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Elderly US pair murdered homeless | Elderly US pair murdered homeless |
(about 8 hours later) | |
Two elderly women have been convicted over the murder of two homeless men in an attempt to collect $2.8m (£1.4m) in life insurance. | |
Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, befriended the men from around Los Angeles, put them up in flats and took out insurance policies. | Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, befriended the men from around Los Angeles, put them up in flats and took out insurance policies. |
The two men were then drugged and killed in staged road accidents. | The two men were then drugged and killed in staged road accidents. |
Golay was convicted of murder and Rutterschmidt of conspiracy to murder. Both face life in prison. | Golay was convicted of murder and Rutterschmidt of conspiracy to murder. Both face life in prison. |
Kenneth McDavid, 50, was found dead in the Westwood area of Los Angeles in June 2005. Paul Vados, 73, died in Hollywood in 1999. | Kenneth McDavid, 50, was found dead in the Westwood area of Los Angeles in June 2005. Paul Vados, 73, died in Hollywood in 1999. |
The women, who had been friends for 20 years, were arrested in May 2006. | The women, who had been friends for 20 years, were arrested in May 2006. |
The judge ordered lawyers for the defence and prosecution to restate their arguments on Thursday on murder charges pending against Rutterschmidt. | The judge ordered lawyers for the defence and prosecution to restate their arguments on Thursday on murder charges pending against Rutterschmidt. |
'You were greedy' | 'You were greedy' |
During the four-week trial, deputy district attorney Truc Do had told the jury: "The victim would always be run over - crushed to death - in an alley with no witnesses... it always looked like it was a hit-and-run accident." | During the four-week trial, deputy district attorney Truc Do had told the jury: "The victim would always be run over - crushed to death - in an alley with no witnesses... it always looked like it was a hit-and-run accident." |
They made a profit on the lives of men who were homeless and destitute Deputy district attorney Truc Do | They made a profit on the lives of men who were homeless and destitute Deputy district attorney Truc Do |
He said the women had found the men in a homeless shelter at a Hollywood church, provided them with apartments and supported them for two years - while taking out multiple life insurance policies on them. | He said the women had found the men in a homeless shelter at a Hollywood church, provided them with apartments and supported them for two years - while taking out multiple life insurance policies on them. |
Mr Do said the two-year timescale was important, as it was the length of time it would take to make the insurance policies incontestable. | Mr Do said the two-year timescale was important, as it was the length of time it would take to make the insurance policies incontestable. |
Mr Do said the men were "forgotten" people, so no relatives were likely to come forward to contest the insurance policies taken out by Golay and Rutterschmidt. | Mr Do said the men were "forgotten" people, so no relatives were likely to come forward to contest the insurance policies taken out by Golay and Rutterschmidt. |
"They made a profit on the lives of men who were homeless and destitute," he said | "They made a profit on the lives of men who were homeless and destitute," he said |
Prosecutors played jurors excerpts from a secretly recorded conversation between the two women shortly after their arrest. | Prosecutors played jurors excerpts from a secretly recorded conversation between the two women shortly after their arrest. |
Rutterschmidt is heard telling Golay: "You were greedy. That's the problem." | Rutterschmidt is heard telling Golay: "You were greedy. That's the problem." |
Golay replies: "Be quiet. Don't say anything." | Golay replies: "Be quiet. Don't say anything." |