"money was her way of connecting.". But a shocking incident long in Dr. Schwartz's past may provide a clue. Records indicate that he remains incarcerated at the River North Correctional Center in Independence, Virginia. She had credit cards that were only in her name, anything basically my dad couldn't get a hold of," Carter replied. Ten months after the murder Leo Stragaj was arrested, but police kept looking for evidence. And that he was the killer," said deVlaming. Carter says she bought them houses, cars, clothing, and jewelry for herself. "I think you'd have to be willfully ignorant not to see it," he replied. So, if youre curious about what transpired, dont worry. After her husband was murdered, Becky Schwartz sold the medical practice and decided to start a new life, moving from sunny Florida to the tiny, snowbound town of Winneconne, Wisconsin, near where her son, Eric, was running his Verizon store. [5][6] In 1998, they returned to Texas when Stidham joined the faculty at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Peter Van Sant asked. "I didn't even know about it until after his death.". Patrick stated that he met Clara in June 2001 at a festival in Leesburg, Virginia. [5] The following day after a conversation in which Schwartz denied to her that he was involved in the murder, Goldberg telephoned the police to report her suspicions and indicated that a man named "Bruce" had joined them while they were at dinner. Becky was also deposed in that wrongful death suit, but refused to answer any questions from Roebig and Florin. Besides his medical practice, he owned a vast array of rental properties and lived in an expensive waterfront home with his second wife, Becky. Anton Stragaj remained in the Pinellas County Jail Thursday without bond. "One of, if not the worst moment of my life," said Carter. Your IP: They stood there and watched as Kyle went in and killed Robert before driving away with him. Doctor Schwartz had a thriving practice as a kidney specialist in Tampa, Florida. The authorities believed Robert was killed about two days before being found. 48 Hours airs Fridays at 9pm and 10pm on CBS. They started with his family, and Clara Schwartz, his youngest daughter, was discovered Van Sant asked. "I said to them, 'Please, do not overlook anyone in this family just because they're related.". WebThe incident appeared to be targeted, according to investigators. And she said, 'No, I'll say it when I'm sober.' "It happened the day before Thanksgiving of 1961, November" said Phillip Dyer. "[5] After some delay, the trial for Schwartz began in March 2006. "That changed my whole life, right there in that point in time," he said. Schwartz had Carter and two other children from his previous relationships. One year later when his contract expired, the group sued him for violating a restrictive covenant when he opened his own practice less than 200 yards away. Clara allegedly used Kyle to do her will, according to the prosecution. However, the two had already been seeing each other and were even engaged to be married. I mean, that's crazy," Stragaj explained. Clara created a roleplaying game called Underworld while she was a student at a university in Virginia, and she and Kyle became friends because of their shared interest in witchcraft and the occult. The cops were soon on the lookout for any and all leads. "I think I was preyed on by the most calculated, malicious, vindictive, pathological liar of a woman I have ever met in my entire life," she said. Text (586) 939 -1122. Clara had spent a lot of time talking about how her father, Robert, was an abusive man who tried to kill her by poisoning her meals. Ben is not named in the lawsuit and there have been no criminal charges filed against him in the murder. "I'm so sorry I didn't call the police. Dyer, the accomplice, went to prison for a year. A sample of DNA linked to Bigger was found on the radio knob of Stidham's car. WebContact Dr. Robert G. Schwartz, MD, for an appointment. Deposition attorney: She walked over to Meredith and leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I wish you would have died.". You know, 'I gotta pay this guy. "And in Wisconsin, does she just live a quiet life now?" The defense argued that the man prosecutors say she asked to commit the crime, Kyle Hulbert, is not mentally stable. "Steve was your classic gentle giant a guy who had the heart of a bear," Dr. Patton said. The Perfect Murder: The Devil Made Me Do It focuses on how the police zeroed in on four people who had a role to play, which shockingly included Roberts daughter as well. "And greedy, just greedy to the point of it being absurd almost," said Carter Schwartz. She said she had left the house that morning without her handbag. At the time of the incident, he lived in a farmhouse away from the city in Leesburg, Virginia. Lola Stragaj was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Wednesday, Dec. 14. [26], Brian Stidham's widow, Daphne Stidham, filed a wrongful death suit in 2005 against the medical complex where her husband was murdered, alleging that the conditions at the complex aided the killer. Van Sant asked Carter Schwartz. Police arrested two of Clara Schwartzs friends and found the murder weapon in one of their homes. Katherine later told the police that Clara constantly talked about Robert allegedly poisoning her food, physically abusing her, and how he pulled her underwater in their pool. Michael earned 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Katherine received a one-year prison sentence after being convicted guilty of a murder conspiracy. "Was there money involved in this? The nature of the phone discussions had changed over the course of the night. Hulbert and Michael P. Pfohl, who is accused of driving Hulbert to the Schwartz house, each is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy. "It turned out Rebecca had canceled any services, any ceremonies, any remembrances for my father. A year after Dr. Steven Schwartz was found shot stabbed and strangled in his waterfront mansion, Leo Stragaj sits in jail. "Becky took his extended family on an Alaskan cruise that lasted a couple weeks with Dr. Schwartz's money. Robert was born on May 13, 1944. Chances are its in Pasadena, 12 reasons why Sycamore Avenue is L.A.s coolest new hangout, Sirhan Sirhan, convicted of killing Robert F. Kennedy, denied parole by California board, Many still stranded in San Bernardino Mountains as snow blocks roads, threatens roofs, Suspected shooter in attacks on Jewish men was on FBIs radar, LAPD chief says, Caregiver accused in Manhattan Beach child sexual abuse case believed to be in Philippines, Woman arrested in stabbing death of her mother at their Lake Forest home. [18] The victim, identified as Stidham, had been stabbed 15 times[6] and had incurred a skull fracture. So I run and get in the car, and when I look inside -- get a look at his face when I get in. The two former criminals pledged to spend the rest of their lives atoning for their terrible act. [3][14] Schwartz had also developed a drug problem that began in 2000 when he received Vicodin for chronic back[3] and jaw pain. LARGO, FL While Anton Stragaj awaits trial in the 2014 murder of Tarpon Springs Dr. Steven Schwartz, his wife is now behind bars in the very same jail on unrelated charges. [2] Bradley Alan Schwartz, also a pediatric ophthalmologist, and Ronald Bruce Bigger, a hit man, were arrested and convicted for the murder. Stragaj says his DNA must have gotten on Schwartz's clothing when he checked the body. [9] In December 2001, one month after Stidham joined the practice, the DEA raided the office and Schwartz was indicted by a federal grand jury on 77 counts of illegally obtaining prescription medicine. At one point, Schwartz asked House when he really would kill her father, but he never followed through, he testified. "Is she worried or afraid that she'll be arrested for the murder of her husband? Robert Schwartzs tragic death was the consequence of a well-planned murder attempt. "My client is five foot three. I loved the man," Stragaj said. She has a felony conviction for embezzling money from MADD," said Dr. Patton. He refused to testify last week against his friend, citing his right to avoid self-incrimination. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. In the end, a jury found Clara guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of solicitation to commit murder. While Patrick never went through with it, she soon found Kyle Hulbert, a man with a history of mental illness, to help her with the plan. A hold is also been placed on her by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Back then, Dyer was 20 years old, a former high school football star and a buddy of Steven Schwartz. "I'm so sorry I didn't call the police.". Friends said Schwartz's wife died of cancer several years ago and their three children are away at college. Van Sant asked. Throughout his trial, Schwartz never took the stand. "Iwell, I told you I don't -- I know what I did. Hulbert, 19, of Millersville, Md., wrote in a confession that he killed Schwartz to protect Clara Schwartz from abuse. He was bright. [22] Bruce Bigger's attorneys felt that the trial should have been moved out of Pima County due to the publicity the case received. [3] Schwartz's trial lasted two months, and it took the jury five days to deliver a verdict. Carter Schwartz was on the way home after travelling in Japan when he got word of his father's murder. Booking photos courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail. And we've alleged that Leo and Becky conspired to murder him," said Roebig. "What is the most important thing to Becky Schwartz?" Van Sant asked Carter Schwartz. This spurred Stidham to create his own Tucson-area practice. And to this day, Cecil has the gun Schwartz used to murder Dr. Cook. WebThe Perfect Murder examines the brutal and bizarre killing of scientist Robert Schwartz, who was murdered in his own home. What the authorities found out next was a shocking tale of manipulation and fantasy. Many individuals took the stand, including ex-girlfriends, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, many of whom confirmed that Schwartz often talked about his hatred for Stidham. [14] Schwartz also wrote prescriptions to his office manager, Laurie Espinoza, who would retrieve the medication and give it to Schwartz. Leo Stragaj admits he never implicated Becky until the day he was arrested. [7] He worked at a hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania prior to relocating with his family to Tucson in the late '90s. [3] Earlier in the day, Schwartz had engaged in a series of phone calls with Ronald Bruce Bigger. She planned it for a long time," Stragaj replied. [3], The DNA evidence from Bigger in Stidham's car also provided evidence for the prosecution. [3][7], On the night of the murder, Schwartz was with Lisa Goldberg, a girlfriend he had recently begun seeing after meeting her on an online dating service. Their daughter, Catherine Elizabeth, was born later in Tucson in 2003. "Every single night, seven days a week, we were together.". The death of a distinguished scientist in his secluded farmhouse prompted a lengthy inquiry by the authorities. "I make mistake. "That Leo Stragaj was there at the time of murder. A surgeon and the father-in-law of Asaduddin Owaisis second daughter, Mazharuddin Ali Khan, died by suicide on Monday in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. 'Locations and associated times given by [you] did not match cell phone tower.'". Not only her husband who is 16 years younger than Beckybut her teenaged daughter moved in with Becky as well, after Becky lavished her with attention and gifts, Meredith says. Samuel Booth Murder Case Where Is James Thomas Wood today? 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. They also argued that Robert Schwartz abused his daughter. I admit I was there, but I didn't kill Dr. Schwartz," he said. Bigger's defense attorney, Jill Thorpe, tried to prove that it was Schwartz who had actually physically committed the murder. Stragaj said, "I think she murdered him.". Tom Roebig, Carter Schwartz' attorney, reasoned. Robert Schwartzs untimely death was ultimately the result of a cunning plot to have him killed. He look out for us," said Stragaj. [11] Some of Schwartz's patients went to Stidham's new practice, many of whom stayed with Stidham even when Schwartz had started practicing again. When I go grab it, I found dead body," Stragaj replied. I wouldn't put anything past her. WebDaughter Gets 48 Years In Slaying of Her Father By Maria Glod February 11, 2003 Clara Jane Schwartz, a former college student obsessed by vampires, assassins and magic, Stragaj also felt close to Steven Schwartz. Carter says he often needed money. That's what brothers do. On May 13th, 1944, Robert was born. I want-- I-- I know it looks bad," said Stragaj. [4] Over a two-month period during the summer of 2001, Lopez allowed Schwartz to use her name to fraudulently obtain prescriptions for the controlled substance hydrocodone. It's absolutely laughably ridiculous," said deVlaming. Nevertheless, the jury found Bigger guilty of both conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and first-degree murder itself. Schwartz was a tall, handsome kid from New York, the son of a doctor. "Very," he replied. That's Becky's daughter in-law, Dana Nichols, who is married to her son, Ben. "And the first words outta my mouth on that phone call were: 'It's Becky, Ben or a combination thereof. But one thing, I didn't kill their father. You didn't call 911. I really did. "Quite a life," Van Sant remarked. "Rebecca handles the business and she called me 'son' for four years," he said. Inside, he found the scientist brutally murdered. So, lets find out what happened to her then, shall we? From jail, Schwartz pleaded with Lourdes Lopez, his former lover, to be his attorney, but she refused. [9] In September 2002, a grand jury issued a 77-count indictment on charges related to Schwartz writing Vicodin and Ritalin prescriptions for two patients (Lopez and Espinoza) who returned the drugs to him for his own use. [20], Schwartz and Bigger were both charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. One of them, Katherine Inglis, provided extensive information regarding Claras involvement with the slaying. And Dr. Schwartz had become very wealthy worth somewhere between $20 and 30 million. They interviewed Becky and Ben. "When you heard the news that your father had killed a man, how shocking was that for you?" "You are telling me that Rebecca Schwartz asked you to find someone to murder her husband," Van Sant queried. [21] Other arguments Storts used revolved around discrepancies between the time of death, Bigger's whereabouts, and the fact that the $10,000 had seemingly vanished. But as for Dr. Schwartz's dark past. He was in his 70s. [3][7] In October 2001, two DEA agents interviewed Lopez as part of a criminal investigation involving Schwartz. Schwartz introduced him to Goldberg as "Bruce. Then, in August 2001, she began dating Patrick House, who later testified against her at trial. "Said, 'No, you'll have to shoot me. And I made two runs because I'm -- I'm in construction site job, $125,000 job. Joseph Schwartz feels very fortunate to have been providing outstanding care in Northwest Indiana since 1994. His body was discovered two days later. Van Sant asked. "It was well-known that he liked to gamble quite a bit," said Dyer. "My guess is because I was finding this information out that she had kept hidden for years," he replied. WebWhen Robert Schwartz was found murdered at his home in 2001, investigators had reason to believe the attack was targeted. "There's some folks who think that his past was being used against him," said Florin. According to Leo Stragaj, Becky even wanted Carter out of the picture. Van Sant asked. "And then staged the scene to look like a burglary?" "Who do you think did? So, if youre wondering what happened, weve got you covered. But he was very good at his job, and paid more than $100,000 a year by Dr. Schwartz. Becky and Dr. Schwartz had met in the late 1990s through a dating service, and were a committed couple. Instead, they found Dr. Schwartz in a pool of blood. But tragedy struck the Schwartz family in December 2001. Michele, her sister, said in court, Its been nothing but a nightmare since the first day I found out. "I know it was bad. [14] He also became addicted to Ritalin. Handyman, Anton Stragaj, She continues to work as a paralegal. But still, I can't see Leo hurting Dr. Schwartz. So I bought it at the auction," he said. Robert was quite well known in the scientific community, spearheading research in the fields of biometrics and DNA. "Oh, I imagine he had maybe $1,000 or more at the time on him," Cecil said. 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