People Magazine Investigates Recap for Infamous Pam Hupp

 

Troy, Missouri is the largest city in Lincoln, County, but considered a safe, sleepy place. Betsy Faria lived there with her family and had several friends in the area. Her sister Julie remembered her as a happy person, who was a mom to daughters Leah and Mariah. She also worked as a DJ and did gigs whenever she could.

In 1998, she met a man named Russ and the two got married in 2001. They all got along, but there were times when Russ let his temper get the best of him. He was never violent, but sometimes got a bit loud.

In 2009, Betsy was diagnosed with breast cancer, which caused her to suffer from depression. There were times she felt suicidal, but her loved ones were there for her as much as possible. One of the people who were there for her was Pam Hupp, who worked with her at State Farm. Pam would often take her to chemo treatments and was especially there for her in 2010, when she was at her lowest.

A year later, Betsy was cancer free and celebrated by going on a cruise with her loved ones. Sadly, once she returned, the cancer returned, this time in her liver. It was stage four and she was only given a few more years to live.

On December 27th, 2011, Betsy went to her chemo treatment, as per usual. Russ was at a game night with friends. Betsy planned to visit her mom after chemo and Pam was set to drive her home later that day.

That night, Russ came home and found Betsy dead. He assumed that she died by suicide and told this to 911 dispatchers. However, when help arrived, it was obvious she was stabbed multiple times and that his was a homicide. A search of the house found that there was only blood in the living room, where the body was found. It was a puzzling case for investigators.

Russ immediately becomes a person of interest. He is questioned claimed he was at a game night, stopped for food at Arby’s and came home, where he saw Betsy. Authorities continue to grill him about his finances, savings and the relationship with Betsy’s daughters. It turned out Leah was stealing from the family and had problems.

Since there is nothing to hold him on, Russ is released. Leah is questioned as well, along with Betsy’s other loved ones. Julie recalled that Betsy asked her to take Leah in, since the two of them were having problems. However, Julie was able to prove that Leah was with her at the phone store that night and had actually called Betsy to help with an upgrade. Betsy never answered. They also remember getting the news of Betsy’s death.

More friends are questioned, including Pam. She claimed she drove her home from her mom’s but left shortly after, despite Betsy asking her to stay and watch a movie. She was very forthcoming and even said there were times that Russ made her feel uncomfortable. Pam also claimed that there were times Russ would put a pillow over Pam’s face and that she feared for her life.

Pam also claimed that Betsy made her the beneficiary of her life insurance–to the tune of $150,000….and that Russ did not get any money. This leads investigators to wonder if Russ was lying after all.

The autopsy showed 55-60 stab wounds, most of which were left post mortem. This tells investigators that this was most likely a rage killing and this person was very familiar to Betsy. Further investigation found live sperm in her body, which DNA tests connect to Russ. However, he claimed that was was not intimate with Betsy for at least four days. This makes him even more suspicious. Social media posts show that Russ had a mistress.

Authorities find said mistress, who is questioned, giving Russ an even bigger motive to kill Betsy. However, all the evidence is circumstantial, making it difficult to nail him for the murder.

On January 3rd, 2012, the crime scene is reinvestigated and it is obvious that Betsy was not only killed by someone she knew, but also by someone who was familiar with her house layout. This gives authorities enough to arrest Russ.

Russ’s family gets a defense attorney Joel Schwartz, who is able to verify an alibi for Russ. However, he still faces trial for the murder.

Pam is now considered a person of interest, but before anything can happen, the prosecutor Leah Askey Chaney files a motion to exclude any mention of Pam or the insurance during the trial. This made the case to help clear Russ’s name even more complicated. It is also revealed  that Joel didn’t get key evidence.

The defense has a decent argument on Russ’s behalf, but the prosecution still has evidence that can prove he is guilty. They even go as far as to accuse Russ’s friends of faking an alibi for him.

A verdict finds Russ guilty of murder and was sentenced to life without parole. Joel immediately files for an appeal, but it isn’t until two years later that he receives evidence that can clear Russ’s name. The evidence includes several pictures that proves the prosecution wasn’t being as truthful as they claimed. It was also proven that the evidence was pulled several times by the prosecution.

Another bombshell revealed that Pam never gave Betsy’s daughters the insurance money they were promised and instead kept it for herself. Pam is then questioned, and it turned out that she created the trust before the trial and defunded it right after. This is enough to release Russ and get him a new trial.

Joel suggests the new trial be a bench trial, while Betsy’s daughters sue Pam for the money. However, since nothing was in writing, Pam got to keep the money.

Witnesses from the first trial are called back for the second trial, including Pam. This time, Pam claimed that she and Betsy were lesbian lovers.

The second trial begins on November 2nd, 2015. It is just as difficult as before, but the new evidence sheds new light on the case. This leads to Russ being acquitted of the murder, with the judge saying the previous trial was poorly done. This leaves Leah upset and Joel overjoyed.

On August 16, 2016, a 911 call comes into the dispatcher, about thirty minutes from where Betsy and Russ lived. A woman claimed her house was being broken into and she was screaming for someone to get out. As the dispatcher tries to get information, the woman on the phone shot the intruder. The caller was none other than Pam.

Pam claimed that she was held at knifepoint in her car and then chased into her house. She was then able to get into her bedroom and grab her gun, which she used to shoot said intruder. He has no ID on him, but there is a note that said to get Pam and Russ’s money.

Authorities think this can be the key in solving Betsy’s murder. Pam is questioned, and she claims that this was over the insurance money.

Russ is called by his father, who told him about the situation with Pam. Joel calls soon after, saying he is going to be questioned. He cooperated with authorities and was able to prove he had an alibi for everything. He is cleared.

The man Pam shot was identified as Louis Gumpenberger, thanks to him having a criminal record. They find his house and tell his mother about the situation. His mother claimed he has been in a car accident that left him with the mental capacity of a 12 year old. He was very easily influenced, but due to his mental and physical limitations, it is proven that Pam’s version of events could not have happened.

Pam’s house is searched again, where authorities find a receipt for a knife. Further investigation proves that she purchased the knife she claimed was used in the attack.

At this point, investigators look into the case some more and discover that both the call and evidence in the house look more like a set up than a robbery.

A woman named Carol claimed Pam said she was in her area to do work for Dateline. Carol initially decided to go along with it, but soon decided to go back home. She realized the car was on her security camera, so she called the cops, who think Louis fell for the same story.

Further investigation proves that Pam was behind all of this and that she was still trying to frame Russ. She is arrested on August 23rd, 2016 and acted calm the entire time.

When she was brought to the station, Pam asked to use the restroom, where she stabbed herself with a ballpoint pen. She also tried to plead insanity in the cases against her.

Authorities continued to look into Pam’s life and discovered she may have been responsible for the death of her own mother.

Pam was found guilty in Louis’s murder and awaiting trial for Betsy’s murder.