Going West: True Crime
Episode 541 — The Lake Placid Murder
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Release Date: September 26, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Daphne and Heath explore the chilling case of Janine Glanda, whose 1997 death in Lake Placid, New York, was initially ruled an accident but soon revealed layers of domestic abuse, manipulation, and a shocking murder plot. The episode delves deeply into Janine’s life, her tumultuous marriage to Jeff Glanda, the unraveling of their family, and the terrifying lengths taken to stage her murder as a car accident. The hosts highlight themes of control, betrayal, and the failures of perception in cases of intimate partner violence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Case Background and Setting
- [04:28] Daphne recounts how the peaceful town of Lake Placid was rocked by Janine’s disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her body inside her SUV at the bottom of a lake.
- Janine Ratliff (later Glanda) was a pharmacist, beloved by her community and family-oriented.
- She moved from Virginia to upstate New York, settling into a close-knit community.
2. Janine & Jeff: A Picture-Perfect Facade
- [09:13] The Glandas' life seemed ideal—big house, expensive cars, lavish parties.
- Heath observes Jeff’s personality: “a little bit of his own insecurities. Maybe he, you know, there's some insecurities that are deep down and maybe some just really bad stuff about Jeff that he's trying to cover up and mask so that society doesn't see the true Jeff.” (09:38)
- The relationship sours as Jeff exerts increasing control, criticizing Janine’s appearance and using his generosity manipulatively.
3. The Unraveling: Separation, Affairs, and Escalating Control
- Discovery of Jeff’s infidelity (lipstick on collar, perfume scent).
- Janine moves into a cottage on their shared property, while Jeff moves his new secretary, Sherry, into the main house’s basement, then begins openly dating her.
- Janine reconnects with a high school boyfriend, Randy Hume—this angers Jeff, whose controlling behavior intensifies.
- [20:31] Jeff is caught lurking in Janine’s cottage in his boxers, holding a drink with a knife nearby, and is charged with burglary but not prosecuted—Janine declines to press charges for her children’s sake.
4. Patterns of Stalking and Fear
- Jeff taps Janine’s phone line—her son is made to listen to these recordings. Jeff “was constantly trying to impress others with his appearance... but he held the same intense standards for Janine.” (13:22)
- Janine’s family is concerned for her safety; her sister-in-law suspects Jeff of plotting violence.
5. Disappearance and Discovery of the Body
- On August 19, 1997, Janine fails to pick up her son. Her belongings are found arranged by the lake, and her Ford Explorer is soon discovered submerged, her body inside.
- At first, the scene looks like a car accident, but several details raise alarms:
- The vehicle is in neutral, items seem staged, and Janine’s body is in the passenger seat.
- Autopsy reveals stun gun marks on her neck and that she drowned, but with water from the lake—suggesting deliberate drowning outside the lake, staging.
6. Investigation: Suspicions and Sloppy Alibis
- Jeff provides an overly complicated alibi, taking a “long way” home via the wrong town, pointing suspicion toward Janine’s boyfriend Randy (who is quickly cleared).
- Jeff passes a polygraph, but police believe if he was involved, he had help.
- Attention focuses on Nicholas “Nick” Pecorero, a handyman and family friend.
7. Nick’s Confession and Murder Plot Details
- Police surveillance leads Nick to attempt escape; he’s detained and confesses to the murder plot with Jeff.
- The murder was meticulously planned:
- Jeff, leveraging his court experience, brings lake water to the house days beforehand to drown Janine so autopsy would show she’d drowned in lake water.
- Janine is ambushed in her cottage, stunned with a Taser, drowned, partially dressed, and loaded into the car.
- Nick tries (and fails) to put Janine in the driver’s seat at the lake to stage the accident, and pushes the car in with her body in the passenger seat.
Quote:
“He [Jeff] planned every single detail because he knew that autopsies could distinguish between lake water and bath water. So days earlier, Jeff had gone down to Cascade Lake and filled large containers with water straight from the freaking lake.”
— Daphne, [48:55]
8. Jeff’s Motive and the Aftermath
- Financial motives: Divorce would mean losing assets and child custody; Janine had a life insurance policy that doubled to $100,000 if she died in a single-car accident.
- Nick was promised cash and a new truck (which he never received).
- Children left orphaned—both parents gone in one day.
Quote:
“Even though he had cheated...he wanted it all. And after 15 years of marriage, splitting assets and negotiating custody would have been a massive financial and personal blow, especially for somebody who likes his nice things, like Jeff. But it was more than just the money loss...the payout doubled to $100,000.”
— Daphne, [54:36]
9. Legal Resolution and Prison Outcomes
- Nick takes a plea deal, receives 20 years for second-degree murder, is released in 2022.
- Jeff is found guilty and sentenced to life without parole in 2000.
- Jeff dies of acute heroin intoxication in prison in 2019.
- Sherry, Jeff's girlfriend, is suspected to have known about the plan, but never charged due to lack of evidence.
- The children, Tyler and Jordan, move between relatives.
Quote:
“My mother being taken from this world shattered a community, shattered multiple communities.”
— Tyler, Janine’s son, [60:55]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Jeff’s Dual Personality:
“He seemed like this real-life Prince Charming, but really, he could be closer compared to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”
— Heath, [13:22] -
On the police finding Jeff in Janine's cottage:
“There, inside a dark room that Janine had not yet entered upon her arrival, was Jeff in his boxers, holding a different drink, and sitting atop the TV next to him was a knife.”
— Daphne, [20:31] -
On the crime scene:
“All these items were quite neatly displayed as well...It looked like somebody had emptied the contents of a purse.”
— Daphne, [28:58] -
On the methodical murder plot:
“That is premeditation at its finest. That days earlier you go to the lake that, you know, you want to put her body in to gather water from it to make it seem like that is the place that she died.”
— Daphne, [55:27] -
On the investigation’s break:
“He was very manipulating, very good at what he does. I already had all that stuff. I don't need any of that.”
— Nick’s confession via Daphne, [56:46]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------| | 04:28 | Introduction to Janine and the Glanda family’s background | | 13:19 | Description of Jeff’s controlling behavior | | 20:31 | Jeff arrested for burglary in Janine’s cottage | | 26:37 | Janine’s disappearance, belongings found by lake | | 31:38 | Discovery and autopsy questions (body in passenger seat, stun gun marks) | | 39:55 | Jeff’s odd alibi and interview | | 44:10 | Nick’s confession and the police setup | | 47:25 | Detailed breakdown of the murder and staging | | 54:36 | The motive: insurance and control | | 57:32 | Sentencing and aftermath for children | | 60:55 | Tyler’s reflection on community loss |
Tone and Style Notes
The hosts, Daphne and Heath, approach the case with a mix of empathy for the victim and clear-eyed suspicion toward the perpetrator, balancing factual reporting with moments of incredulity and exasperation at the cruelty and hubris of the killers. Their natural, colloquial style keeps the episode relatable and engaging.
Final Reflection
The Lake Placid Murder episode lays bare not just the mechanics of a calculated homicide but the hidden, incremental abuses that precede tragedy. By spotlighting the manipulations and the communal fallout, the hosts drive home the importance of heeding warning signs in toxic relationships. The case of Janine Glanda is a sobering reminder of the dangers victims face behind closed doors, as well as the relentless determination required to uncover the truth after tragedy.