Carol Hilley first became ill in April, 1979. Hilley evaded police for three years. There would be no manual or factory labour for her. Hilley briefly escaped again while on a furlough in February 1987 but died of exposure a few days after authorities . Marie had placed herself, as she so often did in pictures, in the front row, and next to the most popular girl in her class. 'As far as closed, it more or less closed itself,' Snead said. Marie married Frank Hilley, a quiet, unassuming man, and had two children, Mike in 1953, and Carol in 1960. The $31,000 life insurance policy that Marie had fortuitously arranged not long before his death would not last long, not once Marie paid the insurance and other costs associated with her new car. Hilley was listed as the beneficiary of her daughter's $25,000 life insurance policy and, shortly before her . Hilley claimed her name was Robbi Hannon and that shed spent most of her life in Texas. In 1983, Hilley was sentenced to life in prison for killing her husband, Frank Hilley, with arsenic and attempting to do the same to her daughter, Carol. She grew up believing that shopping solved everything. The Hilley family, about 1971, four years before Frank died. Murderess. He or she would have been darned useful to her at that point. Hilley, who was given the nickname 'Black Widow' for the arsenic poisoning of her husband and attempted poisoning of her daughter, led police on a four-day search, before turning up in their backyard suffering from hypothermia. There were several policies, including fire insurance, cancer coverage, and life insurance coverage on herself. You got to have doubts that a man who married a woman, and saw her as man and wife, could accept the same woman as someone else, he said. 2. Audrey Marie Hilley was an American murderer. They moved to Marlow, N.H., in 1981. She didnt look like Marie Hilley, said Hinds, who grew up in the same Blue Mountain cotton-mill town as Hilley. racist or sexually-oriented language. But Marie also insured the lives of her childrenMike was insured for $25,000, while Carol, through two policies, was insured for $39,000. Marie was a constant presence there, expressing concern and acting as Carol's caretaker. Thomasons husband, Donald, a day laborer, was also at work. The scene in which the character played by. But years later, his daughter going through the same symptoms aroused suspicion, with the roads leading to Audrey Marie Hilley, Frank's wife. This all became too much for Marie, who was once again forced to moved in with Mike and Teri for a few months while things settled down. Carroll said that was par for the course in Hilleys made-up life. We've pretty well exhausted all we have. Soon after Frank died, Lucille was diagnosed with cancer. Mike, now living away from home, travelled back to the family home to help his mother and sister care for Frank. However, her welcome was beginning to wear a little thin this time. I had to know more. In November, she called Homan from Texas, told him that her name was Teri Martin and said Robbi Hannon had died. Please reload CAPTCHA. Matt Fox and Shari Hiller are two of the most memorable stars because they were the hosts of HGTV's very first show, Room by Room, which aired on the network from 1994 to 2006.Not only are they the first hosts hired on by the network, but their show is the longest running decorating show in history with over 350 episodes. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. She had this thought that one day she would inherit a lot of money.. Marie Witte's Half-Sister Discusses Their . Carol Hilley Remembers Poisoning Audrey Marie Hilley always pushed her luck. 'A very good family man': Loved ones mourn Jeremy Michaud of Troy, Guerrilla Grill moving to downtown Keene in full-scale restaurant format, Keene woman sentenced to 18 months in prison for crypto operation, Vernon, Vt., man injured in crash near Vernon Street Wetland. Another identity? Hilley was listed as the beneficiary of her daughters $25,000 life insurance policy and, shortly before her arrest, tried to pay a premium on that policy with a bad check. They were surprised.. During her many visits to see her in prison, Carol said she never learned the real reason her mother tried to kill her, and she never asked. Authorities thinking she was a wanted bank robber questioned Terri. But as she crawled across the Thomason patio deck nearly two weeks ago, Hilley looked more desperate than deadly. Hilley's 20-year sentence for murder and good behavior in prison made her eligible for several eight-hour passes. She was suffering from hypothermia, likely due to three days wandering in the elements. I wasnt exactly a stranger to stories about killing. Tuesday, May 1, 1973 Read moreThis day in history May 1. Woman killed husband; later lived in Marlow. Calhoun County District Attorney Joe Hubbard tried her case and labled her with the deadly moniker 'Black Widow.' The life of Audrey Marie Hilley, who, in order to start a new life, took drastic action.The life of Audrey Marie Hilley, who, in order to start a new life, took drastic action.The life of Audrey Marie Hilley, who, in order to start a new life, took drastic action. Create a password that only you will remember. Died: 26 February 1987 Keep it Clean. Yes! Choose wisely! This is how it should always be. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Carroll said he was the last person Hilley ever saw. Sign up for The Lineup's newsletter and get our recommended reads delivered straight to your inbox. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Her looks and charm. She spoke often of her twin sister Teri. Key Players: Audrey Marie Hilley, Frank Hilley, Carol Hilley, Robbi Hannon, Teri Martin Find LOVE MURDER online: Website: lovemurder.love Instagram: @lovemurderpod Twitter: @lovemurderpod Facebook: LoveMrdrPod Learn more about your ad choices. Hilley was born in 1933 in Anniston, Ala. She would eventually be convicted of killing her first husband, Frank Hilley, and attempting to kill her daughter, Carol, with poison. Want more true crime books? I sometimes think how my mother cheated my father out of his grandchildren, Carol said. Hinds said Hilleys hands were a pinkish-purple. She had mud on her face, and her clothes were soaked. Nope. His death was originally believed to have been caused by infectious hepatitis, but in 1979, after the Hilleys daughter, Carol . She was buried a week ago Saturday in the cold and rain that killed her, in a grave next to the husband she poisoned 12 years ago. She wandered aimlessly for four days in the cold, before contracting hypothermia and collapsing at the front doorstep of a high school friend. On the bizarro-meter, thats a 10. Carol left church services early and vomited in the parking lot. Her life and killing spree are the subjects of the 1991 television movie "Wife, Mother, Murderer." Take a look below for 27 more interesting and strange facts about Audrey Marie Hilley. Both times the pain went away eventually, but there seemed no explanation for it. Marie Witte Case: "My Worst Nightmares Were Coming True". They worked together at a local foundry, where Frank was a foreman and . She found she may need the insurance where Carol was concerned. This post is sponsored by Open Road Media. She reported this to Mike, who had been having his own issues with the details surrounding his fathers death. Now, I thought, I know how to write this book. Severed hand at side of Michigan highway was a rubber fake. As she had done countless times before, Marie dropped whatever she was doing and stayed by his side. Upon arrival at the hospital she suffered a heart attack. Had Maries bad financial decisions not caught up with her, things may have turned out quite badly for the girl. When he came to visit her in Anniston he was like a schoolboy, and by the time he left he was convinced he would die for Marie Hilley. The repeated jolts of tragedy engaged a fascinating cast of investigators, including one of the first criminal profilersa job title non-existent then, but well-known now from shows like Criminal Minds pursuing a killer terrifying their small-town world. Marie posted bailand naturally made herself scarce. She was given four eight-hour passes and returned on time each time before receiving the three-day pass last week, officials said. Then theyd stop investigating and shed claim they were happening again. Mike had a new baby, and the disharmony was not helping Teri cope as a new mum. Investigators Receive Anonymous Tip in Bill Beatty Case, Rumors Begin to Swirl About Bill Beattys Disappearance, Investigator Breaks Down the Rick Post Murder Case, Rick Posts Son Calls Him The Smartest Person Hell Ever Know, Matthew Miseners Brother Describes Learning of His Death, Rick Posts Son Speaks Out on His Disappearance, Investigators on Matthew Misener Case Speak Out. A lot of things are still a mystery to me.. No matter how small or how large their lives seem at first glance, how ordinary or exceptional, if you give them the confidence to tell about it, and if you listen with care and sympathy, they have an experience of the world that can teach you something about lifeand often about yourself. And my curiosity about how someone could live that lifeat once brilliant, cruel, daring, and murderoustook me deeper into a number of lives than any story Id ever worked on. She always gave the impression of wealth.. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. It was clear to her family and police that Hilley was in debt from trying to live an extravagant lifestyle she couldnt afford on her modest secretarys salary. This forced Marie and her mother and daughter to move into Mikes new apartment with him while Maries home was rebuilt. We want to see them! The night's festivities included the usual young adult diversionsfood, drink, a little marijuanaand as the party wore on Carol became nauseated. When Marie's car is burned the daughter is still in high school. After several denials, Hilley admitted giving her daughter injections but said they were shots of Phenergan, an anti-nausea medication. In that instant, I understood Maries obsession with twins, visible in so many moments of her life, and my sense of her filled in around it to the edges of her personality. On a rain-slickened patio deck, with a railroad grade looming above her, the Black Widow of Alabama ended her final run from justice. She took her to several doctors, none of who was able to explain with any certainty what Carol's torturous symptoms meant. And she was just starting. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. Hilley was conscious at the scene but had convulsions and lost consciousness while being transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. In truth, Robbi and Teri were both alter egos of Maries own imagination. Hilleys arrest in 1983, Carol said she never bothered to get the truth out of her mother. Perpetrator of one of the most bizarre and convoluted murder cases of all time. But when her daughter, Carol Hilley, showed traces of arsenic poisoning in 1979, his body was exhumed and traces of arsenic were found. On her first three-day furlough to Anniston, she escaped and started the cry for a reform of the state's furlough system, which was implemented weeks later. She was declared dead at 5:06 p.m., CST. After her arrest in 1979, Hilley skipped bail, faked a kidnapping and eluded police until early 1983. After working at the Anniston Army Depot for close to 30 years, she retired in September. Investigation Discovery's 'American Monster: Alabama Murder Mystery' delves into a story that had numerous twists. You dont get many stories like that coming down the pike.. There was also the car for Carol, the diamond ring for her mother Lucille and the new niceties for Mike and his wife Teri. However, he couldnt look the other way when he came home from work sick one day, and caught Marie in bed with her boss. Rachel was the first of a series of doubles and alter egos that appeared in Marie Hilleys life, culminating with her masquerade as Teri Martin. After four years Marie was eligible for a weekend release as a minimum security prisoner (its assumed that this is a privilege afforded to all convicted murderers in Alabama). ); Lawmen traced her through four states before she was finally arrested in New England. Police feared she would disappear and assume a new identity as she had in the past, leaving a longer trail of deceit. Again bail was set; somewhat unsurprisingly no one was generous in putting up the funds this time. Any investigator worth his salt would like to get his answers. He also has many unanswered questions. Lucille, whose cancer had progressed significantly during this time, quickly worsened and she died. Audrey Marie Frazier was born on June 4, 1933, in Blue Mountain, Alabama to Lucille and Huey Frazier. A jury didnt take long to convict Hilley of murdering her husband and attempting to poison her daughter. Becoming a full-time writer made a bigger impact than most job changes. Time limit is exhausted. He knew about his mothers infidelity, but seeing how she fussed over him made him hopeful for a reconciliation. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Theories abound, but few clues exist, said Calhoun County Sheriff Roy Snead. But she wasnt drunk. Carol Hilley was on borrowed time when a seemingly innocuous event saved her life and changed Marie's forever. When Hilley fled from Alabama, she went to Florida, where she met Homan, a New Hampshire native, at a bar. His death was originally believed to have been caused by infectious hepatitis, but in 1979, after the Hilleys daughter, Carol, showed symptoms of arsenic poisoning, his body was exhumed and traces of arsenic were found. Hilley died Feb. 26. After her father died, Carol said, any sense of normalcy went out the window. Facebook gives people the power to. They didnt check out. Then, she skipped out on bail and avoided capture for years, but she ultimately got busted when she faked her own death. And it reminded me of something Id learned when I started as a reporter, something thats shaped my life and that Ive passed on to my children: Every person has a story. I called her name, and she opened her eyes and looked at me, and then rolled her eyes back. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Money, I guess, she said from her home near Jacksonville. The fire bug persisted though. Hilley's body willbe taken to Birmingham for an autopsy. It certainly seemed like the marriage was unlikely to last. Calhoun County District Attorney Joe Hubbard, who dubbed Hilley the 'Black Widow' for poisoning her husband, said he was shocked she was found so soon and that she apparently had trouble finding shelter during her escape. A Toolbox Reveals a Decomposing Body with Duct Tape Around Mouth, A Prosecutor Explains Death Penalty Eligible Crimes. Marie Witte Case Was this Detective's "Most Memorable Case". As far as I know that was the last time she regained consciousness.. Its just something that happened a long time ago.. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. On more than one occasion, Carol said, she answered the phone to hear her mother, trying to disguise her voice, and telling her daughter she was going to kill herself. The Hilleys appeared to be the ideal southern family. Name of Man Shot to Death in Car Discovered, A First Look at the Chilling Murder of Matthew Misener, Investigator Provides Perspective into Curtis Holders Homicide Case, A First Look at the Murder of Curtis Holder. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Lula Young's Son Remembers the Day His Mother Died, Investigator Analyzes Lula Young Homicide Case. She first moved to Florida, where she married John Homan under the name Robbi Hannon. And that was what was different about writing a book. How Did Lula Youngs Death Affect the Local Community? She was arrested in 1979 but escaped and lived under two different aliases until she was recaptured in 1983. 'We still have a period from Sunday until she was found on Thursday where we cannot place her,' Snead said. May 1 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Pennsylvania came to the rescue of a deer spotted stranded in a Montgomery County canal. Don't knowingly lie about anyone It may have bothered Frank that Maries spending seemed to always leave them with little money at the end of the week, but he never said anything to her. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism She changed her name to Robbi Hannon. It just got even stranger. Be Truthful. Yes! I never reached a conclusion, she wrote. Description. Homan might have been fooled by his new wifes identity, but her friends and co-workers were a harder sell. Especially when he got sick, which was happening on a regular basis lately. Two months after her death, authorities have yet to uncover a single clue as to why a conniving criminal who escaped on a prison furlough died a short distance from her birthplace. Marie spent her high school years amongst the financially and socially privileged girls in Anniston, Alabama, and after graduation looked towards a cushy secretarial job. After that, Carol Hilley would not be completely well again for a long, long time. Subscribers can sign up to receive our weekend e-edition on Saturday at 6 a.m. via email. In all likelihood, Lett was the last person to ever talk to Audrey Marie Hilley the infamous black widow of Anniston, who died 25 years ago last Sunday in a fashion just as mysterious as she had lived her life. Calling Hilley very scheming, Carroll said that when he was investigating Hilley in Anniston, the woman made up secret admirers to get a rise out of her husband and claimed unknown people called her frequently and threatened her. It was just a start, but that began to teach me who she was. The car was found in Marietta, Ga., but Hilley had fled to Fort Lauderdale, where she assumed the name Robbi Hannon. We didnt know she was Marie Hilley. I've read about this. Frank Hilley long suffered from a mysterious illness before passing in May 1975. And thats when Carol also started feeling deathly sick. ANNISTON, Ala. -- In life and death, Audrey Marie Hilley was a mystery. She decided she was too close to Homan and wanted to put some distance between them, Hubbard said. Hinds said Hilley told them that her car had quit running a few miles away but couldnt tell them her name. Who Was the Mastermind in Frank Arroyos Murder? 01444899 info@futureinternationalschools.com. Some wonder whether there was a second person who had originally agreed to help her but reneged at the last minute. if ( notice ) The young patrolman with the Anniston Police Department said that afternoon he received a call about a strange woman who had shown up, seemingly out of nowhere, on the back porch of a home on Old Gadsden Highway in Saks. Tests for arsenic poison in Carol proved positive, and Frank Hilleys body was soon exhumed and also tested positive for arsenic. The extra time let me go beyond the facts to something deeper, to explore what people felt, about their lives, about themselves and those around them, and from there to their experience with Marie Hilley, about the effect shed had on them. View the profiles of people named Carol Hilley. All the while, Marie maintained her spending habits. Please reload CAPTCHA. It's very much still a mystery,' Hubbard said. Soon after, Mike and Teri found a new home and moved to Florida. I am hopeful we'll gather some information that will tell us at least what she was doing in that part of the county.'. Frank, who now works as an editor with The Valley News in Lebanon, said Hilleys story caused a sensation in Keene and Marlow, a community known for keeping quiet and staying out of other peoples business. I remember sitting in a car with him on a very cold morning and how forlorn he looked, Frank said. 'I investigated the case and I've know her for many years,' said Anniston Police Lt. Gary Carroll. 'I think we can say all of us were surprised she was found this early and particularly found in this condition, but until we are able to assess what has happened to her and what she's gone through in the last few days, I can't really comment on that,' Hubbard said. It was so hard to keep track of all her lies, Carol said. She told authorities her true identity and that she was wanted for writing bad checks in Alabama. I did start like a reporter, traveling to the other side of New Hampshire to talk to people who had known Marie Hilley and her second husband, but I soon felt the first big difference: working without a deadline the next day gave me time, no surprise there, to talk to people in a different way. Carol accompanied Marie to the hospital, where she was sick all afternoon. Im not sure what it is about a true murder story, but a good one can stay fresh for a long time. Barnes & Noble Now I didnt just understand Marie Hilley, I was inside her mind. Carol Hilley first became ill in April, 1979. But Carol said she has better things to think about now and cant imagine why anyone would care all these years later about her mothers story.
