Susan Gigliotti

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder – Episode Summary: Susan Gigliotti

Podcast Information:

• Title: Snapped: Women Who Murder
• Host/Author: Oxygen
• Episode: Susan Gigliotti
• Release Date: December 8, 2024

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, Oxygen delves into the harrowing case of Susan Gigliotti, a woman whose desperate actions led to the tragic murder of her ex-husband, Joe Gigliotti. Through compelling interviews, law enforcement insights, and psychological analysis, the podcast unravels the complex web of deceit, obsession, and manipulation that culminated in murder.

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Background: Joe and Susan Gigliotti's Marriage

Joe Gigliotti, born in December 1967, was the eldest of eight children in New Jersey. Known for his charisma and sense of responsibility, Joe married his high school sweetheart, Susan Jones, in June 1986. The couple welcomed two sons, fostering a seemingly stable family life. However, as Joe pursued further education in accounting at Stockton University in the late 1990s, the strains on their marriage intensified.

• Friend/Family Member: "Joseph was really great with his kids. They were the sunshine of his life." [07:40]
• Officer Destefani: "His divorce had not been finalized. Joseph and Susan Gigliotti were still fighting for custody of the children." [10:54]

Their separation in early 2000, amidst ongoing custody battles, marked the beginning of Susan's descent into obsessive behavior.

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The Day of the Murder: April 16, 2000

On a rainy night in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, Joe Gigliotti was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds. The initial report suggested a possible carjacking, but as investigators delved deeper, the narrative took a sinister turn.

• Reporter: "Susan Gigliotti told investigators that Joe recently found out about her illegal side business." [26:03]
• Officer Destefani: "The Ford Explorer had been stolen from the backyard after the shooting." [01:31]

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Investigation Unfolds

Officers Marcelo Simone and Rich Destefani arrived swiftly at the scene, discovering Joe's lifeless body with bullet holes under his arms. Suspicion quickly fell on those closest to Joe, primarily his ex-wife, Susan.

• Officer Simone: "I recognized one of the females as Susan Gigliotti and an older woman, Susan's mother, Ruth Jones." [03:32]
• Susan Gigliotti: "This woman was going to have everybody killed. You got to be kidding me." [02:06]

Further investigation revealed Susan's involvement in an illegal computer business with her new boyfriend, Steve Fuhrman, raising questions about motive and opportunity.

• Susan Gigliotti: "Steve Fuhrman worked for the federal government and they had a warehouse in Brooklyn. They stored computers up there and they were interested in getting as many computers as they could out of there and bringing them back to Susan's house with the intention of selling those computers." [21:23]

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Key Suspects: Steve Fuhrman and Rich DeBeau

As the investigation progressed, two primary suspects emerged:

1. Steve Fuhrman: Susan's new boyfriend involved in the illegal computer business. Initially evasive, Steve eventually agreed to wear a wire to bait Susan into confessing.

   • Officer Destefani: "Steve Fuhrman was made aware that the fact that we would maintain surveillance and we also provided him with a code word should anything go wrong." [35:13]
   • Susan Gigliotti: "We are suing Steve Fuhrman and a person who we believe had a hand in committing homicide." [22:45]

2. Rich DeBeau: A former lover of Susan, who later confessed to orchestrating Joe's murder under Susan's direction.

   • Officer Destefani: "Rich debau felt if he followed along and did what Susan asked him to do that he would win her back." [40:03]
   • Rich DeBeau: "I guess I am a cold hearted monster." [38:52]

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The Confrontation and Confession

Under intense interrogation, Rich DeBeau broke down and detailed the murder plot orchestrated by Susan. He recounted how Susan manipulated him, providing a weapon and devising a plan to kill Joe.

• Rich DeBeau: "Rich threw his hands in the air and he said literally, okay, okay, okay, I'm going to tell you what happened." [37:15]
• Officer Destefani: "Rich DeBeau felt if he followed along and did what Susan asked him to do that he would win her back." [40:03]

Following DeBeau's confession, investigators focused on Susan’s role, revealing her intent to eliminate Joe to secure sole custody of their children and benefit from his insurance policy.

• Officer Destefani: "Susan Gigliotti was aware that Joseph Gigliotti had an insurance policy and had made statements to them that it would be easier if Joe was dead, that she wouldn't have to go through the aggravation of a divorce." [30:56]

---

Trial and Convictions

The judicial process swiftly unfolded:

• Susan Gigliotti was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with eligibility for parole in 2030.

  • Officer Destefani: "I think she got what she deserved. She's evil and she's a manipulator." [44:45]
  • Friend/Family Member: "She didn't pull a trigger, but she planned it. I don't understand. I still to this day don't." [45:49]

• Rich DeBeau received a 40-year sentence for his role in the murder, passing away in prison in 2020 after serving 17 years.

  • Witness: "He was manipulated by this woman to do this crazy act to take a man's life." [45:09]

• Steve Fuhrman was convicted of computer theft and received four years probation, thanks to his cooperation with authorities.

---

Aftermath and Legacy

The Gigliotti family's life was irrevocably changed by Susan's actions. Joe's legacy lives on through their children, who were raised by Joe’s parents and have thrived despite the tragedy.

• Friend/Family Member: "Joseph's legacy is his kids. They are amazing kids that have had to grow up through this and still have been able to succeed and thrive and are both doing extremely well." [46:04]

Susan remains incarcerated at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, serving her life sentence. The case stands as a stark reminder of how obsession and manipulation can lead to irreversible consequences.

---

Notable Quotes

• Susan Gigliotti: "This woman was going to have everybody killed. You got to be kidding me." [02:06]
• Officer Destefani: "Rich DeBeau felt if he followed along and did what Susan asked him to do that he would win her back." [40:03]
• Rich DeBeau: "I guess I am a cold hearted monster." [38:52]
• Friend/Family Member: "Joseph's legacy is his kids. They are amazing kids that have had to grow up through this and still have been able to succeed and thrive and are both doing extremely well." [46:04]

---

Conclusion

The Susan Gigliotti episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder offers a chilling exploration of a woman's capacity for manipulation and murder driven by obsession and desperation. Through meticulous investigation and the unraveling of Susan's intricate plans, the podcast paints a comprehensive picture of a tragic tale where love turned deadly.

For those intrigued by true crime and the darker aspects of human relationships, this episode serves as a compelling case study on the extremes of marital discord and the lengths one might go to in pursuit of personal gain.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Reporter]

In rural New Jersey, a beloved father is left for dead.

[Officer Simone]

There was bored holes under his arms, blood stained on his shirt.

[Officer Destefani]

The Ford Explorer had been stolen from the backyard after the shooting.

[Reporter]

Now investigators must determine if this is a random act of violence or something much more sinister.

[Officer Simone]

The area is beautiful. You would not anticipate a carjacking.

[Officer Destefani]

The circumstances were very strange, to say the least.

[Susan Gigliotti]

They were having this affair.

[Joe Gigliotti]

I told her I was married. She kept telling me how madly in love she was with me.

[Reporter]

A woman willing to do anything to get her way.

[Susan Gigliotti]

This woman was going to have everybody killed. You got to be kidding me.

[Officer Destefani]

He felt if he followed along that he would win her back.

[Joe Gigliotti]

They told me that basically I have a gun and I know somebody that's going to take care of it.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He was extremely concerned about having to wear a wire.

[Officer Destefani]

She kept questioning, why won't you come over here?

[Witness]

When you're in love with somebody that much, there's no telling what you'll do for somebody.

[Reporter]

April 16, 2000 It's 9pm In Hamilton Township, New Jersey when a homeowner calls 911 to report a possible shooting. Seasoned officers Marcelo Simone and Rich Destefani arrive within minutes it was starting to.

[Officer Simone]

Rain on our arrival. It was a dark night.

[Witness]

It was difficult to see this location Was very rural. It's a quiet street with just a few houses and a lot of wooded area.

[Reporter]

Since it's a small township, officers notice a few familiar faces.

[Officer Simone]

I recognized one of the females as Susan Gigliotti and an older woman, Susan's mother, Ruth Jones.

[Susan Gigliotti]

This was Susan Gigliotti's mother's house and it was her family who was there and they were the ones who called in 911.

[Witness]

Susan told me that her estranged hus, Joe was there to drop off the children.

[Officer Destefani]

Joseph Gigliotti's girlfriend, Sue McChesney was present also. She arrived with Joe at the house with the children. Sue requested to use a bathroom and went inside the house with Joseph Gigliotti.

[Reporter]

That's when Susan says she asked Joe for a favor.

[Witness]

Susan asked her estranged husband Joe to check the transmission Ford Explorer behind the house toward the garage.

[Officer Simone]

Susan had then said while she was inside with her mother Ruth, they heard the shots. The bathroom was at the rear of the residence. And sue, the girlfriend, had said that while she was using the restroom, she'd also heard the shots. Shortly after, they heard the Explorer go peeling backwards out of the driveway.

[Reporter]

Susan Gigliotti tells she immediately went out back to look for Joe.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti called Joe's name and couldn't find him. It was dark and it was raining and would have been hard to see in those conditions. So she came back in the house.

[Witness]

Because they heard what sounded like gunshots, they called the police for shots fired.

[Officer Destefani]

The general reaction from everyone that was in the house was surprise and shock.

[Reporter]

As police begin to inspect the proper officer Simone makes a gruesome discovery.

[Witness]

As I was going, I saw a body laying on the ground. I approached the body and I recognized it was Joe.

[Officer Simone]

The area that we patrol, you get to know your residents. I knew Joseph Gigliotti when he was always cordial and say hi and you'd say hello back. There was bullet holes under his arms, blood stained on his shirt. It was determined that at that moment, Joe was deceased.

[Witness]

We had a crime scene and we had to secure it. It was scary. We didn't know if there was somebody still around. We knew that at least one person had left with a Ford Explorer.

[Officer Simone]

We do know now what the shots were for. Joe Gigliotti was dead. We didn't know where the vehicle was. Getting to know the victim is what we needed to do.

[Reporter]

Born in December 1967, Joe Gigliotti was a New Jersey native, the eldest of eight children. He took on the role of caretaker at a young age, a trait that Became a defining quality.

[Friend or Family Member]

I think being an older brother is probably what gave him his sense of responsibility. Joseph was a social butterfly. He would talk to anybody about anything.

[Narrator]

At 16, Joe's charisma attracted the interest of a classmate, Susan Jones. And like Joe, Susan was compassionate and well liked.

[Officer Destefani]

They went together through part of high school and then got married not long after.

[Reporter]

The high school sweethearts tied the knot in June 1986. Within a year, the young couple welcomed a baby boy. In 1997, a second son followed.

[Friend or Family Member]

Joseph was really great with his kids. He helped them pursue their dreams. They were the sunshine of his life.

[Reporter]

The young couple worked hard to make ends meet.

[Colleague]

I met Susan through our job driving a school bus. It was Atlanta county special services. It was for special needs kids, kids in wheelchairs, kids with autism. She cared for the kids a lot.

[Friend or Family Member]

Joe worked for a company that removed.

[Officer Destefani]

Asbestos, and he wanted to get out.

[Friend or Family Member]

Of that just for health reasons and.

[Reporter]

Just get into something a little safer. In the late 90s, Joe enrolled in accounting classes at Stockton university in Galloway township, New Jersey.

[Officer Destefani]

Joe was, he was a great student. He was doing this basically for his.

[Friend or Family Member]

Kids so they'd be financially better off.

[Reporter]

But eventually, Joe's efforts to build a better life for his kids took a toll on his marriage. When he started going to school, it left more for her to do, and I don't think she really wanted to do that kind of stuff. In early 1998, Joe moved out. But Susan didn't officially file for divorce until September of 1999.

[Officer Destefani]

Their breakup was not good. He was just so devastated and didn't know what to do with himself. Part of that agreement that they were working on Included their custody sharing.

[Reporter]

The boys lived with Susan after the split, But Joe remained an active part of their lives.

[Colleague]

He loved his boys. They were with him a lot, like on the weekends and on his days off, they were out with him.

[Reporter]

It wasn't long before Joe found love again with one of his classmates. In school.

[Friend or Family Member]

We just spent a lot of time together studying, and you spend that much time together with somebody that has similar goals, similar dreams, and it just. We just connected.

[Reporter]

Joe wasn't the only one who moved on. Susan attracted the attention of 36 year old Richard debeau.

[Colleague]

Rich got hired as an aide on the bus. We had aides to help us with the wheelchairs and to help take care of the kids on the bus.

[Witness]

My uncle Rich was head over heels for Susan. My uncle was always either staying at her house or they were communicating on the phone.

[Reporter]

However, friends say Susan Wasn't ready to settle down. She broke it off with Rich after a couple of months.

[Colleague]

Rich was easygoing and very quiet, and she was very, like, rough, not his type. So I knew that wasn't gonna last.

[Reporter]

By 2000, Joe and Lauren's relationship was also hitting the rocks.

[Officer Destefani]

His divorce had not been finalized. Joseph and Susan Gigliotti were still fighting for custody of the children.

[Friend or Family Member]

He proposed to me no less than three times, But Joseph was helping Susan out financially with the house, and he wasn't able to contribute to our household. Until that got figured out. I wasn't ready to go there.

[Reporter]

The couple split, but Joe wasn't alone for long. In March of 2000, while preparing for his CPA exam, he met Sue McChesney.

[Sue McChesney]

I met him online in a chat room for singles. We hit it off right away. He started bringing his children over. I could tell he was an extremely good father and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.

[Reporter]

But sadly, Joe Gigliotti's time with his sons would be cut short. April 16, 2000. After discovering the gunshot riddled body of Joe Gigliotti, Hamilton Township officers call for backup.

[Officer Simone]

Our next actions are to control the scene and keep the residents inside the property, whether they live there or not. Not let anybody in the backyard. We didn't want anything contaminated.

[Reporter]

Initially, detectives keep the news of Joe's death quiet from the family.

[Officer Destefani]

Nobody really understood why they didn't keep searching for Joe in the backyard, but they said they didn't. That's suspicious. You have to assume everybody is a suspect.

[Reporter]

Coming up, crime scene evidence paints a chilling picture of Joe Gigliotti's final moments.

[Officer Destefani]

It appeared somebody may have been laying in wait.

[Reporter]

And officers discover a key piece of evidence.

[Susan Gigliotti]

We did find computers at her home, and the computers were actually stolen from the government.

[Reporter]

April 16, 2000. Within an hour of Joe Gigliotti's murder, investigators are on the scene in Hamilton Township, New Jersey.

[Officer Simone]

Being a small town, we don't do the homicide investigation on our own. That's turned over to the Atlanta county prosecutor's office.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Once we were contacted by the department, we then arrived and we take over that scene. I came in with my team and we began processing and started talking to witnesses.

[Sue McChesney]

I kept asking, do you know anything about Joe? Have you heard about him? Is he okay? And no one would answer me.

[Witness]

When Susan was describing the incident, she thought it was a carjacking, a robbery.

[Reporter]

But detectives aren't so sure.

[Witness]

It'd be very unusual for that to happen in this location because it is so out of the way as far as somebody passing through.

[Reporter]

As the hours tick by, Sue McChesney, Jo's current girlfriend, is growing impatient as she awaits any news of Jo.

[Sue McChesney]

I told Joseph Jr. Something's not right. I would like you to call your grandfather and let me talk to him. I said, joe's not here. Something happened. Could you come pick up the kids? So he said, sure. At some point, police officers showed up and each one of us, myself, Susan and her mother, they took us to the police station.

[Reporter]

With the occupants of the house away, investigators are free to focus on the scene.

[Officer Destefani]

You can see that the victim had some type of wound to his arm and he had blood in his chest area. There were no shell casings found, which indicates that this may have been a revolver.

[Susan Gigliotti]

There really wasn't much of a outdoor crime scene beyond the body. The reality is that we don't have any indicators of anything. The medical examiner determined that Mr. Gigliotti was shot five times. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

[Reporter]

Joe's body is transported to the medical examiner's office while detectives chase their only.

[Officer Destefani]

Lead, the victim's ex wife, Susan Gigliotti. Paddock Ford Explorer. And the Explorer had been stolen from the backyard. After the shooting.

[Reporter]

Authorities immediately release a BOLO for the Explorer.

[Witness]

He put that information out countywide as a possibly armed and dangerous individual with a description of the vehicle.

[Reporter]

Within an hour, police get a hit after an officer in a neighboring town spots the suv.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti's car was located at the train station about three miles away from the Gigliotti residence by an Ankarbor City police officer. The keys were in the vehicle. The vehicle was unlocked. The officer indicated that he had seen a white male exit the vehicle, go into the train. Back in 2000, there was no surveillance video at the train station.

[Reporter]

What's more, when they sweep the vehicle for evidence, they come up empty handed.

[Officer Destefani]

The vehicle was processed. There was nothing that was left in the vehicle that we could see.

[Reporter]

With a little to go on, investigators turned to their witnesses for answers, starting with Joe's girlfriend, Sue McChesney.

[Sue McChesney]

The detective finally told me that Joe was dead. I did not find out he had been killed until that interview. I had no idea at that point. I couldn't believe, you know, that's what happened.

[Officer Destefani]

The girlfriend, Sue McChesney, was very affected by this incident. She showed quite a bit of shock and disbelief and confusion.

[Reporter]

Despite the shocking news, Sue McChesney pulls herself together to provide some crucial context.

[Sue McChesney]

Joe had the two boys almost every weekend. Joe never really Told me very much about his ex wife. I had not met Susan until that night. I understood that Joe had a difficult time returning the children. I could tell that there was a lot of tension there.

[Reporter]

Sue McChesney says, on the day of the murder, everything felt off.

[Sue McChesney]

Christian became sick and was running a fever, and he started crying and whining that he wanted his mother. So I pretty much insisted that Joe give her a call and ask if we could return the children early. She declined and said, don't bring them back any earlier than when you were supposed to bring him back. I couldn't understand why any mom would turn away a child that's sick and wanting them. When I got there, I asked Susan to use the bathroom. So the four of us went into her mother's house.

[Reporter]

As they were exchanging the kids, Joe's ex wife asked him for a favor.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti asked Joe to go in the backyard and check the transmission. She said she was having problems with the transmission at that point.

[Sue McChesney]

I went to the bathroom. While I was in there, I started hearing a couple noises. They sounded like bangs to me. I became very concerned, and I came out and I asked Susan, did anyone hear the noises? At that point, a car drove past the house. It just seemed like it was like flying past the house. You know, Joe's outside. I want to go take a look and see if everything's okay. But Susan stopped me at the door, and she goes, no, no, don't go out there. You do not know the property. I'll go out and check.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti ran outside and looked for Joe Giuliani, or to see what the disturbance was, did not find him. Came back in the house.

[Sue McChesney]

When Susan came back, she said, I couldn't find him. And I said to her, I go, how is that even possible? How could you not find him? And I said, you know, something's not right. I thought, maybe Joe got. Maybe Joe's driving himself, you know, to hospital or something like that. I insisted that they called the police, so they did.

[Reporter]

Police allow Sue McChesney to go home and call Susan Gigliotti into the room.

[Narrator]

Based on information from other witnesses about her contentious divorce. Police asked Susan if she had anything to do with the murder, and she denied it.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti downplayed the fact that they had a contentious situation going on. She didn't seem overwhelmed or overly affected with Joe's murder, but she indicated that she had no idea why this would have happened.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Interviewers now want to know who could have been responsible for her bringing Harm to Joe.

[Reporter]

That's when Susan Gigliotti reveals she has a new boyfriend, Steve Fuhrman.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Steve Furman and Susan met each other through a online chat room and then.

[Reporter]

They eventually met in person without any prompting. Susan admits the two have a side business, an illegal one.

[Officer Destefani]

She said her boyfriend Steve Furman worked for the federal government and they had a warehouse in Brooklyn. They stored computers up there and they were interested in getting as many computers as they could out of there and bringing them back to Susan's house with the intention of selling those computers.

[Reporter]

What's more, Susan says Joe recently found out about the operation.

[Officer Destefani]

Joe Gigliotti had found the stolen items in Susan's house during one of his drop offs for visitation and was not happy with it.

[Reporter]

Susan admits she worried that Joe would use this discovery against her and file for sole custody of their children.

[Friend or Family Member]

Joseph had an opportunity to call the police and have Susan removed from the home because of it. I told him to do it and he said to me, I can't do that to her, Lauren. She's the mother of my children. He wanted whatever was best for the kids, which he felt was staying in their home. He did not want to disrupt their lives, so he wasn't trying to take them anywhere.

[Reporter]

Investigators obtain a warrant to search Susan Gigliotti's home for evidence.

[Susan Gigliotti]

When we did find computers at Susan's home, we were able to establish that the computers were actually stolen from the government. So Steve Fuhrman is another person of interest. We suspected that Steve Fuhrman had some aspect of involvement in the death of Joe Gigliotti.

[Reporter]

Coming up, rumors of a jilted lover.

[Officer Destefani]

There was some belief that he may have been stalking Susan. At one point, for the ex boyfriend.

[Susan Gigliotti]

To be in a picture, he obviously became someone we immediately want to speak with.

[Reporter]

And investigators uncover a big break in the case.

[Officer Destefani]

The man was extremely nervous, sweating profusely. Joe was going to be taken care of. What did you interpret that to me?

[Joe Gigliotti]

That he was going to be killed?

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[Reporter]

The murder of Joe Gigliotti, his soon to be ex wife, Susan tells investigators that Joe recently found out about her illegal side business.

[Officer Destefani]

There was a ongoing dispute between Susan and Joe regarding this. She did confess that she participated in a step with her boyfriend, Stephen Thurman. He needed to be interviewed.

[Reporter]

When Steve sits down with investigators on April 17, he reveals a another twist.

[Susan Gigliotti]

The fact that Steve Furman was married did come up in our interview. Stephen told me that he was having this affair and that he deeply cared for Susan Gigliotti.

[Officer Destefani]

He says he's in love with her, that they've been seeing each other for quite a while, and that eventually he would like to start a life with her.

[Reporter]

Detectives push Steve for more information. Information about the stolen computers.

[Officer Destefani]

Can you tell me what it is, what exactly it is that you know about these computers?

[Joe Gigliotti]

I had found them on loading dock where I work, and she said, well, we could take them and sell them and I could maybe, you know, split it with you. She came out there one day and I put them in the truck and took him to a house.

[Reporter]

While Steve admits to the theft, he's avoiding the elephant in the room.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He really wasn't talking about the homicide very much. And when he did talk about the relationship between Susan Gigliotti and Joe Gigliotti, it was always how terrible Joe is. That is an immediate red flag in my mind. My immediate response was it was a misdirection.

[Officer Destefani]

Did Susan tell you specifically that she knew what had happened to her ex husband, Joe?

[Joe Gigliotti]

No, she just told me that something bad had happened. He had gotten shot. He's dead. Well, the simplest question, Mr. Farmer, did you kill Susan? No, I did not.

[Susan Gigliotti]

No.

[Joe Gigliotti]

Do you know who did? No, I do not.

[Reporter]

Detectives believe Steve may be hiding something, but release him for now. When detectives question Susan's family members, suddenly a new person of interest surfaces. Richard DeBeau.

[Officer Destefani]

We always ask in a situation such as this, who were prior boyfriends? Was there anybody that might be jealous? And Rich deboe's name came up through a family member as a former friend or lover of Susan Gigliotti. And family members indicated that there was some belief that he may have been stalking Susan. At one point, for the ex boyfriend.

[Susan Gigliotti]

To be in a picture, he obviously became someone we immediately want to speak with as well. We were able to pick him up, bring him in.

[Reporter]

Investigators press Rich DeBoe about his whereabouts the day of the shooting.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Rich told us that day that he followed his normal routine. I believe he worked, he walked a boardwalk in Atlantic City, and then he caught the train back to a carbon city, and from there he went home. And that was the end of his day.

[Reporter]

Although authorities need to verify Rich's alibi, he seems harmless.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He wanted to cooperate. He didn't have extensive violent criminal history. There was no indication in the world for us to believe that he was involved.

[Reporter]

With no leads from their initial interviews, investigators seek out Joe's friends and family looking for more clues.

[Officer Destefani]

All the information that everyone provided was that he was a nice guy that nobody had a problem with and nobody was aware that he had any Issues with anyone other than his ex wife.

[Colleague]

There was that custody battle between them for their two children, so it was.

[Reporter]

Not a good situation, the family tells investigators. At one point, Susan claimed Joe had abused her during their marriage.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan had alleged a number of assaults. At one point she said, I think that she had a broken nose caused by Joe during a domestic dispute.

[Reporter]

However, detectives find no record of abuse.

[Susan Gigliotti]

There was no proof submitted to the court that would sustain a charge of domestic abuse.

[Reporter]

They do uncover threats of violence, however, they didn't come from Joe.

[Officer Destefani]

Friends indicated that Susan Gigliotti was aware that Joseph Gigliotti had an insurance policy and had made statements to them that it would be easier if Joe was dead, that she wouldn't have to go through the aggravation of a divorce.

[Reporter]

Could Susan have followed through with her threats or did someone intervene on her behalf? Detectives suspect Steve Fuhrman knows much more than he claims. So they circle back to him. On April 19, during the first interview.

[Officer Destefani]

With Steve Fuhrman, he very evasive and very vague in his answers. We brought him back in and then we brought up our belief that this was an arranged murder, that he knew about it. The man was extremely nervous, sweating profusely. He just was a mess.

[Reporter]

Eventually, the pressure pays off.

[Officer Destefani]

Did sue make any comments to you which would lead you to believe that she was responsible for Joe's death?

[Joe Gigliotti]

About two weeks ago, she had told me the situation that was going to occur. She told me that basically I have a gun, I have ammunition, and I know somebody that's going to take care of it.

[Officer Destefani]

When she said to you that Joe was gonna be taken care of, what did you interpret that to mean?

[Joe Gigliotti]

That he was gonna be killed.

[Officer Destefani]

Did she say who was going to do this?

[Joe Gigliotti]

She said she knew somebody that lived close by and that he would take care of it.

[Officer Destefani]

Did she ever mention this person by name?

[Joe Gigliotti]

No.

[Reporter]

Steve may not know the name of the alleged shooter. However, investigators believe they do.

[Officer Destefani]

Rich Debauchery. Her former lover, Parrish deboe, would do anything for her.

[Reporter]

While Steve denies any involvement in the murder, he is not in the clear just yet.

[Officer Destefani]

At the point that Steve Fuhrman admitted his knowledge, he's now a conspirator. We felt as though he'd be an asset to us if he would cooperate.

[Reporter]

On April 19, 2000, Steve agrees to wear a wire in an effort to get Susan to confess and to reveal the alleged gunman's identity.

[Officer Destefani]

Steve Fuhrman was nervous. He was going to try to confirm with her that Rich DeBeau was the shooter. He needed her to admit and say names and prove what Steve had said was true.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Steve was concerned that she was going to figure it out. It's an extremely dangerous situation where you're putting a watch on someone's body.

[Reporter]

Coming up, Steve puts his life on the line.

[Susan Gigliotti]

We can't eliminate all risk in situations like this. It becomes apparent that Susan may be sensing that Furman's up to something.

[Reporter]

As detectives close in, one man can't handle the pressure.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He threw his hands in the air and he said, okay, okay, okay. I'm gonna tell you what's happened.

[Officer Destefani]

If looks could kill, he'd be dead right there in the chair.

[Reporter]

April 19, 2000. Authorities in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, are closing in on the main suspects in the murder of Joe Gigliotti after his ex wife's lover, Steve Fuhrman, agrees to cooperate with investigators.

[Susan Gigliotti]

We had to give Mr. Furman explicit instructions. He was extremely concerned about having to wear a wire. He was just concerned for his safety. We're actually suing Steve Fuhrman and a person who we believe had a hand in committing homicide. And we can't eliminate all risk in situations like this, and that's why it's voluntary.

[Officer Destefani]

Steve Fuhrman was made aware that the fact that we would maintain surveillance and we also provided him with a code word should anything go wrong.

[Susan Gigliotti]

We have teams in place that can respond if it becomes extremely dangerous.

[Reporter]

On April 19, around 5pm Investigators take their places.

[Officer Destefani]

I have a van which is equipped with monitoring devices. In this particular case, the house could be surveilled. We then sent Steve Furman in in his own vehicle to Susan Gigliotti's house. He pulled into the driveway and Ms. Gigliotti came out of her house.

[Susan Gigliotti]

She was very guarded. She did attempt to hug him. He was able to rebuff that attempt.

[Officer Destefani]

She kept questioning. Why won't you come over here? Are you wired? Let me pat you down. Mr. Furman started requesting to know what Mrs. Gigliotti had said to authorities, that he was very concerned that he was going to go to jail. Ms. Gigliotti indicated that you don't have to worry about that. You weren't involved. It was Rich to Beau. That was the first time we got any confirmation from Mrs. Gigliotti that Mr. Furman was telling the truth. They said their goodbyes, and Mr. Furman left in the vehicle.

[Reporter]

Investigators immediately locate Rich DeBeau and bring him back in for questioning.

[Susan Gigliotti]

We brought Rich back in for a second interview. We couldn't find any evidence at all that he did what he claimed he has done on that day.

[Reporter]

Before investigators lay out their cards, they first confront Rich about his shaky alibi for the night of Joe's murder.

[Officer Destefani]

Initially, Rich DeBoe had indicated that he was in Atlantic City and nobody could verify it. That's all it took for Mr. DeBeau to decide it was time to tell the truth.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Rich threw his hands in the air and he said literally, okay, okay, okay, I'm going to tell you what happened.

[Officer Destefani]

He said the murder plot was actually discussed several months before it occurred. Rich Debo believed everything Susan Gigliotti told him. That she's being abused by Joe Gigliotti, that she wants to be with him, Rich debau, for the rest of his life because that's who he is. He wants to hear these things so he believes them.

[Reporter]

Rich tells detectives that Susan Gigliotti first approached him months earlier with her plan.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He proceeded to tell us how he committed the murder and what he did after. Every time he would respond he would end it with, I'm not a cold hearted monster.

[Officer Destefani]

On April 16, it was around 8:30 that Susan Gigliotti came and picked him up and drove home to Susan's parents house.

[Reporter]

Rich says that Susan handed him a black revolver and left the keys in the Explorer so he could make his escape.

[Colleague]

Joe came to the house to drop off the children. Susan asked him to change her transmission fluid in her car. He went out there and that's when Richard DeBoe was laying in wait.

[Officer Destefani]

He said when Gigliotti bent down to look in the engine compartment, he'd shot him.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Rich shot him a couple times. Joe was begging for his life, asking Rich, please, please stop. And when we asked Rich, what did you do next? His response was, I shot him again. And with that Rich took a long breath and he paused. And then he looked at us and he says, I guess I am a cold hearted monster.

[Reporter]

Rich explains that after shooting Joe, he took off in the Ford Explorer as Susan had planned.

[Susan Gigliotti]

He then made his way back to a carpet city. He went to the train station and then he proceeded to go home.

[Officer Destefani]

Mr. Dubeau said that he had gloves on at the time of the murder, that he took the gloves, he took the weapon and he threw them in a trash can. As he walked towards his house, he said that he didn't know what trash can he dropped the items in and we never recovered the weapon.

[Reporter]

To detectives, Rich's motive is one as old as time.

[Officer Destefani]

Rich debau felt if he followed along and did what Susan asked him to do that he would win her back. He did it because he wanted to be with Susan Gigliotti. And she asked him, and that's all it took.

[Reporter]

But deboe isn't done talking just yet and makes another shocking confession.

[Susan Gigliotti]

That's when Rich started telling us about the plan to murder Steve Furman's wife Carrie, which was news to us. It was a. You gotta be kidding me. That murder was to occur two weeks after the murder of Joe Gigliotti. It was a very bone chilling moment.

[Reporter]

Investigators charge Rich DeBeau with murder and issue a warrant for Susan Gigliotti's arrest.

[Susan Gigliotti]

The team brought Susan Gigliotti in. When Susan came in, she saw Rich, at which point she stopped at the door and Rich said, I told him everything.

[Officer Destefani]

Susan Gigliotti said, who do you think you're talking to? I told you, keep your mouth shut. Rich DeBoe responded by saying, it's too late. We're both going down together. If looks could kill, he'd be dead right there.

[Reporter]

Coming up, investigators determine if another arrest is needed.

[Officer Destefani]

What did you interpret her to mean by that?

[Joe Gigliotti]

Kill him? I really didn't think she would.

[Reporter]

And Susan's fate is left in the hands of the jury.

[Colleague]

She didn't pull a trigger, but she planned it. I don't understand. I still to this day don't.

[Reporter]

April 19, 2000. As New Jersey authorities close in on Susan Gagliotti for the murder of her ex husband Joe. They have just learned of another stunning murder plot.

[Susan Gigliotti]

In addition to Rich DeBoeu confessing to murdering Joe Gigliotti, he was also slated to murder Stephen Furman's wife, Carrie.

[Colleague]

Susan wanted to be with Steve. She wanted his wife dead, and she wanted just everybody out of the way so she could have her new life.

[Reporter]

In the interrogation room. Unlike Rich, Susan keeps her mouth shut.

[Officer Destefani]

She's under arrest. She's not saying a word. If we didn't know her name, we probably wouldn't have got that out of her. We got no information from her.

[Reporter]

Now the burning question is whether Steve Fuhrman was part of the deadly scheme.

[Joe Gigliotti]

She fell in love with me and wanted to be with me. And I was having marital problems. I couldn't get a divorce. And so she turned around and said, well, I'm gonna have him taken care of and I'm gonna take care of your wife because you can't get a divorce.

[Officer Destefani]

What did you interpret her to mean by that?

[Joe Gigliotti]

Kill him? I was petrified, but I blew it off. And I said, yeah, right. I really didn't think she would.

[Reporter]

In the end, authorities decide not to press conspiracy charges against Steve Fuhrman.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Charges were filed against Steve Fuhrman for the computer theft. As far as his conspiracy and the death of Joe Giulioti, we didn't have a strong case against him based on the evidence we had. In addition, he was cooperating with us.

[Officer Destefani]

There was no pursuit of charges because Mr. Furman was very instrumental in us solving this case.

[Reporter]

In March 2002, the case finally goes to trial.

[Susan Gigliotti]

Bristol beau, Steve Fuhrman, all of them turn against Susan Giulioti.

[Reporter]

On March 21, after only 90 minutes of deliberation, the jury reaches a verdict.

[Colleague]

They did what they needed to do, hour and a half, and she was guilty of murder.

[Friend or Family Member]

Susan was convicted of murder in the first degree, various other weapons charges, and I believe stolen goods charges. And she was sentenced to life. But she does have the option for parole after 30 years.

[Officer Destefani]

I think she got what she deserved. She's evil and she's a manipulator.

[Reporter]

In January of 2003, Rich DeBeau is convicted of Joe Gigliotti's murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and weapons charges. He's sentenced to 40 years in prison.

[Witness]

I feel bad for him, you know, he was manipulated by this woman to do this crazy act to take a man's life. When you're in love with somebody that much and they take advantage of that, you know, there's no telling what you'll do for somebody.

[Reporter]

The shockwaves of Susan's manipulation are widespread.

[Susan Gigliotti]

She didn't care about the kids affirming. She didn't care about her children. She didn't care about the Bowes family. Joe Gigliotti is dead and his family mourns his death every single day.

[Colleague]

She didn't pull a trigger, but she planned it. She took a great dad from them. He was a fantastic father. I don't understand. I still to this day don't.

[Friend or Family Member]

Joseph's legacy is his kids. They are amazing kids that have had to grow up through this and still have been able to succeed and thrive and are both doing extremely well. And that is, that's his legacy 100% and a worthy one.

[Narrator]

Susan Gigliotti is currently housed at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women. She will be eligible for parole in 2030. After serving 17 years of his 40 year sentence, Rich DeBeau died in prison in 2020. Steve Fuhrman was convicted of theft of government property and received four years probation from a federal court. Joe and Susan's two children were raised by Joe's parents. It's time to turn your daydream into your dream job. WIX gives you the power to turn your passion into a moneymaker with a website that fits your unique vision and drives you towards your goals. Let your ideas flow with AI tools that guide you, but give you full control and flexibility. Manage your business from one dashboard and keep it growing with built in marketing features. Get everything you need to turn your part time passion into a full time business. Go to wix.com.