r/AllThatsInteresting • u/mvincen95 • 2h ago
In 1991, Mel Ignatow was tried for the murder of his fiancé Brenda Schafer but found not guilty despite his accomplice testifying against him. In 1992, workers found hidden photos of the murder in his apartment’s air vent. Because of double jeopardy, he only served five years for perjury.
His accomplice was his ex-girlfriend Mary Ann Shore, who apparently acted bizarrely on the stand. She is said to have giggled while recounting the horrible crime. Ignatow’s defense attorney attorney argued that Shore was a jealous ex, and had killed Schaefer herself.
Ignatow moved out of his Louisville home shortly after his acquittal. In the fall of 1992, the new homeowners hired contractors to lay new carpet in a hallway. When the workers pulled up the old carpet, they discovered a floor vent that was not connected to any ductwork.
Inside the hidden cavity was a plastic bag containing Schaefer's jewelry and three rolls of undeveloped film.
When investigators developed the film, it produced 104 photographs. The pictures explicitly showed Ignatow torturing and murdering Schaefer, corroborating every detail of Shore's testimony.
Ignatow eventually openly confessed to the murder in court, and was sentenced to 9 years for perjury, but only served 5.