"Oh, I imagine he had maybe $1,000 or more at the time on him," Cecil said. "[13], From early 2001 to May 2004, Schwartz was involved in a romantic relationship with the foster mother of one of his patients, Pima County deputy attorney Lourdes Salomon Lopez. "money was her way of connecting.". The Perfect Murder: The Devil Made Me Do It, a documentary produced by Investigation Discovery, focuses on how the police narrowed down four suspects, one of them was Roberts daughter. [18] The victim, identified as Stidham, had been stabbed 15 times[6] and had incurred a skull fracture. In December 2001, however, tragedy befell the Schwartz family. "But is the suggestion -- the possibility that Rebecca Schwartz may have said to him, 'If you don't transfer everything in the estate over to me, I will make this deep dark secret public. He faces a charge of first-degree murder in the slaying of Dr. Steven Patlin Schwartz, a 74-year-old doctor found dead inside his Tarpon Springs mansion in 2014. They also had witnesses testify about how she discussed the money she would get if Robert died. Van Sant asked Carter. [21] On October 28, Lopez reported that, prior to the murder, she had expressed to Paul Skitzki, a county prosecutor with whom she was on friendly terms, her concerns about what Schwartz might do to Stidham. Van Sant asked deVlaming. "'And if you say anything, you're never gonna see a house or you're never gonna see a penny,'" said Stragaj. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "Rebecca handles the business and she called me 'son' for four years," he said. This looks bad," Van Sant pointed out. Only later did I find out she held a private funeral or service, if you would, at -- at the house to which I was not invited," said Carter. Even as a young child, I could see she wasn't there because she loved him," he said. [27], According to Bonnie Booth of the American Medical News, the rarity of physician-on-physician crime was the likely reason that the trial drew so much media attention. "She's got something to hide. According to Leo Stragaj, Becky even wanted Carter out of the picture. "It all points to her. WebOn December 8, 2001, Robert Schwartz was stabbed to death with a sword at his Leesburg, Virginia farmhouse. According to Katherine, Clara wanted her father dead and talked about the money she would inherit if that became a reality. Both men also pleaded "not guilty. It was updated on July 29.]. Peter Van Sant asked. "I figure that's why Schwartz went there, to rob him.". Nearly $500 was missing from the 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. Robert Schwartz Murder Case Where is Clara Schwartz Now? [5] He was killed in his 1992 white Lexus SC400[19] and dragged from his car to make it look like a robbery. He was taken away with such haste that his shirt was on backwards. And when you were interviewed by investigators, you lied to them. Clara was the youngest of Roberts three children; she had an older brother and sister. "I make mistake. "Why in the world would Leo Stragaj murder Dr. Stephen Schwartz when Schwartz was providing him his entire livelihood?" David Brian Stidham (August 13, 1967 October 5, 2004)[1] was a pediatric ophthalmologist stabbed to death in Catalina Foothills, Arizona as the result of a murder-for-hire plot that stemmed from a colleague's professional jealousy. No trial date has been set for Leo Tragaj's murder trial. Stragaj, who is from Albania, was working in the U.S. without proper legal status. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a159b8aee1210a8 "It was feeling numb when people describe it. I said, 'What the hell did you do?' When Robert Schwartz was found dead at his home, investigators have reason to believe his death was But the hard drive had been removed. The 81-year-old victim, an email from police said, gave Lola Stragaj power of attorney over her estate and then added her into her will. Khan practiced as an orthopedic surgeon at Owaisi hospital and had experience of He was in his 70s. Van Sant asked. I'm sure she planned it for a long time.". Bigger's trials would not begin until the following March. [3] Stidham officially served as Schwartz's associate until October 2002,[17] when Schwartz was indicted on drug fraud charges. In my heart of hearts, I knew that [Kyle] was going there to kill [my father]. At Claras trial in October 2002, the defense claimed Kyle was not supposed to take Claras words literally because they were part of the game. But all that family turmoil was hidden, and to most who knew him, Dr. Schwartz seemed to have a beautiful life until the evening of May 28, 2014, when Becky Schwartz came home and discovered her home in disarray. But they live in fear, as she told her friend in another text: Dana Nichols (reading aloud in court): I said, "I am scared to talk to the detectives and -- and police I would hope if Becky came after me or sent someone after me, she wouldn't hurt Kendall. "I said to them, 'Please, do not overlook anyone in this family just because they're related.". Ben is not named in the lawsuit and there have been no criminal charges filed against him in the murder. Katherine and Katherines boyfriend, Michael Pfohl, were Claras pals at the time. 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. Drug abuse, DEA investigation, and indictment, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of Rochester School of Medicine, "Doctor Charged in Ordering Hit on Fellow MD", "An Eye for an Eye A Beloved Doctor Is Murdered In Cold Blood", "Murder conspiracy case grabs media glare", "Longtime friend remembers slain Dr. Stidham", "Forward Motion Schwartz's defense goes on the offensive while prosecutors claim he was seeking a hired killer last year", "Schwartz's parents say son OK'd firing Stidham", "Who is Dr. Bradley Schwartz? I'm gonna take care of this.'". [3][14] Schwartz had also developed a drug problem that began in 2000 when he received Vicodin for chronic back[3] and jaw pain. She settled that suit for an undisclosed amount. [3], On the evening of October 5, 2004, deputies of the Pima County Sheriffs Department responded to a report of a man down in the parking lot of the North First Medical Plaza where Stidham worked. Van Sant asked. Robert was allegedly planned to make sure she didnt come back, according to her. Jurors recommended she spend 48 years in prison. The jury could have recommended a life sentence for the convictions, which also included conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of soliciting a crime. Patrick stated that he met Clara in June 2001 at a festival in Leesburg, Virginia. A year after Dr. Steven Schwartz was found shot stabbed and strangled in his waterfront mansion, Leo Stragaj sits in jail. Schwartz has been in jail since her arrest in February on the campus of James Madison University, where she was a student. The prosecution believed that Clara manipulated Kyle to do her bidding. Carter says he often needed money. She -- she staged this. "Yeah, that was definitely not normal," said Olive. " And on that fall day, the dark side came out. "Here's a guy who's been shot, strangled, blood -- why would you touch him at all to begin with? Furthermore, deVlaming says, Stragaj's story of being in the house to retrieve Becky's purse makes no sense. "What is the most important thing to Becky Schwartz?" I don't understand what's changed, what happened,'" she said. WebContact Dr. Robert G. Schwartz, MD, for an appointment. He was bright. And me and my siblings are kind being left out here.'" 48 Hours airs Fridays at 9pm and 10pm on CBS. Millions and millions of dollars worth of money," said Becky's attorney, Denis deVlaming. [3], The DNA evidence from Bigger in Stidham's car also provided evidence for the prosecution. He never mentioned anything -- anything in his statement to the police about Rebecca Schwartz being in any way responsible for the death of her husband," said DeVlaming. [7] Schwartz initially pleaded guilty to the drug charges in 2003; however, the plea was withdrawn in early 2004. "And I quickly grew more depressed and decided that I was going to end my life, that I couldn't stand the pain anymore," said Meredith. "Did you get along with her children?" Carter went to medical school, following in his father's footsteps. Throughout his trial, Schwartz never took the stand. Schwartz, a prominent local nephrologist, was found dead in his Tarpon Springs mansion in May 2014 after his wife Rebecca Schwartz reported a robbery. And, deVlaming says, Sragaj is a large man capable of physical force, unlike Becky. While Dyer walked away from his car, Schwartz went ahead with his plan. She had also met a teenager named Kyle Hulbert at a Renaissance Fair in Maryland in September 2001. I said, 'That's a misprint, because she met her husband in med school in New York 35 years ago. "As I read these stories, you know, he didn't want to give 'em his money," Cecil explained. Their first child, Alexandre Brian, was born in Houston in 2000. I admit I was there, but I didn't kill Dr. Schwartz," he said. "'Analysis of cell phone activity failed to support his alibi,' -- your alibi. "And I don't recall there being a lot of conversation. In September 2003, he was sentenced to life behind bars. "A grieving widow is standing on a doorstep of the police department every morning, saying, 'Have you made any progress finding out who violently shot strangled and stabbed my husband?'" Becky's son, Ben, had ongoing drug issues, according to Carter. She had credit cards that were only in her name, anything basically my dad couldn't get a hold of," Carter replied. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. But Stragaj insists he didn't do itthat Becky was the culprit. The two sides settled out of court with the Phoenix group characterizing his behavior as "obscene, abusive, and belligerent. What followed was a startling tale of deception and fantasy, which the authorities discovered. "Here's another quote from the report," Van Sant said to Stragaj. Investigation Discoverys 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. Van Sant asked Carter Schwartz. In 2007, the Arizona Supreme Court officially disbarred her for her connection to the drug case. Your IP: 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. Becky had two sons from her previous marriages, including Ben. "Is she worried or afraid that she'll be arrested for the murder of her husband? Schwartz began to reassure Bigger that he had his money. DeVlaming denies Stragaj's claims that Becky ever asked him to kill Schwartz or his son, Carter. And the reason it's hogwash is Leo says that he looks in the bag and he sees a butcher knife. "Said, 'No, you'll have to shoot me. "I'm so sorry I didn't call the police. "Who do you think did? A prominent biophysicist, he had been stabbed multiple times with a 2-foot-long sword. I'll ruin your reputation. 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC. Although she was instructed not to discuss their interview with Schwartz, she told Schwartz about the investigation and interview within the following 24 hours. But tragedy struck the Schwartz family in December 2001. Dyer wasn't even sure Schwartz was really going go through with it, until he pulled out a gun. He discovered a scientist who had been brutally murdered inside. "[5] After some delay, the trial for Schwartz began in March 2006. Rebecca Schwartz: Hi, somebody I just walked in to my house and somebody robbed my house. [5][6] In 1998, they returned to Texas when Stidham joined the faculty at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. "That changed my whole life, right there in that point in time," he said. 911 Operator: Tarpon Springs Police may I help you? Patrick further stated that Clara showed him her journal entries where she talked about Roberts alleged abuse and attempts to poison her. [2], In June 2003, Schwartz and Lopez were involved in a domestic altercation which resulted in an amendment to the conditions for their release, prohibiting them from having contact with each other. I'm really short and -- and don't tell my mom. Patrick Olive and April Cox say that around 9 a.m., Becky unexpectedly showed up at their house. Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students, Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, 911 call "rehearsed" say attorneys of murder victim's family, Accused hit man Leo Stragaj on what he says happened on the day of doctor's murder, Investigating the murder of Dr. Steven Schwartz, Rebecca Schwartz "stole" husband, "everything that I had," said former friend, Becky Schwartz refused to answer any questions from Roebig and Florin during the deposition in the wrongful death lawsuit, Rebecca Schwartz's attorneys on why they say Leo Stragaj killed her husband, A doctor's road to redemption after 1961 slaying. 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