Today in this blog we are going to talk about a lady who is not a criminal nor a bad woman but our system has assumed her a criminal and gives her that dirty status which she doesn't deserve and living like that from the last 20 years inacarnated at ROCKVILLE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY and serving her 110 years sentence for a crime she didn't commit and nor had any physical role in that....
Born on May 29,1979 to Bonnie Prosser and Roland Pender, Sarah has a very beautiful childhood , a nice caring family as well as good education . Till the age of 21, life seems to be perfect for her a good job,
a boyfriend whom she planned to marry soon and had a bright future ahead of her but fate has another plans for her which turned her life from heaven to hell...
EARLY LIFE :
Sarah with her mother &
sister
Sarah Jo Pender, then 21, was a graduate from Lawrence Central High School in 1997. She later attended Purdue University but dropped out due to some personal problems . She worked as a secretary at Carl E. Most and Sons . Richard Hull, her boyfriend at that time worked as a bouncer at a bar. At that time she was in a relationship with her and had been living with him peacefully untilountil day Richard bring with him two of his friends Tricia Norman and Andrew Cataladi . Unknown to Sarah , Andrew Cataldi, 24, and Tricia Nordman, 25, were both fugitives from a Nevada Correctional Facility where Nordman was serving time for forgery and Cataldi for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sarah only cares for Richard and had nothing to do with them so didn't enquire much about them.....
Sarah Pender & Richard Hull
CRIME AND MURDER:
On the morning of October 24, 2000, Richard drove Sarah to a local shop to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun for hunting of birds,etc. As Hull was having a prior criminal history so he asks Sarah to buy it.
The couple then went for an outing with Sarah parents
and returned home around 11 p.m. Shortly after returning, Pender left the building to take a walk after dinner .While Pender was away, an argument broke out between Richard and Cataldi regarding money to which Cataldi, who knew about the recently purchased shotgun went into Hull's room to attempt to retrieve the weapon . Hull attempted to prevent Cataldi's actions, which resulted in a physical struggle between the two men and this incident ended with Hull shooting Cataldi in the chest and shooting Nordman in the head and chest.
When Sarah returned, both victims were dead and Hull had already placed one of their bodies in the back of a truck . Hull had borrowed the truck on October 23 to remove items from the basement of the building as part of a plan he had with Cataldi before to create a methamphetamine lab . Hull has told Sarah to keep her mouth shut and help him otherwise she will also be dead . So Sarah in fear for her life and also for love, fear, loyalty, and sheer stupidity has to help him to dispose the bodies. After this ,Hull and Sarah then drove a few blocks away and placed the bodies in a dumpster, where they were later found by people.
After that on October 25, Pender went to work while Hull borrowed equipment from neighbor Jana Frederick to clean up the blood in the house. On October 26, the couple went to Noblesville to return the truck to his friend Herron. Hull then burned several blood-stained items at Herron's home.
INVESTIGATION AND ARREST :
on October 26,2000 police had found their bodies and identified the victims . After this they searched Hull and Pender's home. They found traces of blood and observed that attempts had been made to conceal the murders. Hull was arrested in on October 27, and confessed to both murders. On October 28, Sarah gave police a pair of blood-stained pants belonging to Hull. DNA tests confirmed that the blood was that of Nordman and Cataldi. No DNA evidence was found that linked Pender to the murders till now even after 20 years .
CONVICTION AND 110 YEARS SENTENCE :
Sarah Pender's trial was held at Marion Superior Court in July 2002, with James Nave as the defending attorney and Larry Sells as the prosecuting attorney .
There was some Evidences against Pender which are totally useless :
1- Pender had bought the murder weapon on the morning of the murders and that she later helped Hull dispose of the bodies, [It was bought just because richard has told her to because he wants to hunt birds,if that was for murder then why sarah bought in her name...She could easily buy it illegaly if she was planning for murder ]
2- The evidence which makes Sarah side weak and leads to her conviction was a letter allegedly sent to Hull by Sarah in prison in May 2001 as well as testimony of inmate Floyd Pennington. In that letter, Pender took responsibility for the murder. [ IN FACT,Richard has given an affidavit stating that he falsely implicated sarah for murder with the help of his bunkie who forged her sign]
the affidavit signed
by Hull claiming Sarah
innocence
3- Another piece of evidence presented to the jury was the testimony of fellow inmate Floyd Pennington, who had a pen relationship with Sarah Pender for several months. He testified that Sarah had admitted her responsibility in the double homicide to him during a meeting they had arranged on September 22, 2001, at Wishard Hospital.
This factor also acts as a catalyst during sarah trial...
And as result on August 22, 2002, Sarah was founded guilty and awarded 110 years in prison. Richard Hull pleaded guilty to avoid trial and was given 90 years sentence .
With this long sentence she also gets a " FEMALE CHARLES MANSON " tag by prosecutor Larry Shells...
ESCAPE FROM PRISON :
File Photo
Before her escape
After this Sarah was sent to ROCKVILLE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY to serve her 110 years sentence. But she doesn't lose hope for freedom then also and with her good behaviour and hard work she was helping other inmates in their appeals as well as in her appeal . But finally in 2008 when her all her legal appeals gets exhausted she plans for escape as she has no other options left at that time , even her family members dont know about her plan for escape.
She escapes from the prison on August 4,2008 with the help of prison guard Scott spitler (whom she was in a relationship) and Jamie Long ,her former cellmate..
Scott Spitler and Sarah Pender
After this incident a chase for Sarah Pender begins and she was added to the
" US MARSHALS 15 most wanted fugitives list "
ARREST AND RECAPTURE :
In the meantime, Sarah had settled in a North Side Chicago neighborhood where she went under the name Ashley Thompson. She found a job as an estimator for a contractor .
But on December 22, 2008, her neighbor identified her and called the Chicago police, who arrested her at her apartment. Although she denied being Sarah Pender for a little while, she did not resist arrest.
Pender Recaptured
INTERVIEW AFTER RECAPTURE :
Pender was held in solitary confinement at the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis from December 2008 up to January 30, 2014, for a total of 1,870 days.
Here's the link about her solitary days....
LIFE AFTER SOLITARY :
Life is just same as it was earlier .On January 25, 2018, Pender was transferred back to Rockville Correctional Facility where she now lives just like that which was before her escape .She lives in a 2 woman cell . She now works in the prison library and now helps other woman inmates in their appeals . As of now all her legal appeals is exhausted but her sister and mother are trying to get this innocent woman out of prison .
Back in 2010
In 2020
This is her facebook support page link :
Plz share her facebook page more and more so this innocent woman will be freed soon and justice is served .
Because as of now her current release date from jail is April 4, 2054, when she will be eligible for parole. At that time she will be 75 . So it's our duty to take this matter in our hands to free this innocent woman as soon as possible because even the prosecutor who once claimed that she is Female Charles Manson believes that she is innocent and doesn't get a fair trial...
Here is her petition plz sign this petiton also and support Sarah as much as you can .
She deserves your good wishes and not that long life sentence . Plz share about her more and more so that our justice system will see to her matter and grant her a fair trial .
Thank you.....
She has my good wishes. I love prison librarians!
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