Insurance fraud often makes the news locally – but this case involving a former US police chief has hit the headlines internationally.
It’s understandable in the circumstances too – for not only does this case involve a man with high stature in his community, but it also takes into account a huge life insurance claim and the death of his pregnant fiancée.
Russell Bertram, 64, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been charged with first degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing his 26-year-old pregnant fiancée from the Philippines, Leonila Stickney in October, 2009.
As the trial went to court last week, prosecutors argued that Bertram was consumed with jealousy knowing that the child could not be his because he had already undergone a vasectomy.
A
Daily Republic report outlined how Assistant Attorney General Mikal Hanson noted that Leonila never regained consciousness after being shot and therefore could not tell anybody what had happened.
To make the story even more complex, Bertram is then accused of flying to the Philippines and marrying Stickney’s sister Melissa del Valle. She has since filed for divorce making allegations of “extreme cruelty”.
Bertram’s relationship with Stickney began earlier in 2009 and was followed by a $750,000 life insurance policy being taken out, as well as a smaller $150,000 accidental death benefit policy. Bertram claims that the policies were taken out to protect Stickney’s family in case anything happened to her – but he was the main beneficiary.
In fact, he was not charged until late last year when Stickney’s estranged husband received a letter that the insurance company was processing a claim from Bertram.
In his defence, Bertram’s team state that Bertram was periodically sending money to Stickney’s family prior to his arrest and that Stickney was killed accidentally when the weapon he had been using for hunting misfired.
Related links:
Trio convicted of murder over $500k insurance policy to appeal
Woman suspected of killing three husbands for life insurance payout
