Also that year, she pleaded no contest in connection with arson fires at an Ajo storage yard believed set for a fraudulent insurance claim. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Cable Publishing, 2014, Mansion with blood red sky, by Toa Heftiba, Glensheen Mansion exterior, Public domain, Glensheen bedroom where murder took place, Damien Enwhistle, Chester Congdon by Daniel Haas, CC by-SA 4.0, Hallway in Glensheen mansion, Damien Enwhistle, Elisabeth Condon in her eighties, Popular Bio, Staircase landing at Glensheen, Damien Enwhistle, Roger Caldwell mugshot, John DeSanto, Zenith City Press, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell walking with attorney, Art Hagen, Minneapolis Start Tribume, Candleholders on nightstand in murder bedroom, Hansen Family blog, Marjorie Congdon mug shot, Pima County Sheriffs Office, Smiling Marjorie in her seventies, Arizona Department of Corrections, Lake Superior shoreline, by Taylor Friehl. Congdon Caldwell married Wally Hagen in 1982. "It really was like a house in a time capsule.". Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. Marjorie was a compulsive spender and liar, and eventually Dick LeRoy had enough and divorced her on April 29, 1971. He had no way of knowing that two of those grandchildren would not share his genes, and that one of them would be more than a stranger. So is she no longer a threat? Guests are constantly , The term craft is ambiguous at best. [Elizabeth Congdon never fully recovered, and spent the last decade of her life unable to engage in many of her previous activities]. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen's son is a candidate for a state judge spot. Investigators quickly identify two suspects with a classic motive: struggling financially, the suspects stood to inherit millions upon the victims death. Jennifer was bubbly and outgoing, a treasure to all those who knew her, except perhaps to Marjorie whose behavioral problems got worse after her arrival. In a plea bargain, the remainder of Rogers prison sentence was dismissed as authorities hoped his confession would implicate Marjoriethough that didnt turn out to be the case. Four years into his sentence, though, Roger Caldwell walked out of prison, never to return. Today, the University of Minnesota-Duluth operates the mansion, tours and events that take place inside and on the mansion's grounds. But in reality it was just the opposite. Im interested in at-risk youth, and drawn to help people in difficult situations. We were invited for dinner several times. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. This post is riddled with false statements about both the mansion and the family. His was the classic American rags to riches story, and he was just getting started. How do I setup my iPhone 13 for the first time? 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. So they made a deal. From the outside, it may have looked like her spending was out of control. It might help visitors better understand Marjories behavior, and raise awareness about these dangerous people among us. She helped found a baby clinic in Duluth that eventually became a Planned Parenthood. "We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that the focus of Glensheen is not the murder. 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. Back in Minnesota for the funeral, police found evidence of foul play in their Duluth hotel room. In fact, LeRoy herself learned about many of her grandmothers projects only when she began to research her new book, Nightingale: A Memoir of Murder, Madness, and the Messenger of Spring, Kitai Press. Psychopaths are driven by their need for control. A civil suit filed by five of her seven children in 1979 to disinherit their mother from her inheritance on the grounds she was involved in the murders was settled out of court in 1983. The promise of a big pay combined with plenty of publicity may have been factors that led Ronald Meshbesher to take her case. The blood type turned out to be type O; the same blood type of Velma Pietila and Roger Caldwell. 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. Marjorie's second marriage was to a man named Roger Sipe Caldwell. The literature has noted cases where children demonstrate psychopathic behaviors as early as age two, and in environments that are perfectly sound. What does it mean when someone is succumb? Though one of the suspects was convicted, and later signed a confession, some elements of the crime remain mysterious, and it has persisted as a source of continued fascination. She was released on October 19, 1986, and she and Wally moved to Ajo, Arizona. MP: In your memoirs, your grandmother seems to be a much greater influence on you than your own parents were. After the murders, someone stole Velma Pietilas car and left it at the airport, suggesting the killer had fled the city. The building was designed by Minnesota architect Clarence H. The historic Glensheen Mansion, along London Road in Duluth MN, was built for, Released in the fall of 1972 and directed by Lamont Johnson, Youll Like, Glensheen, a mansion and grounds completed in 1908 on the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth, was built by Chester and Clara Congdon. "We always believed, and the whole theory of the case was, that she was the woman behind the man," DeSanto said. The primary victim, Elisabeth Congdon, was 83 years old. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell with her attorney Ronald Meshbesher. You want to raise your hand and draw attention to it, even if it might be considered a bit crass. She told the new buyers she wanted to do some work on the house before handing it over to them. This was now two years after the murders and, as Kimball recalled, two new developments hurt the prosecution. Psychopaths are at their most dangerous when their manipulations are thwarted. In his will Chester Congdon bequeathed his home and fortune to his wife and children, and by succession to his grandchildren. Part of the reason is the woman who would drive her died a year ago.". To control that wealth mustve been very enticing to someone like Marjorie. (function(d, s, id) { Exasperated, Elisabeth arranged to sell the horse, but before the sale could be completed, Marjorie was caught trying to poison it. During her lifetime, the Duluth mining heiress and philanthropist worked quietly to shape the community and culture of her northern town. Elisabeths face was purple, her mouth hanging open. Editor's note: This story originally appeared in the June 25, 2017, edition of the News Tribune. At least three books have been written about Hagen, including, "Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings," by former News Tribune crime reporter Gail Feichtinger, retired Duluth police detective Gary Waller and DeSanto. Caldwell's conviction was. Sadly, he was only able to enjoy his home for seven years. If she could not get it by lying, cheating and stealing, she would find some other way. Some call it Minnesotas Downton Abbey. She was charming and talkative. 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. Genres True Crime History Nonfiction Biography Biography Memoir 332 pages, Paperback First published November 23, 1998 Book details & editions 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. She loved nature and history, and taught her children and grandchildren to protect them. She knew they were unlikely to front her the cash, so she sent Roger to make the plea. Marjorie was released from prison on January 5, 2004, to much trepidation. She taught me to give back. They never suspected what was about to happen. Marjorie had a penchant for arson. She professed her innocence in the Ajo fire at trial. Investigators focused almost immediately on one of Elizabeth's adopted daughters, Marjorie Caldwell, and her husband Roger. Nowadays, criminal psychologists recognize the allure of psychopaths as practiced behavior. She had been smothered to death. 40 years later, Glensheen murders still grip Duluth, Glensheen, home museums rethink rules to lure visitors. In 2005, the museum reversed course. 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. Still, its a little awkward when youre standing in the bedroom where Elisabeth Congdon was murdered with a satin pillow over her face, and its not even mentioned. They cannot believe the things people say about her. It became kind of obvious that the jurors were thinking, boy I don't think this lady would kill her mother.". In 1983 Roger Caldwell confessed to the Glensheen killings, pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. Prone to arson, Marjorie was suspected of torching her home in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, but the matter was dropped. Does the Glensheen mansion have an elevator? But if anyone thought Marjorie was the victim in this relationship, they had another thing coming. She always had a project going. A tour guide shares historical facts and interesting details about the mansion and Congdon family. He was treated for a possible heart attack but released after doctors couldnt determine the cause of his illness. The Congdons are notable for many things, and the docents dont want those accomplishments overshadowed by the taint of Marjorie Congdons behavior. Caldwell was a bad alcoholic. Sure, there've been times over 40 years when I wished the whole thing. From an early age, Marjorie showed signs of devious behavior, and as a teenager she was diagnosed as a sociopath. Female psychopaths are rare, occurring at half the rate of men. Charges against Marjorie were dropped in the first case and never filed in the second. The Duluth newspaper archives included thousands of mentions of her activities. Her attempts for earlier release on parole met. She was charged with attempted arson and in a 1992 trial found guilty. Marjorie and Caldwell were reportedly in heavy debt shortly after marrying in Colorado in 1976. But Congdon was betting on the come. If you can make a difference in even one life, its meaningful. Everyones life is important and has meaning, but she was so important to me. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. MP: You have a hard time calling Marjorie Caldwell your mother. Marjorie Congdon Hagen, 78, was placed on three years' intensive probation in March 2009 after she pleaded guilty to attempted forgery. "In recent years, she has kept a surprisingly low profile," she said in 2017. And they ended up acquitting her. Her nurse that night, 66-year-old Velma Pietila, had just retired and was looking forward to relaxing and traveling with her husband; shed been convinced to return to work for one more night because the regular nurse was on vacation. Roger took Velmas car back to the airport and flew back to Denver. They didn't think they could prove the death was murder. She would be strange. They married on August 7, 1981, in North Dakota; Marjorie had not bothered to divorce Roger and is still wanted for bigamy in North Dakota. When Elisabeth was found murdered, it didnt take long for the investigation to zero in on the Caldwells. She resides in Tucson, Arizona. He passed the bar and took a job as a high school principal in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. There she became a suspect in a rash of fires. Then he graduated as class valedictorian from seminary school before taking a law degree at Syracuse University. From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie Caldwell served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for arson. It is so beautiful and wonderful Im glad that everyone can enjoy it. And new things are happening. How did Chester Congdon make his fortune? From 1993 to 2004, Marjorie served 11 years of a 15-year prison sentence for the arson fires in Ajo. She was a role model and a mentor and laid a foundation not only about conduct and responsibility but about how to approach life. The murders at Glensheen mansion were sloppy. But psychopaths are not greedy in the same way sociopaths are. The first time she invited me over I was met at the door by the Doberman pinscher peering out through the little window on the door. From the beginning, the child was different. Is there a movie about the Glensheen Mansion? Just before the fire, Marjorie was seen carrying valuables out of the house and loading them into her car. I was only 9 years old when she had a stroke. Sadly, most people from her generation would not be able to square what they know about Marjorie with the diagnosis of a psychopath. The lawyers tell you that you and your siblings would be set for life. Yet you became a nurse a very demanding, difficult profession. It is estimated that 1% of the population are psychopaths. Caldwell served five. Roger Caldwell, when he was arrested for the murders of heiress Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, in St. Louis County, on July 8, 1977. People are drawn to psychopaths like moths to a flame. Im doing work now with Youth Link, and some of the proceeds from this book will go to help young people at risk of sexual trafficking. Roger confessed to the murders, but was freed after serving just over five years in jail. The nurse picked up a corner and peeked underneath. The man who actually committed the murder was Roger Caldwell, the second husband of Elisabeth Congdon's adopted daughter, Marjorie, according to MinnPost. The trial was moved to Brainerd and in July of 1978 the jury found Roger Caldwell (Marjorie's husband) to be guilty of the crimes. A neighbor remembered Marjorie as being very industrious. She was accused of attempting to deposit his $11,181 inheritance into her account after he died. In 1883 at the age of thirty he started his own practice and traveled to Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior where he became interested in mining. Your email address will not be published. As early as 1966 when she was married to Dick LeRoy, the family garage mysteriously burned to the ground. Marjorie and Dick LeRoy had seven children: When LeRoy was transferred to Minnesota, they lived in Minneapolis, then moved to St. Louis Park. She served 21 months. Condgon was found smothered with a satin pillow. It took the authorities less than two weeks to arrest Roger Caldwell, but not before he wound up in the hospital after having collapsed at breakfast with seizures. As before, she was not considered a flight risk, so she was permitted to visit her husband one last time before being escorted to prison. Partnering with a friend, Congdon obtained leases for iron ore properties that contained ore mixed with sand. The mansion itself is beautiful. I found her yacht, the Hesperia, in Lloyds Register of Ships. She left an extensive record of philanthropic activities, with the Red Cross, the Duluth Art Institute, the Kings Daughters, numerous museums, hospitals, historical societies. Where Marjorie Congdon Hagen goes, fire and death follow. They are not trying to get money to feed a desire for things. Hagen endorsed and deposited an $11,000 check into a bank. Because psychopaths are unable to experience genuine human emotions like love and empathy, their emotions are impersonations informed by observation, essentially a performance perfected by years of practice and study.

Land For Sale In Carter County, Mo, Articles M