Summary Linda Fields was a no-nonsense, hard worker running a Nevada cattle ranch with her husband Vern. The ranch was in financial trouble, and so was their marriage, but the couple continued to stick it out in spite of the difficulties. They received a windfall when police found the body of Jeromir Palensky in the Jordan River in Utah. Palensky had been working as a ranch hand for the Fields. A Czech immigrant who had no family in the U.S., Palensky had left behind a will and a $300,000 life insurance policy, with the Fields as his beneficiaries. Shortly after Palensky's death, Linda cashed in on the will and applied for the insurance payout. But Palensky's relatives from the Czech Republic filed suit to claim the insurance. Meanwhile, investigators continued searching for Palensky's killer, and Linda Fields went from wealthy heir to prime suspect. Investigators discovered that Linda had obtained a power of attorney from him, and had taken out the $300,000 life insurance policy on Palensky herself. The will, which left land and other belongings to the Fields, had been forged by Vern. An autopsy determined Palensky hadn't drowned-he'd been killed by blunt force trauma to the head a month before his body was found. His watch had stopped on the date of the 19th. -- the last day he was on the Fields' ranch. But investigators didn't have enough evidence to get an indictment. As time went by, Linda became over-confident that she'd gotten away with murder. She began telling friends about taking the body to Utah. When one of those friends went to the police, Linda was finally indicted for Palensky's murder, three years after his body had been found. At her trial, prosecutors argued that Linda had masterminded the murder and had driven Palensky's body over 200 miles to divert attention from the ranch. When Linda took the stand, she proclaimed her innocence, saying she had only tried to help Palensky. The jury found her story unconvincing, returning with a guilty verdict, and convicting her of life in prison. A few months later, Vern Fields was also convicted of the murder.
Directed : Unknown
Written : Unknown
Stars : Sharon Martin Jody Flader Andrew D. Erath Dustin Bolt
Genres : Crime Documentary
Release date : Jul 19, 2008
Countries of origin : United States
Language : English
Production companies : Jupiter Entertainment Oh! Oxygen
Summary Linda Fields was a no-nonsense, hard worker running a Nevada cattle ranch with her husband Vern. The ranch was in financial trouble, and so was their marriage, but the couple continued to stick it out in spite of the difficulties. They received a windfall when police found the body of Jeromir Palensky in the Jordan River in Utah. Palensky had been working as a ranch hand for the Fields. A Czech immigrant who had no family in the U.S., Palensky had left behind a will and a $300,000 life insurance policy, with the Fields as his beneficiaries. Shortly after Palensky's death, Linda cashed in on the will and applied for the insurance payout. But Palensky's relatives from the Czech Republic filed suit to claim the insurance. Meanwhile, investigators continued searching for Palensky's killer, and Linda Fields went from wealthy heir to prime suspect. Investigators discovered that Linda had obtained a power of attorney from him, and had taken out the $300,000 life insurance policy on Palensky herself. The will, which left land and other belongings to the Fields, had been forged by Vern. An autopsy determined Palensky hadn't drowned-he'd been killed by blunt force trauma to the head a month before his body was found. His watch had stopped on the date of the 19th. -- the last day he was on the Fields' ranch. But investigators didn't have enough evidence to get an indictment. As time went by, Linda became over-confident that she'd gotten away with murder. She began telling friends about taking the body to Utah. When one of those friends went to the police, Linda was finally indicted for Palensky's murder, three years after his body had been found. At her trial, prosecutors argued that Linda had masterminded the murder and had driven Palensky's body over 200 miles to divert attention from the ranch. When Linda took the stand, she proclaimed her innocence, saying she had only tried to help Palensky. The jury found her story unconvincing, returning with a guilty verdict, and convicting her of life in prison. A few months later, Vern Fields was also convicted of the murder.
Genres : Crime Documentary
Release date : Jul 19, 2008
Countries of origin : United States
Language : English
Production companies : Jupiter Entertainment Oh! Oxygen
