Infamous grandmother Lois Riess, who’s already serving a life sentence for killing her look-alike in Florida, has pleaded guilty to murder for the second time.
During a Tuesday pre-trial hearing held in a Dodge County high school auditorium in Minnesota, due to COVID-19 concerns, Riess pleaded guilty plea to first-degree and second-degree murder in connection with the death of her husband, David Riess. She had previously pleaded not guilty during her July court appearance, Fox 9 reports.
Riess told the court on Tuesday that she murdered her husband in March 2018, during a heated argument at their home in Blooming Prairie. Riess, who claimed she had tried to kill herself in the past, said her husband told her to commit suicide and “get it right this time.”
Riess, with a gun in her hand, decided against shooting herself and instead, aimed toward her husband’s heart and pulled the trigger, killing him.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Riess fled the state after the shooting. While on the run, she stopped in Florida, where she met and befriended Pamela Hutchinson, 59, at the Marina Village in Fort Myers Beach.
Hutchinson, who didn’t realize that Riess was wanted for her husband’s murder, invited her into her home. On April 9, 2018, police discovered Hutchinson’s deceased body in a bathroom inside her home. She was facedown and had been shot twice.
Authorities said Riess killed Hutchinson because of their physical similarities, which would have made it easier for Riess to use her identification. Along with taking her identification, Riess also stole Hutchinson’s car and fled the area.
As police continued to search for Riess, records showed that she was withdrawing cash from Hutchinson’s bank account while living the high life in a hotel, gambling, and ordering room service under the victim’s guise.
Authorities eventually captured Riess in South Padre Island, Texas.
Earlier this year, Riess pleaded guilty and was convicted for Hutchinson’s murder. She was already serving a life sentence in Florida when officials transported her to Minnesota to face charges for her husband’s death.
A judge immediately sentenced Riess to life without parole for her husband’s death, following her guilty plea.
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[Feature Photo: Lois Riess/Police Handout]
