A murder eerily similar to the Anne Dunlap case

Almost a decade before Anne Dunlap was murdered, an eerily similar case took place in upstate New York. I always thought the Dunlap case was so odd; so strange and out-of-the-ordinary. That was before I caught, “Autopsy: Confessions of a Medical Examiner” on Amazon Prime. but many parallels can be drawn to another case. On February 16, 1986 a woman named Joan Donlon Bent who lived a seemingly idyllic life went missing from her home. Her husband, Donald Bent told investigators that after he and Joan ate dinner, she returned to her bookkeeping job to finish the payroll. Like Anne Dunlap’s husband B.D., Donald was the last person to see his wife and she never returned home. According to the police report, Donald stated that Joan returned from work at 4:30, they ate dinner together, and then she returned to work at 6:30. When she didn’t return home that evening, he called police. Like B.D, Donald Bent spoke often to the media. Friends and family supported Donald and according to him, they knew he had never been a violent man. 6 days later, Joan’s car was located in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn. When investigators opened the trunk, they found Joan, deceased and frozen. Her car keys were in the ignition. Her purse was on the front seat. Manner of death was homicide. Cause of death was ligature strangulation. She was not sexually assaulted. “No robbery or sex assault left one suspect, her husband.” ~Autopsy At the time, many thought Joan’s murder appeared staged; keys in the ignition, car abandoned in a hotel parking lot… The same can be said about Anne Dunlap’s murder. Many thought her murder appeared staged; keys in the ignition, car abandoned in a high crime area. The case was circumstantial. I never understood what that meant. I thought the word circumstantial sounded like the case was based on opinion or no evidence. According to Miriam Webster, it means, “evidence that tends to prove a fact by proving other events or circumstances which afford a basis for a reasonable inference of the occurrence of the fact at issue.” Crystal clear, right? Basically, evidence is either direct or circumstantial, so… directly linked or indirectly linked to the case (circumstantial). A frozen body preserves the state the deceased was in at the time of her death. Joan Bent’s body remained frozen for 10 days.  If she had been in warm conditions, her body would have decomposed much quicker. The cold weather preserved the body as well as the stomach contents. Similarly, Anne Dunlap’s frozen state also preserved her stomach contents. Anne’s time of death was estimated to be 1 to 1 1/2 hours after she left home at 2:30 p.m., so 3:30-4:00 p.m. Donald Bent sealed his fate when he provided a timeline that could not be substantiated. He stated Joan ate at 4:30 and left at 6:30. While performing Joan’s autopsy and examining her stomach contents, Michael Baden, Medical Examiner found potatoes in their original state. Digestion had not yet occurred. Since potatoes are quick to digest, the condition of her stomach contents told Dr. Baden that she died within 30 minutes of dinner (closer to 5:00). Circumstantially, this means Donald was still with her when she died. Joan Bent’s and Anne Dunlap’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence to establish their murder timelines. April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial. The prosecutors built their case around the stomach contents at the time of Joan’s death. However, during the trial, the true motive was also uncovered. Joan had secretly filed for divorce from her unfaithful husband. After the 5 week trial, even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty and he should be punished. On June 3, 1988, Donald was found guilty of 2nd degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Strangely enough,  the Joan Bent episode of Autopsy originally aired on //. Maybe Anne’s murderer got ideas by watching this episode… but knew to take it one step further and fake/add a robbery. Note: Anne’s wedding ring and purse were never reconciled-and also were never pawned and credit cards never used. 3 things 1. *who is she closest to? 2. *who has the most to gain by her murder? 3. ? Like Anne, Only Joan could tell us who killed her. The guilty person would not. Top medical examiner of New York state dr michael baden Although Donald Bent maintained his innocence, he was tried and convicted of Joan Bent’s murder in 1987. No one saw Joan after her husband said, “she left.” No one saw her drive away from their home. No one saw her at her work that evening. No one saw her stop at a store or get gas. No one saw her at all that afternoon or evening. As days passed with no sight of Joan, her husband, Don Bent communicated frequently with the media. He expressed his anguish over what Joan could be going through, what she was exposed to and/or what someone might be doing to her. Donald’s mind was going to dark places as he impatiently waited for her return. In one recorded interview, Don sobbed that he did not exist well without Joan and that she is his WHOLE LIFE. No one would see her alive again. 6 days after Joan disappeared, police received a break. Joan’s car was located in the lot of. Almost a decade before Anne Dunlap was murdered, an eerily similar case took place. I always thought the Dunlap case was so odd and out-of-the-ordinary, but many parallels can be drawn to another case. On February 16, 1986 a woman named Joan Donlon Bent who lived a seemingly idyllic life went missing from her upstate New York home. Her husband, Donald Bent (D.B) told investigators that after he and Joan ate dinner, she returned to her bookkeeping job to finish the payroll. Like Brad Dunlap (B.D.), D.B. was the last person to see his wife and she never returned home. According to the police report, Donald stated that Joan returned from work at 4:30, they ate dinner together, and then she returned to work at 6:30. When she didn’t return home that evening, he called police. Like B.D, Donald Bent spoke often to the media. Friends and family supported Donald and knew he had never been a violent man. 6 days later, Joan’s car was located in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn. When investigators opened the trunk, they found Joan, deceased and frozen. Her car keys were in the ignition. Her purse was on the front seat. Manner of death was homicide. Cause of death was ligature strangulation. She was not sexually assaulted. At the time, many thought the crime appeared staged. Keys in the ignition, parked in a hotel parking lot… No robbery or sex assault left one suspect, her husband The case was circumstantial. I never understood what that meant. I thought the word circumstantial sounded like the case was based on opinion or no evidence. According to Miriam Webster, it means, “evidence that tends to prove a fact by proving other events or circumstances which afford a basis for a reasonable inference of the occurrence of the fact at issue.” Crystal clear, right? Basically, evidence is either direct or circumstantial, so… directly linked or indirectly linked to the case (circumstantial). Joan Bent’s body remained frozen for 10 days. The frozen state preserved the state she was in at the time of her death. If she had been in warm conditions, her body would have decomposed much quicker. The cold weather preserved the body as well as the stomach contents. Don stated she ate at 4:30 and left at 6:30. While performing Joan’s autopsy and examining her stomach contents, potatoes in their original state were discovered. Digestion had not yet occurred. The condition of her stomach contents tell us she dies within 30 minutes (closer to 5:00) Circumstantially, this means Don was still with her when she died. Like Anne, Joan’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence -was evidence that she and Donald were together at her time of death April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial stomach contents were the clincher-core that the prosecutors bult their case around after the 5 week trial, Even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty -that he should be punished guilty of 2nd degree murder, 25 years to life in prison. for the stomach contents to remain in the statet the m.e. sw them, had to be w/i 30 minutes motive: Joan had secretly filed for divorce It may seem strange that stomach contents could point to a murderer, but in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Another parallel in the 2 cases was that many believed staging had occurred. Strangely enough, HBO’s critically acclaimed docuseries, “Michael Baden’s most provocative cases, “Autopsy” taped an episode about this exact case in 1994. What’s even stranger than that is that the episode originally aired on //. Maybe Anne’s murderer got ideas by watching this episode… but knew to take it one step further and fake/add a robbery. Note: Anne’s wedding ring and purse were never reconciled-and also were never pawned and credit cards never used. 3 things 1. *who is she closest to? 2. *who has the most to gain by her murder? 3. ? Friends and family standing by Donald 100%-they know he is not capable. “he’s not a violent man and never has been”~Donald Like Anne, Only Joan could tell us who killed her. The guilty person would not. Top medical examiner of New York state dr michael baden Although Donald Bent went years free, claiming innocence, he was tried and convicted of Joan Bent’s murder in 1987. No one saw Joan after her husband said, “she left.” No one saw her drive away from their home. No one saw her at her work that evening. No one saw her stop at a store or get gas. No one saw her at all that afternoon or evening. As days passed with no sight of Joan, her husband, Don Bent communicated frequently with the media. He expressed his anguish over what Joan could be going thruwhat she was being exposed to may be going thru and/or what someone might be his mind was going to dark places as he impatiently hoped for her return. In one recorded interview, Don sobbed that he did not exist well without Joan and that she is his WHOLE LIFE. No one would see her alive again. 6 days after Joan disappeared, police received a break. Joan’s car was located in the lot of. When authorities arrived, they found her snow-covered car , keys in the ignition… When authorities opened the trunk, her lifeless, frozen body was found. The cause of death was ligature strangulation. The manner of death was homicide. It seemed that it was only Joan who could help make sense of what happened on Feb ….1986. explain what happened nly Joan could tell us what happened the day they eah disapprared. The guilty party seldom does. Top medical examiner of New ?York state dr michael baden stayed frozen for 10 days. frozen state preserved the state she was in at the time of her death -both deaths had she been in warm conditions, the tomach content evidence would have been destroyed Don states she eats at 4:30 and leaves at 6:30. the stomach contents tell us she dies within 30minutes (potatoes in original state-digestion had not yet occured -closer to 5:00 -which means Don was still with her when she died Like Anne, Joan’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence -was evidence that she and Donald were together at her time of death April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial Case was circumstantial -Ive never understood what that meant, so If you’re like me-here is what it ,means (i alays thought it was real evidence, but the word circumstantial made it sound like it was opinion or not true evidence) what it actually means is… stomach contents were the clincher-core that the prosecutors bult their case around after the 5 week trial, Even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty -that he should be punished guilty of 2nd degree murder, 25 years to life in prison. for the stomach contents to remain in the statet the m.e. sw them, had to be w/i 30 minutes motive: Joan had secretly filed for divorce It may seem strange that stomach contents could point to a murderer, but in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Another parallel in the 2 cases was that many believed staging had occurred.­ Joan Donlon Bent’s disappearance took the city by storm. Life Anne Dunlap’s case in 1995, Joan Bent’s case also lacked technology to aid in their When authorities arrived, they found her snow-covered car with the keys in the ignition. When authorities opened the trunk, her lifeless, frozen body was found. The cause of death was ligature strangulation. The manner of death was homicide. It seemed that it was only Joan who could help make sense of what happened on Feb ….1986. explain what happened nly Joan could tell us what happened the day they eah disapprared. The guilty party seldom does. Top medical examiner of New ?York state dr michael baden stayed frozen for 10 days. frozen state preserved the state she was in at the time of her death -both deaths had she been in warm conditions, the tomach content evidence would have been destroyed Don states she eats at 4:30 and leaves at 6:30. the stomach contents tell us she dies within 30minutes (potatoes in original state-digestion had not yet occured -closer to 5:00 -which means Don was still with her when she died Like Anne, Joan’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence -was evidence that she and Donald were together at her time of death April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial Case was circumstantial -Ive never understood what that meant, so If you’re like me-here is what it ,means (i alays thought it was real evidence, but the word circumstantial made it sound like it was opinion or not true evidence) what it actually means is… stomach contents were the clincher-core that the prosecutors bult their case around after the 5 week trial, Even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty -that he should be punished guilty of 2nd degree murder, 25 years to life in prison. for the stomach contents to remain in the statet the m.e. sw them, had to be w/i 30 minutes motive: Joan had secretly filed for divorce It may seem strange that stomach contents could point to a murderer, but in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Another parallel in the 2 cases was that many believed staging had occurred.­ Joan Donlon Bent’s disappearance took the city by storm. Life Anne Dunlap’s case in 1995, Joan Bent’s case also lacked technology to aid in their investigation. missing, found frozen in trunk. dies of strangulation. no sexual assault. + no robbery. Friends and family stood by husband. Strangely enough, this episode was aired keys in ignition. Joan Bent / Dr Michael Bade, forensic pathologist Like Anne, Joan’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence -was evidence that she and Donald were together at her time of death April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial stomach contents were the clincher-core that the prosecutors bult their case around after the 5 week trial, Even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty -that he should be punished guilty of 2nd degree murder, 25 years to life in prison. for the stomach contents to remain in the statet the m.e. sw them, had to be w/i 30 minutes motive: Joan had secretly filed for divorce It may seem strange that stomach contents could point to a murderer, but in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Another parallel in the 2 cases was that many believed staging had occurred. Strangely enough, HBO’s critically acclaimed docuseries, “Michael Baden’s most provocative cases, “Autopsy” taped an episode about this exact case in 1994. What’s even stranger than that is that the episode originally aired on //. Maybe Anne’s murderer got ideas by watching this episode… but knew to take it one step further and fake/add a robbery. Note: Anne’s wedding ring and purse were never reconciled-and also were never pawned and credit cards never used. 3 things 1. *who is she closest to? 2. *who has the most to gain by her murder? 3. ? Friends and family standing by Donald 100%-they know he is not capable. “he’s not a violent man and never has been”~Donald Like Anne, Only Joan could tell us who killed her. The guilty person would not. Top medical examiner of New York state dr michael baden Although Donald Bent went years free, claiming innocence, he was tried and convicted of Joan Bent’s murder in 1987. No one saw Joan after her husband said, “she left.” No one saw her drive away from their home. No one saw her at her work that evening. No one saw her stop at a store or get gas. No one saw her at all that afternoon or evening. As days passed with no sight of Joan, her husband, Don Bent communicated frequently with the media. He expressed his anguish over what Joan could be going thruwhat she was being exposed to may be going thru and/or what someone might be his mind was going to dark places as he impatiently hoped for her return. In one recorded interview, Don sobbed that he did not exist well without Joan and that she is his WHOLE LIFE. No one would see her alive again. 6 days after Joan disappeared, police received a break. Joan’s car was located in the lot of. When authorities arrived, they found her snow-covered car , keys in the ignition… When authorities opened the trunk, her lifeless, frozen body was found. The cause of death was ligature strangulation. The manner of death was homicide. It seemed that it was only Joan who could help make sense of what happened on Feb ….1986. explain what happened nly Joan could tell us what happened the day they eah disapprared. The guilty party seldom does. Top medical examiner of New ?York state dr michael baden stayed frozen for 10 days. frozen state preserved the state she was in at the time of her death -both deaths had she been in warm conditions, the tomach content evidence would have been destroyed Don states she eats at 4:30 and leaves at 6:30. the stomach contents tell us she dies within 30minutes (potatoes in original state-digestion had not yet occured -closer to 5:00 -which means Don was still with her when she died Like Anne, Joan’s stomach contents provided critical information/evidence -was evidence that she and Donald were together at her time of death April 4, 1988 Donald Bent went on trial Case was circumstantial -Ive never understood what that meant, so If you’re like me-here is what it ,means (i alays thought it was real evidence, but the word circumstantial made it sound like it was opinion or not true evidence) what it actually means is… stomach contents were the clincher-core that the prosecutors bult their case around after the 5 week trial, Even Donald Bent’s daughter believed he was guilty -that he should be punished guilty of 2nd degree murder, 25 years to life in prison. for the stomach contents to remain in the statet the m.e. sw them, had to be w/i 30 minutes motive: Joan had secretly filed for divorce It may seem strange that stomach contents could point to a murderer, but in forensic science, evidence turns up in unlikely places. Another parallel in the 2 cases was that many believed staging had occurred.­ Joan Donlon Bent’s disappearance took the city by storm. Life Anne Dunlap’s case in 1995, Joan Bent’s case also lacked technology to aid in their investigation. missing, found frozen in trunk. dies of strangulation. no sexual assault. + no robbery. Friends and family stood by husband. Strangely enough, this episode was aired keys in ignition. Joan Bent / Dr Michael Bade, forensic pathologist