Elisabeth Congdons way of dealing with Marjorie was to appease her. In this light, Marjories difficulty in making friends at school can be seen as trial and error, a long learning curve that resulted in her emerging as an engaging, charismatic young woman at the age of nineteen, enough to snare a man like Dick LeRoy. She is released 21 months later. Peter Treworgy LeRoy, born September 2, 1953, Suzanne Congdon LeRoy, born November 1, 1954, Andrew Webster LeRoy, born March 30, 1956, Rebecca Warner LeRoy, born October 23, 1957, Heather Mannering LeRoy, born June 23, 1959, Richard Webster LeRoy, Jr., born September 13, 1960. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. Its wonderful to see their reactions. But psychopaths are different. Donations made by check can be made out to MinnPost and mailed to us at PO Box 18438, Minneapolis, MN 55418. When he drank, he turned violent. Feichtinger wouldn't go that far, noting that Marjorie is no longer on probation and being supervised. Developed by Prime Marketing Exposition, @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. Congdon's son-in-law, Roger Caldwell, was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in 1978. When she left, they told her they were going to miss her. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. In 1990, Hagen and her husband moved to Ajo, Ariz. One year later, authorities said Marjorie Hagen used a kerosene-soaked rag to try to burn down a neighbor's home. Today, Marjorie Congdon is eighty-nine years old. Better you should stay away from them. She was charged with attempted arson and in a 1992 trial found guilty. MinnPost | P.O. Sociopaths are shaped by their environment. Her children were always dressed like out of a magazine ad. Whatever the diagnosis revealed was something Elisabeth would never tell anyone. Twenty months later she was released for good behavior. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This tiny house, built by Mrs. Alice Tisdale in 1927, housed Marjorie, Dick, and their seven children. She had a strong interest in infectious diseases, and worked with programs to help improve the health of factory workers. They may charm you, they may trick you, or they may put you in a difficult position. The cause was arson, but her presence there could not be connected to the crime, and she was not arrested. Marjorie was a compulsive spender and liar, and eventually Dick LeRoy had enough and divorced her on April 29, 1971. She was charged with murder in his death, but the charges were dropped. They turned him down flat. She bought her things. Im not going to sell the book at Glensheen. The killings were carried out by Roger Caldwell, allegedly at the urging of his wife, Congdon's adopted daughter Marjorie, though she was later acquitted of conspiracy to murder at a trial. Her adopted daughter Marjorie LeRoy's mother along with her new husband, Roger Caldwell, were accused of murdering Congdon in an attempt to inherit her fortune. The case had all the ingredients of an old-fashioned whodunit wealth, greed, betrayal, even a mansion and a candlestick murder weapon. Tucson police wouldn't discuss what led to the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell had enough notoriety as an heiress that she could hire one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Minnesota. It was perfect. The next day the house caught fire. Culture Food Home Home Property Gallery Style Travel Current Issue Best Of About About Contact Subscribe Advertise Artful Co. Shop Gray Duck Media. June 27 marks the 40th anniversary of the Glensheen Mansion murders. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. Hare, Robert D. Phd. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. When did Irene Curie win the Nobel Prize? Although Marjorie was brought up in the familys opulent Glensheen Mansion and attended Dana Hall Prep School in Massachusetts, she was nevertheless troubled, and at age 16 she was actually given the label sociopath during a stay at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas, in the summer of 1949. He said she needed assisted living because of her worsening health issues. If they want something from you, they will stop at nothing to get it. js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=180027192065175"; Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. DULUTH Trouble continued to follow Marjorie Caldwell after her 1979 trial and acquittal for murder conspiracy in the slayings of her mother and her mother's nurse at Glensheen. And a witness from the first trial changed her story to say she saw Roger elsewhere the day of the murder. Shop for marjorie congdon caldwell hagen wall art from the world's greatest living artists. His conviction had been overturned by the Minnesota Supreme Court after fingerprint evidence used in his trial was called into serious question during Marjories own criminal trial in 1979win which she was acquitted of her alleged role in planning the murders. Suzanne is estranged from her mother, telling MinnPost interviewer Amy Goetzman in 2014 that the last shed heard, her mother was calling herself Marjorie Hagen and living in the Southwest. She always told stories about her nursing training in World War I, and I was fascinated. The next morning Walter Hagen was found dead, the victim of an apparent suicide. What do ice crystals on a frozen food item indicate? Ricky LeRoy was only 17 at the time of the murders and is now a well-known attorney and advocate for poor defendants. Back at home, her third husband, Walter Hagen, was delighted at her return. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); I had to wonder: Do you fear for your personal safety? Saturday, Aug. 23, 12 p.m., Village Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Minn. MinnPost's in-depth, independent news is free for all to access no paywall or subscriptions. He used to call her, My Angel., Psychotics are not the same thing as psychopaths, but for a whole generation of people theres only one way to be psycho. Velma was covered in blood. Marjorie Caldwell Hagen, seen in a photo from when she was in Arizona prisons from late 1992 to early 2004, serving time for arsons in Ajo, Ariz. She was accused of murdering her third husband, although those charges were dropped. Stained glass window above the stairway landing at Glensheen mansion where Velma Pitiela was murdered. Rather, they seek money as a means of control. If they change to focus to be more about history and the house, Ill reconsider. Intelligent and often charming, Marjorie married and had six children before the marriage ended amid stresses exacerbated by her exorbitant spending. Shortly thereafter, the house burned to the ground. One month before the murder Marjorie got a prescription for Antabuse. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. But her mother, who was murdered in 1977, was not. Roger took Velmas car back to the airport and flew back to Denver. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. Chester Adgate Congdon was a go-getter. A big contingent are coming in opening nighttheyve got their tickets already.. An autopsy subsequently revealed Walter Hagen had died of a drug overdose. Despite prosecution having only circumstantial evidence to present, Roger was convicted and handed two consecutive life sentences. Marjorie did not call the fire department. "The big mystery still is, did Roger do it alone or with someone else there, and how involved if at all was Marjorie? Psychopaths are in complete control of reality. Will Xbox Series X ever be in stock again? WALLY HAGEN On January 13, 1984, Marjorie was given 21 months in the Shakopee Women's Prison for burning down her and Wally's home in Mound, Minnesota. All marjorie congdon caldwell hagen artwork ships within 48 hours and includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. They are thinking about restoring the greenhouses, which were torn down in 1971, and bringing in bee hives and selling Glensheen honey. Without divorcing Caldwell, she married Wallace Hagen in 1982 in North Dakota and was charged with bigamy a few months later. The bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered. You are here: Home How What happened Marjorie Congdon? Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. From the beginning, the child was different. The Great Debate: Should A Craft Distillery Purchase Already-Made Spirits? Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); @2022 - 2022 - All Right Reserved. ", "I went on one of the early tours," he said, "and one of the first things the guide said, was, 'when Ms. Congdon passed away, she willed the estate to the university.' In 1986, he was elected St. Louis County Sheriff; he retired in 1999. These days few Americans find it cynical to observe that our justice system is vulnerable to the influences of wealth and celebrity. By 1977, she was living in Colorado and married to her second husband, Roger Caldwell. Chester's youngest daughter, Elisabeth had never married. She had a particular impact on quality of life issues for women and children. But it didnt stop there. How many of the Andes Survivors are still Alive? They agreed. MP: What do you consider to be her most important and lasting legacy to Minnesota? Those who know her find her friendly and engaging. TUCSON, Ariz. -- Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen, the 74-year-old woman acquitted in connection with the June 1977 deaths of her mother and her mother's nurse at Duluth's Glensheen mansion, was taken into custody Thursday night at a Tucson assisted-living facility and booked into Pima County Jail on suspicion of theft, forgery, fraud and computer tampering. "Then went upstairs and smothered the 83-year-old heiress in her bed with a satin pillow.". But Marjorie had something going for her that Roger didnt. Marjorie is now the same age her mother was when her mother was murdered. Later, I became interested in infectious disease and HIV. Two years later, the town experienced a rash of forty-three fires, at least fifteen of which were attributed to arson. Your email address will not be published. "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. Congdon worked to improve maternal health and infant survival rates; she provided numerous students with scholarships and even housed at least one Chinese college student at Glensheen; and she was a passionate supporter of the arts. A wealthy woman is murdered in her bed, smothered with a pillow in the landmark lakeside mansion built by her parents. "Certainly, it isn't surprising she's back in the news today. Sociopaths are rarely so engaging. How do I create a group in Contacts on iPhone? The Classic and Full Mansion tours are self-paced with most visitors spending. An expert disputed a fingerprint that linked Roger to the crime. The Hagen family planned a memorial service in January 1996 at Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. Their mother Hagen's previous wife was in a nursing home in 1980 when she collapsed into a coma and died after Marjorie allegedly was seen feeding her something from a jar. She was a product of her upbringing, in that she liked a genteel life. Elisabeth Congdon's funeral was to be held at Glensheen on Thursday June, 30. In 1935 Elizabeth adopted another daughter and named her Jennifer. And I have taken all the necessary precautions to keep myself safe. Later it came to light that her friend had thought the world of her. Candleholders on Elisabeth Congdons bedside table in Glensheen Mansion. Glensheen, built just northeast of downtown Duluth in 1909, was the audacious symbol of Congdon's wealth and made the murders that much more intriguing. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are largest Know-How Listing website, total [total_posts] questions already asked and get answers instantly! You think youre in a Gothic murder mystery, and then humorous elements come in and you end up popping into different worlds.. A neighbor remembered Marjorie as being very industrious. The primary victim, Elisabeth Congdon, was 83 years old. "We always believed, and the whole theory of the case was, that she was the woman behind the man," DeSanto said. But psychopaths are not greedy in the same way sociopaths are. Zenith City Press That's in part because of what happened afterward when the story gets even crazier.. What does Louis Osbourne do for a living? Winter is coming, so . They cannot believe the things people say about her. 40 years later, Hartman said the murders are still fresh and raw for members of the Congdon family, some of whom sit on the museum's board. The nurse hurried up the stairs to Elisabeths bedroom. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. MinnPost: Although Glensheen is well known, your grandmother is not. Sympathy is a dangerous emotion in the hands of a psychopath. In spite of the evidence, prosecutors did not pursue a case against her. Marjorie Caldwell's reign of terror has resumed in St. Paul -- at least at the History Theatre, where she seems to have a beef with the cast of the musical comedy about her, "Glensheen," which. It looked like justice was finally catching up with her. The investigators werent buying it. When you tour Glensheen Mansion, the 39-room Congdon family home on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota, the docents try to avoid talking about the murders. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. She appealed, was let free on bond and, after a year of setbacks and delays, she was finally remanded to Shakopee Womens Prison in Shakopee, Minnesota. As far as Marjorie and Roger: Theyre fair game. Thats when Marjorie got an idea. They are not trying to get money to feed a desire for things. At the time of the slayings, the Caldwells were deep in debt. In 1951 Marjorie found herself in St. Louis, Missouri, and married Richard Dick Webster LeRoy, an insurance executive. Investigators focused almost immediately on one of Elizabeth's adopted daughters, Marjorie Caldwell, and her husband Roger. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. I'm never surprised to find Hagen's name in the news; I've been covering her since 1977, when she was Marjorie Caldwell and a suspect in the Congdon murders in Duluth. I have had no contact with her for 40 years. With Roger out of prison under supervision and a retrial looming, authorities decided to strike a deal rather than risk an acquittal. Marjories trial for conspiracy was next, but with the help of one of Minnesotas top defense attorneys, Ron Meshbesher, Marjorie was found not guilty on July 21, 1979. Elisabeth Congdon, heiress to a taconite fortune in Duluth, never married and could not have children so she adopted Jacqueline and changed her name to Marjorie. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. As the day nurse entered the house that morning, something seemed off, the mansion was unusually quiet. Marjorie did not call the fire department. Marjorie Hagen, then known as Marjorie Caldwell, was accused of conspiring with her then-husband, Roger Caldwell, to kill Elisabeth Congdon, 83, and hernight nurse in the Congdon mansion in Duluth . Glensheen director Dan Hartman talks about a Congdon family portrait. But prosecutors didn't want to risk a not guilty verdict. Details could be released next week. In November 2008, Marjorie pled guilty to fraud after illegally taking funds from the bank account of Roger Sammis, who had been under her care before his death. After a long trial, it took the jury just twenty-four hours to convict Roger Caldwell. She was arrested and convicted of second-degree arson and insurance fraud. She took her pulse. "People have seen her as recently as the last couple weeks, walking her dog without a walker," Feichtinger said at the time. 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