FROM THE H2H VAULT:

On June 27, 1977, one of Minnesota’s grandest mansions became the scene of a brutal double murder.

Inside Glensheen, the sprawling Congdon family estate overlooking Lake Superior in Duluth, 83-year-old heiress Elisabeth Congdon was found smothered in her bed. Her night nurse, Velma Pietila, had been beaten to death nearby. What followed was a sensational investigation involving family money, inheritance, an adopted daughter with a troubled history, and the son-in-law prosecutors believed was willing to kill for a fortune.

Suspicion soon centered on Elisabeth’s adopted daughter, Marjorie Congdon Caldwell, and Marjorie’s husband, Roger Caldwell. Roger was convicted of murdering Elisabeth and Velma, but his conviction was later overturned. Marjorie was tried separately—and acquitted. Years later, Roger would plead guilty to the killings, while questions surrounding exactly what happened inside Glensheen that night continued to haunt the case.

This is the story of Elisabeth Congdon and Velma Pietila, the extraordinary Congdon fortune, and the 1977 Glensheen Mansion murders—a case filled with wealth, family dysfunction, courtroom drama, and a legacy that remains inseparable from one of Minnesota’s most famous homes.

Sources used for this podcast

• Join the H2H In-laws & Outlaws
• Follow H2H on Instagram
• Follow H2H on X
• Send Kris and Rob a Text or Message
• Start Reading Kris Calvert's Books for FREE

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.