A preschool teacher's house was set on fire to cover up her murder
In the quiet town of Lacombe, Louisiana, the life of 49-year-old Nanette Krentel, a Caucasian female, came to a tragic and mysterious end on July 14, 2017. Her body was discovered in the charred remains of her home, which she shared with her husband, the local fire chief, Steve Krentel. The initial belief that she perished in the house fire was quickly shattered by the chilling discovery of a gunshot wound to her head.
The subsequent investigation painted a grim picture of Nanette's final moments. The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office definitively ruled her death a homicide, concluding that she had been shot before the fire was intentionally set. Evidence at the scene pointed towards a deliberate attempt to cover up the murder, as accelerants were used to fuel the blaze that destroyed the Krentel home and any potential evidence within it. Further complicating the investigation was the fact that the home's extensive surveillance system, including cameras and the DVR that recorded the footage, had been doused in accelerant and destroyed by the fire. An autopsy revealed the haunting detail that there was no soot in Nanette's lungs, confirming she was not breathing when the fire engulfed her home.
In the wake of her death, a cloud of suspicion initially fell upon those closest to Nanette. Her husband, Steve Krentel, became a person of interest, particularly as it came to light that the couple had been experiencing marital problems, including an affair he had with a subordinate. Despite this, he was publicly cleared by the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office, which stated he had been fully cooperative with the investigation. Attention also turned to Steve's brother, Bryan Krentel, who had reportedly made serious threats against Nanette, including threats to rape and kill her and burn down her house. Bryan Krentel, who had a criminal history, was also investigated, but authorities stated he had a solid alibi. However, questions surrounding his alibi later emerged with reports that a GPS ankle monitor he was wearing had been deactivated.
As the investigation unfolded, a portrait of a woman living in fear began to emerge. In the months leading up to her death, Nanette had expressed to family and friends that she felt she was being followed and had even captured a photograph of an unknown man on her property that she found 'creepy.' Her emails and text messages revealed a growing sense of dread and a fear for her safety. Despite these leads and the intense scrutiny of those in her inner circle, no arrests have ever been made in connection with Nanette Krentel's murder. The case remains an open and haunting mystery, leaving a family devastated and a community unsettled by the fact that a killer may still be in their midst.
