He was temporarily released on bail in 2014, pending a resentencing hearing. "This idea that my grandmother was a monster is ludicrous," Alexandria Nugent said. Plural. According to Investigation Discovery (ID), that man Bernhardt (Bernie) Tiede II, a 38-year-old local mortician then leaves to check out a rehearsal of a college theater group. . He was right in Carthage, at home, when the sheriff deputies showed up and brought him in for questioning. Lisa Tanner would allege Bernie Tiede regularly forged Marjorie Nugent's signature, manually manipulated her bank accounts, altered her brokerage statements. "I think any of us can be difficult. Washington, Baltimore, and then took a cruise down the East coast," Tiede reminisced. At one point he imagined hitting her over the head with a baseball bat, but couldnt bear the thought of her suffering. Cole says she and Bernie Tiede learned about the alleged scheme in a will contest filing from one of Marjorie Nugent's sisters. Because that's what you do when you love someone and you find out that the person that they were in love with shot them four times in the back. He started purporting a sweetheart scam on her, Nugent says. "And I ended up attending the trial and started thinkin' maybe there's a movie here," he told Van Sant. "The door's right there Bernie. He said that after the murder, he had prepared the body, and placed it in a freezer. "I saw her to the gravesite. "Are you thinking to yourself, 'Well, we've parted ways, we did some business and never shall meet again'?" Twitter/Texas MonthlyBernie Tiede, pictured with Marjorie Nugent, not long before her 1996 murder. " On the show, CBS's 48 Hours viewers will learn how the relationship developed between Bernie Tiede and Marjorie Nugent, and how that . They related to me," said Davidson. Tiede became a preacher and featured soloist in the choir at the First United Methodist Church and worked with the music and theater departments of the local college, often taking on starring roles himself. They actually disassociate, which is to leave their body," Cole explained. Nine months," said Ruth Cockrell. Despite town gossip, there was nothing sexual about it, Tiede said, thinking of Nugent more as a mother figure and a friend. He did that," Tanner told the court. By then (according to Bernie's account), Marge had grown demanding and controlling, making him check in regularly by phone, and growing angry if he was late to their lunch meetups. And it's like, 'Mama, are you crazy?! In 1990 Tiede befriended Nugent at the funeral of her husband, a wealthy oilman and banker. And she said, 'Well, he's my friend,'" she continued. "And Bernie is in charge of his funeral.". Went to the pyramids. Things only got worse for Tiede, who grew up in East Texas. But when Nugent was found dead in a freezer in 1997 and Tiede came under suspicion, the town had trouble believing that their favorite son had committed such a heinous crime. She would eventually become a big part of Bernie Tiede's life, and how his story would be told. I won't leave. It was in 1991," he replied. Marjorie Nugent Obituary (1925 - 2016) - Watch Hill, RI - The Westerly Sun said Susan Jenull. "It felt like this big weight had been lifted off my shoulder.". Testifying in his defense, Tiede said Someone said I could have dropped her from an airplane into the Gulf of Mexico, but she wouldnt have been found, and I wanted to give her a proper burial. Tiedes trial lasted less than a week before he was found guilty and given a life sentence. It was like I walked in and I said, 'There's tape on the freezer," Alexandria Nugent continued." When he was just three years old, his mother died in a car accident, with his father unharmed as driver of the vehicle. "We believe my grandmother was in love with Bernie and believed that he was in love with her," said Alexandria Nugent. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Tell me about that day and what from your perspective led to the tragedy?" "And the thing that disturbed me was that all of the pictures of my grandfather were gone.". The main characters are Marjorie Nugent, a rich and notoriously mean widow, and her young companion . Just together, just friends," said Ruth Cockrell. "Yes," he replied. Van Sant asked the women. Bernie Tiede . Bernie in Hell - Texas Monthly But the Nugent's say their grandma never needed Bernie, or anyone, to teach her kindness. A new sentencing trial is ordered, andTiede is released from prison for the time being. It doesn't hurt that the story got the Hollywood treatment when Dazed and Confused director Richard Linklater made a soapy film (starring Jack Black as Bernie) based on Bernie's version of events in which he, not Margie, was the real victim. Giving him access to her checking accounts so he could pay her bills, she rewrote her will making Tiede her sole beneficiary. He preached a funeral for us," a customer said. "That is the real story," Alexandria Nugent affirmed. No way out. It was August 18, 1997, when the Nugent's had finally shared their concerns with the local sheriff. Her husband, Rod Nugent Sr., made a fortune as an independent oilman, a ruthless operator. "I was so relieved when they came for me and arrested me," he sobbed. From the dusty dirt roads where Jack Paine and Ira Bounds live. "A little feisty lady comes up to me and she says, 'I bet there was some crazy stuff going on at that trial,'" said Linklater. "I had caused the death of somebody that I loved. Tiede, now 55, was convicted in the slaying of Marjorie Nugent, 81, his companion, who was found dead in her freezer months after disappearing in 1996. Rod filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tiede, claiming he had embezzled more than $3 million from his mother.[16]. In 2014, Bernie filed a writ with the court alleging that his rights had been violated, that police had shamed him into confessing, and most shockingly, that Marge's abusive behavior toward him resurfaced trauma he'd experienced as a childhood victim of sexual abuse. She knew that if her grandmother had left the house, she would have put everything she kept in the refrigerator in her freezer, located inside the pantry. A visiting state district judge in Panola County will begin. "And I said, 'He's an angel all right, he's an angel of death," said D.A. A man grabs a .22 rifle and shoots an elderly widow in the back four times, killing her. Van Sant asked. Tiede shot Nugent four times in the back and placed her body in a freezer,. "Well, I enjoyed singin' in the choir. He and his daughter entered his mother's house, where they found her body in the freezer.[13]. "Twelve when my Uncle began molesting me," said Tiede. What You Didn't Know About Murderer Bernie Tiede - Grunge "Well, I felt like she felt like she could trust me, I guess,"said Tiede. I'm an indie Texas director. I don't believe a word that comes out of the man's mouth," said Alexandria Nugent. He could do everything from makeup, hair. "Doing good, doing a lot of good in Carthage," said Ruth Cockrell. "It's grim when, you know, you see an old lady on video being pulled out of her freezer. Tiede shot Nugent in the back four times with a rifle on Nov. 19, 1996, and then stored her body in the deep freezer of her home until her . While the facts of the case have not been in dispute, Bernie's motivation for murdering Marge (and his subsequent behavior in the months after the crime) has been debated for years. [19][20] Cole theorized that Tiede shot Nugent while in a brief dissociative episode brought on by her abusive treatment of him,[21] a theory backed by forensic psychiatrist Richard Pesikoff. "Not as big as it once was, but it's here.". 'You can't leave me. I'm mean as an old settin' hen sometimes," she laughed. It was just something that doesn't happen in prison," said Tiede. And I feel pretty good about it," said Davidson. Public DomainBernie Tiede was so beloved in his Texas hometown that locals refused to believe he could have committed murder. "I mean, did he ever babysit your kids?" After high school, Tiede started working in a funeral home, showing a particular talent for makeup and hair. "I don't want him talking about the shooting That's enough," she said. They took lavish vacations abroad, and Tiede became known around town for the. And at least according to Bernie, feeling like Marjorie Nugent's prisoner reminded him of the abuse he says he suffered as a boy. "I think the attraction for Marjorie was the same as it was for everyone in town. "Not connected to reality," said Alexandria Nugent. [34], Tiede resided in the Telford Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for at least 15 years. [4] The elder Tiede had served as a professor of music and choral director at Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio, Texas (19461948), at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas (19481957), at Kilgore College in Kilgore (19571968), and then McMurry College in Abilene, where he served as director of the McMurry Chanters until his death. Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth wrote the "Bernie" screenplay and brought it to Jack Black. He essentially claimed he'd been dissociating when he'd murdered Marge, and a psychiatrist agreed. A jury convicted Tiede of first-degree murder, and sentenced him to 50 years in prison. [7] Tiedes father, who never forgave himself[clarification needed], started drinking frequently.[8]. She had given him power of attorney over her funds. Then he went to a dress rehearsal for Guys and Dolls,' Nugent says. 'Have at it,'" said Linklater. It was on one of the next family visits to Carthage that the Nugent women got a hint of how deeply Tiede had moved into their grandmother's life. However, to say that Nugent was not well liked was a gross understatement. July 22, 2017 / 11:09 PM "I think he is an incredibly nice generous man who did a horrible thing," he testified. The Big Heat: Haunted House for Sale. Any Takers? "Flash forward to 1994. He noted several acts of his aunt's abusive behavior toward him in The New York Times article titled How My Aunt Marge Ended Up in the Deep Freeze.[30], On April 22, 2016, the jury of ten women and two men issued a new sentence of 99 years to life for Tiede. I mean they took the most awful part of our lives and just laughed about it and joked about it," said Susan Jenull. "She was kind and she loved telling stories.". The motion filed by Cole earlier in the week claims Marjorie Nugent's son, Rod Nugent, Jr., and an original administrator of Marjorie Nugent's estate were involved in a "scheme" to steal or embezzle money from the estate. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. That was not part of my wanting to be around Marjorie," said Tiede. to Egypt. "People get trapped," Van Sant commented. ", Asked if they appreciated him dropping by, Tiede told Van Sant, "Oh very much so.". His father died in Abilene when Tiede was fifteen. And the D.A. Marjorie Nugent And Bernie Tiede were inseparable right up until her 1996 demise. Van Sant asked. "And within a few weeks she had come to see me," said Tiede. One on the big screen, the other in a courtroom in Henderson, Texas. Van Sant asked. While she was outside, petting her dog, he shot her four times in the back. Teen Is Stabbed 32 Times By Ex After She Started Dating Someone Else: 'He Wanted Her Dead', Pa. Bernie Tiede's attorney claims Nugent family stole money from victim's According to the Amarillo Globe-News, Nugent's estranged son, Rod, an Amarillo pathologist, had grown concerned about not being able to reach his mother. "They had a ball together. Ms . "She was," Alexandria Nugent replied. He claims he was molested by his own uncle, Elmer Doucet. "Lots of miracles have happened in my life," said Tiede. Bernie Tiede wasn't about to be turned away. More from US The 81-year-old widow had a reputation . Got her up " Tiede replied, as his attorney, Jodi Cole, interrupted the interview. "And you know, 'Maybe she's on another trip. "When I heard 99 years, I mean it was devastating," said Linklater. Poor Bernie. "He was kind of the conduit to her generosity, to her better angel," said Linklater. 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"The first bullet in her back makes her paralyzed, so she falls straight down onto the concrete. I'm just a people person. And though this case is the true story behind the 2011 movie Bernie, the real events are more astounding than anything Hollywood could have dreamt up. ", "Hollywood means, you know, lack of morality," Linklater told Van Sant. ", "We went to . Cole asked Richard Linklater if he had the transcripts from Tiede's 1999 murder trial. "In some ways did you feel trapped in this relationship, just as you had been trapped with your uncle?" Bernie: The Truth About Bernie Tiede And Marjorie Nugent's - Grunge "He was her man servant the guy hired to take care of her every need," Black explained. Cole brought the findings to the D.A. Van Sant asked the granddaughters. "I deserved time," Tiede said. He snaps,' Cole said of the scene in the movie where Tiede shoots Marjorie. This is really eye-opening, Van Sant remarked. "Which is the top max sentence. Killer in Texas murder case made famous by Jack Black movie goes free "I think that he did not plan on killing her.". Van Sant asked. "This was just a straight up execution," said Tanner. Bernie Tiede Painted As Victim, Calculating Killer "Rod" Nugent, who had made his fortune in oil and banking. "He could. In the end, though, Bernie's new defense couldn't save him. Finally, however, he steeled himself to get rid of her for good. "And Mrs. Nugent arrives," said Hollandsworth. "Personally, I think he's pure evil," said Shanna Nugent. He could sing he could preach. "There wasn't a question in anybody's mind. "Some people are sayin', 'Hey let him go.' "What do you conclude in terms of why this murder occurred?" He joined the gay men's choir and he became a regular at Pastor Sid Hall's church. On April 2, 2016, some 26 years after he met Marjorie Nugent, the jury once again sentenced Bernie Tiede to 99 years in prison. "Almost, people really saw him like that," added Lisa Cockrell. I think he has no remorse. Jack Black: That period with the walls closing in. "Well, no, 'cause that's not how I conduct funerals," Tiede explained. I think as a society, we should protect the weak.. Tiede was released pending a re-sentencing hearing and lived in the garage apartment of the films director, Richard Linklater, as a condition of his release according to The Washington Post. "People in the community were comin' in and sayin' Bernie was a really good guy, if he killed her he had a reason for doin' it. [5] In addition to his work as a university professor, the elder Tiede also served as church music director and as a vocal performer. The movie, "Bernie," also featured Matthew McConaughey as Danny Buck Davidson. Bernie Tiede, pictured with Marjorie Nugent, not long before her 1996 murder. And it's like, I don't know. He comforted families of the deceased at funerals, staying close to grieving widows, and holding their hands to steady them. Jester was killed in an automobile accident when the boy was two years old. Marjorie Nugent's granddaughter calls Tiede "the worst kind of criminal". ", Linklater was called to the stand to defend his friend. After this, Tiede acknowledged using Nugent's money for civic activities, gifts to academic and civic groups, and to friends. Shot Marjorie Nugent dead with a .22 caliber rifle. "When he pointed that gun at Marjorie Nugent's back, that justified the life sentence," Tanner said in her closing. "Even today, is there a Bernie Tiede Fan Club in Carthage"" Van Sant asked Davidson. "Put her in a freezer and kept spendin' her money while she was dead," said Davidson. She was just so controlling, she felt like she could own me, and I guess to some degree, she did, Tiede said. "She would kinda be called a blue blood," said Davidson. So when a grieving, vulnerable widow came to the Hawthorn Funeral Home, Tiede saw an opportunity to do what he did best. And Tiede's uncle, under oath, denied ever having molested Bernie. Marjorie Nugent Obituary Yes. When Marge's husband died, reports ID, Bernie embalmed him and even sang at his service. We just went everywhere. Make sure they're alright. "I think I'm pretty unconnable," Linklater told Van Sant. Van Sant asked the director. And it wasn't long before Nugent wanted more than a part-time dinner date -- and Tiede complied. And Marjorie's family began to wonder, "What had become of grandma? Got a magnetism," said Black. How My Aunt Marge Ended Up in the Deep Freeze - New York Times As years passed though, Nugent became more and more possessive, expecting 24-hour obedience, paging Tiede constantly. DALLAS (Reuters) - A jury on Friday sentenced a former mortician to return to prison for 99 years to life for murdering a wealthy East Texas widow and hiding her body in a freezer in a case that . And the Nugent women, all busy college students at the time, admit there was a reluctance to reach out to Grandma Marjorie. Trapped as Nugents full time caregiver, Tiede couldnt muster the courage to leave. "He was there. "Was her place his gilded cage and she closed the door on that cage? That was not part of the deal. Teen Appeals Prison Sentence for Murdering Friend and Taking a Smiling Selfie with His Body. "The child abuse and the abusive relationship," the D.A. Bernie Tiede, who was first convicted for the 1996 murder in 1999, was later granted an appeal based on the theory that he was in a dissociative state at the time of the killing due to abuse hed suffered earlier in life. Tiede was the subject of the 48 Hours episode titled The Mortician, the Murder, the Movie, which discussed his crime, as well as his brief re-entry to society and subsequent resentencing.
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