Snapped: Women Who Murder - Hope Schreiner

Episode Date: April 21, 2024

To solve the sudden and violent murder of a retired landscape architect, investigators weed through information about a disgruntled neighbor and an illicit affair only to find that seeds of resentment are often planted close to home.Season 26 Episode 14Originally aired: November 24, 2019Watch full episodes of Snapped for FREE on the Oxygen app: https://oxygentv.app.link/WatchSnappedPodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looking for inspiration? Craving something new? When you visit Audible, there are endless ways to ignite your imagination. With over 750,000 titles including bestsellers, there's a listen for every type of listener. Discover all the best in audiobooks, podcasts, and originals featuring authentic Canadian voices and celebrity talent like Brendan Fraser and Luke Kirby's latest sci-fi adventure The Downloaded. A first listen is waiting for you when you start your free trial at audible.ca. What does it mean to be Black in America?

In NPR's Black Stories, Black Truths, a collection of stories as varied, nuanced, and dynamic as Black experiences, you'll hear. It means everything. Search NPR Black Stories Black Truths wherever you get your podcasts. They were the perfect couple, living their golden years in a wilderness paradise. People were drawn to her because of her smile,

because she has kind of a giddy laugh. Hard work was his mantra. You worked hard for what you wanted and worked hard to get what you got. They had a perfect marriage, a storybook marriage. They had the kind of partnership that other people aspired to. But one frigid morning, tragedy will alter the rest of their lives. 911, what is the address of the emergency?

Port-au-Lait. Okay, tell me exactly what happened. There's a dead body on our shoreline. Larry went below the surface and wasn't seen again. Dark secrets lie beneath these icy waters. I wouldn't suspect, but like this, the whole damn thing just doesn't feel right. I don't think you killed your husband.

I wouldn't kill myself before I'd hurt Larry. This was a woman whose entire world, entire life was unraveling before her eyes. How could I have been so stupid? Why on earth would you take off? Why would you disappear? What are you doing? It really made you stop and think, how well do I know my neighbor?

February 13, 2018, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. A four-season playground for residents and visitors alike, Coeur d'Alene offers a lush sanctuary for nature enthusiasts. We have lakes, mountains, skiing, hiking, fishing, all the outdoor activities you possibly want. The crown jewel of the region is Lake Coeur d'Alene, a vast and breathtaking expanse of water more than 25 miles long and up to 200 feet deep. Lake Coeur d'Alene is what continues

to draw people to the area. It is absolutely stunning every single season. But on the morning before Valentine's Day, the serenity of Lake Coeur d'Alene would be pierced by a woman's cries for help. Iowa 1, what's the address to your emergency? I'm just in the house up on the lake, but I don't know where. At 10 23 a.m. dispatchers at the Coeur d'Alene police department receive a panicked call from 64 year old Lori Eisenberg about her husband 68 year old Larry Eisenberg.

She was reporting that she was out on Lake Coeur d'Alene and that her husband had possibly had a stroke and fallen overboard. So you saw him fall off the front of the boat? Yes. OK. OK. OK.

That's all right. We're going to get through this. She was obviously very distraught, somewhat panic-stricken, crying. What's his name? Larry Eisenberg. [♪ music playing in background, background noise of explosion and explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion of explosion Larry was very active in the community, old time Coeur d'Alene person. You know, you'd be hard pressed 20 years ago not to have known Larry Eisenberg from one function or another. Born in 1950, Larry joined the logging industry after graduating from the University of Idaho with a degree in forestry.

The lumber industry in times past certainly drew a type of person that were hard workers and hard players really. They knew how to pick themselves up by the bootstraps. Hard work was his mantra. You worked hard for what you wanted and worked hard to get what you got. He wasn't the free handout sort of guy. Larry met and fell in love with a woman named Anne in 1974. The couple flourished in the bucolic backdrop of Coeur d'Alene and had two children, Jessica and Dean. They were the kind of folks you could always count on if you were down. They were a salt of the earth type of folks.

He was a loving father. He was a hard worker. He was the kind of person you would have loved to have be your neighbor. I met Larry in the early mid-1970s. He was a very, very, very, very, very, very the kind of person you would have loved to have be your neighbor. I met Larry in the early mid-90s through the Chamber of Commerce. Everybody seemed to like Larry. Larry was one of those people that always had a smile on his face.

Larry had been married for, I believe, as much as 29 years. There was difficulties in the marriage, and they stuck it out until their last child came of age and then ultimately broke that off. Soon after his divorce, Larry found his perfect match at the Cor Delaine Chamber of Commerce. A fiery blonde who shared Larry's passion for business, 50-year-old Lori Barnes. She was good to people. I think that people were drawn to her because of her smile, because she has kind of a giddy laugh.

Born in 1953, Lori LaValle came from humble beginnings. She came from the sect of the LDS religion. However, her father, according to Lori, often didn't have adequate funds, and they often stayed the night in farmhouses, basically didn't have a home to live in, so stayed where they could until they got caught and removed. In 1973, when she was just 19, Lori married Stephen Barnes. The couple made building a family their top priority, and over the next decade, they had six daughters together.

I really felt like Lori was really all about family, and all about doing the best that she could for all of them. Citing irreconcilable differences, Lori divorced her husband in 1996. Shortly after, Lori made a bold move and left the church to be a single mother to her daughters. She found a new home in Coeur d'Alene. I know that her daughters meant everything to her.

Lori began working as a self-employed liaison for city councils in the northern Idaho region, eager to prove that she was a formidable businesswoman. She often facilitated group meetings for civic projects. She was very active in the community and very active in politics. In 2004, eight years after Lori's divorce, she settled down with newly single Larry Eisenberg, and their blended family didn't skip a beat.

By all accounts, they had a perfect marriage, a storybook marriage. they had a perfect marriage, a storybook marriage. They had the kind of partnership that other people aspired to. By 2009, the Eisenbergs were pillars of Coeur d'Alene and bonded by love and family. They used their good fortune to give back to the community.

Larry ran the Fire Smart program here, which helped clear land and make sure that we could try to control wildfires. Lori forged a different path as executive director of the North Idaho Housing Coalition. The coalition purchases homes that have been foreclosed, hires contractors to renovate the homes, and then either sells those homes or rents them

to low to moderate income buyers. Lori and Larry lived a very comfortable life. I'd be hesitant to say they were rich, but because of where they live, because of how they dress, because of the travels that they made, because of the cars that they drove, they were living a lovely life. The Eisenbergs were entering their golden years on a pink cloud. Until a cold day in February of 2018, when Larry Eisenberg suddenly disappeared

into the frigid waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene. The sheriff's deputies got there fairly quickly, probably within 15 minutes of receiving the call they had arrived at Lori's location on the lake, where Lori was floating alone, distraught and crying. LORI WAS A LITTLE BANGED UP Lori was a little banged up when first responders located her. floating alone, distraught, and crying. Laurie was a little banged up when first responders located her. She had a bloody nose.

Her blood was found in various parts of the boat. Laurie Eisenberg said that she tripped and sustained the bloody nose during the time that she was running around in the boat trying to save Larry Eisenberg. As first responders rushed to the scene, obviously they were hopeful that they would be able to find Larry, but due to the time of year

and the temperature of the water, it was likely going to be a recovery rather than a rescue. MUSIC Coming up, the search for Larry Eisenberg a recovery rather than a rescue. Coming up, the search for Larry Eisenberg intensifies as questions emerge. The investigators began to take a second look at whether or not there's a potential motive there. How much deception could be lurking just beneath the surface. There was a newspaper article that morning

where she alleged to have embezzled several hundred thousand dollars. It's one of those moments of shock. I remember just shaking my head and telling my husband, this just can't be. This can't be happening. music music February 13, 2018. Rescue teams are fanned out across Lake Coeur d'Alene,

hoping to find 68-year-old Larry Eisenberg alive. According to his wife, Lori, the couple were on an early morning cruise when Larry fell overboard. Coeur d'Alene Lake can be dangerous. Probably the most dangerous part of the lake

at that time of year is the water temperatures. I've been told that at the water temperature on that day, which was approximately 38 degrees, someone could only survive for maybe up to a minute. You're going to succumb to hypothermia or drown or both. With the search of the massive lake underway, Laurie is transported to shore to give a full account of what happened on the boat. They had gone out for a sunrise cruise to make their way down the lake to have breakfast

at the Coeur d'Alene resort. Lori told first responders that Larry was looking at the motor. Lori went on to say that he suddenly straightened up and looked at her, and she said, he just looked awful. He had this look of confusion on his face. And he collapsed and fell over the side of the boat. He said something about the motor. He said the motor doesn't sound right.

He just stood up, and he sort of looked back at me, and he just had this sort of blank look on his face. And so then I saw him sort of stumbling. I jumped up, and I couldn't get it. I banged my head. And it tried to grab him. He leaned against the console and was experiencing what she described as stroke symptoms.

Laurie Eisenberg indicated that she got up and tried to get to Larry Eisenberg to try to grab him in some fashion. Where do you recall the blood coming from? My nose. I tripped. I don't know how I think. But you didn't recall seeing any blood on him, right? No.

She was not able to reach him as he was falling or immediately after he fell. Larry went below the surface and wasn't seen again. Lori said that she wasn't able to call 911 right away because she had left her cell phone in the truck when they parked to go launch the boat. She said that she couldn't find Larry Eisenberg's phone and believe that it may have gone into the lake with him.

I just drove a car and I don't know. I didn't have my phone. I'd left it in the truck because I always forget it. And I thought his was in his pocket, because he always has his phone in his pocket. Unable to summon help, Lori continued to search for her husband. She described going from log to log

and driving around in kind of a fugue state for more than an hour before the motor gave out. Lori told us that as she moved about the boat, she discovered Larry's phone wrapped in a blanket. She eventually did make that 911 call from Larry's cell phone. There is one detail of Lori's account that would only stand out to seasoned residents of Coeur d'Alene. Okay. So you were cruising around trying to find him

frantically, were you just kind around trying to find him frantically. Were you just kind of circling? No, I kept seeing logs. Okay. And I know it's stupid, but... Nothing stupid in a situation like this. I just wanted to find him. Okay, good enough.

Laurie Eisenberg's statement that she went from log to log doesn't make sense during this timeframe. In the wintertime, particularly around that time of year in February, there really isn't that many floating objects in the lake. As someone who is familiar with the area and familiar with the lake, she would have known that there were occupied houses

that she was steering past, that there would have been a number of docks where she could have stopped. There were points when she would have been able to see cars driving past on the roadway, but at no point did she attempt to utilize any of those resources to contact help. Despite the lingering questions,

it appears to detectives that Lori is genuinely shaken by the events. I'll find him. I don't think you killed your husband. I would kill myself before I'd hurt Larry. At this point, investigators have no reason to suspect Lori of foul play. By all accounts, their marriage was on solid ground. I wasn't aware of conflict between she and Larry. As I understood and as I saw them, they were a loving couple.

Their kids described them as soulmates. The very same morning that Larry Eisenberg disappears, a startling headline hits the local newsstands. There was a newspaper article that morning where Lori's alleged to have embezzled several hundred thousand dollars. And what's worse, Lori is accused of defrauding the very nonprofit she worked for.

The Sheriff's Office was notified by the Coeur d'Alene Police Department that they were actually involved in an investigation related to a possible theft of funds from the organization that Lori worked for. There were accounting irregularities that were discovered by the accountant that was assigned to review the books

for the North Idaho Housing Coalition. The alleged improprieties began two years prior to Larry's disappearance. I became involved with the North Idaho Housing Coalition when it first began its mission to provide affordable workforce housing. I volunteered initially. Eventually, the entity grew to the point where we became paid accountants for them,

and we did the tax return on an annual basis. My position as an outside accountant was to be a guardian in that I would raise a flag if I saw something wrong. I began to be concerned in about late 2015, early 2016 that there was a problem with the books and records. There were many checks being signed and the signatures on the checks weren't necessarily authorized signatures. Some are in North Idaho Housing Coalition's name, some are in Lori's name, some are in Larry's name, where she is charged all

sorts of items she claims to be involved in rehabbing these houses. It was very clear by the books and records that the officers and the board of North Idaho Housing Coalition had not authorized all these transactions. The timing of the headline and Larry's disappearance is now on the forefront of those investigating Lori and searching for Larry. There was immediate and strong speculation that Lori had something to do with Larry's disappearance. The timing was too unusual. MUSIC Coming up, as the search for Larry wears on,

suspicions begin. was too unusual. Coming up, as the search for Larry wears on, suspicions begin to surface. Family members say he would have been absolutely disgusted. She's capable of doing what she did with the embezzlement. Well, you know, what else is she capable of? It's all a lighthearted nightmare on our podcast, Morbid. We're your hosts. I'm Alina Urquhart.

And I'm Ash Kelly. And our show is part true crime, part spooky, and part comedy. The stories we cover are well researched. He claimed and confessed to officially killing up to 28 people. With a touch of humor. I'd just like to go ahead and say that if there's no band called Malevolent Deity, that is pretty great. with a touch of humor, a dash of sarcasm, and just garnished a bit with a little bit of cursing. And if you're a weirdo like us and love to cozy up to a creepy tale of the paranormal,

or you love to hop in the wayback machine and dissect the details of some of history's most notorious crimes. You should tune in to our podcast, Morbid. Follow Morbid on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to episodes early and ad free by joining Wondery Plus and the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. In the climate ravaged year of 2072, the city of Pura stands as a miraculous green haven, a geo-engineered paradise that protects fortunate residents from the global

catastrophes of heat domes, fires, floods and droughts. Demetria Lopez heads up Pura's public relations, tirelessly promoting the city's idyllic image. But when she stumbles upon a dark secret that if exposed would be the downfall of Pyrrha's existence, she must decide who and what she is willing to protect. From Wondery, the makers of Academy and Dr. Death, The Last City stars actors Reyes Seahorn, Jeannie Tirado and Maury Sterling. Follow The Last City on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of The Last City early and ad free right now

by joining Wondery Plus. On the morning of February 13th, 2018, while the Sheriff's Department searches Lake Coeur d'Alene for Larry Eisenberg's body, a breaking story hits the news rack. Lori Eisenberg was accused of embezzling more than $500,000 from the nonprofit where she was working. So people were reading about that.

And then shortly after, finding that Larry Eisenberg was missing, it certainly had people talking. The newspaper that came out the day that Larry fell basically contained that Laurie had been excused from her position as the executive director of North Idaho Housing, and that there was monies missing. It's one of those moments of shock

of how that could happen on the same day that a newspaper report is coming out. I remember the moment. I remember just shaking my head and telling my husband, this can't be happening. and telling my husband, this can't be happening. On March 8th, sheriff's investigators speak with the forensic accountant assigned to the fraud case against Lori, Virginia Tate,

who reveals Lori had begun exhibiting strange behavior two years prior. I would say the biggest red flag of them all is that Lori stops inviting outside people such as a real estate agent, the contractors, myself to the board meetings. Back in 2015 and going into 2016 when we were attempting to get documents, once I started asking questions about where are these documents, why do the dollars not match, I stopped getting invited to the board meetings. When the realtor started asking why Lori was acting in the manner of a real estate agent,

even though she wasn't licensed as a real estate agent, the real estate agent stopped being invited to the board meetings. As the months wore on, Lori had systematically taken full control of the coalition's finances. During the 2016-2017 time period, I'm not able to get into the bank account.

My login had been revoked. I called the treasurer. He went down to the bank and found out that there were many checks being signed and the signatures on the checks weren't necessarily authorized signatures. And that immediately pushed the forensic exam. and that immediately pushed the forensic exam.

By January of 2018, it became clear to investigators the depth of the embezzlement when it was revealed an estimated $580,000 had gone missing. Mid to late January, we've determined there's a very big problem. North Idaho Housing Coalition has to suspend Lori for an investigation. During the course of reviewing the documents and records, we did determine that four of her daughters

were either named in the Alter Ego companies, had received funds. Over the course of the next two, three weeks, I am in regular contact with Lori, who's dodging my calls. Of course, she's not anxious to talk to me. The final straw comes when Virginia Tate demands access to Lori's computer, and Lori reluctantly agrees. I really wanted to get my hands on the computer because it had the email tracers.

It had where Lori has clearly authorized the bank account to be used. hands on the computer because it had the email tracers. It had where Lori has clearly authorized the bank accounts. It has all the forensic trails to be able to prove that she was the one that initiated the transactions. When Lori comes in my office, I talk her out of her computer. She is in tears. She knew she'd done wrong. Gone was the woman who had well-kempt hair

and looked put together and attended social functions. The woman in front of me that day looked as if she hadn't brushed her hair in weeks. Her skin coloring was horrible. Her clothes were unkempt. Whatever was so upset inside of her was rotting her from the inside out. With an indictment of fraud pending against Lori,

police investigating Larry's disappearance try to uncover how much Larry knew about Lori's financial misdeeds. When Larry's children, Dean and Jessica, pay a visit to the sheriff's office with their spouses, they make it clear it was all news to them. I just wanted to see if you guys had seen the article on the local newspaper referencing

Lori's employment change. That's been brought to our attention. Okay. So we can just count that about that? Yeah, and if you guys know about that, and... We had no idea. If Larry's children were in the dark, perhaps he was as well. With the news already breaking of Lori's white-collar crime,

what motive would she have to harm Larry? It was concerning none of us knew. Yeah, we've been in the dark. But it could be a reason why the hell they were out there. I mean, I wouldn't suspect, but like, the whole damn thing just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's just my grief, because I've never dealt with grief, but it literally just doesn't feel right.

Two weeks after Larry's disappearance and the bombshell news report about Lori, investigators working the embezzlement case execute a search warrant of the Eisenberg home, and Lori seems to be expecting them. When the police department arrived, Lori was in the process of shredding documents. Police arrest Lori on the spot. Lori was initially arrested on 40 counts of fraud and one count of grand theft. A judge ordered that she be held on $75,000 bail.

The following day, one of Lori's daughters bailed her out. While out on bail, Lori does little to keep the gossip mill from spinning. Lori said that she intended to sell their house as soon as possible. Investigators began to take a second look at whether or not her story was a plausible story, whether or not there's a potential motive there. It seemed like unusual behavior, even for a person who or not there's a potential motive there.

It seemed like unusual behavior, even for a person who's in the midst of a lot of turmoil and grief. That just added kind of fuel to the fire, to people's suspicions. It was certainly strange to know that she was trying to leave the area when her husband was still out there. He was still missing.

With Larry still unaccounted for, there's no way to prove foul play until police get the call the whole town has been waiting for. About two weeks later, following Larry's disappearance, a resident called 911 because they saw what they believed to be a human body floating face down in Sunup Bay, about 30 miles south of Coeur d'Alene.

911, what is the address of the emergency? Coeur d'Alene. Okay, and tell me exactly what happened. Well, nothing's happened, but I believe that there's a dead body on our shoreline, right out the front of our house. The sheriff's office dispatched officers to the scene and confirmed, in fact, what she had seen was indeed a body,

and that body was the body of Larry Eisenberg. With his body preserved in the icy waters of Lake Coeur de Laine, Larry Eisenberg is quickly identified. Larry's body is taken for an autopsy. But while investigators had hoped for a clear cause of death, what they get instead only further muddies the water. We got the initial autopsy report on Larry. We learned that he had not ingested a lot of water,

and the death appeared to be not so consistent with drowning. And at that point, it became even more suspicious. The autopsy results ultimately showed that Larry Eisenberg did not die of a heart attack. He did not die of a stroke. Coming up, a weather report on Larry's death that Larry Eisenberg did not die of a heart or natural causes as the cause of his death. It would send a person into a delirium. They'd become extremely dizzy, confused, and disoriented,

and then ultimately expire as a result of it. The coroner is now on the scene. He's been arrested for a murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder.

He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. He's been charged with murder. The coroner has ruled out any drowning or natural causes as the cause of his death. It's not until the toxicology results come in that the cause of death is finally revealed, and the results are red flags to investigators. In the end, it was a fatal dose of Benadryl that killed Larry Eisenberg.

A normal therapeutic dose would be between 101,000 nanograms per milliliter. What was found in Larry's body was more than 7,000 nanograms per milliliter. An overdose of Benadryl would send a person into a delirium. They'd become extremely dizzy, confused, and disoriented, and then ultimately expire as a result of it. We see a level of diphenhydramine

in the bloodstream that is so extraordinarily high that clearly this is not an accidental dose of Benadryl. This is not an accidental dose of Benadryl. This is a homicide. This was a poisoning. This was not a drowning. Larry's body was disposed of in Lake Coeur d'Alene. That pretty much sent the case into a full-fledged homicide

investigation. We definitely realized that there was more to this story than what Lori was saying. It was only Lori and Larry out on the boat. Lori Eisenberg is the prime suspect. All eyes are on Lori Eisenberg. But rather than spook their prime suspect, investigators circle back to the Eisenbergs' friends and family. Larry Eisenberg's son, Dean, indicated that Larry certainly

would not have been keen at all with the idea that Laurie Eisenberg was stealing money. What about if he found out all this embezzlement was going on? He'd be heartbroken. He'd be crushed. He'd absolutely be crushed. He'd be embarrassed. Family members say he would have been absolutely disgusted.

So he would have gotten as far away from her as he could. She's capable of doing what she did with the embezzlement. You know, what else is she capable of? Lori was a woman on edge. This was a woman whose entire world, entire life was unraveling before her eyes. During the investigation, it was determined that between the time that she was fired

and the time that Larry Eisenberg was killed, Larry Eisenberg had canceled their subscription to the Coeur d'Alene Press, the local newspaper. Again, a piece of information that indicated she was trying to avoid Larry Eisenberg, finding out about what she had been doing should an article appear in that paper. If Larry was to have found out

that Lori was involved in some sort of a theft, he very likely would end the marriage. He would have made sure that her life was a living hell and left her penniless and out on the street and taken everything. Detectives conclude their interview with Dean Eisenberg. And while reviewing the non-financial evidence found on Lori's computer, they find something startling.

We began to analyze her internet activity prior to the event of February the 13th and found quite a few searches that we felt were very, very suspicious and actually quite incriminating, to say the least. She was researching drowning deaths. While Internet searches may suggest Lori's state of mind, it's her actions that speak loudly

with regard to Larry's estate. At the time, the fraud investigation was still ongoing. The state was still building its case against her. During my investigation, I was able to go over to the police department to look at documents that they had seized. One of the first pieces I wanted to look at were wills and trusts. The forensic accountant discovered some handwritten changes that had been made to Larry Eisenberg's will in January 2018, about a month before his death. Without notifying Larry, Laurie was making changes to the allocations of Larry's estate in that instead of naming his two kids to his assets, she was

reallocating it to his two kids and her six. The discrepancies or changes in the will did support the suspicion that this was a financially motivated homicide. It did seem like a great deal of planning had gone into Larry's death, and that just made it seem all the more diabolical. of circumstantial evidence against Lori. But before they can file murder charges, Lori surprises everyone yet again

when dealing with the fallout surrounding her embezzlement allegations. Lori had a court date in May, and she was a no-show. That was extremely suspicious. I immediately wondered if she was going to be seen again. The general reaction of myself and pretty much the community was that she didn't want to face the music. The local newspaper, the local media

picked it right up and got the word out as best they could. This was certainly the talk of the newsroom. It was so shocking, and it was so disturbing, yet intriguing. People wanted to know what was going to happen next. On July 25, after being missing for four weeks, Lori Eisenberg again captures the media's attention when she struts into her court appearance after surrendering to authorities. She'd had her hair done. She looked very well-coiffed and put together.

She had this nice smile in her mug shot. She looked like she had been on vacation and not like she had been hiding from the law. Doesn't that mean that she really was guilty of killing Larry? And why on earth would you take off? Why would you take off? Why would you disappear?

What are you doing? Coming up, a stunning allegation is about to bring the waters of Coeur d'Alene to a boil. The bombshell botched suicide claim was absolutely wild. It was incredibly dramatic, and I don't think anyone in the community saw that coming. How else would you put it? The angel and devil exist in the one woman. After a brief time on the lam, former nonprofit executive director Lori Eisenberg is back in Idaho facing charges of embezzlement.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Lori is now the prime suspect in the murder of her husband, Larry. And we're preparing to take this to a grand jury. Lori pled guilty to the embezzlement charges. It was actually quite a relief, because then it meant that she was owning up to what she had actually done and willing to take the punishment for that. She was sentenced to five years in prison for wire fraud and for theft from a federal program.

But keep in mind, the embezzlement charges, that was only one piece of this puzzle, and what people were really thinking now is, when is Larry going to get justice? Nearly three years later, Larry's family and friends get their answer on January 31, 2021, when Lori Eisenberg is formally charged with murder. But rather than face a jury, Lori makes a bold move and submits an offered plea.

This means a person does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that there is enough evidence to convict them at trial. Lori's sentencing is scheduled for May 24, 2021. And when she has a chance to explain herself, the court is left in awe. I received the information and knew that the article was going to come out the next day.

I knew my time was up. I hadn't decided what to do. Was I going to kill myself? Was I going to tell Larry everything and just see what would happen? I didn't know. I was... Was I going to tell Larry everything and just see what would happen? I didn't know. I was an emotional and physical wreck.

I'm not trying to be a martyr. I'm just telling you where my mind was. I know that Larry would still be alive if it was not for me, fixing a drink with Benadryl in it so that I would be able selfishly and cowardly take my life. There's a sense of dissatisfaction

with not knowing, not having it go to trial to discover what really happened. I so wanted her to have had some reason that this could have happened. And honestly, as I listened to more and more of it, I was sad, I was sad. I was angry. I was confused. I felt betrayed.

Lori told the court that she was responsible for Larry's death, but she still had not intended to kill him. I realize that the point of today is for me to admit my guilt. If I wouldn't have had that bottle in there, he would not have accidentally drunk it. That is my fault. I take total blame and responsibility for that.

She got to the end of her statement, and she makes a statement that she was suicidal and that Larry had accidentally consumed the juice that she had originally intended for herself that day. How could I have been so stupid? The bombshell botched suicide claim was absolutely wild. I don't think anyone in the community saw that coming. She told the court that while she was asleep in the boat,

Larry had somehow come upon this beverage that she brought with her and drank it himself. It was just kind of the shocking finale to a story that has had more twists and turns than likely any other case I'll ever cover. It's just as unsettling that there's still so many unanswered questions. Didn't he taste something in the drink? Was he really alive when he got there?

Was Lori really going to commit suicide? 67-year-old Lori Eisenberg's claims fail to garner leniency from the judge. Lori Eisenberg's sentence was 30 years fixed, which means she'll actually serve 30 years before she'll be considered for parole. I willingly accept whatever is given to me because what I did and what I took away from so many people is irreplaceable. Again, I want to tell them everything, but I guess it's like trying to rearrange chairs on the Titanic.

So I would just want to again apologize to my family. Judge Wayman stated that the community has seen good Lori and bad Lori, that the angel and devil exist in the one woman. Lori Eisenberg will likely die behind bars. And I think a lot of people in our community believe she got exactly what she deserved. The elaborate lengths that she went to,

not only to plan this murder, but then to hide it afterward, it feels like an appropriate sentence. So many thought Lori was an upstanding citizen, a good person doing good work. It really made you stop and think, how well do I know my neighbor? As for the family and friends of Larry Eisenberg, the sentence does little to fill the hole

left by Larry's absence. I think Larry Eisenberg will be remembered as a hard, tough, funny logger, a good guy whose life went way too early. Hope Shriner became the oldest female inmate in custody in Massachusetts. In 2014, after consulting with Bob's family, the Department of Corrections granted Hope's request for a medical furlough due to her declining health. Murder on My Mind, a new podcast available exclusively on Wondery Plus, explores the

circumstances leading up to the murder of two young men and the mistrials of the man accused of killing them. Up-and-coming rapper YNW Melly gained notoriety in the hip-hop world for his shocking lyrics and criminal exploits. When two of his best friends were gunned down in a drive-by shooting, investigators suspected the young rapper staged the scene. But after not one, but two trials that ended in hung juries and new evidence that may place YNW Melly at the scene of the crime,

his trial has been paused indefinitely. With countless twists and turns, Law and Crime covers all angles of the case and begs the question, is this young artist the victim of a witch hunt or a silver-tongued devil who's evil to the core? Listen to Murder on My Mind exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+.

Join Wondery+, in the Wondery app, or on Apple podcasts.