properties, say Becky could also be a tough cookie. World Expert In my heart of hearts, I knew that [Kyle] was going there to kill [my father]. At Claras trial in October 2002, the defense claimed Kyle was not supposed to take Claras words literally because they were part of the game. "I didn't have the -- you know, the green card, the nothing.". Robert was allegedly planned to make sure she didnt come back, according to her. According to Patrick, Clara asked him to kill Old Guy, and he initially thought it was only game-related. "I was there. [5], Bradley Alan Schwartz was born January 14, 1965[10] in Brooklyn, New York to Henry and Lois Schwartz. "she didn't have five children.". '", "Becky has lied about her children," Meredith said. I turned around and look at him, and his eyes are just bloodshot," said Dyer. Today, Dyer is an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Youngstown State University in Ohio. And according to a video deposition conducted by attorneys Florin and Roebig in the wrongful death lawsuit, Becky allegedly came to deliver a cruel message. "I make mistake. "And I'm thinkin', 'He couldn't have done anything. [3], The investigation eventually revealed that Schwartz hired Bigger for $10,000 to help him murder Stidham. She had credit cards that were only in her name, anything basically my dad couldn't get a hold of," Carter replied. Becky's son, Ben, had ongoing drug issues, according to Carter. She planned it for a long time," Stragaj replied. Stragaj says he has an alibi and insists he is not the killer. But one thing, I didn't kill their father. "I didn't even know about it until after his death.". She faces one count of exploitation of the elderly and one count of fraudulent use of personal identification, jail records indicate. "He was dedicated to medicine like no physician I've ever known. She alleged that Robert was planning on making sure she did not come back. Kyle later stated that he had to do something once Clara told him about that. Robert has an X engraved on his back after being stabbed and slashed more than thirty times. Kyle provided a full confession to the authorities once he was arrested, saying he committed the murder because he thought Robert was abusing Clara. Stidham was meant to take over the pediatric ophthalmology aspect of Schwartz's business. [26], Brian Stidham's widow, Daphne Stidham, filed a wrongful death suit in 2005 against the medical complex where her husband was murdered, alleging that the conditions at the complex aided the killer. "It happened the day before Thanksgiving of 1961, November" said Phillip Dyer. Michael, 21, and Katherine, 19, drove Kyle to Roberts house on December 8, 2001, according to investigators. "Why in the world would Leo Stragaj murder Dr. Stephen Schwartz when Schwartz was providing him his entire livelihood?" He says he had every reason to keep Steven Schwartz alive. "He was my doctor and my wife's doctor. Robert was stabbed and slashed more than thirty times and had an X carved on his back. Then, in August 2001, she began dating Patrick House, who later testified against her at trial. "I never saw Becky grieving for her husband or her loss," said Meredith. I forgot my bag,'" said Stragaj. Nearly $500 was missing from the [21] Other arguments Storts used revolved around discrepancies between the time of death, Bigger's whereabouts, and the fact that the $10,000 had seemingly vanished. 911 Operator: Tarpon Springs Police may I help you? Patrick stated that he met Clara in June 2001 at a festival in Leesburg, Virginia. He faces a charge of first-degree murder in the slaying of Dr. Steven Patlin Schwartz, a 74-year-old doctor found dead inside his Tarpon Springs mansion in 2014. By the time he landed back in the States, Carter called his uncle -- certain he knew who killed his father, because it struck him that to Becky, Dr. Schwartz was worth more dead than alive. I mean, that's crazy," Stragaj explained. Claras companion, Katherine Inglis, said Clara was involved in her fathers murder just a day or two after Robert was apprehended. "One of, if not the worst moment of my life," said Carter. It's absolutely laughably ridiculous," said deVlaming. She set me up. Kyle, who was 18 at the time, had a history of mental illness and had previously spent time in psychiatric facilities. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. He never mentioned anything -- anything in his statement to the police about Rebecca Schwartz being in any way responsible for the death of her husband," said DeVlaming. [3][20] Bigger's appeal suggested that he was not afforded a fair trial on account of the copious amount of media coverage surrounding the case. And I looked at that and I looked at my husband and I said, 'Isn't that weird? "And if you cross her then, you know, you're basically gone," Patrick Olive said. Schwartz's cell phone also received calls from Bigger's hotel room, which Schwartz had paid for. While the homicide investigation document listed Becky Schwartz as a suspect, she has never been charged with anything related to her husband's murder. [14] He also became addicted to Ritalin. Robert was quite well known in the scientific community, spearheading research in the fields of biometrics and DNA. I think that that cloud is always there that they may arrest her," attorney Kym Rivellini said. "This looks really bad, though. Soon, they were led to his youngest daughter, Clara Schwartz, who seemed to be at the center of it all. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Dr. Steven Schwartzs brother, James Schwartz, filed suit against her on behalf of the doctors three adult children. A Loudoun County She was being held without bond as of Thursday. She -- she staged this. Hulbert, 19, of Millersville, Md., wrote in a confession that he killed Schwartz to protect Clara Schwartz from abuse. "Iwell, I told you I don't -- I know what I did. Dana says she and others believe Becky had to be involved in Dr. Schwartz's murder: Dana Nichols: The only thing I can think is that she shot him first. But Schwartz never did take care of it. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. "Yes, sir. At the time of the incident, he lived in a farmhouse away from the city in Leesburg, Virginia. "He never lost sight of paying back his debt to society. That's why I'm here," he said of being incarcerated. "money was her way of connecting.". She remains incarcerated at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in Troy, Virginia, and will be eligible for release in 2043. "And he said, 'I'm moving into Becky's.'". Defense attorneys said the game was only an escape for a girl with a sad social life. And if she had somebody else helping her," Stragaj replied. Robert M. Schwartz, 57, a founding member of the Virginia Biotechnology Association, was found dead in the secluded fieldstone farmhouse southwest of Leesburg where he lived alone. They also argued that Robert Schwartz abused his daughter. And as time went on, Meredith felt Becky was becoming a little too close to her own husband. I build from scratch," he explained. "Patients, colleagues -- a great career," Van Sant noted. Clara created a roleplaying game called Underworld while she was a student at a university in Virginia, and she and Kyle became friends because of their shared interest in witchcraft and the occult. "Dr. Schwartz's son," Van Sant interrupted. " [3], Prosecuting attorney Sylvia Lafferty pointed to Schwartz's cell phone records, which showed that he received calls from a payphone at a Denny's across the street from Stidham's office. And her son goes, 'Mom, are you crazy? I'm gonna take care of this.'". "I know I went down and grabbed him and shook 'Hey Dr. Schwartz, you OK?'". "The boyfriend has had a plane bought for him," Florin explained. The murder? [3][7] In October 2001, two DEA agents interviewed Lopez as part of a criminal investigation involving Schwartz. Prosecutor Owen Basham urged the jury Tuesday to recommend a stiff sentence. His body was discovered two days later. And after he found the body, Leo Stragaj made what he says was the biggest mistake of his life. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Family friend Anton Leo Stragaj, who was hired to manage the 38 rental properties owned by Schwartz, was charged with first-degree murder. She even took them on her boat in Florida and one thing stuck in Meredith's mind. Despite the fact that 83% of the jury pool had been exposed to some of the pretrial media, Bigger's appeal was thrown out by the Arizona Court of Appeals in May 2011. Their daughter, Catherine Elizabeth, was born later in Tucson in 2003. "Her. According to Leo Stragaj, Becky even wanted Carter out of the picture. Where did it go?" He was sharp. She continues to work as a paralegal. I admit I was there, but I didn't kill Dr. Schwartz," he said. "Leo is the killer," deVlaming said. WebThe murder of Robert Schwartz occurred on December 8, 2001, in Leesburg, Virginia. "And her boat name was 'Exit Strategy.' Van Sant asked. 'Locations and associated times given by [you] did not match cell phone tower.'". By then, Clara had talked a lot about how Robert was an abusive father who was out to kill her by trying to poison her food. "Drinking the beer at 9:00 a.m. definitely not something". [20], Bigger's trial took place from March 14, 2007, to May 16, 2007. -- son. What followed was a startling tale of deception and fantasy, which the authorities discovered. I'm not sure why," he replied. I didn't call the police that day. Her son, Eric, even got a Verizon store to run in Wisconsin. He was bright. (She does not face any charges regarding the murder of her husband.). "And siphoned to where? July 29, 2017 / 11:25 PM "What is the most important thing to Becky Schwartz?" Wil Florin: You were present, were you not, in the home at the time of Dr. Schwartz's murder and took part in the murder of Dr. Schwartz, did you not? Even as a young child, I could see she wasn't there because she loved him," he said. "We sort of learned to coexist," said Carter. "she asked me to find someone to kill Dr. How's your teeth doin'?'" WebThe 48 Hours episode The Strange Life of Dr. Schwartz investigates the murder of Dr. Steven Schwartz, a 74-year-old a wealthy doctor who was brutally murdered in his "Can't make this stuff up can you? Robert was a well-known scientist who pioneered biometrics and DNA studies. Stragaj also claims she threatened him. "Rebecca Schwartz is a victim, just like her husband. Herattorneys filed a motion to dismiss the suit. "There's always that possibility," said deVlaming. David Brian Stidham (August 13, 1967 October 5, 2004)[1] was a pediatric ophthalmologist stabbed to death in Catalina Foothills, Arizona as the result of a murder-for-hire plot that stemmed from a colleague's professional jealousy. Stragaj claims Becky threatened to withhold $75,000 he had invested in real estate with her. "If evil is to the left, good is to the right. "A knife," Stragaj replied. I'm not the man," he said. Samuel Booth Murder Case Where Is James Thomas Wood today? Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. When Clara told him about her fathers alleged abusive behavior, he believed he had to protect her. [12] When he received word that Stidham was still recruiting patients, Schwartz became angry and even directly told his girlfriend, Lourdes Lopez, and other friends that he wanted to kill Stidham. "I know. He says his relationship with her was "always uneasy.". "I've never seen him move so quickly and he was a man who he could have the biggest argument in the world with you but he was very professional," Carter replied. He is obsessed with movies, comic books, and television shows, and he spends much too much money on collectibles. Becky lavished luxury on herself and her own sons -- paying for their weddings. [3][4][18] A.J. While Patrick never went through with it, she soon found Kyle Hulbert, a man with a history of mental illness, to help her with the plan. At the time of the incident, she was a computer science major at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She grabs a beer, and come sits on the couch, and drinks a beer," said Cox. But Becky's attorneys are uncertain what the future will hold for her. Being betrayed by her husband and her best friend was just too much. Money. "I said to them, 'Please, do not overlook anyone in this family just because they're related.". One of them, Katherine Inglis, provided extensive information regarding Claras involvement with the slaying. "Your DNA was on the victim. Pima County paid the entire amount on behalf of Paul Skitzki. She settled that suit for an undisclosed amount. In the end, a jury found Clara guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of solicitation to commit murder. "I think most of us that were involved, that it was a horrendous, despicable and deplorable act," said Dyer. [4] Over a two-month period during the summer of 2001, Lopez allowed Schwartz to use her name to fraudulently obtain prescriptions for the controlled substance hydrocodone. I said, 'That's impossible.' Prosecutors allege that Hulbert wasnt the only person Schwartz asked to kill her father. Nevertheless, the jury found Bigger guilty of both conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and first-degree murder itself. "I'd see him on the street from time to time and he'd always ask me, 'How you doin'? She went to work for MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving. [11] Some of Schwartz's patients went to Stidham's new practice, many of whom stayed with Stidham even when Schwartz had started practicing again. Police aren't talking because the case is still open. 88.218.193.20 Click to reveal Lafferty also brought up the fact that Schwartz harbored a well-known grudge against Stidham. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for conspiracy to murder Stidham. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They interviewed Becky and Ben. Joseph Schwartz feels very fortunate to have been providing outstanding care in Northwest Indiana since 1994.
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