The story of Lois Riess is one of deception, murder, and stolen identity. Dubbed the 'Killer Grandma' due to her older age and charming demeanour, Riess committed two murders and attempted to evade capture.
Lois’s age and grandmotherly nature created plenty of media attention, especially when considering the contrast between this and her horrific actions.
Who is Lois Riess?
Not much is known about Lois Riess’s early life. Media coverage was mostly focused on her crimes, but what we do know is that she was born on 28th February 1962, and she originally hails from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. While living in this small town, Riess had a family of children and grandchildren with her husband David Riess.
Riess was known to have issues with gambling. This is thought to have contributed to her crimes, as it led to a great deal of financial stress.
The murder of David Riess
On 23rd March 2018, David was found fatally shot inside their home. Riess was nowhere to be found, but it was later discovered that she committed fraud when she forged her husband's signature to withdraw $11,000 from his bank account.
She made her way to Fort Myers, Florida in her attempt to evade authorities after murdering her husband. She stopped at multiple casinos along the way.
The murder of Pamela Hutchinson
Once in Florida, Riess befriended a woman named Pamela Hutchinson. She specifically targeted Pamela due to the similarities between them and the fact that they looked a little bit alike. Riess and Pamela were seen together on surveillance footage on 4th April.
On 6th April 2018, Pamela was found shot dead in her hotel room in Fort Myers Beach. She’d been shot once in the side and once in the heart. Her bank cards, car keys, and ID could not be found. Riess had taken her information and planned to steal her identity. As well as stealing her car, Riess also took money from Pamela’s bank account and used it to gamble in casinos. She also spent some of Pamela’s money on a hotel room in Ocala, Florida.
The arrest
A nationwide manhunt to arrest Lois was set up after the connection was made between the deaths of David Riess and Pamela Hutchinson. Riess had fled Florida and was on the way to Texas at the time.
She was finally caught and arrested on 19th April in her hotel room in South Padre Island after being recognised by a member of staff. The restaurant employee tipped off the authorities, leading to her arrest. The manhunt was over after Riess had managed to evade capture across several states and committed two homicides.
The charges
Riess was initially extradited to Florida to face charges for Pamela’s murder. At first, she pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against her, initially arguing that she was innocent. However, to avoid getting the death penalty, she changed her plea to guilty.
Her charges included the first-degree murder of Pamela with a firearm as well as grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and the criminal use of personal information from a deceased individual. For her crimes, Riess received a life sentence without the chance of parole.
Following the Florida charges, she was taken back to her home state of Minnesota to face the charges against her for the murder of her husband. Riess pleaded guilty to David’s murder in the summer of 2020. She received the same sentence as she did for Pamela’s murder.
During the hearing, held in the Dodge County high school auditorium, Lois and David’s children - Billy and Breanna - provided impact statements.
Where is Lois Riess now?
Lois is currently being held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility, a mixed-security facility in Shakopee, Scott County. Due to her crimes and charges, she will remain in prison for the rest of her life.
