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A Michigan woman, Annie Lee Cole, was recently sentenced to life in prison for her part in a 1994 plot to murder a former co-worker and steal her identity. Cole, who had a history of run-ins with the law and was facing a possible jail term for passing bad checks, was convicted of first degree murder for allegedly hiring her nephew and a friend to kidnap and kill Stella Sproule.
In preparation for her adventure, Cole obtained a $150,000 life insurance policy on herself. After Sproule’s body was found, Cole, using the name “Betty Cole,” identified the body as her sister, Annie Cole. She requested that the body by cremated, but police delayed releasing the body until their investigation was completed.
Cole’s elaborately planned scheme began to fall apart when her brother told investigators that Annie was still alive and that he had no aunt named Betty Cole. Also, a temporary credit card issued to Stella Sproule was reported to have been used at a department store after Sproule’s family had reported her missing.
Cole’s nephew, Leander Foster, was found guilty of first degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery and felony firearm. The friend who helped to kidnap and murder Sproule, Stewart McCoy, was expected to be tried again after his first trial ended in a hung jury.
Timothy Boczkowski told police investigating the death of his wife, Mary Elaine, in November 1990 that he heard a thump and found his wife dead in the bathtub of their Greensboro, North Carolina, home. Because the cause of death was never determined, Boczkowski was unable to collect on his wife’s $125,000 insurance policy although no charges were filed against Boczkowski. Shortly after his first wife’s death, he moved to Pittsburgh where he eventually remarried. He purchased a $100,000 life insurance policy on the new Mrs. Boczkowski.
In November, 1994 – almost exactly four years later – when the body of Boczkowski’s second wife, Maryann, was found floating in the couple’s hot tub, Boczkowski became the prime suspect in both cases. Investigators were suspicious from the start when Boczkowski told them he and Maryann had been sitting in the tub discussing his concern over her drinking problems. According to his story, about thirty minutes after he left the tub, Boczkowski returned to find Maryann’s body.
Boczkowski’s neck and back were scratched (he alleged his wife had scratched him during what he called a “rough massage”) and Maryann’s neck and chest were bruised. Police suspect Maryann was strangled but are unsure whether it happened in the tub or elsewhere. No water was found in her lungs to indicate that she drowned.
North Carolina authorities considered the death of Boczkowski’s first wife suspicious at the time but did not pursue the case due to lack of evidence. The death of the second Mrs. Boczkowski under such similar circumstances caused police to reopen the earlier case. Investigators suspect Boczkowski may have killed both his wives for their life insurance. But in light of the nature of the two cases, Boczkowski, who was arrested and held on $1 million bail in the deathof his second wife, has been unable to collect on either policy.
Diane Borchardt, a high school teacher’s aide, got along well with the students. It is alleged that she got along so well with three students that she was able to convince them to kill her estranged husband in April 1994. In return, she reportedly agreed to give the three students $600 in cash, two cars, her wedding ring and $20,000 from her husband’s $100,000 insurance policy.
The Borchardts were in the middle of a nasty divorce at the time. Mr. Borchardt was so concerned for his safety that he set empty jars around the floor of his house, thinking any intruders would be unable to walk in without waking him. Although Mrs. Borchardt was visiting relatives out of town when the killing occurred, investigators suspected from the outset that she was involved in the plot. They were unable to prove anything until one of the boys confessed.
Diane Borchardt was arrested on murder charges in September 1994.
A Missouri man was convicted in September 1994 of pressuring his 15-year-old son into killing his wife so that the two of them could collect her life insurance before a pending divorce became final. Lawrence Clouse threatened to kill his son Derek if Derek did not shoot his mother. He persuaded Derek that the law would go easy on him because Derek was a juvenile.
Derek testified that his father wanted him to shoot his mother in the parking lot of the movie theater but he was unable to do so because of second thoughts. Inside the theater, just as the movie was beginning, Derek stood up and carried out his father’s instructions, shooting his mother seven times.
Derek pleaded guilty to second degree murder and was expected to be sentenced to ten years to life in prison. Lawrence Clouse was expected to be sentenced to life in prison for his part in the crime.
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