Killing of Brenda Schaefer
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On September 24, 1988, 36-year-old '''Brenda Schaefer''' was abducted, raped, and killed in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], United States. The crime had been carried out by her 50-year-old ex-boyfriend Mel Ignatow and his 38-year-old girlfriend Mary Ann Shore, with the latter cooperating with authorities in exchange for a lesser charge by implicating Ignatow as the main perpetrator. |
On September 24, 1988, 36-year-old '''Brenda Schaefer''' was abducted, raped, and killed in [[Louisville, Kentucky]], United States. The crime had been carried out by her 50-year-old ex-boyfriend Mel Ignatow and his 38-year-old girlfriend Mary Ann Shore, with the latter cooperating with authorities in exchange for a lesser charge by implicating Ignatow as the main perpetrator. |
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On October 1, 1992, a carpetlayer working in Ignatow's old house, which had been sold to fund his defense, pulled up a length of [[carpet]] in a hallway. Under it he found a floor vent containing a plastic bag, taped to hold it inside the vent. Inside the bag was the jewelry Schaefer had taken with her on the night of her disappearance, and three rolls of undeveloped film. When developed, the film showed Ignatow torturing and raping Schaefer, just as Shore had described. Ignatow's face was not in the pictures, but body hair patterns and [[Melanocytic nevus|moles]] matched him perfectly. |
On October 1, 1992, a carpetlayer working in Ignatow's old house, which had been sold to fund his defense, pulled up a length of [[carpet]] in a hallway. Under it he found a floor vent containing a plastic bag, taped to hold it inside the vent. Inside the bag was the jewelry Schaefer had taken with her on the night of her disappearance, and three rolls of undeveloped film. When developed, the film showed Ignatow torturing and raping Schaefer, just as Shore had described. Ignatow's face was not in the pictures, but body hair patterns and [[Melanocytic nevus|moles]] matched him perfectly. |
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Ignatow faced federal charges for perjury and lying to the FBI, based on his grand jury testimony. Knowing that he could not be retried for the murder because of [[double jeopardy]], Ignatow confessed in court at his perjury trial. He turned to Schaefer's brothers in court and said he had killed her, but claimed that she had died peacefully. In October 1992, Ignatow pleaded guilty. He faced a maximum of 15 years in prison, albeit his agreement called for a term ranging from 8 to 10 years. Ignatow was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison.{{Cite |
Ignatow faced federal charges for perjury and lying to the FBI, based on his grand jury testimony. Knowing that he could not be retried for the murder because of [[double jeopardy]], Ignatow confessed in court at his perjury trial. He turned to Schaefer's brothers in court and said he had killed her, but claimed that she had died peacefully. In October 1992, Ignatow pleaded guilty. He faced a maximum of 15 years in prison, albeit his agreement called for a term ranging from 8 to 10 years. Ignatow was sentenced to eight years and one month in prison.{{Cite newspaper |date=1992-10-03 |title=Clipped From The Courier-Journal |pages=2 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20658832/the-courier-journal/ |accessdate=2022-03-22 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322183958/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20658832/the-courier-journal/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite news |date=1992-11-14 |title=Ignatow |pages=1 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98157130/ignatow/ |accessdate=2022-03-22 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322183934/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98157130/ignatow/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=2001-12-03 |title=Ignatow timeline |pages=3 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98157251/ignatow-timeline/ |accessdate=2022-03-22 |archive-date=March 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220322183957/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98157251/ignatow-timeline/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/mel-ignatow | title=Mel Ignatow Brutally Murdered His Girlfriend and Got Away with It — then Karma Came Calling | date=January 13, 2023 | access-date=May 13, 2023 | archive-date=May 13, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513020734/https://allthatsinteresting.com/mel-ignatow | url-status=live }} |
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On October 23, 1997, Ignatow was indicted on state perjury charges. He was released from federal prison on October 31, 1997. The state later prosecuted him on perjury charges for testimony he gave in a case against Schaefer's employer, Dr. William Spalding, for threatening to kill Ignatow if he did not reveal where Schaefer was. Spalding had been convicted of terroristic threatening and fined $300 after Ignatow falsely proclaimed that he and Schaefer had parted on good terms. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for perjury as a second degree persistent felony offender in January 2002. Ignatow's sentence was reduced for [[time served]].{{Cite web |title=FindLaw's Supreme Court of Kentucky case and opinions. |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ky-supreme-court/1338247.html |accessdate=2022-03-22 |website=Findlaw |language=en-US |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202061525/https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ky-supreme-court/1338247.html |url-status=live |
On October 23, 1997, Ignatow was indicted on state perjury charges. He was released from federal prison on October 31, 1997. The state later prosecuted him on perjury charges for testimony he gave in a case against Schaefer's employer, Dr. William Spalding, for threatening to kill Ignatow if he did not reveal where Schaefer was. Spalding had been convicted of terroristic threatening and fined $300 after Ignatow falsely proclaimed that he and Schaefer had parted on good terms. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for perjury as a second degree persistent felony offender in January 2002. Ignatow's sentence was reduced for [[time served]].{{Cite web |title=FindLaw's Supreme Court of Kentucky case and opinions. |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ky-supreme-court/1338247.html |accessdate=2022-03-22 |website=Findlaw |language=en-US |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202061525/https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ky-supreme-court/1338247.html |url-status=live}} |
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In April 2002, Ignatow was denied release on [[shock probation]].{{Cite web |date=2002-12-24 |title=Ignatow Wants Out |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/1060648/ignatow-wants-out |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He converted to Christianity during his incarceration and unsuccessfully appealed beginning December 2002. Ignatow was denied release a final time in June 2003, after described his perjury during the Schaefer murder trial as "self defense".{{Cite web |date=2003-06-12 |title=No Parole For Ignatow |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/1318620/no-parole-for-ignatow |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He was originally slated for release in December 2007, but released early for a second time on December 1, 2006, after serving four years, on good behavior and [[Paid prison labour|prison work]], during which he became a trained mechanic.{{Cite web |date=2006-12-02 |title=Community reacts to Ignatow's release |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/5758435/community-reacts-to-ignatows-release |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He returned to Louisville,{{Cite web |date=2008-09-03 |title=No foul play in Mel Ignatow's death |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/8940533/no-foul-play-in-mel-ignatows-death |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} living in a home {{convert|4|mi|km}} from the house where he murdered Schaefer. |
In April 2002, Ignatow was denied release on [[shock probation]].{{Cite web |date=2002-12-24 |title=Ignatow Wants Out |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/1060648/ignatow-wants-out |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He converted to Christianity during his incarceration and unsuccessfully appealed beginning December 2002. Ignatow was denied release a final time in June 2003, after described his perjury during the Schaefer murder trial as "self defense".{{Cite web |date=2003-06-12 |title=No Parole For Ignatow |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/1318620/no-parole-for-ignatow |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He was originally slated for release in December 2007, but released early for a second time on December 1, 2006, after serving four years, on good behavior and [[Paid prison labour|prison work]], during which he became a trained mechanic.{{Cite web |date=2006-12-02 |title=Community reacts to Ignatow's release |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/5758435/community-reacts-to-ignatows-release |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} He returned to Louisville,{{Cite web |date=2008-09-03 |title=No foul play in Mel Ignatow's death |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/8940533/no-foul-play-in-mel-ignatows-death |access-date= |website=WAVE3 |language=en}} living in a home {{convert|4|mi|km}} from the house where he murdered Schaefer. |
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