DeepSummary
On January 26, 2018, a woman driving home from work in Rio Rancho, New Mexico noticed a smoldering pile on the road which turned out to be the charred and mangled corpse of 65-year-old postal worker Marilyn Gandert. Marilyn's brother, Harry Gandert, had reported her missing a few days earlier. Investigation revealed that Marilyn was brutally beaten, stabbed, and burned to death by her daughter-in-law Alyssa Bickett, Alyssa's friend Annie Raelle, and Alyssa's son Drake Bickett.
Marilyn had been in the process of evicting Alyssa from a house she owned due to non-payment of rent. An argument over the eviction led to Alyssa, Annie, and Drake attacking and killing Marilyn. They bound her, put a bag over her head, beat her with a bat, stabbed her, and slit her throat. They then transported her body to Rio Rancho, placed it on a mattress, doused it with gasoline, and set it on fire.
Initially, Drake confessed to the murder, claiming Marilyn had asked him to kill her. However, Alyssa and Annie later admitted their involvement as well. All three were charged and pleaded guilty, receiving sentences ranging from 12 to 30 years in prison. The incident stemmed from Alyssa's sense of entitlement and refusal to support herself after her husband's death.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- A sense of entitlement can be a very dangerous thing and lead to horrible acts of violence.
- Conflicts over money and housing can escalate to extreme violence if not resolved properly.
- Family dynamics and mental health issues can contribute to criminal behavior.
- Meticulous police investigation and collection of evidence is crucial in solving violent crimes.
- Perpetrators will often initially lie or mislead investigators before confessing to their crimes.
- The impact of violent crimes on victims' families and loved ones is devastating.
- Taking responsibility for one's own life circumstances is important to avoid entitlement mindsets.
- Murder cases involving multiple perpetrators often involve contradictory confessions that require sorting out.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “You know, don't talk to me like that. I haven't treated you like you're stupid. I'm getting a very bad like. Because I'm getting upset that you expect me not to lie to you, but you're gonna sit over there and lie to me? I don't appreciate that you feel that way, because I'm explaining to you my situation.“ by Annie Raelle
- “She was just a very kind person, and she didn't deserve anything like this. It's a useless thing that my sister was killed. I mean, that was for no reason, actually.“ by Harry Gandert
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Episode Information
Sword and Scale
Sword and Scale
4/8/24