Husband wins $2 million settlement after he is wrongfully imprisoned for more than three years for his wife’s murder after insisting she was stabbed to death by her convicted-killer friend who is now under investigation
- Russel Faria won a $2 million settlement after he served more than three years in a Missouri prison for his wife’s murder before his conviction was overturned
- Faria had been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the 2011 murder of his wife Betsy, whom he insisted was murdered by her friend, Pamela Hupp
- Hupp, who is accused by Russel of stabbing Betsy to death, is already serving a life sentence for the 2016 murder of disabled man Louis Gumpenberger
A husband who served more than three years in a Missouri jail for the murder of his wife before his conviction was overturned has won a $2 million settlement from authorities he sued over the handling of his case.
Russel Faria won the settlement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department who he had accused of arresting him without probable cause in the 2011 slaying of his wife Betsy, his lawyers say on Monday.
His lawsuit also alleged the department fabricated evidence and failed to investigate the woman he claims is the real killer.
Russel Faria (pictured), who served more than three years in a Missouri jail for the murder of his wife before his conviction was overturned, has won a $2 million settlement from authorities he sued over the handling of his case.
Russel won the settlement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department who he had accused of arresting him without probable cause in the 2011 slaying of his wife Betsy (pictured)
Russel’s lawsuit also alleged the department fabricated evidence and failed to investigate the woman he claims is Betsy’s real killer. Russel and Betsy are pictured in image from Facebook
Russel alleges that Betsy was stabbed to death by Pamela Hupp, who is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2016 murder of a disabled man, Louis Gumpenberger.
Hupp, who has denied the accusation that she is responsible for murdering Betsy, is now being investigated for the crime.
Russel alleges that Betsy was stabbed to death by Pamela Hupp (pictured), who is already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2016 murder of a disabled man, Louis Gumpenberger
Hupp, who has denied the accusation that she is responsible for murdering Betsy, is now being investigated for the crime
An insurance company has agreed to pay the money to Russell , who resides in Lincoln County, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
‘He’s thrilled,’ said one of his attorneys, Joel Schwartz.
Lawyers for the three current and former Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department officers named in the suit did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Russel’s conviction was overturned in 2013 and he was found not guilty at a retrial.
Russel’s conviction was overturned in 2013 and he was found not guilty at a retrial
Russel found his wife Betsy (both pictured) dead in December 2011 after she had been stabbed an estimated 55 times. She was dying of cancer at the time
The husband had found his wife dead in December 2011 after she had been stabbed an estimated 55 times.
She was dying of cancer at the time.
Hupp was the last known person to see Betsy alive and had been named the new beneficiary of a $150,000 life insurance policy days before the killing.
Hupp is now imprisoned for fatally shooting 33-year-old Gumpenberger in August 2016 at Hupp’s home in O’Fallon. She entered a 2019 plea that didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence for a conviction.
In that bizarre case, Hupp staged a fake kidnapping to divert attention from herself in a re-investigation of Betsy’s killing, prosecutors said.
Hupp is now imprisoned for fatally shooting 33-year-old Louis Gumpenberger in August 2016 at Hupp’s home in O’Fallon. She entered a 2019 plea that didn’t admit guilt but acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence for a conviction
They claim she cruised St. Charles County, claiming to be a producer for NBC´s Dateline in need of help reenacting a 911 call, and recruited Gumpenberger, who had mental and physical disabilities from an accident.
Hupp shot Gumpenberger while on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, claiming that Gumpenberger had kidnapped her at knife-point.
St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said her claims unraveled quickly upon investigation.