He was just a loveable guy," Black said. Got a magnetism," said Black. "There's members of Marjorie's family that tell a different story," said Black. Besides most of the religious and conservative locals assumed Tiede was gay, which was never a problem. "It was a complete lie.". Many believed her to be the meanest woman in Carthage, lording her wealth and status over the town. Nine months," said Ruth Cockrell. When she disappeared, nobody seemed. [3] Of German descent, Tiede had immigrated in 1926 as a child with his family to the United States. "He could. Twitter/Texas MonthlyBernie Tiede, pictured with Marjorie Nugent, not long before her 1996 murder. And then I took her back to the car," said Tiede. He essentially claimed he'd been dissociating when he'd murdered Marge, and a psychiatrist agreed. She then became estranged from most people who cared about her. They traveled the world. Van Sant asked the women. "And there was the top of Miss Nugent's head. Things only got worse for Tiede, who grew up in East Texas. It was August 18, 1997, when the Nugent's had finally shared their concerns with the local sheriff. "I think any of us can be difficult. He could sing he could preach. He noted several acts of his aunt's abusive behavior toward him in The New York Times article titled How My Aunt Marge Ended Up in the Deep Freeze.[30], On April 22, 2016, the jury of ten women and two men issued a new sentence of 99 years to life for Tiede. Cole poured over the files, knowing that Tiede's life sentence hinged on Danny Buck Davidson's argument that the murder was premeditated. "I never thought of them as lovey-dovey's. When the family got suspicious and told her he was scamming her, she got really angry and threw them out, Nugent says. The two eventually became inseparable companions, although she was more than 40 years his senior. Longview Bank and Trust replaced Marjorie as trustee of her late husband's fund. Living in separate homes, Tiede still had to attend Nugents house multiple times a day. This week we are discussing the murder of Marjorie Nugent by her business associate and travel companion, Bernie Tiede. "People get trapped," Van Sant commented. "I looked at my dad and I said, 'They found her.' It was absolutely horrendous. "Even today, is there a Bernie Tiede Fan Club in Carthage"" Van Sant asked Davidson. "Everyone in that courtroom knew that my grandmother was not mean. Van Sant asked. He was right in Carthage, at home, when the sheriff deputies showed up and brought him in for questioning. As a freelance writer, he spends his time writing about true crime. "That visit in 1994," Shanna Nugent replied. July 22, 2017 / 11:09 PM Jack Black: That period with the walls closing in. "And the thing that disturbed me was that all of the pictures of my grandfather were gone.". [34], Tiede resided in the Telford Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for at least 15 years. "You're playing a person, you have access to them, you gotta go see them. "Yeah, held a special place in the hearts of many people in Carthage, Texas," said Jack Black. ", "This case is about abusing elderly, vulnerable people," Tanner said. "This is a real case, with a real murderer. In 1993, Nugent convinced Tiede to work for her full-time, as her business manager. Jack Black as Bernie Tiede in Richard Linklaters 2011 film. This might be where a normal true crime story would end, but not this one. Bernie Tiede's mother was his father's first wife, Lela Mae Jester (19331960). He could connect, yeah, exactly," Shamburger agreed. "We'd go up on a Friday morning then come back on a Sunday evening," Tiede said. I'd seen that.". "That is the real story," Alexandria Nugent affirmed. According to the Amarillo Globe-News, Nugent's estranged son, Rod, an Amarillo pathologist, had grown concerned about not being able to reach his mother. "I had gone out to the house to make coffee. In his confession to police, says ID,Bernie reportedly told them that, despite the pattern of behavior, "I was also afraid to leave her. Those are the next procedural steps.. Plural. "I think Danny Buck got enthralled with Hollywood," said Alexandria Nugent. Never forgiving himself, Tiedes father began drinking heavily, and died when Tiede was 15 according to CBS News. "When I heard 99 years, I mean it was devastating," said Linklater. "So what was the attraction?" When Marjorie Nugent's husband dies, he is the angel at her shoulder, creating the impression that no client has ever touched him quite so much as she has. "Flash forward to 1994. "He's back in prison for life. [36] He currently resides at the Estelle Unit. "We believe my grandmother was in love with Bernie and believed that he was in love with her," said Alexandria Nugent. This is a bizarre case where truth really is stranger than fiction. to Egypt. Case closed. "And you have a community saying, 'Leave him alone,'" Van Sant noted. Until finally I said, 'OK, I won't leave you. "My grandmother was a loving sweet woman," said Jenull. Tiede met the wealthy widow, Marjorie Nugent, in March 1990 at her husband's funeral, which Tiede had helped arrange as assistant director at Hawthorn Funeral Home. "I'm thinkin' you're lying. "You think, 'Gee, I'm glad this guy came here. His Case is also featured on the Season 3, Episode 7, titled "Millionairess Mortician", from the Show, Deadly Sins. He was there for her," said Black. After the appeal was granted, they let him out on bond, and part of the ruling by the judge was that he had to live with the movie director. A visiting state district judge in Panola County will begin. "In '93, we went there and she opened the door and she hugged me and kissed me like eight times," said Shanna Nugent. Van Sant asked Tiede. They traveled the world together. For the new sentencing trial, he was replaced by two prosecutors determined to put Bernie Tiede back behind bars. Went to the pyramids. They moved back to Carthage in 1989 (just a year before my uncle died), buying a controlling interest. "That was one of the hardest scenes in the movie. The two met at her husband's funeral in 1990, and became close friends. Youngest granddaughter of Bernie Tiede's murder victim speaks out Nugent was incredibly wealthy and also a widower. And I think he's the one person in the world in that era who could feel that for Marg, when no one else could," he replied. Tiede was the subject of the 48 Hours episode titled The Mortician, the Murder, the Movie, which discussed his crime, as well as his brief re-entry to society and subsequent resentencing. John served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves from 1973 - 1978. Early. "In some ways did Bernie become part of the family?" Prosecutor Says, Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison, Family of Susan Berman Pleads with Robert Durst to Tell First Wife's Family Where Body Is, Killers Who Spawned Movies: 'Monster', 'Zodiac', 'Summer of Sam' and More, Laci Peterson's Family Is 'Really Worried' That Scott Peterson Will Go Free After Retrial: Source, Son Finally Gets Justice for His Mom After His Dad Is Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Her Murder, Ex-Navy Sailor Murdered Wife with Children in Other Room, Then Froze Body and Claimed She'd Left, Woman Recalls Growing Up With Serial Killer Dad on New Crime Podcast 'The Clearing', Mass. "We got pretty close," Ruth Cockrell replied. And it's like, I don't know. On April 2, 2016, some 26 years after he met Marjorie Nugent, the jury once again sentenced Bernie Tiede to 99 years in prison. And by the time I got out there she had locked the gate on me. Bernie is an assistant funeral director in East Texas who bonds with Marjorie after hosting the funeral of her late husband. Tiede met Nugent at the Hawthorne Funeral Home while preparing her husband . "Yeah. And she said, 'Well, he's my friend,'" she continued. "So a lot of death had occurred in our family," he said. 9 of 12 10 of 12 ADVANCE FOR SUNDAY JUNE 28--FILE--This is a 1996 file photo provided by the Panola County Sheriff's Department of Marjorie Nugent, right, and her former escort Bernie Tiede. "The door's right there Bernie. And though this case is the true story behind the 2011 movie Bernie, the real events are more astounding than anything Hollywood could have dreamt up. "Rick Linklater is just as conned as my grandmother was," said Shanna Nugent. After the film Bernie (2011) was released, attorney Jodi Cole became interested in Tiede's case and met with him, filing a post-conviction writ of habeas corpus, in which Tiede alleged that his constitutional rights were violated in the first trial because of newly discovered evidence. "Not as big as it once was, but it's here.". "As a prosecutor, you got a man who's admitted he put four bullets in the back of a little old lady," said Van Sant. And people are still mystified about what really happened on that November afternoon that led Bernie to shoot her four times," said reporter Skip Hollandsworth. "Turns out he was generous with Mrs. Nugent's money," said Davidson. "She was," Alexandria Nugent replied. The numbers ended up being approximately $3.8 million total," said Tanner. Bernie: The Truth About Bernie Tiede And Marjorie Nugent's - Grunge [7] Tiedes father, who never forgave himself[clarification needed], started drinking frequently.[8]. It's what the law says," he explained. Its scary when a known con man is proven to have done all of this, and people are still willing to believe the con. Even down at the court house, where local legend District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson ruled back then and still rules today everyone sensed something good had come to town. "That's what this whole case hinges on," said Jack Black. Shortly after entering the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in 1999, Tiede was attacked by fellow inmates. They actually disassociate, which is to leave their body," Cole explained. At some point, they started dating., Nugent says he eventually stole $3.8 million of her money, which Marjorie was oblivious to at the time. He stands 5'6." Yet the word for Bernie Tiede is "hovering." He seems to hover above even those taller than him. bernie-tiedes-freedom-was-more-than-a-feel-good-se "Man gets life sentence for killing Nugent", "Witness says sexual abuse triggered Tiede's "dissociative episode", "Ex-Mortician Whose Killing of Widow Inspired Movie Freed Early", ex-texas-mortician-being-freed-from-prison-early, "As 'Bernie' Goes Free, Victim's Granddaughter Says Hollywood Has Wrought an Injustice", "Richard Linklater on Living With Bernie Tiede", Shanna Nugent Delivers the Victim Impact Statement at Bernie Tiede Resentencing, "New Sentencing Trial for Bernie Starts Wednesday", "Bernie Tiede trial: Victim's sister says she was afraid of Marjorie", "How My Aunt Marge Ended Up in the Deep Freeze . "She just wanted more and more and more of me around.". Bernie loves everybody. He was very popular in the town. "But Bernie is not built for conflict. Danny Buck Davidson recused himself. And on May 6, 2014, Tiede's life sentence is thrown out. [1][2] He was 38 at the time of the murder. Taking great pride in his work, he was a consoling shoulder for the bereaved throughout the late 1980s and early 90s especially the elderly. And then, there's a group that wants no mercy.[11], At the resentencing trial, Tiede was sentenced to life in prison. "When he pointed that gun at Marjorie Nugent's back, that justified the life sentence," Tanner said in her closing. The body of Ms Nugent, who disappeared in 1996, was found in a freezer at her Carthage home, wrapped in a sheet and surrounded by packs of frozen corn and pecans. DALLAS (Reuters) - A jury on Friday sentenced a former mortician to return to prison for 99 years to life for murdering a wealthy East Texas widow and hiding her body in a freezer in a case that . In 1997, after the family filed a missing-persons report on Marjorie, her son broke into her house and found her body. Ex-Mortician Whose Killing of Widow Inspired Movie Freed Early - NBC News Within months of meeting at her husband's funeral, Tiede was full time at Marjorie Nugent's eye-popping home. The majestic gates swung open to a kingdom of riches, and Bernie Tiede rolled right in. The now-55-year-old Tiede, who was well liked in the close-knit community of Carthage, was convicted in the death of his longtime companion, Marjorie Nugent. The two would grow close, taking trips around the world, and. She'll call when she gets back.'". 'I can't get away from this woman.'". Tiede had known Nugent for years and became her caretaker and travel companion after her husband died in 1990. Tiede, 57, was a mortician at the Hawthorn Funeral Home in Carthage, Texas, a town of about 7,000 about 150 miles east of Dallas, when he met Nugent at her husband's funeral in 1990. Prosecutors began the day presenting evidence and calling witnesses. "And Bernie is in charge of his funeral.". "It was such a difficult time," said Tiede. "My grandmother believed he loved her.". But when Nugent was found dead in a freezer in 1997 and Tiede came under suspicion, the town had trouble believing that their favorite son had committed such a heinous crime. And it's hard to be a gay man and being out in a small town," said Tiede. And after watching the movie she got a hunch that the trial of Bernie Tiede had been a miscarriage of justice. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. "How could you come to my house, eat my food, and sing hymns, and my cousin over there in the deep freeze?" Many believed her to be the meanest woman in Carthage, lording her wealth and status over the town. After learning about Bernie Tiede, read up on the real-life murders that helped inspire The Amityville Horror. "It happened so often," Hollandsworth said, "he asked for a change of venue.". [6] They married in 1957, and Bernie was born in the next year in Abilene. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Asked how so, Davidson replied, "I think that defines everything.". At one point he imagined hitting her over the head with a baseball bat, but couldnt bear the thought of her suffering. While the facts of the case have not been in dispute, Bernie's motivation for murdering Marge (and his subsequent behavior in the months after the crime) has been debated for years. "You know, all you can do is pray," Alexandria Nugent replied. ", "East Texas widow killer Bernie Tiede, subject of hit movie, gets 99 years to life in re-trial", "Bernie's lawyer's file appeal to court's decision", "Bernie Tiede won't face charge that he stole millions from East Texas widow he killed", "Bernie Tiede's attorney claims Nugent family stole money from victim's estate", https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/viewDetail.action?sid=05931666, http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/bernie-tiede-appeal-hinges-on-new-abuse-claim/ngWCC/, http://marjorienugent.com/content/nugent-family-files-full-brief-opposing-bernie-tiedes-release, https://web.archive.org/web/20141129034531/http://www.cbs19.tv/story/27147808/nugent-family-releases-checks-allegedly-forged-by-bernie-tiede-argues-they-are-evidence-of-motive-in-murder, http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20141030-bernie-victims-family-wants-killer-back-in-prison.ece, http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/financial-documents-show-the-extent-of-bernie-tiedes-criminal-behavior-before-he-murdered.html/, https://web.archive.org/web/20141117184614/http://www.cbs19.tv/story/27390720/nugent-family-reveals-full-scope-of-bernie-tiedes-alleged-scam, https://www.shutterbulky.com/bernie-tiede-story/, "How My Aunt Marge Ended Up in the Deep Freeze", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bernie_Tiede&oldid=1149843064, American people of German-Russian descent, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Texas, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing cleanup from August 2022, Articles with bare URLs for citations from August 2022, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from August 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2023, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from April 2023, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 April 2023, at 19:31. [23], Nugent's family learned about Tiede's release through media reports. When Shanna was 16, her grandfather died. Marge was born on June 14, 1925 in. [5] In addition to his work as a university professor, the elder Tiede also served as church music director and as a vocal performer. For the court, it was enough to free Bernie from jail for two years (during which he actually lived with Linklater! Spreading an estimated $2 million of Nugents money around town while pretending that she was still alive, Tiede invested in a western wear shop, pledged money to the church for a new wing, and bought cars for at least 10 people. "Not connected to reality," said Alexandria Nugent. Van Sant asked. Write An Essay On The Movie Bernie - 726 Words | Bartleby He was talented. "I think he is a killer. Marjorie Nugent was a longstanding member of the richest family in Carthage after her husband had made his fortune as an oilman. Van Sant asked the granddaughters. "I said, 'Look at that. The main characters are Marjorie Nugent, a rich and notoriously mean widow, and her young companion . For Shanna, Alexandria and Susan, Grandma Marjorie's new behavior was disturbing. Cf. Van Sant asked. I'm mean as an old settin' hen sometimes," she laughed. Until May 2014, he was serving a life sentence. Got her up " Tiede replied, as his attorney, Jodi Cole, interrupted the interview. But in 2014, defense lawyer Jodi Cole, inspired by the 2011 film about his case, Bernie, discovered new evidence. "I think he is an incredibly nice generous man who did a horrible thing," he testified. For a time, he was able to fend off those curious about Marge by lying about her travel plans or health, but a search of her home by her son revealed Marge's fate. Marge, meanwhile, was often perceived as haughty and crotchety, per Texas Monthly, so the friendship that sprung up between the two may have been a surprise to some. "He's just a super generous sensitive guy, and is everybody's best friend and just very helpful," said Linklater. The primary focus of the film, Bernie, revolves around the direct relationship between Bernie Tiede and Marjorie Nugent, played by Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine. Some people are sayin', 'No, put him away for life,'" said actor Jack Black. Bernhardt Tiede II (/tid/; born August 2, 1958) is an American mortician who was convicted of the November 19, 1996 murder of his companion, wealthy 81-year-old widow Marjorie "Marge" Nugent, in Carthage, Texas. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Man convicted of murdering companion, stuffing body in freezer", 'mean-bernie-film-features-cooper-grads-unlikely', "Judge Agrees to Release Murderer "Bernie" Backed by Austin Filmmaker", "History of Bernie's secret: Facts of sexual abuse could have been key to defense". Then he went to a dress rehearsal for Guys and Dolls,' Nugent says. "I just made up one thing or another," said Tiede. Marjorie Nugent's granddaughter calls Tiede "the worst kind of criminal". After this, Tiede acknowledged using Nugent's money for civic activities, gifts to academic and civic groups, and to friends. I always loved her as a sister, actually, even when she did ugly things, and she did.[29] Merrel's son, Joe Rhodes, attested to the movie's accurate portrayal of his aunt. "I felt like I wasn't even there. "Did Marjorie know you were gay?" "Our folks surrounded him like mother hens. They took longer trips together, to Dallas, New York, and elsewhere along the East Coast, and before long it seemed, they were going everywhere together. All of this both while Marjorie Nugent was alive, and after Tiede had killed her and stuffed her in her freezer. No one has ever left me.' The visit was videotaped: Jack Black: I wanted to come and meet you. "Make her coffee. It would just be part of what inspired director Richard Linklater and actor Jack Black to collaborate on the darkly comic movie, "Bernie.". Her husband, Rod Nugent Sr., made a fortune as an independent oilman, a ruthless operator. Cole asked Richard Linklater if he had the transcripts from Tiede's 1999 murder trial. My husband died this year, she says. Tiede attended a college musical rehearsal that day and reportedly seemed like regular old Bernie over the following weeks, until he started becoming unprecedentedly generous. John was the son of the late Harold James Nugent and Phyllis Marjorie Nugent. "Which is the top max sentence. " and all I wanted at that moment was my mom.". Rod filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tiede, claiming he had embezzled more than $3 million from his mother.[16]. Bernie Tiede wasn't about to. New Sentencing Trial for Bernie Starts Wednesday Cole brought the findings to the D.A. He provided scholarships," said Hollandsworth. [6] Tiede graduated from Cooper High School in 1976. This is the worst kind of criminal, she says of Tiede. In all, he was widely regarded as the nicest man in town. Van Sant asked D.A. This may have appeared on older maps as Olgenowka, just east of, Ancestry.com. ", "Hollywood means, you know, lack of morality," Linklater told Van Sant. This is really eye-opening, Van Sant remarked. "And we went in and there were pictures of Bernie everywhere," said Alexandria Nugent. A new sentencing trial is ordered, andTiede is released from prison for the time being. Van Sant asked. ", Asked if they appreciated him dropping by, Tiede told Van Sant, "Oh very much so.". She did not deserve to die. "Well, I enjoyed singin' in the choir. "I think the attraction for Marjorie was the same as it was for everyone in town. Castle Rock EntertainmentJack Black as Bernie Tiede in Richard Linklaters 2011 film Bernie. He further alleged in the writ that the 81-year-old Nugent was controlling and emotionally abusive toward him, and that he had murdered her in a dissociative state resulting from years of sexual abuse as a child by an uncle. Locals Lisa and Susie Cockrell sum it up simply. I just think it's important if I'm gonna play a real person that I should meet you. But whatever Marjorie's affection for her granddaughters, the stakes were about to change. "He stole her money when he was about to be found out, he shot her and killed her. Marjorie Nugent Obituary "And you were often times the star?" "If I had gone to the police and then been proven wrong, I would have been laughed out of Carthage because people thought so much of Bernie," said Ruth Cockrell. Everybody knew," said Shanna Nugent. The movie, "Bernie," also featured Matthew McConaughey as Danny Buck Davidson. "But I took that really personally, 'cause I don't live in Hollywood. Witness: Nugent intended to spend wealth enjoying life with Tiede [14][15] The Texas Criminal Courts of Appeal approved the writ. "I'm a gay man. "And Mrs. Nugent arrives," said Hollandsworth. Public DomainBernie Tiede was so beloved in his Texas hometown that locals refused to believe he could have committed murder. Lisa Tanner would allege Bernie Tiede regularly forged Marjorie Nugent's signature, manually manipulated her bank accounts, altered her brokerage statements. After going home to shower, he returned to Marjories house.
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