- Pam Hupp worked in the insurance industry for many years and later became the center of three murders in the US with the motive of collecting insurance benefits
- The 66 year old framed others to cover her track yet, she was found guilty in one of the murders and currently serving life imprisonment with no option of parole
- Her husband, Mark Hupp whom she shares two children with divorced her while she is serving her prison sentence
Pam Hupp is infamous for the sensational and gruesome murder of three people making her one of the most dangerous women in recent times. The former life insurance administrator’s deep desire for obtaining material possessions, especially money translated into hatching some of the grandest plans to get it by whatever means. Sadly, it left three dead bodies; Betsy Faria, Loius Gumpenberger, and Shirley Neumannher, her mother.
Notably, she hatched cover-up plans to escape conviction for over a decade and implicated others. How she was able to cover her track remains shocking. Yet, even the smartest of criminals always leaves something behind.
Hupp’s case like that of OJ Simpson has attracted the attention of the media and has been told in books and on-screen like in The Thing About Pam series.
Who Is Pam Hupp
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Pam Hupp was born Pamela Marie Hupp on October 10th, 1958. She grew up in Dellwood Missouri, a St Louise Suburb. Pam worked in the insurance industry for many years as an administrator and at some point, she was an employee of State Farm.
Yet, her popularity is a result of the crimes and murders she committed against Faria Russ, Loius Gumpenberger, and Shirley Neumannher.
Details About Pam Hupp’s Crimes
Pam Hupp is charged with First-degree murder and armed criminal action against three victims as stated earlier. Yet, she was only convicted for the murder of her last victim Gumpenberger, a disabled man that she shot right inside her home. Let’s meet all her victims.
1. She Murdered Betsy Farria and Framed Russel Farria for the Crime
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Betsy Faria was a coworker of Hupp at State Farm. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 and subsequently murdered in 2011. Reportedly, the two women were best friends until her demise.
Betsy lived at 130 Sumac Drive in Troy, Missouri with her husband Russell and her two daughters from a previous relationship. At the end of her life, Betsy was diagnosed with Breast cancer that was already at the terminal stage in 2011.
On the day she died, she had chemotherapy and had gone to her mother’s house where Russ was to pick her up. But in the twist of events, it was Hupp that showed up and insisted on returning Betsy home. She was also the last person to have seen Betsy alive.
Her lifeless body was found by her husband, Russ in their home on December 27, 2011, after returning from a friend’s house. He called 911 around 9:40 to report that his wife had committed suicide. The discovered body was stabbed 55 times, had cut wrists and a knife in the neck.
Russ was arrested the following day after Betsy’s death after bloodied slippers were found in his closet.
Hupp reportedly pushed the investigation toward him by claiming he had threatened his wife in the past while also eyeing her life insurance.
Russ was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment without Parole. He served almost 4 years of sentence at the Jefferson City Correctional Center before he was exonerated in November 2015.
Shockingly, just a few days before she died, It was noticed that she mysteriously changed the sole beneficiary of her $150,000 State Farm life insurance policy from her husband Russ to Hupp when the investigation about Faria’s death was reopened.
Hupp Claimed Faria asked her to give the money to her daughters by the time they get older. However, in a later statement, Pam said Faria had told her to keep the money to herself. Investigations found she never gave the children anything.
SEE ALSO: Venetia Lewis – 7 Facts About The Former Crime Mob Member
2. She is a Suspect in the Death of Shirley Mae Neumann
It is unthinkable that a killer will go after their parent, yet after Shirly, Pam’s mother’s death, it leaves no room for doubt.
At the time of her death, Shirley had been widowed and was suffering from dementia and arthritis. She lived in a third-floor apartment in the Lakeview Park Independent Senior Living Community in Fenton. After her daughter Pam visited her on the 29th of October 2019, she left behind another dead body.
According to reports, Pam told the staff in the house not to expect Shirley for dinner or breakfast the next day. Unfortunately, it was her dead body that was found by the housekeeper beneath the balcony of her home at about 2:30 pm the next day.
An autopsy revealed 84mcg of the sedative Zolpidem in her blood; over eight times the expected concentration for someone having taken a normal dose. Another police report suggests she either fell or was pushed from the third floor of the building down to the balcony.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office received an anonymous note asking them to investigate Pam. The note suggested that she killed her mother because of her life insurance money which Pam later shared with her siblings.
Earlier on, Pam had been videotaped during the investigation on Faria’s death saying her mom was worth half a million. According to her, if she wants money, there was an easy way than trying to combat somebody that is physically stronger than her.
Despite her claims, strong suspicion pointed to her. The St. Louis County Police Department wanted to organize forensic tests on the balcony railing at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
But the Lakeview Park Independent Senior Living Community refused to provide a railing for testing. They also tried to get Pam’s phone location at the time of her mother’s death but it was also not successful.
3. The Death of Louis Gumpenberger
Her end came after killing Louis Royse Gumpenberger. He was shot 5 times by Pam Hupp in what she claims to be self-defense in her home.
Louis suffered from an accident that left him physically impaired. She killed him to frame Russ Farria while investigations were going on for Betsy’s death.
The former insurance agent pretended to be a producer for NBC Dateline looking for someone to recreate a 911 scene. Things soured when she ended up shooting him five times in her home. A $900 bill and a note were found in the body of the deceased and a handwritten note that purportedly instructs him to kidnap Hupp, drive her to the bank, and get Russ’s money. After which, Pam was to be killed and then collect the balance of the $10,000 payment promised for the deal.
Investigators later raised murder charges against Hupp saying her testimony was false given that Louis was not physically fit to have carried such an act. Tim Lohman, St. Charles’s prosecuting attorney said Hupp’s dresser had a $100 bill that matched sequentially to four of the implanted bills found in Louis’s pocket.
Pam Hupp Is Serving A Life Sentence For The Murder of Louis Gumpenberger
Looking at the history of Hupp being a strong suspect in the murder case of Betsy Faria and her mother, it became obvious that she always covered her trail. Except for Louis’s murder, money was always a motive.
Hupp was apprehended on the 23rd of August 2016 for the murder of Louis Gumpenberger which occurred on the 16th of August 2016. She attempted to kill herself with a pen at the station but was rescued by the police.
During her sentencing, two other people said Hupp had approached them, pretending to be a producer for NBC’s Dateline, and asked them to get into her car to recreate a 911 call.
She finally got Louis who looked very much like someone she could use. Unknown to her, he had mental and physical disabilities. At the moment, Pam is serving a life sentence without parole at the Chillicothe Correctional Center.
Other Intriguing Details About Her
1. Pam Hupp’s Husband Divorced her while still in Prison
She was married to Mark Hupp for many years. Together, they had two kids, Sarah and Travis Hupp. Mark Hupp reportedly was the only family member that stood by his now ex-wife throughout her trial and conviction. He testified in favor of his wife and said she had the right to Betsy Faria’s insurance money.
However, the overwhelming evidence against her heinous crimes put a strain on the marriage. He later filed for divorce in September 2020. According to him, the marriage was ‘irretrievably broken’. It was not till March of 2022 that the divorce was finalized bringing to an end their marriage of many years.
2. Pam Hupp Lived off Disability Benefits
She has a long history of crimes going back to when she worked in insurance. Pam was once fired for forging signatures.
Yet, she still found another job that she later quit in 2010. Thereafter Pam applied for disability benefits on the basis of back, leg, and neck pain.
3. She And Farria Might Have Been In a Relationship
Pam revealed in the cause of investigations that she and her victim, Farria were in a romantic relationship.
Although this was never concluded, it is a fact that the two women were colleagues who both worked at State Farm.
4. The Judge Handling the case was Investigated
Having observed that Pam was given special attention during her trial by former judge Lee, Lincoln County’s new prosecuting attorney Michael Wood ordered that Faria’s case be revisited and police investigations should also be opened concerning the previous judgment that wrongfully convicted Russ.
5. A Book and T.V Series Was Written About Hupp’s Story
Joel Schwartz titled, Russ Faria’s attorney co-authored a book titled Bone Deep: Untangling the Besty Faria Murder Case.
Similarly, Fox files exclusive has been also been on the trail of the Hupp story. They released a series titled The Real Truth about Pam Hupp. Another Hupp T.V series was released by Renee Zellweger titled The Thing About Pam.
6. Pam was Never Charged for the Death of Her Mother
Going by her other crimes, her mother’s case also involved insurance money. Yet, Pam was never tied to murdering her mother despite all the evidence and suspicion that tied her to the case.
The cause of Neuman’s death was changed in November 2017 from accidental to undetermined. Hupp still remains the prime suspect given her.
7. Her Victims Husband was Awarded a Settlement of over $2 Million
Russ Farria, the husband of Pam’s victim served almost four years of his wrongful sentence before new evidence led to his exoneration.
He sued the police for his wrongful investigation that led to his conviction. Russ received a settlement of over $2 million marking the end of an unpleasant chapter.
His late wife’s daughters also apologized to him in 2021 after he was cleared.
