Trama

In 1984, Susan Grund had finally made good. With three failed marriages and a baby on the way, Susan had met and married a fellow native of Peru, Indiana: prosecutor turned defense attorney, James Grund. The 34-year old blond was Jimmy's second wife, and, as wife of the prominent attorney, she now hobnobbed with the town's social elite -- a far cry from the country upbringing of her childhood. Then, after dark on August 3, 1992, Susan called 911, claiming she had just returned home and found Jimmy on the sofa, with a drop of blood coming from his mouth. He was dead by the time police and EMTs arrived. Detectives found no sign of forced entry, and turned their investigation toward family members after the autopsy showed Jimmy was killed by a 9mm pistol - the same kind of gun that had been stolen from his 18-year-old son David's home a month earlier. Jimmy's will had also been amended just three weeks earlier to include Susan's son, Jacob. David, Susan's stepson, told investigators that he'd shown Susan where he hid the gun when she dropped off the permit to his house. Susan's sister, Darlene, came forward less than a month after Jimmy's death, claiming that Susan had confessed to the murder. Police set up a wire-tap to try to get her confession recorded, but it failed. But then, the forensics lab came back with results proving it had in fact been David's gun that had killed Jimmy. Susan was arrested for her husband's murder. About a month before the trial started, Nellie Sanders, Susan's mother, contacted police to report a suspicious tub of hers that someone had filled with cement. Underneath, was the 9mm that was used to kill Jim Grund. At the trial, prosecutors claimed Susan killed Jimmy to gain access to his estate, and that all the evidence pointed in her direction. Susan testified in her own defense, and told the jury that she had found the gun at the scene and picked it up. When she realized it had her fingerprints on it, she panicked and hid it. But the widow Grund had more surprises in store for the town of Peru. Susan testified that she was having an affair - with David Grund. She argued that he had killed his father out of jealousy. David denied having a relationship with his stepmother. The jurors, apparently, had their doubts. They deadlocked and Susan was released. Two years later, Susan once again stood trial for the murder of her husband. At the second trial, Susan's lawyers advised her not to testify about the alleged affair with her stepson. The strategy turned out to be a mistake. The second jury found her guilty. She was sentenced to 60 years in prison.—Anonymous