Pamela Hutchinson, a 59-year-old white woman from Bradenton, Florida, was found dead on April 9, 2018, in a Fort Myers Beach timeshare. She had arrived in Fort Myers Beach on April 3, 2018, to help a friend scatter her husband's ashes on Sanibel Island. Pamela was staying in room 404 at the Marina Village at Snug Harbor. Her body was discovered by a hotel employee, who found her lying on top of a pillow that appeared to be seared by a gunshot. Pamela had been shot in the back and chest, with the bullets entering through her torso, injuring her heart and aorta, and killing her instantly. Her body was in the early stages of decomposition when found.
The investigation revealed that Pamela's death was a homicide. Her belongings were left in disarray, with her purse turned inside out and her ID, bank cards, jewelry, and car missing. Surveillance footage from the hotel showed that Pamela had met Lois Riess, a 58-year-old woman from Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, on April 4, 2018. The two women were seen together multiple times, including having breakfast and dinner together. On the evening of April 5, 2018, Lois was seen leaving Pamela's room alone, looking distraught and possibly crying. Authorities determined that Lois Riess had killed Pamela Hutchinson to steal her identity.
Lois Riess, also known as the "Killer Grandma" or "Losing Streak Lois," was already wanted for the murder of her husband, David Riess, in Minnesota. After killing Pamela, Lois fled to Texas, where she was eventually captured on April 19, 2018. Lois pleaded guilty to the murders of both her husband and Pamela Hutchinson. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lois is currently serving her sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee. Her life sentences in Florida and Minnesota are being served concurrently, ensuring that she will never be released from prison.
