The Betsy Faria murder case

[Awsi Dooger]

We had another thread on this case that discussed the recent developments. I may have started that thread. I don't remember. I know I posted many times because this is one of the all time infuriating cases.

I may have started that thread after not being aware that this thread from 2015 existed.

[BlueGalexy]

Originally Posted by Awsi Dooger

We had another thread on this case that discussed the recent developments. I may have started that thread. I don't remember. I know I posted many times because this is one of the all time infuriating cases.

I may have started that thread after not being aware that this thread from 2015 existed.

Thanks for the heads up Awsi! I was enjoying that thread just last night as a matter of fact, and particularly appreciated the thorough quality of your posts. I thought I had been following the Faria case rather closely, but your contributions provided me a lot of details I hadn't been aware of.

You know, for some reason the whole Russ Faria nightmare brings to mind the case of Eric Volz, the american expat who was tried and convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Doris Jiminez in Nicaragua. The Volz case was another apparently single witness prosecution that was put on despite nearly airtight alibi evidence provided by the accused. In fact this particular case became such a violent circus, that when Volz was finally exonerated and freed by a three judge panel, he had to be spirited out of the country on the spot. It's speculated that the judges who overturned Volz's conviction now have to fear for their own freedom as the prosecution appeals the reversal. As you've been avidly following the Faria case, you may want to check this one out, it's another doozy!

It's nice chatting with you again, and I hope all is well.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americ...olz.interview/

[Awsi Dooger]

Originally Posted by BlueGalexy

Thanks for the heads up Awsi! I was enjoying that thread just last night as a matter of fact, and particularly appreciated the thorough quality of your posts. I thought I had been following the Faria case rather closely, but your contributions provided me a lot of details I hadn't been aware of.

You know, for some reason the whole Russ Faria nightmare brings to mind the case of Eric Volz, the american expat who was tried and convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Doris Jiminez in Nicaragua. The Volz case was another apparently single witness prosecution that was put on despite nearly airtight alibi evidence provided by the accused. In fact this particular case became such a violent circus, that when Volz was finally exonerated and freed by a three judge panel, he had to be spirited out of the country on the spot. It's speculated that the judges who overturned Volz's conviction now have to fear for their own freedom as the prosecution appeals the reversal. As you've been avidly following the Faria case, you may want to check this one out, it's another doozy!

It's nice chatting with you again, and I hope all is well.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americ...olz.interview/

Thanks for the heads up on that case. I was not familiar with it.

There are further developments regarding the Faria case or specifically with the prosecutor Leah Askey. She has a major property that was in danger of foreclosure until she was bailed out at the last minute by a lawyer friend. However, the lawyer apparently used funds from a trust he manages to finance the bail out for Askey. They tried to conceal it. Shady all around, and the subject of court hearings, but nothing I wouldn't expect from Leah Askey, given her conduct and obvious caliber during the Faria case.

I check the Troy, Missouri forum on Topix.com once in a while. They have all the latest developments and dirt on Askey. There are quite a few vulgar over the top posts but also some obvious insiders post things there that later turn out to be accurate.

[BlueGalexy]

Originally Posted by Awsi Dooger

Thanks for the heads up on that case. I was not familiar with it.

There are further developments regarding the Faria case or specifically with the prosecutor Leah Askey. She has a major property that was in danger of foreclosure until she was bailed out at the last minute by a lawyer friend. However, the lawyer apparently used funds from a trust he manages to finance the bail out for Askey. They tried to conceal it. Shady all around, and the subject of court hearings, but nothing I wouldn't expect from Leah Askey, given her conduct and obvious caliber during the Faria case.

I check the Troy, Missouri forum on Topix.com once in a while. They have all the latest developments and dirt on Askey. There are quite a few vulgar over the top posts but also some obvious insiders post things there that later turn out to be accurate.

You know Awsi, nothing surprises me about Askey anymore except for the fact that she still has her job. I can't imagine her superiors would be too happy with the negative publicity she generated in part by the whole Faria mess. Do you know...is she elected to her position, or appointed? Just curious.

[Awsi Dooger]

Originally Posted by BlueGalexy

You know Awsi, nothing surprises me about Askey anymore except for the fact that she still has her job. I can't imagine her superiors would be too happy with the negative publicity she generated in part by the whole Faria mess. Do you know...is she elected to her position, or appointed? Just curious.

She was elected. I remember reading about it on that Troy forum a year or two ago. She defeated a guy who had held the position for 20 or 25 years. Askey during the campaign promised to clean things up and also to expand outreach, claiming the department was stuck on old stale methods.

Apparently Askey did follow through on some of those promises, starting a grand jury system and also programs designed to help middle schoolers and other children. Early reviews were positive. I think she still benefits somewhat from those early impressions, and also a reluctance to believe someone in that position could be so devious and incompetent.

There's a determination to win at all costs. I'm convinced that's an increasing part of the equation, and especially in high profile cases. Leah Askey had always been viewed as a winner and didn't want to fail in her signature case, the one she would be defined by. Hence she had no shame in inventing a totally preposterous story and carrying it step by step with additional gobs of disgraceful bunk, while willing to ignore the obvious culpability of charming Pamela along the way.

Every profession has unscrupulous types. It is a small but unavoidable sample among law enforcement along with everywhere else. I'm pleased the true crime programs have recently become less reluctant to spotlight the bad apples on the prosecution side, even if the isolated examples enrage me every time.

[BlueGalexy]

Originally Posted by Awsi Dooger

She was elected. I remember reading about it on that Troy forum a year or two ago. She defeated a guy who had held the position for 20 or 25 years. Askey during the campaign promised to clean things up and also to expand outreach, claiming the department was stuck on old stale methods.

Apparently Askey did follow through on some of those promises, starting a grand jury system and also programs designed to help middle schoolers and other children. Early reviews were positive. I think she still benefits somewhat from those early impressions, and also a reluctance to believe someone in that position could be so devious and incompetent.

There's a determination to win at all costs. I'm convinced that's an increasing part of the equation, and especially in high profile cases. Leah Askey had always been viewed as a winner and didn't want to fail in her signature case, the one she would be defined by. Hence she had no shame in inventing a totally preposterous story and carrying it step by step with additional gobs of disgraceful bunk, while willing to ignore the obvious culpability of charming Pamela along the way.

Every profession has unscrupulous types. It is a small but unavoidable sample among law enforcement along with everywhere else. I'm pleased the true crime programs have recently become less reluctant to spotlight the bad apples on the prosecution side, even if the isolated examples enrage me every time.

I so agree with you on that score. As bad as it can get here however, I know it's a million times worse in other parts of the world. For example, in the Volz case, I was shocked to learn that the three brave Nicaraguan judges who had the courage to overturn an obviously bogus conviction are now under the threat of incarceration themselves! Now that enrages me...

[BlueGalexy]

Hey fellow posters...I wanted to take a moment to share the most recent updates on this fascinating saga! Dateline just began it's 28th season with a very compelling two hour profile of this ongoing case titled The Thing About Pam.

With regards to the Gumpenberger homicide, it appears that Pam Hupp took an Alford plea and was sentenced to life in prison. It also seems that the Gumpenberger case led to a couple of other intriguing developments. First, the ME who handled the death of Hupp's mother, Shirley Neumann, changed the finding from "accidental" to "undetermined", however LE has apparently stated that at this time, they have no new evidence on the matter. In addition, it seems that the prosecutor who handled the original Betsy Faria case has since been voted out of her position and was replaced by a gentleman named Mike Wood. I can't really say for sure if one had anything to do with the other, but Mr. Wood has since stated that he intends to reopen the Betsy Faria case.

I have no idea if this will end up being the final word on these cases, but for now at least, it appears that the Faria homicide is being reexamined, and the authorities who handled the Neumann death are hopefully open to any new information that may come to light. For those like myself who have been following this case, I would recommend watching the aforementioned Dateline...it was well done IMO.

[Steve_uk]

I can't access the latest development reported in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch but I'd be very surprised if Pamela Hupp is charged with Betsy's murder. They already have her behind bars and I think they'll content themselves with that.

[BlueGalexy]

Originally Posted by Steve_uk

I can't access the latest development reported in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch but I'd be very surprised if Pamela Hupp is charged with Betsy's murder. They already have her behind bars and I think they'll content themselves with that.

You could very well be right about this Steve. It certainly wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened IMO. And to be honest, I'm not really expecting any further movement on the Neumann death case either. While no one came right out and said it, I kind of got the impression that there was a bit of a disconnect between the ME's office and LE on that one. Yes, the ME changed the finding based on information that has since been discovered, but LE hasn't reopened the case as far as I can tell. Again, no confirmation on that, just a personal feeling.

[Janice]

https://fox2now.com/2019/10/03/pam-hupp-to-be-investigated-for-murder-of-betsy-faria/


Pam Hupp to be investigated for murder of Betsy Faria

LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. – Pam Hupp, who is already spending life in prison for a 2016 murder, will be investigated for the 2011 murder of her best friend.
On Thursday, Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Wood requested the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to review the murder of Betsy Faria.

Faria was murdered on December 27, 2011. Her husband, Russ, found her stabbed approximately 55 times in her Troy, Missouri home. The case gained international attention, with network specials and high-profile podcasts detailing the investigation.
In 2013, Russ Faria was convicted of killing Betsy. But in a new trial two years later, a judge found he was not guilty while raising questions of Hupp's possible involvement.
Faria served more than three years in prison while Fox 2 revealed evidence of his airtight alibi – his cellphone records, which placed him in Lake St. Louis, far from his wife’s murder. We also showed how Hupp went out of her way to drive Betsy home the night of the murder and also benefitted from Betsy’s $150,000 life insurance policy, which had just been signed over to her.
Betsy was already dying of cancer, with possibly just months to live.
Fox 2 continued its reporting, including investigating the bizarre death of Hupp’s mother—her unexplained fall through the railings of a third-floor balcony—and her life insurance proceeds.
St. Charles County prosecutors said Hupp wanted to escape the heat, so she plotted the murder of a random person in order to frame Russ Faria.
Enter Louis Gumpenberger.
Gumpenberger was shot and killed inside Hupp's O'Fallon, Missouri home in August 2016. He was 37.
Hupp had claimed Gumpenberger invaded her home and that she killed him in self-defense. An O’Fallon police investigation revealed evidence Hupp plotted the whole thing and picked Gumpenberger as her pawn. She was indicted later that month.
In June 2019, Hupp cut a deal to avoid the death penalty in Gumpenberger's murder. Hupp entered an Alford plea, acknowledging county prosecutors had enough evidence to convict her of murder and agreed to a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of probation or parole.
The St. Charles Police Department also agreed to house all physical evidence relating to this new investigation regarding Betsy Faria's murder. This is being done for ease of access and "to preserve investigate integrity." Earlier this week, it was revealed that every piece of evidence collected by Lincoln County that led to a wrongful arrest is missing. All of the follow-up Pam Hupp interviews, in which she changed her story, were also missing.

[Janice]

Originally Posted by Steve_uk

I can't access the latest development reported in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch but I'd be very surprised if Pamela Hupp is charged with Betsy's murder. They already have her behind bars and I think they'll content themselves with that.

She'll be charged. Betsy Faria's family deserves to know. Russ Faria spent 3 and a half years in prison for killing her. He deserves to see her convicted. Betsy Faria needs justice the most. That poor woman. I can only imagine what was going through her mind when her friend started stabbing her.