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The “Death House Landlady”: Dorothea Puente

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If you think serial killers are suave, handsome, manipulative young men, think again because you’re about to meet, Dorothea Puente, the “Death House Landlady.”

Looking at Puente you wouldn’t think of her as a calculating murderer, but that is exactly what she was, taking the elderly and infirm into her boarding house where she would kill them, bury them in the yard, and steal their pensions and welfare checks.

The “Death House Landlady”

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Puente was born in the small community of Redlands California in 1929. Before she was 10 her parents passed away and she was sent to an orphanage. At 16 she married a military man and had two children; one she sent to live in Sacramento, the other was put up for adoption.

The marriage failed after Puente had a miscarriage.

Dorothea Puente’s criminal activities started early in her twenties after she was caught forging checks, a crime that landed her a six-month jail sentence.

She went from fraud to prostitution. In 1960 she was arrested for running a brothel and spent another 90 days behind bars.

Her last name comes from her second marriage to a much-younger Roberto Puente in 1966.

Perhaps on a path to do better, Puente began caring for the elderly as a nurse’s assistant. From there she started managing boarding houses.

Three failed marriages later and Puente was finally in charge of her own facility, a two-story, 16 room Victorian-style home located on F Street, just a stone’s throw away from Sacramento.

Boarding only the most difficult cases–men and women with mental health problems or drug addictions–Puente’s house had a reputation among social workers for accepting their hardest cases.

Tenants ranged in ages from 52 to 80 and often needed to have their social security checks cashed for them; a task Puente was happy to do. Little did they know what the old lady was really up to.

Puente was getting potent tranquilizer prescriptions from a psychotherapist which she would secretly administer to her tenants before killing them. She continued to cash their checks post-mortem.

A corpse found in Dorthea Puente's yard.

A corpse found in Dorthea Puente’s yard.

Her victims didn’t have close friends or family so their disappearances went unnoticed. One of her victims remained unidentified for three years.

The killing spree ended in 1988 after a social worker approached Puente about one of her boarders, Alberto Montoya, who had mysteriously gone missing. In her investigation, the social worker discovered that the boarding house was unlicensed and reported the missing Montoya to the police.

In an effort to cover her tracks, Puente told the police that Montoya had taken a vacation, but in their inquiry, the officers noticed something strange; some of the earth around the property looked peculiar.

The “Death House Landlady”

The “Death House Landlady”

At the behest of Puente, and since she wasn’t a suspect, officers let her leave the house and go buy a cup of coffee. But she ended up escaping to Los Angeles instead.

When all was said and done there were seven corpses found buried in the yard including that of 78-year-old Leona Carpenter.

 

(Courtesy of The Sacramento Archives)

Back in Los Angeles, a man recognized Puente from news reports and called the police department. She was flown back to Sacramento to stand trial.

“I used to be a very good person at one time,” she told law enforcement at the time.

The court case wouldn’t get underway for another five years for various legal reasons.

During her trial, Puente’s lawyers deemed the 64-year-old woman as a sweet grandmother type. They said she might be a thief but not a calculating murderess.

Over 300 witnesses disagreed. Prosecutors asserted that this sweet woman drugged her tenants and suffocated them. Not able to bury them herself, she hired ex-convicts to do it for her.

The drug Dalmane, a sedative-hypnotic agent used for insomnia, was found in “all seven of the exhumed bodies,” according to the website All That’s Interesting.

After three days of deliberation, Dorothea Puente was charged with three counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors said Puente wasn’t an altruistic caregiver at all,  but one of the most “cold and calculating female killers the country had ever seen.”

Dorothea Puente died a prisoner much like she kept her innocent victims. Only her death was in a real prison where she eventually died of natural causes, unlike the defenseless people she robbed. She was 82.

Up until her death, Puente maintained she was innocent.

Puente’s former house will be featured on the reality series “Murder House Flip.”

Info taken from allthatsinteresting.com

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Trailers

Hulu Unveils Riveting Trailer for True Crime Series “Under the Bridge”

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Under the Bridge

Hulu has just released a gripping trailer for its latest true crime series, “Under the Bridge,” drawing viewers into a haunting narrative that promises to explore the dark corners of a real-life tragedy. The series, which premieres on April 17th with the first two of its eight episodes, is based on the best-selling book by the late Rebecca Godfrey, providing a detailed account of the 1997 murder of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk near Victoria, British Columbia.

Riley Keough (left) and Lily Gladstone in “Under the Bridge”. 

Starring Riley Keough, Lily Gladstone, and Vritika Gupta, “Under the Bridge” brings to life the chilling story of Virk, who disappeared after attending a party with friends, never to return home. Through the investigative lens of author Rebecca Godfrey, played by Keough, and a dedicated local police officer portrayed by Gladstone, the series delves into the hidden lives of the young girls accused of Virk’s murder, uncovering shocking revelations about the true perpetrator behind this heinous act. The trailer offers a first look at the series’ atmospheric tension, showcasing the exceptional performances of its cast. Watch the trailer below:

Under the Bridge Official Trailer

Rebecca Godfrey, who passed away in October 2022, is credited as an executive producer, having worked closely with Shephard for over two years to bring this complex story to television. Their partnership aimed to honor Virk’s memory by casting a light on the circumstances that led to her untimely death, offering insight into the societal and personal dynamics at play.

“Under the Bridge” looks to stand out as a compelling addition to the true crime genre with this gripping story. As Hulu prepares to release the series, audiences are invited to brace themselves for a deeply moving and thought-provoking journey into one of Canada’s most notorious crimes.

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True Crime

Real-Life Horror in Pennsylvania: ‘Scream’ Costume-Clad Killer Strikes in Lehighton

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true crime scream killer

In a horrifying echo of the chilling killers depicted in the ‘Scream’ movie series, a Pennsylvania community was rocked by a gruesome murder. The assailant, donning the franchise’s iconic mask and cloak, wielded a black Reapr fixed-blade knife. Zak Russel Moyer, 30, carried out a nightmarish attack on his neighbor, Edward Whitehead Jr., in the small Carbon County town of Lehighton. Moyer’s assault was particularly brutal, employing not only a knife but also a small chainsaw, ultimately resulting in Whitehead’s death.

Zak Russel Moyer

Armed with a small battery-powered chainsaw and a black Reapr fixed-blade knife, Moyer had initially gone to Whitehead’s house next-door ‘for the purpose of scaring him’. However, the situation escalated fatally when he inflicted a stab wound to Whitehead’s head. The incident prompted an immediate response from local law enforcement, aided by Pennsylvania State Police, following a distress call about an active assault in progress within the 200 block of Carbon Street.

Surveillance footage captured a male figure, later identified as Moyer, emerging from the rear of Whitehead’s home. The figure’s attire was notably consistent with the “Scream” movie character, adding a surreal layer to the already grim event. Whitehead was swiftly transported to St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon Campus but was pronounced dead, having suffered multiple wounds including a significant head injury and cuts indicative of a desperate defense.

Location of attack

In the aftermath, police quickly zeroed in on Moyer, found in a residence nearby. His apprehension followed bizarre communications with the police, where he levied accusations against Whitehead. Previous statements to his sister revealed Moyer’s harbored intentions to kill Whitehead, shedding light on a premeditated malice.

As the community grapples with this real-life horror, authorities have secured the weapons and the “Scream” costume, underscoring the chilling premeditation of Moyer’s actions. He now faces homicide charges, with a preliminary hearing set to determine the progression of his trial.

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Netflix to Release Duplass Brothers’ True-Crime Doc ‘American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders’

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The Octopus Murder Documentary

A strange organization known as “The Octopus” is getting the Netflix true-crime treatment. The streaming service has ordered the documentary called American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders which explores this alleged real crime conglomerate.

Brothers Jay (left) and Mark Duplass have been making films together since they were kids.

Even more interesting is that Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames will be bankrolling the project. The Duplass Brothers consist of Mark and Jay and they have produced movies such as Bad Milo (2013), Tangerine (2015), and of course the cult horror favorite Creep (2015). Creep 2 (2017) was produced by Netflix and Blumhouse.

Danny Casolaro
Journalist Danny Casolaro

According to Deadline, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders starts with the discovery of a dead journalist, Danny Casolaro (pictured above), from an apparent suicide. But his family isn’t convinced. They think it was a result of Casolaro’s investigative reporting on a secret crime organization known as “The Octopus.” He believed that they were behind multiple murders, high-tech spy software thievery, and political scandals.

Enter researcher Christian Hansen who is determined to get to the bottom of Casolaro’s death and expose “The Octopus” and its far-reaching arms.

“Six years ago we got to work side by side with the brilliant Way Brothers on Wild, Wild Country,” said Mark Duplass. “When we found out about the Octopus Conspiracy, and Zach and Christian’s unique perspective and unparalleled dedication to this story, we knew this was the project that would bring us back together.”

Maclain Way of Stardust Frames adds, “When Zach and Christian first told us about The Octopus Conspiracy— a story they had been investigating for years— we were enthralled by tales of stolen spy software, government cover-ups, and the parallels with a journalist who died under suspicious circumstances digging into this story.  With our partners Netflix and Duplass Brothers Productions, we can’t wait for audiences to submerge themselves into the mysterious world of The Octopus.”

This will be a four-part series scheduled to air on February 28.

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