Terri Hoffman: guilty or not?

[XCalibur]

You all remember this case? Was she an innocent spiritual leader or a con artist and murderer? I personally think that's way to many coincidences how people in her group who have insurance policies where she is the benefactor seem to die under mysterious circumstances. Man there was something creepy and vile about that woman, she looks like some sort of black widow. the question is how did she convince these people to commit suicide and what not? I know she wasn't charged with any crime but circumstantial evidence against her seems so strong I don't know how their couldn't have been at least enough for authorities to try. Exceedingly strange and disturbing case, she might be a female Charles Manson. I have never seen any updates on this case, I wonder if she is still alive and pulling stuff like this? I hope not.....................

[McBevis]

Originally Posted by XCalibur

You all remember this case? Was she an innocent spiritual leader or a con artist and murderer? I personally think that's way to many coincidences how people in her group who have insurance policies where she is the benefactor seem to die under mysterious circumstances. Man there was something creepy and vile about that woman, she looks like some sort of black widow. the question is how did she convince these people to commit suicide and what not? I know she wasn't charged with any crime but circumstantial evidence against her seems so strong I don't know how their couldn't have been at least enough for authorities to try. Exceedingly strange and disturbing case, she might be a female Charles Manson. I have never seen any updates on this case, I wonder if she is still alive and pulling stuff like this? I hope not.....................

Hard to say whether or not she's actually guilty of murder, but I don't think there's any doubt that she's somehow indirectly responsible for the trail of mysterious deaths that she's so infamously associated with. At the very least, I think she could have had some strange power of persuasion over people where she may have somehow convinced them to kill themselves.

[XCalibur]

Originally Posted by McBevis

Hard to say whether or not she's actually guilty of murder, but I don't think there's any doubt that she's somehow indirectly responsible for the trail of mysterious deaths that she's so infamously associated with. At the very least, I think she could have had some strange power of persuasion over people where she may have somehow convinced them to kill themselves.

Especially the guy saying on that suicide video he had terminal cancer when the autopsy revealed he didn't. That was just bizarre.

[1990 UM fan]

She's either a very good voodoo priestess or witch or something, or she is very skilled at manipulative mind games to convince people to kill themselves. The case she was featured on, the Charles Southern Jr. one, is one of the eeriest ones I've ever watched.

[TracyLynnS]

Killer con artist, imo. And dang scary looking!

[MegtheEgg86]

I remember researching this about three years ago and digging up a website that had an entire section devoted to her and her group. From what I recall, it was mostly a series of newspaper and magazine articles about her many acts of fraud. Many of them mentioned Charles Southern. I haven't been able to find it since.

This is one of the few segments I've never actually seen (well, the RS version anyway).

As far as Terri Hoffman being responsible for the deaths around her, I'm not sure. It's certainly unusual that a black cloud seems to kind of follow her wherever she goes.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

This is one of the few segments I've never actually seen (well, the RS version anyway).

Wow, you've seen some pretty obscure segments that I've never even heard of. I've seen the Stack version of Charles Southern a couple of times. I distinctly remember the suicide video (a portion was shown on UM) and being creeped out by the fact that it was revealed that the man did not in fact have a terminal illness. There's no doubt in my mind that Terri Hoffman was involved in the deaths. Not directly per se, but I believe she had some sort of mental hold over her "followers" and could convince them to do things at her will.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

I distinctly remember the suicide video (a portion was shown on UM)

Now THAT'S scary.

[WishfulDreamer]

It's been about a decade since I've seen this case and all I remember is the video. I remember finding it particularly unsettling because of how close the man was to the camera and how he wasn't actually ill at all. I consider this a pretty rare segment, difficult to find.

[wiseguy182]

@Meg and Wishful: I can send you ladies a copy of Charles Southern if you want.

what other cases haven't you seen?

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by wiseguy182

@Meg and Wishful: I can send you ladies a copy of Charles Southern if you want.

what other cases haven't you seen?

Would LOVE that!

I've never seen the Michael St. Clair and Dennis Reese segment either, although I think one of the victims may be a distant relative of mine. My family is from the same area of Tennessee she lived in, and we share last names.

[wiseguy182]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

Would LOVE that!

I've never seen the Michael St. Clair and Dennis Reese segment either, although I think one of the victims may be a distant relative of mine. My family is from the same area of Tennessee she lived in, and we share last names.

Sorry to hear about that. I have that segment as well. I think I'm going to the post office by Monday to mail out a trade for another poster, I could have it ready by then.

[WishfulDreamer]

Thanks for the kind offer wiseguy, but I currently live in Japan. Maybe when I come back to the States next year I'll ask you about it!

One I haven't seen is the Ed Barbara segment. Can't think of any others off the top of my head that I've never seen though I can think of rarer ones I would love to see again. For example, the older Boston Strangler segment that didn't make it to the DVDs, which included interviews with another inmate (and possible suspect) and intrigue about de Salvo's murder.

[wiseguy182]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

Thanks for the kind offer wiseguy, but I currently live in Japan. Maybe when I come back to the States next year I'll ask you about it!

One I haven't seen is the Ed Barbara segment. Can't think of any others off the top of my head that I've never seen though I can think of rarer ones I would love to see again. For example, the older Boston Strangler segment that didn't make it to the DVDs, which included interviews with another inmate (and possible suspect) and intrigue about de Salvo's murder.

sounds good. I think I do have that alternate version of the Boston Strangler buried somewhere...

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

Now THAT'S scary.

It was kind of creepy knowing it was a suicide video, but IIRC, Stack narrates the whole time while the guy is talking so you really can't hear anything.