Snapped: Women Who Murder

Episode: Sarah Mitchell

Host/Author: Oxygen

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, Oxygen delves into the chilling case of Sarah Mitchell, a woman whose familial bonds turned deadly. The story unravels the complex dynamics between Sarah and her sister, Stevie Allman, leading to a heinous act of betrayal that shocked their community.

Background: The Allman Sisters

Stevie Allman and Sarah Mitchell were sisters with starkly contrasting personalities and lifestyles. Growing up in Oakland, California, under the care of their single mother after their father disappeared, Stevie became the pillar of the family.

• Detective's Insight [07:42]: "The girls grew up in an environment where there's a single parent, the father disappeared, and their mom raised them. So the kids were relied on a lot to help out everybody else, and Stevie was one of those people that was relied on at an early age to help out the family."

Stevie was industrious and dependable, excelling in her job at a local utility truck company, earning over $100,000 in bonuses for her dedication. In contrast, Sarah led a more turbulent life, struggling with multiple divorces and unstable relationships.

Rising Tensions and Community Involvement

By the late 1990s, Oakland was grappling with rampant drug-related crimes. The Allman sisters decided to take a stand against the escalating violence, positioning themselves as community watchdogs to combat the drug epidemic.

• Sarah Mitchell [12:28]: "The framework of the house was still existing, but for the most part, the fire was extensive."

However, their activism inadvertently placed them in the crosshairs of local drug dealers, leading to mounting threats against Stevie and Sarah.

The Arson Attack

On the evening of July 1, 1997, disaster struck. A neighbor, Monica Boyette, responded to a frantic knock at her door, finding Stevie severely burned and her home engulfed in flames.

• Monica Boyette [04:31]: "A lady came to my door and told me that she needed help."

Stevie claimed that drug dealers retaliated against her for filming their illicit activities, resulting in the firebombing of her home. As authorities grappled with Stevie's statements, confusion loomed over the whereabouts of her sister, Sarah.

Investigation and Unveiling the Deception

As detectives delved deeper, inconsistencies in Stevie's account raised suspicions. Key evidence suggested that the arson might not have been perpetrated by drug dealers but by someone with a personal vendetta against the Allman sisters.

• Crime Scene Investigator [19:12]: "That, quite frankly, is unusual because normally someone is going to tell us something, but in this case, with a high dollar reward, with a lot of national attention on this case, we're getting no information, which to me means we're not turning up the right stone."

The breakthrough came when Leota Belville, another sister, filed a missing persons report for Stevie, revealing that the woman in the hospital was not Stevie but Sarah impersonating her.

• Leota Belville [21:27]: "The first thing Leota told the detectives was that the person in the hospital is not Stevie Allman and that is Sarah Mitchell."

Discovery of Stevie's Remains

Detectives obtained a fingerprint match confirming that the woman claiming to be Stevie was, in fact, Sarah Mitchell engaging in identity theft.

• Sarah Mitchell [32:32]: "It pretty much vindicated a lot of my suspicions. We knew that she was Sarah. And now where was Stevie?"

Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of Stevie's dismembered body in her burned home.

• Monica Boyette [37:17]: "She had been cut in half from the waist up and then the lower torso from her waist down to about above her knees. And then the last part that came out was the legs. We had four body parts all together. It was just disbelief and just never seen anything like this before in my career."

Trial and Conviction

Sarah Mitchell faced charges for forgery and the murder of her sister. The prosecution presented overwhelming evidence, including financial motives and forensic findings linking Sarah to the crime.

• Prosecutors [43:25]: "Prosecutors theorize that on the night of June 30, 1997, while Stevie was sleeping, Sarah walked into her sister's bedroom with horrific intentions."

Despite Sarah's defense highlighting the lack of direct witnesses, the jury found her guilty of first-degree murder.

• Leota Belville [45:05]: "She thought about it before she did it and she planned it, and then she executed her plan. And therefore they found that she premeditated the murder, which is first degree murder in California."

Aftermath and Community Impact

Sarah Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison, with her next parole eligibility set for January 2027. The community was left in shock, grappling with the betrayal within a family they thought they knew.

• Monica Boyette [46:22]: "At the end of the day, I think it just boils down to money, jealousy, pure, just greed and evil."

Leota Belville emphasized Stevie's legacy as a person of high integrity and a community pillar.

• Leota Belville [46:40]: "She cared for her mother, she cared for her siblings. She was just a person of high integrity, hard worker. I mean, she represented all of the good things in people. And I think her sister Sarah represented some of the worst things in people."

Conclusion

The Sarah Mitchell case serves as a haunting reminder of the depths of familial betrayal and the destructive power of deceit. Stevie Allman's dedication to her community will always be remembered, overshadowed only by the tragic demise caused by her sister's greed and malice.

Key Quotes

• Leota Belville [02:00]: "She represented all of the good things in I think her sister represented some of the worst things in people."

• Sarah Mitchell [13:16]: "They said if she ever got in the way of our business or she ever caused us problems, it was easier to just put a bullet in her head."

• Leota Belville [27:05]: "Stevie had been long frustrated by Sarah being lazy, not willing to work, always looking for someone to take care of her, and just not being a real productive person. And that was at the heart of the bad blood that had been going on between Stevie and Sarah."

• Monica Boyette [40:53]: "We didn't realize we had a murderer right here in our own neighborhood. I mean, if she'd have killed her sister, she'd have killed me, she'd have killed you, she'd have killed anybody."

Reflection

This episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder intricately weaves the narrative of family dynamics gone terribly wrong. It highlights how trust and love can be twisted into motives for the most unimaginable crimes, leaving a lasting impact on all involved.