Doris Carlson

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder

Episode Summary: "Doris Carlson"

Podcast: Snapped: Women Who Murder
Host: Oxygen
Original Air Date: August 24, 2025
Episode Focus: The attempted murder and subsequent death of Mary Lynn Carlson—a vulnerable woman with MS—unravels a chilling conspiracy involving her son David Carlson, daughter-in-law Doris Carlson, and two young accomplices, exposing deep betrayal and the horrifying lengths people will go for money.

---

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode explores the violent attack and eventual murder of 53-year-old Mary Lynn "Lynn" Carlson at an assisted living facility in Peoria, Arizona, in 1996. Through police interviews, family accounts, and confessions, the episode peels back the layers of a shocking plot hatched by Lynn’s immediate family and lodgers, driven by financial desperation and greed. The narrative examines themes of vulnerability, familial betrayal, and justice.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Crime (01:45–05:06; 11:37–13:55)

• Discovery of the Victim:
  • A nurse finds Lynn Carlson, wheelchair-bound and suffering from MS, stabbed multiple times but alive.
  • “She'd been stabbed multiple times. The main thing is to try to get her out and keep her heart moving. Life is going to be the number one priority.” (Detective, 04:05)
• Lynn’s Background:
  • Born in 1942 in Chicago, adopted, vivacious as a child, later struggled with progressive MS and alcoholism.
  • She adored her son, David, who eventually married Doris Hagenow.

Lynn’s Later Years and Family Dynamics (06:06–11:20)

• Lynn’s health decline leads to her entering an assisted living facility.
• David and Doris move in with Lynn and struggle financially after consuming much of Lynn’s money.
• Doris, a certified nursing assistant, supposedly cares for Lynn, but mounting evidence of neglect emerges.

Initial Investigation & Forensic Leads (13:14–15:43)

• Access to the Crime Scene:
  • Three keys exist for Lynn's room: accounted for with nurses, administration, and David/Doris.
  • Suspicious Clue:
    • A mysterious man in a white coat is seen the night of the attack, but this turns into a dead end.
    • "The door was actually locked when the nurse came in. So somebody had a key." (Detective, 13:29)
• Staging?:
  • Lynn’s purse and valuables untouched; items like the TV piled nearby to simulate burglary.

Financial Motive Emerges (18:01–20:08; 22:40–23:15)

• Lynn’s trust and annuities had been depleted, mostly by David and Doris for living expenses and luxury additions (a pool, home improvements).
• Investigators note mounting debts, a nearly foreclosed home, and misused rental income.

Interrogations & Alibis (17:14–25:21)

• David’s Evasive Behavior:
  • Appears evasive about his whereabouts at the time of the crime and the missing key.
  • "At that point, I believe that David's not being truthful with us." (Detective, 17:14)
• Doris’ Story Matches David’s:
  • Both claim to be home during the attack; their alibis are corroborated by live-in tenants (Scott Smith and Daniel McCreekin).

The Break in the Case – Accomplice Confessions (25:39–27:14; 31:24–33:00)

• Tip from Friend (Richard):
  • Richard contacts police, reporting that Daniel McCreekin confessed to being hired (along with Scott Smith) to kill Lynn for money promised by David after her death.
  • "He told him that him and Scott Smith were hired to break into her apartment and to kill Lynn." (Nurse/Medical Staff, 26:29; Detective, 26:39)
• Police orchestrate a recorded sting with Richard, confirming the plot.
  • "Scott comes out and...Richard just said, dude, what happened? He told Richard that, oh man, it was great. We went in, we got out, Daniel stabbed her. We're gonna get money." (Detective, 32:04)

Investigation of Abuse and Neglect (27:35–29:31)

• Trustees and a nurse uncover severe neglect:
  • "Lynn would be in the bathroom or on the floor, could not get herself up and she was left there. The worst I've seen." (Family Member/Close Friend, 28:47)
• Tension escalates:
  • "They were trying to bully Lynn into calling the trustees. They said, we are going to lose the house and it will be your fault." (Family Member/Close Friend, 29:47)

The Sting & Arrests (32:04–34:23)

• Richard’s Wiretaps:
  • Scott and Daniel’s confessions detail the planning (Doris provides key and ride, Daniel stabs, Scott stages).
  • Doris is implicated as the main planner; David as a knowing accomplice—"They told me what they were going to do and I told him to go ahead and do it, but I didn't think they'd have the balls." (David to Richard, 33:42)
• Arrests:
  • David, Doris, Daniel, and Scott are all arrested.

Questioning and Confession (35:02–39:56)

• Scott Smith:
  • Details Doris’ arrangement with Daniel ($20,000 for Lynn’s murder; Doris’ inheritance was $325,000).
• Daniel McCreekin:
  • Recalls moving Lynn’s wheelchair, stabbing her to cause quick death, describes Doris as instigator.
• David Carlson:
  • Admits he told Doris and the others to "go ahead and do it," but denies direct involvement.
• Doris Carlson:
  • Initially claims to be a victim, then admits providing key and ride but denies orchestrating the murder.

Consequences and Trials (40:32–44:48)

• Lynn’s Death:
  • Lynn succumbs to her injuries six months later; charges upgraded to first-degree murder.
  • "She finally died of her injuries, specifically the sepsis, the infection. At that point, now that changes everything because it's no longer attempted first degree murder. It's now first degree murder." (Detective, 41:42)
• Trial Outcomes:
  • Scott Smith testifies in exchange for a plea—10 years for second-degree murder (42:22).
  • Daniel and David found guilty; Daniel receives life, David receives 25 to life (42:47).
  • Doris receives death penalty, later overturned; serves life sentence (43:18–44:48).

Aftermath (45:04–45:41)

• Release & Incarceration:
  • Scott Smith released after 10 years (2008); David Carlson released after 25 (2023); Daniel and Doris remain incarcerated.
• Impact on Families:
  • "It hurts. It's not just the one woman that got killed...it's the rest of her family and our family that had to go through the horror, realizing that it was one of us that did this to another family. And that's not who we are." (Family Member/Sister of Doris, 45:04)
  • "It was terrifying...if these people were capable of doing this to their mother, you're like, oh wow, anybody could be capable of anything." (Family Member/Close Friend, 45:23)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the betrayal's depth:
  • “Stunned me. You know, how do you do that to your own mom?” (Detective, 37:45)
• On Doris as the mastermind:
  • “Doris really was the woman behind this plan.” (Nurse/Medical Staff, 37:08)
• On the cruelty of the act:
  • “She had no thought about how bad this was, how horrible it was, how cruel it was.” (Prosecutor/Legal Expert, 43:35)
• On the final impact:
  • “Still to this day. It affected me more than I even realized. And it was terrifying...” (Family Member/Close Friend, 45:23)

---

Key Timestamps for Segments

• Crime Discovery & Reaction: 01:45–05:06, 11:37–13:55
• Investigation and Motive: 18:01–20:08, 22:40–23:15
• Tip-off & Confessions: 25:39–27:14, 31:24–34:23
• Confessions of the Accomplices: 35:02–39:56
• Aftermath and Sentencing: 40:32–45:41

---

Episode Tone

Straightforward, investigative, and empathetic, with clinical clarifications from medical staff, sharp legal analyses, and emotional resonance from deeply affected family members.
The pervasive sense is one of betrayal, loss, and, ultimately, grim justice.

---

Conclusion

“Doris Carlson” delivers a harrowing and thorough exploration of how a vulnerable woman’s trust—placed in those closest to her—was grotesquely violated for financial gain, leading to a brutal, premeditated crime. The episode methodically lays out the irreparable damage wrought by greed and family dysfunction, culminating in accountability for all involved and deep, lasting trauma for both the victim’s and perpetrators’ families.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

Weight loss medications are everywhere right now. Everyone's talking about them, everyone's on them. But let's be real. Have you seen the price tag? It's hard to believe they're actually accessible. That's where hers comes in. Hers is transforming women's healthcare by providing access to affordable weight loss treatment plans. They connect you with a medical provider who will work with you to determine the best treatment option for you. So if you've been struggling to find a solution to your weight loss journey, it's time to find the best option that works for you through hers. Start your free online visit today at forhers.com SNAPT that's F O R H E-R-S.com SNAPT for your personalized weight loss treatment options for hers.com SNAPT weight loss by hers is not available everywhere. Compounded products are not approved or reviewed for safety effectiveness or quality by the fda. Prescription required. See website for full details, important safety information and restrictions. Actual price depends on product and plan purchased. Hey, it's Stephanie Gomolka with oxygen.com when I'm running a marathon, I have enough to worry about my hydration to my time, to how my knee is feeling. The last thing I need to worry about is blisters. Thanks to Bombas, that hasn't been an issue. Don't let bad socks and blisters stop you in your tracks either. Bombas make slides, socks and seamless essentials to keep up with however you pace your days. Bombas offers sweat wicking, blister fighting and impact cushioning socks. You can also order Bombas abroad. That's right along with the US they now ship internationally to over 200 countries. Head over to bombas.com and use code snapped for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M b-s.com, code SNAPT at checkout.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

A brutal crime in an unlikely place.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

A nurse at the assisted living facility discovered her.

[Detective]

She was in very bad. She'd been stabbed multiple times.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

The worst I've seen. I've never experienced anything like this.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators consider whether the threat came from inside.

[Detective]

The door was actually locked when the nurse came in. So somebody had a key.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

But a tip shines light on a more intimate betrayal.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

I was like a guardian angel to her.

[Detective]

They used ninety plus thousand dollars on stuff instead of pay paying the bills.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The list of offenders and betrayals continues to grow.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

Do you have an idea of him? What he was doing?

[Family Member/Close Friend]

It was just an angry outburst I.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

Was never really supposed to be a part of.

[Detective]

Stunned me how do you do that?

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

But who will lead investigators to the mastermind?

[Family Member/Close Friend]

It was terrifying. If these people were capable of doing this, anybody could be capable of any.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

At 5:00am on October 25, 1996, a 911 call comes in to the Peoria, Arizona Police Department from the Camelot Care assisted living facility. While calls from the facility are not uncommon, the nature of this one is definitely unusual.

[Detective]

They were advising that they had a resident that had been stabbed, but there was not a lot of details. Obviously officers responded quickly.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

A nurse went into her client's room and discovered her client was severely, severely injured and was bleeding.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The nurse identifies the victim as 53 year old Mary Lynn Carlson. When first responders arrive, they find Lynn still alive, but just barely.

[Detective]

Lynn was in very bad shape. She'd been stabbed multiple times. The main thing is to try to get her out and keep her heart moving. Life is going to be the number one priority.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Paramedics load Lynn into an ambulance and patrol officers call for detectives.

[Detective]

While I was en route to the scene, I was advised that she was en route to the hospital. I'm thinking that this is a very odd place for an attack like this to happen. It's at a residential assisted living care facility. There's nurses that make rounds. Usually there's traffic, foot traffic going around.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

Lynn had multiple sclerosis and she wasn't able to care for herself.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She was in a wheelchair, bedridden. She's an unlikely victim.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Born in 1942, Mary Lynn's life started out far from the Arizona desert in the bustling city of Chicago where she was adopted at a young age by Marie and Dave Sullivan.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

She had a wonderful mom and dad. Dave Sullivan owned a men's clothing store with his brother in law.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

They were just wonderful people.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

She loved her father. She loved her mother too, but she was daddy's girl. She had a vivacious personality. She was the opposite of her parents. Her parents are quiet and Mary Lynn was her own person, even as a child.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

After high school, Lynn set out on her own.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

She worked as a clerk. She didn't work, maybe a couple years. And then she met Dale Carlson and they got married.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Sadly, the easy days were short lived.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

Now as Lynn got older, she actually was diagnosed with Ms. And so she really struggled with her health.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Ms. Affects her muscles and her strength and she would become weak at times and also at times it affected her moods. She would slip into depressions.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Despite the early onset of Ms. And ensuing depression, Lynn was determined to live life to the fullest. In 1970, the 28 year old and her husband started a family.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

Lynn and Dale had one son and, and his name was David.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

David was her world. She loved David so much. She loved him dearly.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

However, Lynn was often preoccupied by the worsening symptoms of her disease.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

Mississippi is something that is very painful and it really prohibits people from moving and having the independence or freedom.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The loss of independence took a toll on Lynn's mental health.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Lynn and I would talk and she did confirm with me that yeah, you know, I had a problem with drinking.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

Lynn and Dale struggled with alcoholism. That was one of the straws that broke the camel back and you know, they have divorced.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Lynn tried to cut back on her drinking and focused on rebuilding the relationship with her 12 year old son David.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

She was embarrassed by her behavior. She said she wished she could have changed things when he was growing up. But now things were better.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

By the late 80s, Lynn's father had passed away and her mother relocated to Arizona. In 1988, 46 year old Lynn followed her mother to the Phoenix suburb of Peoria.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

David stayed back in the Chicagoland area to try to start his life. He didn't pursue higher education. He sort of worked, you know, in and out of fast food restaurants. He was a little lost.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

At the age of 22, David found what he was looking for when he met 30 year old Doris Hagenow.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She worked odd jobs as well. She worked at a movie theater, she worked at some fast food restaurants. But she also was a certified nurse assistant.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris Hagenow was born in 1962 and raised in Indiana.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

Doris is the twin to Debbie. They're fraternal twins. They're six years older than I am. So we shared the same mom but different dads. Growing up we really had a good family. She was a little more the wild one. You never knew what kind of adventure you're gonna get into with Dori.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris married young and had three children. But after eight years Doris and her husband went their separate ways.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

There was a big difference in personality. There were a lot of heated arguments. They eventually he said that's it, we're done.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

It was a very contentious divorce. Her ex husband got custody of her three children.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

There was some time that went by from Doris divorce. She had been on her own for a while, going from apartment to apartment.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

In 1992, six years after her divorce, Doris met 22 year old David Carlson.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

She was in her 30s and he was early 20s.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

After only a year of dating, David and Doris married and the newlyweds decided to move to Arizona to live with David's. Mother, 50 year old Lynn.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Lynn had already been confined to a wheelchair.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

She had a trust fund and an annuity. She was able to buy the pretty decent house.

[Detective]

At that point, her son and daughter in law moved in with her. Doris was a certified nursing assistant. So it worked out great that they could stay with Lynn, take care of her.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

For the next three years, David and Doris cared for Lynn. But eventually it became clear that Lynn needed more than they could provide.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

With the stage of Ms. That she had at the time, she would get the shakes, she would have no sense of balance. Fine motor skills were then challenging.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

In July 1996, Lynn moved into the Camelot care assisted living facility just a few miles away.

[Detective]

When Lynn moved into the assisted care facility, David and Doris continued to live in the home.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Lynn there at the facility that she would have lunch with or visit with at times. And she really enjoyed it.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Just a few months after Lynn moved into the facility, the 53 year old is found with multiple stab wounds inside her apartment. When detectives arrive, they get an update from Lynn's caregivers.

[Detective]

She's in critical condition. They were going to get her into surgery as soon as they could.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

She was stabbed eight to 10 times in the chest. So they tried to repair these stab wounds and they're trying to heal her.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

This is an unusual crime because that victim was helpless. They really wanted to find out who of course could have access to Lynn's apartment.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Coming up, detectives zero in on a mysterious clue.

[Detective]

The door was actually locked. Okay, now somebody had access to the key.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Until theories on motive shift their attention.

[Detective]

Then you have to look at who stands to gain the most out of this attack.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

October 25, 1996. As surgeons work frantically to save the life of 53 year old stabbing victim Lynn Carlson, Detectives interview the nurse who discovered her.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She let herself in with a key. So she walks in and she knew obviously something horrific had happened because her client was bleeding.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

Lynn said to the woman that found her, I tried as hard as I could to fight them off, but it was too hard.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators note an important detail.

[Detective]

My main thing is how did the suspect get in? We looked at the door, we looked at the windows. There was no damage. The door was actually locked when the nurse came in. So somebody had a key. That was our first clue was, okay, now somebody had access to the. The nurses had a key which we could account for. Administration had a master key which we could account for.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

And the third key we were told was with David and Doris.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives ask the nurse if she noticed anything out of the ordinary. During her earlier rounds that night, the.

[Detective]

Nurse had observed somebody walking in a white, like a physician's coat, a medical coat.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She said she didn't know who he was, she didn't recognize him. But she thought it was interesting because most of the doctors and nurses that are wearing white coats are there during the day. It's very rare that somebody that's wearing a white coat would be in that assisted facility. In the evening hours.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives conclude their interview with the nurse and begin to examine the scene.

[Detective]

We're just trying to figure out exactly what happened. Was it a burglary gone bad? But Lynn's purse had been untouched.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

The TV had been unplugged. They had piled some stuff on or around the TV like they were going to take, but they never took anything.

[Detective]

The whole scene looks staged at that point because the TV was right there in Lynn's purse. So just a lot of things at this point didn't make sense.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators search for the murder weapon.

[Detective]

As we looked through the crime scene, we checked the knives. There was nothing there that appeared to have been used or washed.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

The knife or knives that were used were not left at the crime scene.

[Detective]

We were not able to find any fingerprints. They got in and got out, and for the most part, they left a clean scene.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators dig for more information about Lynn's experience in the care facility over the past few months.

[Detective]

We wanted to check and see if there was any kind of disagreements or anything between Lynn and any of the caregivers or any of the residents.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She was very loved and beloved at this assisted facility.

[Detective]

People really like, there was just nothing that pointed towards anybody that would have done something like this.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Then detectives get word that Lynn's son has just arrived at the facility.

[Detective]

David Carlson said that he just decided to stop here to see his mom. I advised David that his mother had been attacked. His question was, where is she and can she talk?

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detective Lang breaks the news that Lynn's condition is serious.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

He told him she was unconscious and she's on her way to surgery.

[Detective]

I said, hey, look, you know, I know you want to get to the hospital and see your mom, but I really need to talk to you. So I need you to go straight to the Peoria police department. He agreed. He said he understood.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

But as detectives arrive at the stat less than a 10 minute drive from the facility, David is not there.

[Detective]

So when David arrived at the police department, I asked David. I looked at my watch and said, you know, it took you a while to get here because we left at the same time. Is everything okay? You know, do you have any car problems or anything like that? Did you stop anywhere? And David goes, no, I didn't. I didn't stop anywhere. I came straight here. So at that point, I believe that David's not being truthful with us.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives move on questioning David about Lynn.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

David maintained that he had a very good relationship with his mother, that they were loving, and that he, you know, obviously moved his entire life to Arizona to take care of her.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

However, he admits the high cost of the facility has them all stretched thin.

[Detective]

Lynn's trust fund and two annuities totaled roughly about 360,000 DOL, $70,000 total.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

But then Lynn goes to the care home, and so all of the money supporting Lynn goes to Lynn in the care home, and that leaves no money to support Doris or David Carlson.

[Detective]

David did admit that they're in some financial problems because of the care facility. The house was still owned by Lynn. David and Doris were just living there. They were supposed to be taking care of, paying the bills. We were able to confirm that they are about ready to lose a house. The utilities are going to be shut off and so forth.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

The house in Arizona was so large, it actually had multiple bedrooms that were not being used. So David and Doris rented out other bedrooms from the home in order to make additional money.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Mary Lynn told me one of the other things that she kind of, I'll say, stuck in her craw was that Doris was accepting rent money and not.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Turning it over to Mary Lynn. That rent money should have gone to her.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

Detectives asked David point blank, would you ever hurt your mother? And he maintained that he would never. He did, of course, say that they had arguments over finances and money, but at the same time, he loved her very much.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives ask David where he was when Lynn was attacked the night before.

[Detective]

He said that he was at home with Doris. I didn't press too much because I wanted to try to keep an open dialogue with him.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators also ask about the third key to Lynn's room.

[Detective]

He said that they do have a key, that he thinks it's at the house and that he could probably get it to us.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators get one important takeaway from David's interview. Lynn Carlson had money.

[Detective]

Most common motives for homicide would be for money or for love. You have to look at who stands to gain the most out of this attack. If Mary Lynn was to die, that would be David. Who would get the money.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Coming up, a tip exposes horrifying secrets.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

I came to the home, and Lynn would be on the floor. Could not get herself up. She would ask for help and no help would come.

[Narrator/Host]

Every Monday and Wednesday night, it's True Crime on TV one. Love, Betrayal, Murder, Fatal Attraction. All new every Monday night at 9, then Wednesday night at 9. Loyal ride or Die. Bad Girls. It's Love to die for with all new episodes of For My Man, Twisted Love, Twisted Endings, Desire, Deception, Betrayal, True Crime with Fatal Attraction and For My man every Monday and Wednesday night on TV one. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Progressive loves to help people make smart choices. That's why they offer a tool called Auto Quote Explorer that allows you to compare your Progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies so you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

For investigators looking into the attack that left 53 year old Lynn Carlson clinging to life, there is an unanswered question looming.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

The nurse actually told detectives that she saw this man in a white coat.

[Detective]

And we were still looking at that point for the white medical jacket. It seemed like it wasn't part of the actual attack.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

They interviewed all the employees at the facility and they're really coming up blank and they're really hitting a brick wall.

[Detective]

The white coat never, never came up again.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives move on and take a look at the financial records of Lynn's son David and his wife Doris. And they find something troubling.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

When the house was bought, it was paid cash by Lynn, so it was free and clear. There was no mortgage. And then when Doris and David came, they put a pool in and then they took out some other loans. That amount of money that was owed was $97,000.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

On October 25, less than 12 hours after Lynn's attack, detectives secure a search warrant and head to the Carlson home.

[Detective]

We were looking for any knives, any kind of bloody clothing, anything like that. David couldn't produce a key. He would just say, I don't know what happened to him.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

While the search is underway, detectives speak with David's wife, 34 year old Doris Carlson. She backs up everything David told police.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

She confirmed that both of them were at home during the the hours of the crime that took place. They were asleep in their bed together.

[Detective]

She did admit that they did go to Lynn's the previous day and that asked for money.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

David asked her to sign this paperwork so that her Trust would then be back to paying all of his bills.

[Detective]

And Lynn told him that she'd have to talk to her financial advisor.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives ask Doris about the key to Lynn's apartment.

[Detective]

We'd asked, where is it? Well, I don't know, I'll find it. Well, it's kind of important. We need the key now. The fact that we were not able to find the key and they could not produce a key to me, I felt that we were on the right trail.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

While Doris searches for the key, detectives talk with the couple's tenants. 17 year old Scott Smith and 20 year old John Daniel McCreekin who both rent rooms at the home.

[Detective]

They were friends with everybody there at the house. Daniel and David at one time had worked together.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Scott and Daniel also corroborate David and Doris stories.

[Detective]

Everybody was confirming everybody's alibi. They were all saying yes, they were here at the house.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Neither Doris nor investigators are able to locate the key or any other evidence.

[Detective]

We checked all the drawers and we checked that house out thoroughly and we really didn't find anything.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

However, just three days after the attack on October 28th, investigators finally get a break.

[Detective]

We received a call from a subject who was stating that they had information pertaining to the attack.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The witness, Richard, agrees to come to the station for an interview later that evening.

[Detective]

He had grown up with David, but then during their visits to the house, become friends with Daniel and Scott.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Richard says a couple of nights ago he was hanging out at the house with 20 year old Daniel.

[Detective]

Daniel had told him, hey man, I'm going to be getting some money. And Richard asked, well, how are you doing that?

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

He told him that him and Scott Smith were hired to break into her apartment and to kill Lynn.

[Detective]

And that once she dies, David's going to give them money. Richard said that Daniel said he's splitting it with Scott. So he goes, are you serious? What happened?

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

According to Richard, Daniel says he stabbed Lynn as instructed. Richard says he came forward because the nature of the crime is too much for him to bear.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

They asked Richard if he would be involved in a sting operation to try to get one of the men to actually tell their story. He says, absolutely, I will do that. Scott Smith was 17 year old. He was the youngest and they really felt like they might get the most information from him.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

As investigators work with Richard to set up a meeting with Scott, they take a deeper dive into Lynn's relationship with her son. Investigators interview a nurse who cared for Lynn when she still lived at home.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

I worked for a home health agency and the trustees Of Lynn's estate actually were the ones that hired our nursing agency to come in and oversee and help Lynn with her care.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Gail tells investigators that the trustees from the bank had grown concerned about Lynn's well being. Lynn would go to the bank with her daughter in law, Doris, and withdraw money from a trust fund.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Then at some point, the daughter in law was going into the bank without her withdrawing money.

[Detective]

The trustee started questioning those and sent CNA certified nursing assistant to go check on the condition of Mary Lynn.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Gail says she found Lynn in horrific condition.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Lynn would be in the bathroom or on the floor, could not get herself up and she was left there. The worst I've seen. I've never experienced anything like this in all the years I've been in the healthcare field. I do not remember that Doris was a cna and if she were, I didn't see evidence of that.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

In July, based on the nurse's report, the trustees of Lynn's estate made a decision about her care.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

The attorneys involved had all come and.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Made a resolution that she should leave.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

The home, get some medical attention, live.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

In a place that she could benefit. Gail continued to care for Lynn at the facility. She says Lynn thrived, But the tension between Lynn, her son David and Doris grew.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

They definitely seemed irritated. That was my perception. They were trying to bully Lynn into calling the trustees. They said, we are going to lose the house and it will be your fault. You need to call.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators start to wonder how desperate did David get? In the meantime, they check in with Lynn's caregivers at the hospital. After several surgeries, she is conscious, but the damage is grave and she still cannot identify her attacker.

[Detective]

We spend a lot of time going to the hospital Just checking on Lynn and her condition.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

I went to visit Lynn. When I saw her, it did not even look like Lynn. She could not speak and I went over and held her hand. I said, I love you.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Hospital staff take note of Lynn's most frequent visitors.

[Detective]

David and Doris would play video games and stuff and really not even pay attention to Lynn. Lynn would have her eyes open and the minute that Lynn would see Doris, she would close her eyes that she did not want to see Doris at all.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Coming up, a sting confirms detectives worst suspicions.

[Detective]

He said, go ahead and do it, But I didn't think they'd have the balls.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators must determine how deep this betrayal runs.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

It was just.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

An angry suggestion.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

A cooperating witness by the name of Richard agrees to help detectives cope. A confession out of his friend Scott Smith, one of the main suspects in the attempted Murder of Lynn Carlson.

[Detective]

Richard would frequently show up where Scott works and then they would come out and smoke a cigarette or whatever. So Richard agreed to let us go ahead and put microphones in his car. Scott said that he would meet him on one of his breaks. Richard pulled up, parked his car. Scott comes out and Richard just said, dude, what happened? He told Richard that, oh man, it was great. We went in, we got out, Daniel stabbed her. We're gonna get money. He didn't identify David as being one of the active participants. He mentioned that Doris Carlson had given them a key. Doris wanted to do this.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Although the comments are damning, investigators need more to make an arrest. On November 20, Richard agrees to help investigators again by meeting up with Daniel.

[Detective]

They were just more or less sitting around. It wasn't anything out of the norm for them. Daniel wasn't real open. He did say that they had ditched the key going out towards the White Tank Mountains. But then he really wouldn't talk about really anything else.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives ask Richard to wire up for a third time.

[Detective]

Then we went ahead and we had Richard contact David. Richard just kind of mentioned that, you know, hey, I heard what had happened talking to Daniel and Scott and David really wouldn't talk. But he did make the comment to Richard that well, they told me what they were going to do and I told him to go ahead and do it, but I didn't think they'd have the balls.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

On November 21, nearly a month after the attack, as Lynn remains in critical condition, detectives arrest her son and daughter in law.

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

They were at the hospital visiting Lynn when police walked in and arrested them.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

That same day, detectives also arrested John Daniel McCreekin and Scott Smith.

[Detective]

Daniel was at home and he was taken into custody and Scott was at work and he was taken into custody.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

At the station. The four alleged co conspirators are separated for interviews. Investigators start with 17 year old Scott Smith. Sensing that the jig is up, Scott cooperates.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

It was probably a few weeks boring. This happened. I came home from work and saw Dory talking to Dan. I was never really supposed to be a part of it.

[Detective]

He said. Doris did not have an agreement with Scott. It was just with Daniel that she would pay Daniel $20,000 to kill.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

Lynn wanted to go along and make sure guys could be okay. Dan said.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Scott says that on October 25, he, Doris and Daniel left their house just.

[Detective]

Before 1am he said she drove him over to the supermarket which is about five blocks away. She dropped him off there. They went through the back alleyways, got to the complex. Doris had given Daniel a key.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris waited in the car as the two men used her key to let themselves into Lynn's apartment.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

Did you do anything while you were in the apartment? Yeah. That's what stuff off to me. Are you the one that unplugged the towers? Yes.

[Detective]

Scott started trying to make look like burglary gone bad.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

According to Scott, Daniel focused on Lynn.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

Did you have an idea of what Daniel's doing? I said extend her in the throat. Smaller stops part of her body.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Within a few minutes, the attack was over. Scott and Daniel ran back to meet Doris in the grocery store parking lot.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

What was Doris purpose in doing this? Money. How much money? How would dory be her? $325,000 on that. Okay. And then she would obviously get her hands on that. You're saying that David wasn't involved? He obviously knew about this?

[Nurse/Medical Staff]

David is not innocent in this equation. But Doris really was the woman behind this plan.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives, next speak with Daniel.

[Detective]

He gave basically the same account that Scott did. Just a few more details. He said, I walked over to the bed. He took her wheelchair, which is right by the bed, and moved it. He said he just started stabbing. He was trying to hit vital organs so that she would die, and she would die quick.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

As for David, he also admits his role.

[Detective]

He had heard Doris talking about doing it. And they asked David, what do you think? And David told him, go ahead and do. Stunned me. You know, how do you do that to your own mom? Once Doris entered into the picture, David's relationship and the way he viewed his mom changed. It was clear in their marriage who the dominant person was. Doris.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

With three of four co conspirators coming clean, Investigators are eager to find out if Doris will do the same. But Doris claims that she is also a victim here.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

She hired me to come out here and work for her. I helped Brandon out of his back step. I held her in and out of her bed. I never had anything. I was like a guardian angel to her. And then behind my bed, she'd tell people how I was nothing but a mobile, you know, that I was after him running.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris admits to venting her frustrations. One night in front of Daniel.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

I was really mad with my hands up. You.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

It was just an angry outburst.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris insists that Daniel must have acted on his own.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

I need her. Okay, Tell us about the key that you gave to Dan. I was giving it to Dan. Okay. You made the key available to them? The key I would have been available. The truth is, it was sitting there. Did you make the key available to him. I guess that would be making it available. So the answer is yes, isn't it?

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

After detectives press Doris for another two hours, she finally admits to giving Daniel and Scott a ride to the grocery store. But stops short of a confession.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

You gave a ride up there knowing damn well what they were going to do, didn't you? Didn't you Dory? I didn't think they actually. Didn't you? I didn't know if it happened for sure or not. No.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Investigators aren't buying it. And charge all four in the attack.

[Detective]

At this point, the charges are attempted first degree murder, burglary in the first degree and facilitation to commit first degree murder.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Coming up, a tragic turn.

[Detective]

She finally died of her injuries. That changes everything and a defense no one sees coming.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

Doris Carlson had some kind of long term brain damage.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Doris Carlson, along with her husband and two co conspirators have all been charged in a plot that has left her mother in law, 53 year old Lynn Carlson, fighting for her life. News of the arrests travels quickly.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

I was relieved, but I was angry and disgusted in the fact that they could do this to their mom.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

I couldn't believe it. I cried a lot. I mean, that was my sister. But then when I started learning the details of what had happened, it was just complete shock.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

On April 21, 1997, six months after the attack, the case takes a devastating turn.

[Detective]

Lynn passed away. She finally died of her injuries, specifically the sepsis, the infection. At that point, now that changes everything because it's no longer attempted first degree murder. It's now first degree murder.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

With high stakes and little physical evidence tying the accused to the crimes, prosecutors approach Scott Smith with a deal.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

We really needed more evidence than we had. Scott Smith was a witness. He knows what happened. He knows who did it.

[Detective]

His attorney agreed that he would testify at all the other trials in return for a guilty plea of second degree murder. And he would serve a sentence of 10 years.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

With the aid of Scott's testimony in 1998, both David Carlson and Daniel McCreekin are found guilty at trial.

[Detective]

Daniel was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to life in prison, no possibility of parole. David was found guilty on the conspiracy to commit first degree murder. He was sentenced to to 25 to life with a possibility for parole after 25.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

When it comes time for Doris trial, prosecutors add another name to the witness list.

[Detective]

Our case against Doris is probably the weakest. Daniel agreed to testify against Doris knowing that he would not get any benefit from it.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Daniel testifies that it was Doris who approached him with a plan.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

Doris Carlson was getting tired of caring for her mother in law. She had no thought about how bad this was, how horrible it was, how cruel it was.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Prosecutors assert that Doris became desperate after she and David blew through money they had borrowed against Lynn's home.

[Detective]

They used money on stuff instead of paying the bills. So the $90,000, 90 plus thousand dollars, they end up just squandering away and didn't take care of anything that they needed to take care of.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

As for her defense, Doris attorneys make a new and shocking claim.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

The defense strategy was to say that Doris Carlson had some kind of long term brain damage from some previous injury to her head. But there was not very much evidence to support that.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

On July 27, 1999, Doris is found guilty on all charges and sentenced to death.

[Prosecutor/Legal Expert]

It ended up that the Supreme Court reversed the death penalty. It was a close call. It's a little harder to convince the Supreme Court to affirm death for women.

[Family Member/Sister of Doris]

It hurts. It's not just the one woman that got killed. You've got the rest of her family that had to go through that horror, our family that had to go through the horror, realizing that it was one of us that did this to another family. And that's not who we are. It's not.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Still to this day. It affected me more than I even realized. And it was terrifying, you know, if these people were capable of doing this to their mother, you're like, oh wow, you know, anybody could be capable of anything. You just don't know.

[Narrator/Host]

After serving 10 years, Scott Smith was released in 2008. David Carlson was released in 2023 after serving 25 years. John Daniel McCrecken is serving his life sentence at ASPC Yuma. Doris Carlson is serving her life sentence at ASPC Perryville.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The town of Agda in France is famous for sun, sand, sea and sex. But lately, life on the coast has taken a strange turn. The town's mayor, a respected pillar of the community, has been arrested for corruption. His wife claims he's been bewitched by a beautiful clairvoyant. Then there's the mysterious phone calls that local people have been getting.

[Cooperating Witness/Confessor]

I am the Archangel Michael.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

The whole town has been thrown into chaos as the mayor is unable to.

[Family Member/Close Friend]

Carry out his duties.

[Detective]

I would like to address you. All legal proceedings have been initiated.

[Lead Narrator/Investigator]

Join me, Anna Richardson and journalist Leo Chic for the mystic and the Mayor as we investigate a story of power, corruption and magic. Binge all episodes of the mystic and the Mayor. Exclusively and ad free right now on Wondery. Start your free trial in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the Wondery app.