Fatal Beauty | 5. Luck Runs Out

Summary

Summary of "Fatal Beauty | 5. Luck Runs Out"

Introduction and Background

In the fifth episode of the Fatal Beauty series titled "Luck Runs Out," host Cooper Maul delves deeper into the intricate story of Sandra Bridewell, a woman whose Southern charm masked a sinister intent. Known infamously as the Black Widow, Sandra had a history of manipulating and deceiving those around her to achieve her extravagant lifestyle without consequence. This episode explores how Sandra finally begins to unravel, leading to her eventual capture.

Sandra's Infiltration into the Mosley Family

The narrative centers around Jim Mosley, a devoted son grappling with the care of his elderly mother, Sue Mosley. Following the death of his father, Sue was left lonely and resistant to moving into a retirement home. In an effort to provide his mother with companionship and help, Jim allows Camille Bowers—a woman claiming to be a missionary returning from India—to move in and assist with Sue's daily needs.

Jim recalls his initial impressions of Camille, noting her attractiveness and youthful demeanor, which seemed incongruent with her supposed missionary background:

Jim Mosley [04:03]: "She was very attractive, you know, she had a cute little body. She walks in the door, her breasts are exposed and everything."

Despite Camille's seemingly genuine assistance, Jim becomes increasingly suspicious of her intentions, particularly when Camille begins showing inappropriate interest in him:

Jim Mosley [05:01]: "She said, you know, Camille likes you, Jim. And I said, well, that's good. I'm glad she likes me. She goes, more than that, Jim. And I go, what do you mean? She says, she told me that she was going to marry you. And I said, really? I said, that's not going to happen."

Uncovering the Deception

Jim's suspicions deepen when he discovers unusual activity concerning his mother's finances. Camille's generosity, such as gifting expensive golf balls, seemed out of place for someone supposedly on a missionary mission:

Jim Mosley [06:31]: "I've come to find out she had used my mother's credit card."

Further investigation reveals that Camille had been manipulating Sue's financial affairs, including unauthorized use of credit cards and forging checks. Jim shares his realization of Camille's true nature:

Jim Mosley [06:51]: "This girl was good. I'm telling you, if you want the definition of a flimflam artist, it's her. You look it up in the dictionary, it's got her picture. She hoodooed everybody."

The Investigation by Detective Jane Todd

As Jim confronts the reality of Camille's deceit, local detective Jane Todd becomes instrumental in building a case against Sandra Bridewell. Detective Todd, along with her colleague Glenna Whitley, uncovers a pattern of financial fraud and identity theft perpetrated by Sandra. One pivotal moment occurs during a search warrant executed at Sue's home, where Detective Todd discovers meticulous records of forgery and financial manipulation:

Glenna Whitley [17:45]: "In Ms. Moseley's kitchen area, there were pads of notebook paper that had Ms. Sue Mosley's name written on it. It was a repeated signature. Almost as if somebody was trying to duplicate Ms. Moseley's signature."

Detective Todd also uncovers evidence of Sandra's attempts to isolate Sue from her family by fabricating stories about Sue's daughter, Nancy, engaging in fraudulent activities:

Glenna Whitley [23:08]: "Sandra had told Ms. Sue that Nancy was trying to get a hold of Ms. Sue's Social Security number so she could take over Ms. Sue's Social Security check."

These manipulations not only diverted financial resources but also sowed discord within the Mosley family, making Sandra's schemes more effective.

The Arrest of Sandra Bridewell

With mounting evidence, Detective Todd collaborates with Jim Mosley to orchestrate a sting operation aimed at apprehending Sandra. Jim plays a crucial role by setting a trap, luring Sandra under the guise of borrowing his mother's car. The operation culminates at a local restaurant, Dean and DeLuca's, where Sandra is successfully arrested:

Jim Mosley [29:40]: "I had to go to the restaurant. And I looked at the guys and I said, what are you waiting for?"

Upon her arrest, Sandra shows no signs of remorse or surprise, maintaining her composed demeanor despite being caught:

Jim Mosley [30:43]: "Like nothing, she had no emotion."

Legal Proceedings and Conviction

Despite the compelling evidence, Detective Todd faces challenges in securing Sandra's conviction due to the nature of her crimes being classified as financial rather than violent. The District Attorney initially considers dropping the case for being a minor offense, but additional evidence, including intercepted communications related to Social Security fraud, strengthens the case:

Glenna Whitley [37:14]: "Finally, it became over $2,500 in fraudulent charges."

By December 2007, Sandra is formally indicted on multiple counts of bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and aggravated identity theft:

Cooper Maul [38:09]: "By December 2007, almost 22 years to the day after Alan Raring was found murdered, a final indictment came for Sandra."

Sandra's arrest marks the end of a long-standing escape from justice, transitioning her from a manipulative con artist to a federal inmate facing up to 15 years in prison.

Conclusion and Aftermath

The episode concludes with reflections on the impact of Sandra's deceit on the Mosley family and the broader community. Sue Mosley's tragic demise in the summer of 2024 underscores the profound personal losses inflicted by Sandra's actions. Additionally, the reopening of Alan Raring's cold case hints at deeper connections and possible accomplices in Sandra's tumultuous history:

Jim Mosley [39:33]: "Sandra might have had an accomplice."

Detective Todd's relentless pursuit serves as a testament to the perseverance required to bring elusive criminals to justice. The episode sets the stage for the finale, where Sue Mosley’s true story and the broader implications of Sandra's manipulations are further explored.

Notable Quotes

• Jim Mosley [04:03]: "She was very attractive, you know, she had a cute little body. She walks in the door, her breasts are exposed and everything."

• Jim Mosley [06:51]: "This girl was good. I'm telling you, if you want the definition of a flimflam artist, it's her. You look it up in the dictionary, it's got her picture. She hoodooed everybody."

• Glenna Whitley [17:45]: "In Ms. Moseley's kitchen area, there were pads of notebook paper that had Ms. Sue Mosley's name written on it. It was a repeated signature. Almost as if somebody was trying to duplicate Ms. Moseley's signature."

• Jim Mosley [30:43]: "Like nothing, she had no emotion."

• Jim Mosley [39:33]: "Sandra might have had an accomplice."

Final Thoughts

"Luck Runs Out" effectively illustrates how Sandra Bridewell's charismatic façade ultimately led to her undoing. Through meticulous investigation and the unwavering determination of individuals like Jim Mosley and Detective Jane Todd, Sandra's deceitful reign comes to an end. This episode not only narrates a riveting true crime story but also highlights the emotional and financial toll such manipulations can have on innocent victims.

Transcript

[Cooper Maul]

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[Jim Mosley]

One of the pastors there found a lady outside a grocery store with a couple of trash bags full of clothes and apparently she was weeping. And he approached her and said, hey, can I help you?

[Cooper Maul]

She told the pastor her name was Camille Bowers. She just returned from a mission trip to India.

[Jim Mosley]

She had come back and she was supposed to say this one particular family and they didn't show up and she couldn't communicate with them, so she was left without a place to stay.

[Cooper Maul]

The pastor couldn't offer her a room, but he knew somebody in the Charlotte area who could.

[Jim Mosley]

He felt sorry for her and introduced.

[Cooper Maul]

Her to my aunt, Audrey Harrington, a fellow Christian. In the autumn of her life, Audrey needed some basic caretaking, help around the home, getting to appointments, things like that. The pastor got an idea. Why couldn't this wandering missionary Camille help? It was a win win in theory. In practice, not so much.

[Jim Mosley]

Apparently they couldn't get along.

[Cooper Maul]

But a good Christian like Audrey wasn't just going to kick Camille to the curb.

[Jim Mosley]

She said, I do know somebody that you can stay with until you return to your mission. So she introduced her to my mom, Sue Mosley.

[Cooper Maul]

Sue was 76, a retired nurse who embodied the golden rule treat others as you'd want to be treated.

[Jim Mosley]

My mother was real strong Christian. She reads the Bible every day.

[Cooper Maul]

She had long been an empty nester after raising four kids, but recently she'd become a widow.

[Jim Mosley]

She had lost her husband, my dad, and she was lonely.

[Cooper Maul]

She didn't want to live in a retirement home. After all, she had a pretty nice setup in Southport, the kind of place where neighbors stop to chat, where faith runs deep, and where the most scandalous thing to happen is someone sitting in the wrong pew at church.

[Jim Mosley]

The neighborhood she lived in was called St. James Plantation, and it's a gated community. She said, I want to die here and I don't want to leave.

[Cooper Maul]

And sue had the means to stay put.

[Jim Mosley]

I mean, there was, say, $600,000 my dad left her, and of course she had the house and she had a pension and Social Security.

[Cooper Maul]

In recent months, Jim had taken on the role of dutiful son. But it began to dawn on him that his mother needed more regular help at home, something he couldn't provide working as a medical sales rep. So when Camille agreed to take care of his mother in exchange for room and board, it felt heaven sent.

[Jim Mosley]

Oh, wow, they got somebody to help her that's a Christian.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim himself had gone on more than 10 missions to Ethiopia to help build a medical clinic and housing for doctors and nurses. He knew from experience how a missionary moves through the world, giving their labor freely, seldom drawing attention to themselves. He remembered thinking, camille didn't exactly look the part.

[Jim Mosley]

She was very attractive, you know, she had a cute little body. She walks in the door, her breasts are exposed and everything.

[Cooper Maul]

But sue and Camille got on just great. Camille helped her get to and from appointments, did the chores, ran the errands. She was in her early 60s, 14 years younger than Sue. But Camille was interested in being part of Sue's life.

[Jim Mosley]

She would go to church with my mother and seemed to fit in real well and sang in the choir and all that.

[Cooper Maul]

The arrangement was working out just great.

[Jim Mosley]

But then, I don't know, something hit me. I said, I'm not sure about this. And I said, I've got to keep my eye on this.

[Cooper Maul]

Turns out Jim had learned during a visit with his mom that Camille had her sights on him.

[Jim Mosley]

She said, you know, Camille likes you, Jim. And I said, well, that's good. I'm glad she likes me. She goes, more than that, Jim. And I go, what do you mean? She says, she told me that she was going to marry you. And I said, really? I said, that's not going to happen.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim thought this was strange. He barely knew this woman. Not long after sue revealed Camille's intentions, Jim was back in town, this time for an overnight visit. Jim was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom right next to Camille's.

[Jim Mosley]

And 3:00 one morning, my door opens and she comes in and she said, I'm scared. Do you mind if I come in and Let you hold me.

[Cooper Maul]

What in the hell? Jim was startled.

[Jim Mosley]

She had on just very little clothing. A nightie, and everything was exposed. And I said, I don't think this is a good idea. And I said, you need to go back to your room.

[Cooper Maul]

Camille pleaded with him to stay in his bed. She told him she was hearing voices in the house. That unnerved her. Jim wasn't having it. Incredulous, Jim shooed her out the door.

[Jim Mosley]

I don't know for what reason I did this, but I put a chair underneath the door handle to make sure that nobody could get in. That's how much it scared me.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim's gut feeling that Camille was too persistent solidified after that incident.

[Jim Mosley]

I said, something's wrong.

[Cooper Maul]

But he still couldn't figure out her end game.

[Jim Mosley]

And then she wanted to give me a Christmas gift that year. I said, don't want anything. But she said, I insist. I'm a golfer. Play golf. And so she gave me a box of Pro V1 Titleists, which probably cost around $60 or so. And I just wondered where a miss there would get that kind of money to spend.

[Cooper Maul]

Why splurge on overpriced golf balls?

[Jim Mosley]

I've come to find out she had used my mother's credit card.

[Cooper Maul]

Usually Camille played the part of the devout woman. Well, this was a slip up. But there was one thing she didn't account for. Jim Mosley saw right through her.

[Jim Mosley]

This girl was good. I'm telling you, if you want to definition of a flim flam artist, it's her. You look it up in the dictionary, it's got her picture. She hoodooed everybody.

[Cooper Maul]

This con woman had met her match. She would end up messing with the wrong old lady and meshing herself into her life and her nest egg. And her son wasn't going to let it slide. From Sony Music Entertainment, this is Fatal Beauty. I'm Cooper Maul. Luck runs out. By the beginning of 2007, Jim couldn't shake the feeling that Camille was bad news. It was almost hard for me to imagine Jim feeling this way. He's got the heart of a saint. He's kind of a gentle giant, the kind of guy who really tries to see the good in everyone, but he couldn't see it in her.

[Jim Mosley]

I didn't want to tell my mom, but I told my brothers and I said, I don't know about this. I really don't know.

[Cooper Maul]

One of Jim's brothers met Camille once and got no bad vibes.

[Jim Mosley]

I think they were all happy that somebody was there. Morning, Noon and night.

[Cooper Maul]

Since no dad passed away, he tried another relative.

[Jim Mosley]

So I went to my cousin and I said, I don't trust this woman. And my cousin said, you should.

[Cooper Maul]

And then word got back to Camille that Jim had been badmouthing her boy.

[Jim Mosley]

It kind of set off a firestorm there.

[Cooper Maul]

Camille soured on Jim. Marriage, it seemed, was off the table now. But Camille was looking to settle down in other ways. So she took sue on a road trip.

[Glenna Whitley]

They're going around looking at real estate.

[Cooper Maul]

That's Glenna Whitley again. She's about to get dragged into this story. It looked like Camille Bowers was looking to leave her missionary days behind. Her put roots down in North Carolina.

[Glenna Whitley]

She wanted to buy this $2.7 million mansion on the water that was just gorgeous.

[Cooper Maul]

You're probably wondering how a missionary could afford something so steep. Camille told sue she hadn't always been hoofing it. In the name of Christ. She was once married to a wealthy man named Bobby, who she'd inherited quite the trust from. Problem was, the money was tied up in a Wells Fargo account, but she was working on getting it released so she could buy that mansion. This all sounded fine to sue, so the two hopped in her beat up Honda Odyssey and drove to Coldwell Banker to meet with two realtors, Jack Vereen and Dennis Kruger. Their meeting isn't important. What's important is how unsettling the realtors found the dynamic between the two women. Camille barely let sue speak for herself. And then Camille said something so outlandish, it got the realtors thinking she was fishy. She said she'd be paying cash for a mansion worth 2.7 million.

[Glenna Whitley]

Now, that is a big red flag for a real estate agent. Nobody pays cash like that, especially somebody.

[Cooper Maul]

Who'S in mission work.

[Glenna Whitley]

So that was a point with Vereen that made him start trying to get more information about her.

[Cooper Maul]

He started Googling Camille Missionary, Texas.

[Glenna Whitley]

Bingo. Up pops my stories, complete with her picture.

[Cooper Maul]

Camille was outed as Sandra Bridewell. He called Whitley to ask, was this woman trustworthy? Should she really be taking care of an elderly person?

[Glenna Whitley]

When I get that call, my heart started pounding. I was like, well, you do know that Sandra Bridewell is the only suspect in Rehrig's shooting death. Somebody has to warn Mrs. Moseley.

[Cooper Maul]

And that's how Whitley ended up contacting Sue Mosley's son, Jim.

[Jim Mosley]

I'm sitting in my office one night and the phone rings and I answer it. And then she said, are you Jim Mosley? It was Glennon. And she said, does your mother, Sue Mosley? And I said, yes. And she said, is a lady named Camille living with your mother? And I said, yes.

[Cooper Maul]

Whitley spilled everything, painting a vivid picture of the web of deception Sandra had spun before landing on Sue's doorstep. She told him she was even suspected in her third husband's murder. That some people in Dallas called her a black widow. For Jim, it was sweet vindication.

[Jim Mosley]

And she said, she's a con artist. I said, I knew I was right.

[Cooper Maul]

Then Whitley told it to him straight.

[Jim Mosley]

She says, you need to get your mother out of there now. I really thought that she was going to harm mom in some way. In 2009, three days before Halloween, a grisly crime stunned the seaport town of Anacortes, Washington.

[Cooper Maul]

Mark was known as the dog whisperer of Anacortes.

[Jim Mosley]

They soon discovered a story tangled in obsession. Who was the hunter and who was the hunted? Follow and listen to Train to Kill, the dog trainer, the heiress and the bodyguard on the Free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Cooper Maul]

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[Glenna Whitley]

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[Cooper Maul]

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[Jim Mosley]

But for those who don't clear the.

[Cooper Maul]

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[Jim Mosley]

I called my mom the next day and I said, hey mom, why don't you come see me in Charlotte? And she said okay. I said, I'll come get you.

[Cooper Maul]

Remember, sue lived In Southport, about 215 miles from her son.

[Jim Mosley]

So at the time is how ironic this happened. Sandra said she's going back on a mission trip.

[Cooper Maul]

Once they were safe in the car, Jim broke the news. Not only was Camille actually Sandra, but this Sandra woman was a suspected killer. Thankfully, right now, she was continents away on a mission. Jim alerted local authorities at this point.

[Jim Mosley]

In the meantime, I went to the Charlotte Police Department and told them the story. Glenna had sent me a couple of stories that I printed out and I showed them to the police department in Charlotte and they said, wow, this sounds like a very good character here. You know, they were laughing but concerned and they said, okay, you sit tight.

[Cooper Maul]

They ran warrants on Sandra, but came up with nothing, then sent Jim away. To be fair, Jim didn't have any proof that Sandra had hurt his mom or committed a crime. All he had was a magazine article that proved she'd been using an alias all this time and that she had a bad reputation. But he wasn't ready to give up. And little did he know at the time, he was about to cross paths with someone who took his hunch seriously.

[Glenna Whitley]

I was introduced to a case pertaining to a victim by the name of Sue Mosley. My lieutenant called me one day and asked me to report to St. James for a possible financial crime.

[Cooper Maul]

That's Detective Jane Todd. She's retired now, but for 15 years, worked tirelessly for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Department. She's like a female heroine in a Coen Brothers movie. A gritty badass will stop short of nothing to get the bad guy. Detective Todd told me about when she first visited Sue Mosley's home after taking the call from her lieutenant. Turns out one of the realtors, who was spooked after meeting with sue and her suspicious caretaker had warned someone.

[Glenna Whitley]

The realty agent didn't. Didn't know how to get up with Ms. Moseley's family. So he contacted the security gate.

[Cooper Maul]

He told the head of security at Sue's gated community, Ron, about the damning articles he'd read about the woman entrusted with Sue's career. He had retired from the force but knew who to call.

[Glenna Whitley]

Ron contacted my lieutenant. My lieutenant sent me.

[Cooper Maul]

That's when Detective Todd and Ron first met and put their heads together.

[Glenna Whitley]

I contacted Ms. Sue Moseley's son, Jimmy, and asked him to have permission to talk with his mother and get permission for me to do a search warrant on her home to collect evidence so that I could do the process of getting any warrants that I can obtain to have her arrested as soon as possible.

[Cooper Maul]

I asked Detective Todd why she was hard up on warrants and NRS so soon. After all, she'd only read articles. She had yet to see a shred.

[Glenna Whitley]

Of evidence because of the fact that there were other reports out there from Dallas, Texas, and Oklahoma on Ms. Sandra Camille Powers and some of the potential fraud cases that were coming out of those areas on the West Coast.

[Cooper Maul]

Call it a detective's instinct.

[Glenna Whitley]

I went back to my office. I called Glenna Whitley so that I could collect whatever she had on Ms. Sandra Camille Powers. We definitely hit the ball running that day.

[Cooper Maul]

For decades, Sandra had always been one step ahead of them. Detectives, victims, anyone who thought they could Catch her. She always slipped through. But now the walls were closing in. Not by the hands of those who had chased her for decades. Not by the ones who knew her best. But a woman with no history with Sandra. Just a detective with a sharp eye and a relentless sense of duty. Jane Todd wasn't just chasing her. She was about to outplay her. With Sandra on her mission trip abroad and sue and her son Jim at his place in Charlotte, Detective Todd wanted to take advantage of the empty house.

[Glenna Whitley]

I did the first warrant approximately three days after I received the information.

[Cooper Maul]

Detective Todd recalled one of the first things that stood out to her.

[Glenna Whitley]

In Ms. Moseley's kitchen area, there was pads of notebook paper that had Ms. Sue Mosley's name written on it. It was a repeated signature. Almost as if somebody was trying to duplicate Ms. Moseley's signature.

[Cooper Maul]

Why practice another person's signature unless you are fixing to sign on their behalf?

[Glenna Whitley]

I got a copy of Ms. Sue's original handwriting and compared the two of those, and I could tell the difference between Ms. Sue's handwriting and the handwriting of Sandra Camille Powers.

[Cooper Maul]

The more Detective Todd dug, the more predatory behavior she found.

[Glenna Whitley]

Sandra started taking over Ms. Sue's finances. Then she started taking over Ms. Sue's mail. She wouldn't let Ms. Sue see any of the statements that were coming in through the bank or any letters.

[Cooper Maul]

You can probably guess where Sandra was stashing documents.

[Glenna Whitley]

Sandra's bedroom was a treasure trove of evidence. She kept everything, didn't throw anything away. She had bags, boxes. There was paper thrown all over her bedroom. I mean, she hoarded everything.

[Cooper Maul]

Sounds a lot like what Jay Benson discovered in Atlanta. But in this room, Sandra had a secret spot.

[Glenna Whitley]

Above the bed in Sandra's bedroom, there was a door that went through into the attic.

[Cooper Maul]

Good Lord.

[Glenna Whitley]

Bank account statements, credit card statements, all of that was hidden.

[Cooper Maul]

Sandra wasn't just stealing. She was running a full blown financial con. And this time, there wasn't just a paper trail. Next, Detective Todd went to Sue's bank to review surveillance footage, hoping she could catch Sandra on camera.

[Glenna Whitley]

They had pulled up video of Sandra Camille Powers going into the bank and cashing checks under Ms. Sue Mosley's name, which she did not authorize.

[Cooper Maul]

Detective Todd found she'd been using Sue's credit card, too. She bought gifts at a Christmas shop. Spa, pedicures, and an expensive dinner. Jim had been right to worry about her using his mother's credit card to buy those pricey golf balls. Sue returned home two days after Detective Todd's Investigation began. She was the one to tell her that the missionary she let into her home, trusted to care for her, became close with, was a fraud, a calculating thief. Jim told me how distraught his mother was.

[Jim Mosley]

She says, I don't know how this could have happened to me. I should have seen this. She sang hymns with me. She read the Bible with me. She did this. I said, mom, I know you wanted a friend. You were lonely. You had somebody to help you. Do not beat yourself up over this.

[Cooper Maul]

Sue was lucky to have Detective Todd and Jim going to bat for her here. But she was the victim, so her participation in the investigation was going to be crucial. She confirmed she hadn't authorized any of the purchases. And Detective Todd went the extra mile to confirm it was in fact Sandra who made them. Canvassing businesses where the charges had been made.

[Glenna Whitley]

The witnesses at the three businesses, when describing the person that went in and made the purchases, was describing a hippie type person wearing a cloth shroud over her head, long skirt, medium length black hair, deep eyes. She always introduced herself as a missionary, even to the businesses that she went into.

[Cooper Maul]

So she showed them a recent picture.

[Glenna Whitley]

And they confirmed that it was her that went in and used the credit card belonging to Ms. Sue Mosley.

[Cooper Maul]

Sue Mosley died in the summer of 2024. So I never got a chance to speak with her. I don't fault her for trusting Sandra. She knew how to get her to let her guard down. She was supposedly a fellow Christian who believed in the Golden Rule. Right? But it was also purposeful deception. Sandra would show sue doctored credit card statements that looked legit to her at least.

[Glenna Whitley]

I actually, during the search warrant, got a copy of one of the bogus credit card statements. She was not good at it because she used whiteout to white out the total of charges and then gave a total balance at the end of the statement in a lower amount so that Ms. Sue would not see that she, she was actually running up the credit card into the thousands of dollars.

[Cooper Maul]

Then another revelation. Detective Todd learned that mere months before her lieutenant sent her out to Sue Mosley's home, someone else in her department had been looking into Sandra.

[Glenna Whitley]

We had another Detective, Marty Folden, that was called out while Nancy was living there.

[Cooper Maul]

Nancy is Sue's daughter. She'd been staying there temporarily when the so called missionary came to stay. But Nancy didn't really get on with her.

[Glenna Whitley]

Sandra was very savvy about talking about, Nancy was doing this, she was doing drugs, she was taking checks.

[Cooper Maul]

She made some even greater allegations.

[Glenna Whitley]

Sandra had told Ms. Sue that Nancy was trying to get ahold of Ms. Sue's Social Security number so she could take over Ms. Sue's Social Security check.

[Cooper Maul]

This was a well timed lie, a way for Sandra to cover up her own wrongdoing by blaming Sue's daughter.

[Glenna Whitley]

The Social Security Agency had called them and told Ms. Sue that somebody in the household had tried to take control of the Social Security number and ultimately couldn't because of the password.

[Cooper Maul]

Sandra successfully drove a wedge between sue and her daughter. Her plan worked. But hearing this got Detective Todd wondering. If Sandra had in fact stolen Sue's identity, if she was capable of commandeering Sue's credit cards and bank account, what was stopping her from stealing her Social Security? Thing is, that's a federal crime and Detective Todd was working locally. So she put this lead in her back pocket. For now. Sandra was going to be coming back to Southport soon, returning to live with Sue. And you bet neither Jim nor Detective Todd were going to let the two of them be under the same roof again. For now. Between the credit card charges and the forged checks, there was enough to arrest Sandra. For the first time ever, Sandra Bridewell would be behind bars. She'd have to answer for what she'd done instead of lying, stealing and then disappearing. By the way, Sandra wasn't in India.

[Glenna Whitley]

She was actually in Rock Hills, staying.

[Cooper Maul]

With a friend in South Carolina. Jim remembered how they found that out.

[Jim Mosley]

They said, do not cancel the credit card. This is the only way we can track her.

[Cooper Maul]

So that's how they saw the charges being spent in America about that whole India thing.

[Jim Mosley]

They did their homework and found out she had never gone overseas. She was totally lying about being a missionary. She had never been to India.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim was past feeling happy about being right. The real twist? He was the one who'd be fooling her now. He wasn't sure he had the stomach for it. But he was about to set a trap that Sandra wouldn't see coming. This episode is brought to you by Buffalo Trace Distillery. Powerful yet smooth. Contained but never tame. Proudly going their own way, but never going alone. This is the spirit inside Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Made at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the world's most award winning distillery. Buffalo Trace is always perfectly untamed. Distilled, aged and bottled by Buffalo Trace distillery, Franklin County, Kentucky. 90 proof 45% alcohol by volume. Learn more at BuffaloTrace distillery.com Please drink responsibly.

[Jim Mosley]

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[Cooper Maul]

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[Jim Mosley]

Workday is the AI platform that helps.

[Cooper Maul]

Propel your organization, your workforce, and your industry into the future. Workday moving business forever forward. A plan was in motion. Charlotte cops would arrest Sandra. So one of them called up Jim.

[Jim Mosley]

Say, hey, we're trying to get the warrants together to have her arrested. We know where she is. She's been in South Carolina. She's gone to get her nails done. She's gone to get her hair done. She's gone to Dick's Sporting goods. She spent $600 at Dick's. And I said, in my back of my mind, she's bought a gun.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim was worried Sandra might have caught wind of the operation underway, that she might be out for vengeance.

[Jim Mosley]

So I said, guys, I'm a little worried about this. And they said, well, when she calls, you just play like nothing's happened.

[Cooper Maul]

Nervous, Jim gave Sandra a ring.

[Jim Mosley]

She had no idea what was going on at the time, and she wanted to borrow my mother's car, which I had in Charlotte.

[Cooper Maul]

It was the perfect trap. Sandra could come pick up the car under the impression she'd be doing Jim a solid, driving sue back to Southport. When they meet up, the cops would move in and make the arrest.

[Jim Mosley]

The police came back to me and said, we don't have the warrant set yet. You're kidding me. Why don't you have the warrants? He said, well, we're still working on them. We'll get it done.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim stalled Sandra a bit more, telling her he needed to get the car battery replaced. Then he got the go ahead.

[Jim Mosley]

They finally called me up. They said, hey, we got the warrants for her arrest. And I said, okay, what do you want to do?

[Cooper Maul]

They agreed it would be best to arrest Sandra in a public place. Who knows, maybe she did buy a gun at Dick's. So it would all go down at Dean and DeLuca's on March 2, 2007.

[Jim Mosley]

Have her meet you at 10 o'clock.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim had never been part of a sting operation before. He needed to know how this was all going to go down. So he went down to the police department and met a whole bunch of law and order guys.

[Jim Mosley]

They said, we're trained in arrest. We know what we're doing. And this is a diagram of the restaurant. This is a diagram of all the parking lot. Just have her come in. We're going to have people around you. We're going to have people at the front door. We're going to have people at the back door. We're going to have people in the parking lot.

[Cooper Maul]

Now that he had the lay of the land and the assurance of plenty of backup. It was on.

[Jim Mosley]

I get to the restaurant and I'm somewhat scared. I sit down and it's right at 10 o'clock and three of the guys come in and sit right next to me. And they said, don't talk to us. Don't act like you know us. We will stop her before she even gets in this restaurant.

[Cooper Maul]

Problem was that an hour goes by.

[Jim Mosley]

And she doesn't show up.

[Cooper Maul]

This whole thing was starting to feel anticlimactic.

[Jim Mosley]

I looked at one of the guys, I said. I looked away when I talked to him, but I said, hey, what do we do? And he says, we're going to sit here another hour. He says, notoriously, these people don't show up on time.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim must have been anxious as hell.

[Jim Mosley]

So another 30 minutes go by and still no Sandra. And then the guy just says, be patient.

[Cooper Maul]

Was it time to throw in the towel?

[Jim Mosley]

And all of a sudden, somebody comes up in a big flowing dress, in sunglasses and a hat, sits down next to me, and it's her. She puts her hand on my shoulders and said, hey. And it startles me.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim's heart was pounding, and it wasn't just from the five cups of coffee he'd had while waiting on her. It was time to get what they came for.

[Jim Mosley]

I said, I gotta go to the restaurant. And I looked at the guys and I said, what are you waiting for? When I got up, they asked her to stand up. They said, you're under arrest.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim stood behind her, something he'd been advised to do beforehand.

[Jim Mosley]

Because if she looks at me while they're putting handcuffs on her, it'll burn in her mind that I did this.

[Cooper Maul]

Always remember that the woman who evaded the long arm of the law for decades had gone down a journey that began in an affluent bubble ended in a grocery store. No more running. This time, Sandra had cuffs on her.

[Jim Mosley]

They take her outside, put her in the police car. I don't even think she seems surprised. She sat in the backseat of the police car and I walked by it. The window was rolled down and she looked at me.

[Cooper Maul]

I asked Jim how he remembered her stare.

[Jim Mosley]

Like nothing, she had no emotion.

[Cooper Maul]

The very day she was arrested. She had documents, mail, gift cards and credit cards on her, none of which were hers. Among them was a JCPenney MasterCard belonging to Sue Mosley on along with letters meant for Mosley regarding her financial affairs. Arrested in Charlotte, Sandra was transported back to Brunswick county. In her mugshot. Her expression is weary. Her long dark hair is unkempt. Framing her face in uneven strands. Shadows cast under her eyes give the impression of exhaustion. There's no hint of charm, no trace of the manipulative confidence that let her slip away so many times before. Just a woman caught facing consequences. At last it was time to get this new inmate booked. And the person in charge of that, let's just say, had been eager to meet her.

[Glenna Whitley]

I was sitting in the jail waiting for her when she came in the door. She was holding a Bible. She was very meek at first, apologetic, charming.

[Cooper Maul]

Detective Todd just watched her scoping her out.

[Glenna Whitley]

She had a hold of her pocketbook and the Bible when she sat down on the bench across from me. And I looked at her and I told her, I said, I need your pocketbook. And she says, well, you can't have it. I said, yes, I can. I said, it's either me or the jailers take it. I said, either way, I'm going to get it. And you could tell she was a little irritated.

[Cooper Maul]

She was just starting to let it sink in. She wasn't in control anymore.

[Glenna Whitley]

She handed it to me and I sat back down on the counter and started going through it. Was pulling out cards and bank statements and credit card statements and letters. And she said, you can't go through that. I said, yes, I can. I said, if I find evidence in it, I am confiscating it. Then I asked her for her Bible again.

[Cooper Maul]

She resisted. This woman really thought she was impervious to the law. But that's not how it works in jail. She forked it over to Detective Todd.

[Glenna Whitley]

I thumbed through it and there was pictures of champagne, Escalades, Chibi choo shoes, Michael Kors pocketbooks, pictures of billion dollar mansions. And they were all cut out of magazines and placed in between the pages of the Bible.

[Cooper Maul]

When Sandra was a young woman, she wanted to marry rich and have a man provide for her. But now, in her 60s, she seemed to want Jesus Christ himself to provide her with a ritzy life.

[Glenna Whitley]

She would change the verse to fit her needs, that God would provide for her, that she was going to be able to get this mansion.

[Cooper Maul]

Detective Todd was looking for anything, as much evidence as possible to keep Sandra in jail as long as possible. These bizarre Bible collages weren't going to cut it. So when Detective Todd tried to entrust a DA in the case, it was.

[Glenna Whitley]

Such a small amount of money, our district attorney wanted to drop the case.

[Cooper Maul]

She couldn't believe it. Receipts, camera footage, witnesses. And this woman was just going to get away with it on a Technicality. Here's the thing. Despite everything Detective Todd had on Sandra, all the proof of the check and credit card fraud, this was her first offense. It was her only recorded criminal act. For a DA Going forward with a case like that was a waste of resources. It made more sense to just put her on probation and get her to pay restitution.

[Glenna Whitley]

I kind of walked out crying.

[Cooper Maul]

If she wanted to prevent Sandra from being released and get her on a federal charge, she'd have to find more value. At least $2,500. She was $80.43 short. Once Sandra was in her jail cell, Jim was able to do some more snooping around his mom's home.

[Jim Mosley]

So I started looking through some of the mail, and there was a foreclosure notice on the house.

[Cooper Maul]

Sue had been set up nicely by her late husband's estate. It didn't make sense she'd be missing mortgage payments. Plus, Jim had already set up automatic withdrawal from her account so she wouldn't have to think about that sort of thing.

[Jim Mosley]

And come to find out, Sandra had diverted, or Camille had diverted, the house.

[Cooper Maul]

Notes or essentially her mortgage bill sent monthly.

[Jim Mosley]

So I immediately called the mortgage company, and I said, hey, this is what's going on. And initially they were just guarded. And I said, how about if I come write you a check right now and make up the difference, Will you allow me to do that and you won't foreclose on my mother? And by the grace of God, they said yes.

[Cooper Maul]

Jim wrote a check for six back payments, plus a $500 late fee. But he still didn't know where that money had gone. But he had an idea. If Sandra had managed to steal that money and it could be proven, that would certainly get Detective Todd over that $2,500 hurdle. Everything was coming together for Detective Todd's case.

[Glenna Whitley]

I worked non stop almost 19 to 20 hours a day in the first couple of weeks just so I could obtain the warrants on her and not let her slip through our hands, because if she'd have gotten wind of it, she probably would have fled, and we probably would not have been able to find her, because she's good at hiding.

[Cooper Maul]

And it paid off. Detective Todd had compiled enough evidence to get the magic number.

[Glenna Whitley]

She ultimately had Ms. Sue Mosley's mail diverted to Rock Hill.

[Cooper Maul]

That's where Sandra had first landed in South Carolina when she was living with Audrey. She struck up a friendship with her other caretaker. It was her address that these documents.

[Glenna Whitley]

Were diverted to, like bank statements, credit card statements, tax statements, loan Statements. Everything was diverted to Rock Hill during the period of time that she was staying with Miss sue and those mortgage payments, Sandra diverted the money away from the house payment and was collecting the.

[Cooper Maul]

Payments in Rock Hill, the same address as the statements.

[Glenna Whitley]

Finally, it became over 2,500 in fraudulent charges.

[Cooper Maul]

Then Detective Todd realized she had the goods on Sandra. This whole time. Remember that whole she said. She said between Nancy and Sandra about the Social Security payments?

[Glenna Whitley]

The detective that was assigned to it, he didn't do an incident report. He just bugged the phone and left it there and forgot about it. When we got the bug tape and listened to it and actually heard Sandra's voice with the agent trying to change the address where the Social Security payment was supposed to go, that's when I involved the Social Security Administration because we had enough to take her federally.

[Cooper Maul]

By December 2007, almost 22 years to the day after Alan Rarig was found murdered, a final indictment came for Sandra. Not for the mysterious deaths in her past, not for the suspicions that had followed her for decades, but for three counts of bank fraud, one count of possession of stolen mail, one count of aggravated identity theft. The bombshell who once capitalized off her elegant wardrobe could be spending up to 15 years in an orange jumpsuit. She would be headed to a federal women's prison without a man in sight that she could sink her teeth into. Next time, on the finale of Fatal Beauty. Sue Mosley gets to speak her true truth.

[Glenna Whitley]

Camille has humiliated everybody that calls themselves a Christian and loves the Lord.

[Cooper Maul]

And one detective gets the interview we've all been waiting for ever since Alan Raring's murder.

[Jim Mosley]

I knew I was gonna have to try to talk to her. And she was in a spot. She couldn't get away.

[Cooper Maul]

Alan's cold cases reopened, and detectives realized something crucial about how his body was moved across state lines.

[Jim Mosley]

We almost had to have some second person involved.

[Cooper Maul]

Sandra might have had an accomplice. Unlock all episodes of Fatal Beauty ad free right now by subscribing to the binge podcast channel. Not only will you immediately unlock all episodes of this show, but you'll get binge access to an entire network of other great true crime and investigative podcasts. All ad free. Plus, on the first of every month, subscribers get a binge drop of a brand new series that's all episodes all at once. Search for the binge on Apple podcasts and hit subscribe at the top of the page. Not on apple. Head to getthebinge.com to access wherever you listen.

[Glenna Whitley]

Foreign.

[Cooper Maul]

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[Jim Mosley]

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