Psychotic Mom Thinks She Can Get Away With Double Murder
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖65-year-old Marilyn Gandert was reported missing after her brother found her home undisturbed but her car keys and medication left behind.
- ❖Marilyn's daughter-in-law, Alyssa Bickett, and grandson, Drake, were recently evicted from Marilyn's rental property, creating a strong motive.
- ❖Officer Barnhill noted suspicious scratches on Alyssa's neck during an initial welfare check at the rental property.
- ❖Marilyn's neighbor, Nancy, immediately suspected foul play, stating Marilyn would not have willingly given Alyssa the keys after eviction.
- ❖Marilyn's charred remains were discovered in a remote area of Rio Rancho, identified through dental records.
- ❖Detectives theorized Alyssa might be involved in both Marilyn's murder and her husband Ryan's (Marilyn's son) death three years prior, which was ruled a suicide by Russian roulette.
- ❖Drake initially confessed to killing Marilyn, claiming she asked him to end her life due to old age and depression.
- ❖Alyssa's roommate, Annie, provided a full confession, detailing how she, Alyssa, and Drake conspired to murder Marilyn, including beating, clubbing, and stabbing her, then burning her body.
- ❖DNA evidence from bloodstains at the rental property confirmed Marilyn's presence at the murder scene.
- ❖Alyssa Bickett received a 30-year sentence, Drake Bickett 26 years, and Annie Ryel 12 years after accepting plea deals for second-degree murder.
Insights
1Initial Disappearance and Suspicious Details
Marilyn Gandert was reported missing by her brother, Harry, after she became uncontactable. Officers found her home with her vehicle, keys, and medication left behind, indicating an unusual departure. Neighbors expressed immediate concern, noting Marilyn's solitary nature and her strong attachment to her dogs, which she would never leave.
Harry Gandert's 911 call and subsequent interaction with Officer Barnhill; Marilyn's vehicle, keys, and medication found at her home; neighbor Nancy's insistence that Marilyn would not have left her dogs.
2Focus on Evicted Daughter-in-Law and Grandson
The investigation quickly shifted to Marilyn's rental property, where her daughter-in-law, Alyssa Bickett, and grandson, Drake, had recently been evicted. This eviction was a source of significant tension, and officers had a history of responding to domestic incidents involving Drake, who suffered from schizophrenia.
Nancy's information about Alyssa and Drake's eviction from Marilyn's other property; police records of prior domestic calls to the Taylor Ridge address involving Drake.
3Discovery of Marilyn's Body and Escalating Suspicions
Marilyn's charred body was found in a remote area, identified through dental records. This confirmed the worst fears and intensified the focus on Alyssa, especially given the theory that she might have also been involved in her husband Ryan's death years prior, which was ruled a suicide.
911 call reporting a burned body; Detective Meyers' observation of the scene; identification of Marilyn Gandert via dental records; investigators' theory of a possible double homicide.
4Drake's Bizarre Confession
When confronted, Drake Bickett confessed to killing his grandmother, claiming she asked him to do it because she was tired and wanted to die. He framed it as fulfilling her wish, a story the detective found highly suspicious, suggesting he was trying to protect his mother.
Drake's direct confession to the detective: 'My grandmother said, Will you please kill me? Multiple times, drunk and sober.' and 'So, did you do that for her? Yeah.'
5Annie's Full Confession and the Murder Plot
Alyssa's roommate, Annie, ultimately provided a detailed confession, revealing a premeditated murder. She described how she, Alyssa, and Drake conspired, with Annie pinning Marilyn down, Alyssa striking her with a club, and Drake stabbing her multiple times. They then transported and burned the body.
Annie's detailed account: 'Alyssa… had brought it up before about killing Marilyn… I got Marilyn and from behind and took her down… Drake got on top of her… she gave the bat thing to Drake and Drake started hitting her. We I think we all took turns after that doing that. Started stabbing her and I seen him like going at it a bunch of times and I grabbed the knife from him. He had already cut her throat.'
Quotes
"Come get the key on Friday. That is so not Marilyn. That's somebody texting from Marilyn's phone."
"We think we found a body out here in a road and it somebody had put it on like a mattress or something and burned it. It looks like it it has bones in it and you can see intestines and guts and I don't know."
"The body that she suspected in Rio Rancho, the burger one, was positively identified as Marilyn."
"My grandmother said, 'I'm too old.' 'Will you please kill me?' Multiple times, drunk and sober. That is honestly..."
"Alyssa. Like, she had brought it up before about killing Marilyn. I thought she was joking."
Q&A
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