Episode 508: The Murders of Elisabeth Congdon and Velma Pietila

<p>In the early morning hours of June 27, 1977, the bodies of millionaire&nbsp;Elisabeth&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;and her nurse,&nbsp;Velma&nbsp;Pietila, were discovered murdered in&nbsp;Congdon’s 22-acre estate in Duluth, Minnesota. From the outset, local police were baffled as to the motive for the murders;&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;was well liked in the community, and as far as anyone could tell, nothing significant seemed to be missing from the house.</p><p>In time, detectives learned that&nbsp;Elisabeth’s daughter Marjorie Caldwell had a long history of financial problems and debt, had been institutionalized several times for antisocial behavior, and had recently been trying to get money from&nbsp;Elisabeth&nbsp;to buy a new home. Based on the evidence collected in the investigation, Marjorie and her husband Roger were arrested; however, at trial Marjorie was acquitted and Roger’s conviction was overturned by the supreme court five years later, so no one was ever truly held responsible for&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pietila’s murders.</p><p>In the decades since, the murders of&nbsp;Elisabeth&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;and&nbsp;Velma&nbsp;Pietila&nbsp;have faded into the background of Minnesota history—another tragic end to one of America’s twentieth-century aristocratic families. Yet, while&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;and her nurse may be long gone, the memory and legacy of the&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;murders remains a significant curiosity, especially to those who tour Glensheen, the 39-room mansion where&nbsp;Elisabeth&nbsp;Congdon&nbsp;lived her entire life, before it was brought to a shocking end allegedly by her own daughter.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :)</p><p><br></p><p>Sources:</p><p>Feichtinger, Gail. 2002. <em>Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes and Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings.</em> Duluth, MN: X-Communication Press.</p><p>Johnson, Steve. 1977. "Killer reportedly stole Congdon gems." <em>Minneapolis Star</em>, June 30