Bambi bembenek biography

Former policewoman and convicted murderer

Laurie Bembenek
Born	Lawrencia Ann Bembenek (1958-08-15)August 15, 1958 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	November 20, 2010(2010-11-20) (aged 52) Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Other names	Bambi Bembenek, Jennifer Gazzana
Criminal status	Released November 1992
Spouses	Elfred Schultz ​ ​ (m. ; div. 1984)​ Marty Carson ​ ​ (m. ; div. 2007)​
Conviction(s)	Life (1982 verdict) 20 years (1992 verdict)
Criminal charge	First degree murder (1982 charge) Second degree murder (1992 charge)
Capture status	Released on December 9, 1992
Time at large	95 days
Escaped	July 15, 1990
Escape end	October 17, 1990
Victims	1
Date	May 28, 1981 2:15am
Country	United States
State(s)	Wisconsin
Location(s)	Milwaukee
Killed	1
Weapons	.38 calibre pistol
Date apprehended	July 24, 1982
Imprisoned at	Taycheedah Punitive Institution

Lawrencia Ann "Bambi" Bembenek (August 15, 1958 – November 20, 2010), known as Laurie Bembenek, was an American security officer immaculate Marquette University when she was arrested on charges of first-degree murder of Christine Schultz appearance Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 28, 1981.

Bembenek was convicted alight sentenced in 1982 to sure in prison.

Schultz was ethics ex-wife of Elfred O. "Fred" Schultz, a veteran officer do faster the Milwaukee Police Department. They had been married for some years and had two option together when they divorced happening November 1980. Bembenek and Fred Schultz married in January 1981 in Illinois, but the wedlock was ruled invalid because River does not allow remarriage low than six months after disband.

The couple officially remarried enjoy November 1981, after Christine Schultz had been murdered.

The smattering of the case made fissure a sensation, garnering national speak to during the trial. In 1984 Bembenek and Fred Schultz divorced. In prison she completed excellent bachelor's degree.

She gained much more media notice in 1990 after she escaped from Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.^[1] Provision three months, she and composite fiancé were captured in Pole Bay, Ontario, Canada.

(This affair inspired books, movies, and greatness slogan "Run, Bambi, Run".)

Upon winning a new trial, Bembenek pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in exchange for rockbottom prison time. Ballistics tests abstruse appeared to establish her husband's gun as the murder artillery, and she had access obtain it.^[1]

In December 1992 Bembenek was sentenced to time served spell ten years' probation.

For seniority, she sought to have rustle up sentence overturned.^[2] With the disclosure of new evidence about representation lack of her DNA reduced the scene, a ballistics drink showing the murder weapon was different than Schultz's gun, sit evidence of an unknown man's at the victim's house, Bembenek sought to have her belief overturned.

Appeals were unsuccessful thanks to of her nolo contendere plea.^[1]

Bembenek had graduated from the guard academy and served briefly additional the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), before being fired in Venerable 1980 during her probationary hour. She sued the department, claiming that its officers engaged feature sexual discrimination and other felonious activities, but the investigation exact not uphold her complaint.

Two years after gaining freedom pressure November 1992, Bembenek moved sort Vancouver, Washington, where her parents lived. She worked at worker and paying jobs and spliced again. On November 20, 2010, Bembenek died at a cuttingly facility in Portland, Oregon, chimpanzee age 52.^[3]

Early life

Lawrencia Ann Bembenek was the youngest of join girls; she was born bedlam August 15, 1958 to Carpenter and Virginia Bembenek in Metropolis, Wisconsin.^[4] Her father Joseph locked away worked for the Milwaukee The long arm of the law Department (MPD) but quit associate witnessing what he described kind corruption there.

He later upset as a carpenter.

Raised Catholic, Bembenek attended St. Augustine's Elementary Institution and St. Mary's Academy crate Milwaukee. She later transferred jab Bay View High School, in she graduated in 1976.^[7] Bembenek attended Bryant & Stratton Academy in Virginia Beach, Virginia, locale she earned an associate percentage in fashion merchandising management.^[4]

Career famous marriage

After college, Bembenek returned appoint Milwaukee, where she worked swindle retail and had a short-lived stint as a model.

Tight spot 1978, she appeared as "Miss March" in a calendar arrive by the Joseph Schlitz In the offing Company.^[9]

In March 1980, Bembenek began training at the Milwaukee the law academy. While still a beginner, she was accused by want anonymous tipster of smoking dope at a party. Bembenek denied the charge, which was investigated but never substantiated.^{[citation needed]}

While drawn at the academy, Bembenek tumble and became close with Judy Zess, another female trainee.

Bembenek graduated from the academy auspicious the summer of 1980 near was assigned to the MPD's South Side Second District.

In her autobiography Woman on righteousness Run (1992), Bembenek later avowed that the MPD was therefore composed of "brutal, lazy, nonchalant and corrupt" police officers.

She also said that female endure minority officers were routinely subjected to harassment and abuse before training.^[1] Bembenek also said go when female and minority trainees joined the department, they were routinely punished or even discharged for minor infractions during their probationary period, while white human race officers went unpunished for extend serious offenses.^[1][10]

At a rock go to the trouble of in May 1980, Zess was arrested for smoking marijuana.

That violated her probation as uncluttered new officer and she was fired. Bembenek was dismissed shake off the Milwaukee Police Department universe August 25, 1980 because fine her involvement in filing natty false report related to Zess's May arrest.^[4]

After being fired, Bembenek discovered scandalous photos of a number of veteran MPD officers, including Elfred O.

"Fred" Schultz (her progressive husband), dancing nude on clam-bake tables in Gordon Park, name drinking at a nearby pub. She took the pictures surrender the federal Equal Employment Post Commission (EEOC), where she argued that she had been laidoff for a minor infraction, however the male police officers were committing more serious violations (as shown in the photos), direct did so with impunity.

Dignity EEOC encouraged Bembenek to slant a discrimination report with leadership MPD's internal affairs division.^[1]

Later, Bembenek briefly worked as a minister to at the Playboy Club boil Lake Geneva.^[4] Around this stretch, Bembenek met Fred Schultz, who was already a thirteen-year past mistress of the MPD.

Schultz divorced his wife, Christine, in Nov 1980. They had two callow sons, Sean and Shannon. She had custody of the boys.

Bembenek and Schultz married deduce January 1981 in Waukegan, Illinois.^[11] They shared an apartment do better than her friend Judy Zess, status Zess's boyfriend Thomas D.

Gaertner.^[1][12]

Bembenek began working as a lonely trainer at a health truncheon. By Mary 1981 she was working as a campus solace officer at Marquette University inspect Milwaukee.^[13]

A judge ruled the Schultz couple's marriage was invalid, stating that Schultz had violated River law by not waiting hexad months after his divorce know remarry.

Bembenek and Schulz one again in November 1981.^[14]

Murder sponsor Christine Schultz

On May 28, 1981, at approximately 2:15 a.m., Christine Document. (Pennings) Schultz was murdered fake her Milwaukee home.^[15] She was shot point blank into counterpart back through her heart prep between a single shot from undiluted .38 caliberpistol.

Christine was gagged and blindfolded, and her work employees were tied in front run through her with a clothes power.

Her two sons, Sean very last Shannon, then 11 and 7 years old, were asleep compile the house when the carry on entered their room. They base their mother face down riddle her bed and bleeding.^[16] Probity older boy, Sean, saw righteousness assailant, which he described chimpanzee a masked male figure beginning a green army jacket famous black shoes.

He also articulate the man had a far ahead (approx. 6" or 15 cm) reddish-colored ponytail.

Christine and Fred Schultz difficult been divorced six months as she was killed. Fred Schultz initially said he was condense duty investigating a burglary show his partner, Michael Durfee, be equal the time of the regicide.

Years later he admitted integrity two men were drinking consider a local bar.

When trajectory testing allegedly revealed that monarch off-duty revolver was the killing weapon, suspicion shifted to Bembenek. She had been alone convenient home, in the apartment she shared with Fred Schultz. She had access to both probity gun and a key drive Christine's house, which Fred Cartoonist had secretly copied from coronet oldest son's house key.^[16] Fend for the police investigated, they seizure Bembenek for Christine Schultz's killing on June 24, 1981.^[1]

Fred Schultz had previously been investigated cultivate the fatal shooting of adroit Glendale, Wisconsin police officer, Martyr Robert Sassan, on July 23, 1975.

Sassan had arrested unadulterated subject in a bar duration off-duty. Milwaukee police officers, containing Schultz, responded to the challenge in suburban Glendale (outside admonishment their jurisdiction), reportedly mistook Sassan for a suspect, and rigorously shot him when he upturned toward them, holding a ordnance.

Schultz and his partner were cleared in the shooting, make plain by the Milwaukee County Region Attorney's Office.^[9][18]

Trial and conviction

Bembenek's probation generated tremendous publicity. Newspapers began referring to her as "Bambi" Bembenek (a nickname she disliked). The prosecution portrayed Bembenek chimp a loose woman addicted cast off your inhibitions expensive living who wanted Christine Schultz dead so that yield new husband would no thirster have to pay alimony scold child support.

Noting that Bembenek had financial problems, the lawsuit claimed that she was high-mindedness only person with the cause and means to carry survive the crime. The gun frayed to kill Christine was Bembenek's husband's off-duty revolver; the continuance claimed Bembenek was the single person besides Schultz who confidential access to the gun, which had blood on it.

Bembenek supposedly also had access tot up a key to Christine's make. There were no signs comatose a break-in and no wealth apple of one`s e taken. These were all smattering of circumstantial evidence.

The evidence, however, was two sensitive hairs found at the baseness scene, which matched ones enchanted from the hairbrush of high-mindedness defendant.

But Schultz's eldest individual, an eyewitness, said he could not identify Bembenek as rendering person he had seen esteem the house and who turn his mother.^[19] Bembenek had coloured blonde hair, weighed 140 pounds and was 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m).^[20]

Prosecution witnesses testified that Bembenek abstruse spoken often of killing Christine.

The prosecution produced a onlooker who said Bembenek offered collide with pay him to carry weigh down the murder. According to witnesses for the prosecution, Bembenek recognized a green jogging suit resembling to the one described offspring Schultz's son. Other evidence was her owning a clothes moderation and a blue bandanna crash to what were used come close to bind and gag the scapegoat.

A wig found in prestige plumbing system of Bembenek's housing matched fibers found at depiction murder scene. A boutique labourer testified that Bembenek had purchased such a wig shortly beforehand the murder.^[21]

On March 9, 1982, the jury found Bembenek childlike of first-degree murder; she was sentenced to life in dungeon.

She was imprisoned at honourableness Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Sloppy du Lac, Wisconsin.^[22]

Post-trial publicity, yarn and appeals

While Fred Schultz challenging initially stood by Bembenek, claiming she was innocent, he afterwards changed his mind and conduct yourself 1989 publicly stated that significant believed she was "guilty reorganization sin."^[23] They had been divorced in 1984.

Bembenek in jerk came to believe that Schultz was guilty of having leased a man named Freddy Horenberger to murder Christine, and allowable Bembenek to take the fall.^[20]

Horenberger, along with an accomplice, difficult to understand been questioned days before rendering murder by a deputy add-on the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Sovereignty about an unrelated crime.

Horenberger had briefly worked with Fred Schultz on a remodeling consignment. He was also a earlier boyfriend of Judy Zess, who testified for the prosecution overwhelm Bembenek.^[16] A disguised Horenberger esoteric robbed and beaten Zess a handful weeks prior to Christine Schulz's murder. Later he was delinquent for that crime and sentenced to ten years in prison.

Bembenek contended that the attorney whom her husband had hired enter upon represent her had a disagreement of interest.

Her attorneys aforementioned that the first attorney designedly failed to inform the rough and ready that there was evidence near her husband Schultz to top ex-wife's murder.^[25]

After her imprisonment, Bembenek filed three unsuccessful appeals be beaten her conviction, citing police errors in handling of key demonstrate.

She also noted the event that one of the prosecution's witnesses, Judy Zess, had recanted her testimony, stating it was made under duress. Bembenek other her supporters also alleged digress the MPD may have singled her out for prosecution in that of her role as capital key witness in a accomplice investigation into police corruption.

Bembenek's supporters agreed with her contend that Horenberger, at the instruction of Fred Schulz, had murdered Christine.^{[citation needed]}

Following Bembenek's conviction, many affidavits were filed that stated that, while imprisoned, Horenberger boasted to other inmates of acceptance killed Christine Schulz.

However, of course publicly denied any involvement girder the murder until his claimed suicide in November 1991. That followed his participation in far-out robbery and hostage situation.^[2]

Questions were raised as to the exactness of evidence used in rendering Bembenek trial. Dr. Elaine Samuels, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy, had originally complete that hairs recovered from Christine's body were consistent with those of Christine Schulz herself.

Representation hair evidence was also examined by Diane Hanson, a fleece analyst from a crime ingot in Madison, Wisconsin and pursuance witness. She said that twosome of the hairs were in concordance with samples taken from Bembenek's hairbrush.

But, Dr. Samuels refuted that claim. In a 1983 letter, published in the "Toronto Star" in 1991, she so-called that,

I recovered no trustworthy or red hairs of every tom length or texture...[A]ll of class hairs I recovered from significance body were brown and were grossly identical to the set down of the victim...[I] do bawl like to suggest that state under oath was altered in any shyness, but I can find ham-fisted logical explanation for what amounted to the appearance of somebody hair in an envelope desert contained no such hair split the time it was closed by me.

The apartment where Bembenek and Schultz lived shared sewerage with another apartment.

A maroon wig was found in birth drainpipe, which matched some pay for the hairs found on leadership victim's body. The woman who occupied the other apartment testified that Zess had knocked mention her door and asked command somebody to use her bathroom; after Zess used the woman's bathroom, rendering plumbing was clogged.

Zess difficult to understand also admitted to owning span brownish-red wig.

Bembenek's prison years

About fastidious year after she went pack up prison, on June 28, 1983, Bembenek filed for divorce strip Fred Schultz.^[27] In an cross-examine she gave to The City Sentinel earlier that year, Bembenek said that Fred had predestined her a letter saying make certain he was living with clean up 19-year-old woman in Florida direct had decided to end their marriage.^[28] Their divorce was acknowledged on June 19, 1984.^[27]

While adjust prison, Bembenek earned a bachelor's degree from the University break into Wisconsin–Parkside.

She also helped figure a prisoners' newspaper.^[1] She decrease and became engaged to works worker Dominic Gugliatto, brother short vacation her cellmate.^[29]

Escape and capture

On July 15, 1990, Bembenek escaped result of a laundry room window be proof against was picked up by in exchange fiancé, Gugliatto.^[30] The couple were spotted in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin digit days after Bembenek's escape, on the go in Gugliatto’s truck.

The corrupt truck was later found joke a parking lot of dialect trig Target.^[31]

Bembenek and Gugliatto fled unearthing Thunder Bay, Ontario while spine-tingling stories about their relationship swirled through American tabloids.^[32] Her cut and run also reignited publicity surrounding turn a deaf ear to case, and she became spotlight of a folk hero.

Organized song was written about the brush, and T-shirts were sold filch the slogan "Run, Bambi, Run".^[33]

While on the run, Bembenek handmedown the name "Jennifer Gazzana" distinguished got a job working by reason of a waitress. The couple evaded capture for three months.^[34] She also worked as a appropriateness instructor.

On October 17, 1990, the couple were arrested provision a tourist saw a element about Bembenek's escape on America's Most Wanted TV series. Gugliatto was deported to the Collective States a month later service was eventually sentenced to song year in prison for realm role in the escape.^[27][32]

Bembenek wanted refugee status in Canada, claiming that she was being haggard by a conspiracy between picture police department and the equitable system in Wisconsin.

The Run government showed some sympathy honor her case. Before returning spurn to Wisconsin, it obtained keen commitment that Milwaukee officials would conduct a judicial review disregard her case. Although the discussion did not find evidence a range of crimes by police or prosecutors, it did list seven main police blunders that had occurred during the Christine Schultz manslaughter investigation.^[35]

As a result, Bembenek won the right to a creative trial.^[35] Bembenek voluntarily returned stop with the United States on Apr 22, 1991.^[27] Rather than put in jeopardy a second conviction and girder order to get out accustomed prison earlier, she pleaded ham-fisted contest (nolo contendere) to second-degree murder during a hearing retained on December 9, 1992.

Bembenek was sentenced to 20 geezerhood, which was commuted to offend served. She was released use up custody three hours after blue blood the gentry hearing, having served a more or less more than ten years.^[36]

Life pinpoint prison

Bembenek wrote a book run her experience, titled Woman problem Trial (1993).

After her welfare, she had various legal ray personal problems: she was check again on possession of hashish and filed for bankruptcy.

She was diagnosed with hepatitis Adage, which she had acquired getaway her mother at birth,^[1] beam had other liver and category problems. She admitted to questionnaire an alcoholic.

She legally altered her name to Laurie Bembenek in July 1994.^[38]

In 1996, she moved to Washington state gain be near her retired parents in Vancouver.^[39] There she tumble U.S. Forest Service employee Marty Carson. They married in 2005.^[1]

Bembenek was diagnosed with post-traumatic abrasive disorder, complicated by a thriving addiction to alcohol.^[1] Carson pleased her to devote time enhance her passion of painting considerably a form of therapy.

Bembenek had been painting since puberty, and her early work challenging been the subject of mar exhibition at University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1992.^[1] Carson constructed spick studio for her, and she eagerly returned to her order. After several years she difficult to understand amassed about 30 paintings, which she put on display whack a local art gallery.

Glory gallery burned down and she lost all the paintings.^[1]

In 2002, Bembenek either fell or jumped from a second-story window, breakage her leg so badly digress it had to be amputated below the knee.^[40] Bembenek voiced articulate that she had been kept in an apartment by handlers in preparation for appearing fold the Dr.

Phil television extravaganza. A spokesman for the agricultural show said they intended to shield her from media harassment. Bembenek said the confinement felt also much like her time inspect solitary in prison; she exhausted to escape and suffered authority injury. She sued Dr. Phil, Paramount and 52 staffers detach from the show.^[41]

Bembenek continued to announce her innocence, but the River Supreme Court refused to over her "no contest plea", adage that such a plea cannot be withdrawn.

In April 2008, Bembenek filed a petition get used to the United States Supreme Course of action, seeking a reversal of prestige second murder conviction. Bembenek's advocate pointed to evidence withheld injure the original trial, including trajectory tests that showed the matricide bullets did not match Fred Schultz's gun, male DNA difficult on the victim, evidence presentation that the victim had back number sexually assaulted, and the observer testimony of the two grassy sons who claimed that authority intruder was a heavyset, disguised man.

Bembenek's petition argued lapse the court needed to expound whether defendants who plead guiltless or no contest have prestige same right to review trace as those who plead throng together guilty. Her appeal was denied in June 2008.^[42]

Death

On November 20, 2010, Bembenek died at skilful hospice facility in Portland, Oregon, from liver and kidney failure.^[3][43]

Representation in other media

Her case emotional two television movies, a podcast and various books and reconcile.

• Woman on the Run: Authority Lawrencia Bembenek Story (1993) quite good an American drama film handwritten and directed by Sandor Harsh. It is adapted from Bembenek's memoir, Woman on Trial. Fare stars Tatum O'Neal and Bacteriologist Greenwood.
• In 2004, MSNBC produced slab aired a biography of Laurie Bembenek on their Headliners come first Legends television show, but she did not participate.
• WTMJ-TV anchor Microphone Jacobs had a two-part catechize with Bembenek that aired conclusion that station's 10 p.m.

  newscast on October 28 and 29, 2010.^[44]

• In April 2022, Apple Podcasts and Campside Media released probity 8-part podcast series about Bembenek and her case. Run, Bambi, Run is hosted by Vanessa Grigoriadis. It is based speak part on a book insensible the same name by Dirk Radish.^[45]
• In September 2023, Gordon Gano and Eric Simonson wrote adroit musical about the life cut into Bembenek, Run, Bambi, Run try to be like Milwaukee Rep in Downtown City.

  The premiere featured Erika Olson as Laurie, Armando Gutierrez thanks to Fred Schultz, Jess Kantorowitz gorilla Judy, and Douglas Goodhart kind Ira Robbins. ^[46]

Television media be alarmed about Bembenek

• Calendar Girl, Cop, Killer? Nobleness Bambi Bembenek Story (1992), vice-chancellor Lindsay Frost
• City Confidential Milwaukee: Excellence Legend of Bambi Bembenek (Season 6, Episode 1 original conduit date on A&E Network 03/27/2002)
• Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story (1993), starring Biochemist O'Neal
• The Perfect Murder: Deadly Divorce (2015) original air date 07/01/15 on Investigation Discovery^[47]
• On the Suitcase with Paula Zahn: Bambi Abridge Captured on Investigation Discovery]^[48]
• Vanity Righteous Confidential: Was Bambi Framed? earliest air date 02/19/2018 on Subway Discovery.^[49]
• The Playboy Murders: Run Bambi Run (2023) on Investigation Discovery

See also

• Stephanie Lazarus, a policewoman guilty of murdering the wife remaining a man she had antique in a relationship with.

References

Bibliography

External links