Sarah Jo Pender- Guilty or Innocent?
I watched the episode of Deadline Crime with Tamron Hall about this episode, however this case is also featured on A Stranger in My Home on Investigation Discovery and Snapped on Oxygen. This was an interesting case, and I really didn't luck her smug personality on the episode. She claims she came home after the murders occurred, however it doesn’t seem like she really has much remorse for anything. Sarah Jo Pender has also been described as being “the female Charles Manson.” I would recommend watching any crime show about her case to decide for yourself if she is guilty or not.
Background
Sarah Jo Pender was born on May 29, 1979. She was 21 years old, a college dropout and dating a low life named Richard Hull, at the time of the crime.
Sarah at age 21
Sarah had never been in trouble with the law before, but Richard had two felony convictions and six misdemeanor charges for auto theft and residential entry. He was also selling drugs, which is what the crime is believed to have been over.
Richard Hull on Snapped
Murders
On October 24, 2000, Sarah and Richard were living in Indiana and had two roommates named Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman.
Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman also had criminal records. Tricia had served time for forgery and Andrew Cataldi had spent time for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Andrew Cataldi, 24, and Tricia Nordman, 25
In the early morning of October 24, Richard and Sarah drove to Walmart and bought a 12 gauge shot gun, a soda and condoms. They didn’t get home until 11pm that night, after spending the day with Sarah’s family.
Sarah decided to talk a walk, and while she out walking, Richard said he and Andrew got into a fight over money. Richard’s story is that Andrew somehow knew that Richard had just bought a gun, and he went to grab it. Richard also said that Andrew said he was going to kill his family. Andrew and Richard apparently struggled over the gun and Andrew was shot in the chest. Tricia Nordman was also shot in the chest and head.
Sarah conveniently returned from her walk after Richard had killed both Andrew and Tricia. Richard then put the bodies into his friend’s truck that he borrowed. The couple then drove a few blocks and dumped the bodies into a dumpster.
The next day, October 25, Richard cleaned up the blood in their house. Sarah conveniently had to work that day, and again wasn't there. On October 26, Sarah and Richard returned the borrowed truck to their friend, Ronnie Herron. Richard also burned blood stained clothes at Ronnie’s house.
Discovery of Bodies and Investigation
The bodies in the dumpsters had been discovered by a man named Steve Stultz, who I’m sure is now scarred for life.
The police were able to identify the victims, and on October 26 they went to search the house where they were living. The police found traces of blood and found evidence of someone trying to conceal evidence.
Arrests
On October 27, Richard Hull was arrested in Noblesville, where his friend lived. He immediately confessed to the murders.
On October 28, Sarah gave the police even more evidence belonging to Richard. It was a pair of blood stained pants that had Andrew and Tricia’s DNA on them.
There was no evidence that Sarah was involved, but she did say this about Richard and the murders:
““after he committed these murders, I did not call the police, but instead stayed with him out of love, fear, loyalty, and sheer stupidity.”
Sarah was still charged with the murders.
The Trial of Sarah Jo Pender
Sarah’s trial started in July 2002 at Marion Superior Court.
The evidence against Sarah included: her buying the murder weapon on the day of the murder and the dumping of the bodies with Richard.
Larry Sells, the prosecuting attorney in this case, said he had evidence against Sarah. Another inmate named Floyd Pennington testified that he and Sarah were pen pals and that Sarah had written to him and confessed to the murders. Larry Sells also had evidence that Sarah had written a letter to Richard which said:
“Drew was so mean that night. I just snapped. I didn’t mean to kill them. It must have been the acid.[…] When you said you would try to take the blame, I knew then that you loved me deeply. At first I thought you would tell, but you stuck to your promise.”
Destroy this.”
There would be a lot of controversy with Floyd Pennington, and whether or not he received a deal of any kind to testify against Sarah.
On August 22, 2002, Sarah was found guilty. She was sentenced to 110 years in prison.
Richard Hull pleaded guilty to avoid having to go to trial. He claimed that Sarah told him to kill Andrew and Tricia. He was sentenced to two 45 year sentences.
Larry Sells said Sarah Jo Pender was the “female Charles Manson,” and that “she likened her influence over Hull to the control that Manson had over his followers.”
Other
Richard has since recanted his testimony about the letter, and said it was a forged letter. He had asked another inmate named Steve Logan to write the letter for him in exchange for protection. Richard’s goal was to get a shorter sentence.
Floyd Pennington was released in 2008, after testifying against Sarah, and he committed a rape shortly after being released.
Sarah’s Escape from Prison
On August 4, 2008, Sarah Jo Pender escaped from Rockville Correctional Center. She was helped by a prison guard and her former cellmate.
The prison guard, a married father, named Scott Spitler had a relationship with Sarah.
Rockville Correctional Facility
Her former cellmate, Jamie Long, frequently visited Sarah after she was released.
Sarah was featured on America’s most wanted in September 2008. Sarah by the point, had been living in Chicago. She was going under the name Ashley Thompson.
On December 22, 2008, Sarah’s neighbor called the police after seeing America’s Most Wanted. She was arrested at her apartment.
She is currently back at the Rockville Correctional Facility where she escaped from.
Sarah on the Women Behind Bars episode
FINAL THOUGHTS
I honestly don’t understand how anyone, even Sarah herself, can say she’s innocent. Besides the evidence, she escaped from prison and has never showed remorse, from everything I’ve seen about her case. She comes off as smug and arrogant. I don’t think Larry Sells was too far off from his comments about her being the female Charles Manson. Sarah deserves to rot in prison for life.
I also think Richard Hull is as guilty as Sarah. I don’t think either one convinced the other to kill, I think they did it as a team. I still don’t know why exactly the murders happened, it seems to be over money or drugs, but I don’t think Richard and Sarah have ever been 100% honest.
I have a lot of feelings about Sarah, but this pretty much sums it up.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Jo_Pender
https://www.foxnews.com/story/escaped-murderer-caught-after-being-profiled-on-americas-most-wanted
