Stutzman, 31, Confesses In Arrest Report
POSTED: 8:06 am PST November 12, 2010
UPDATED: 3:18 pm PST November 12, 2010
LAS VEGAS -- A Las Vegas woman angry about her failed marriage conceived a plot to have her estranged husband killed by a teenage neighbor, according to police.
Brandy Stutzman, 31, offered her confession in an arrest report released on Friday.
According to her statement, Stutzman and her husband, Joe, were separated and she was staying with a friend when he was stabbed to death Nov. 7 at their home on Quail Prairie Street near Grand Teton Drive.
Brandy Stutzman claimed to be the victim of domestic violence, police said, although she was arrested for the crime back in July.
Neighbors interviewed at the scene told police the couple had trouble getting along and, according to an arrest report, there were multiple stories of affairs and arguments in the neighborhood.
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At the time her husband was killed, Stutzman was staying with a friend, Robert Geroe. Police said the two discovered Joe Stutzman’s body and called 911 from a neighbor’s house.
On Tuesday, police arrested 19-year-old Jeremiah Merriweather, one of several area teens Brandy Stutzman said she befriended while her husband was deployed overseas.
In the arrest report, Stutzman said she and Merriweather were close, but the relationship was not romantic.
Detectives recovered a plastic bag containing bloody clothes and a knife, which they said were worn and used by Merriweather to kill Stutzman.
Another key piece of evidence, police said, came from two neighbors, Eric and Sherry Best.
In the report the couple said they were approached by Merriweather and Geroe three weeks ago and asked where they could find an unregistered, “dirty” gun in order to “kill someone close to Brandy.”
“They were originally just looking for the handgun but later said they would settle for a sawed-off rifle or shotgun or anything to do the job,” according to the arrest report.
Sherry Best is also quoted saying she overheard Brandy Stutzman talk about coming into a large sum of money, although she wasn’t specific about the source of income.
Geroe was questioned by detectives on Wednesday, and, according to the report, admitted taking part in the plot, which involved several people talking about ways they could kill Joe Stutzman. Geroe told police when no gun could be obtained, the group decided on using a knife.
When Brandy Stutzman was brought in for questioning, police said she admitted planning her husband’s murder, but “never meant for anyone to go through with it.”
“She did not want to believe that it was true even though Jeremiah told her he killed Joe,” according to the report.
Brandy Stutzman is charged with murder, conspiracy and burglary.
Neighbors of the couple said they planned to hold a candlelight vigil for Joe Stutzman on Saturday night.
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