The Killer Granny No One Suspected: The Chilling Tale of Dorothea Puente

In the annals of American crime, few stories are as chilling and unexpected as that of Dorothea Puente, the unassuming elderly woman who turned out to be a prolific serial killer. Born on January 9, 1929, in San Bernardino, California, Puente's life was marked by a series of tragic and tumultuous events that would ultimately lead her down a path of deceit, manipulation, and murder.

A Troubled Childhood

Dorothea Puente's early life was anything but stable. Born to parents who were far from ideal, her mother worked as a sex worker and was known for her abusive and neglectful behavior. Her father, a World War I veteran, struggled with the aftereffects of mustard gas exposure, leading to severe health issues and a penchant for dramatic threats of suicide. By the age of eight, Puente had lost both parents—her father to tuberculosis and her mother in a motorcycle accident. This left young Dorothea and her numerous siblings (accounts vary between 6 and 17) to navigate the foster care system.

Dorothea's childhood was marked by instability and trauma. Her father's frequent threats of suicide, combined with her mother's neglect and abuse, created an environment of fear and uncertainty. After her parents' deaths, she was shuttled between foster homes, never finding the stability and security that children need. This tumultuous upbringing likely played a role in shaping her later behaviors and attitudes.

The Path to Crime

At 16, Puente moved to Olympia, Washington, where she adopted the name "Sherri" and began working at a milkshake shop while also engaging in sex work. It was here that she met her first husband, Fred McFaul, a World War II veteran. They married quickly, and Fred believed he had wed a 30-year-old woman named Sherri. This deception was one of many that would characterize Puente's life.

After the couple had two daughters, both children were removed from their care—one placed with relatives and the other given up for adoption. Their marriage dissolved, and Puente moved back to California, where she began a life of petty crime, starting with writing bad checks.

This pattern of deceit and manipulation continued throughout her life. Her second marriage was short-lived, and she frequently reinvented herself to escape the consequences of her actions. In the 1960s, she moved to San Francisco, claiming to be an Israeli Muslim woman named "Sherriale Riscile," and later ran a brothel under the guise of a bookkeeping service. Her criminal activities led to several short stints in jail, but she always managed to slip through the cracks.

Reinvention and Crime

In the late 1970s, Puente opened an unlicensed care home for the elderly and those struggling with addiction. This venture allowed her to take a percentage of her clients' Social Security checks, funding her operation. Despite multiple run-ins with the law, she maintained an outward appearance of a caring, motherly figure dedicated to helping those in need.

Puente's ability to charm and manipulate those around her was a key aspect of her criminal success. She would present herself as a compassionate caretaker, providing shelter and support for the vulnerable, while secretly exploiting them for financial gain. This duality in her personality—caring grandmother on the outside, calculating predator on the inside—enabled her to evade suspicion for many years.

The Boarding House of Horrors

In the early 1980s, Puente rented a large Victorian house at 2100 F Street in Sacramento, California. Here, she took in vulnerable individuals—homeless people, those with mental health issues, and alcoholics—offering them a place to stay in exchange for their Social Security checks. Social workers and city inspectors were often charmed by Puente, who welcomed them with coffee and pie, presenting herself as a devoted caretaker.

However, behind closed doors, Puente was anything but benevolent. She verbally and physically abused her tenants, many of whom began to disappear under mysterious circumstances. Puente's control over her tenants was absolute. She restricted their movements, controlled their finances, and isolated them from outside contact. This level of control made it easier for her to carry out her murderous plans without arousing suspicion.

The First Known Victim

In 1982, Puente's business partner, Ruth Munroe, moved in with her. Shortly after, Munroe fell ill and died of an apparent overdose of Tylenol and codeine. Despite suspicions from Munroe's family, the death was ruled a suicide. This allowed Puente to continue her nefarious activities unchecked.

Ruth Munroe's death marked the beginning of Puente's descent into more violent crimes. She had discovered that murder could be a profitable solution to her financial problems, and she was willing to exploit the trust of those closest to her to achieve her goals.

The Disappearances Continue

Over the next several years, Puente continued to cash the Social Security checks of her deceased or missing tenants. She even managed to marry a fourth husband during this period, though the marriage quickly ended in divorce. Her crimes remained undetected until the late 1980s when social workers began to grow suspicious of the frequent disappearances of her tenants.

The mounting disappearances began to attract attention. Despite her efforts to maintain a facade of normalcy, the sheer number of missing individuals linked to her boarding house could not go unnoticed forever. Puente's greed and need for control ultimately led to her downfall.

The Discovery

In 1988, a social worker reported one of Puente's tenants, Bert Montoya, missing. This prompted a police investigation that led to the discovery of seven bodies buried in Puente's backyard. The victims ranged in age from 51 to 78 and had all been drugged with powerful sedatives.

The discovery of the bodies shocked the local community and made headlines nationwide. Investigators found that Puente had used a variety of drugs to incapacitate her victims before killing them. The bodies were buried in shallow graves in her backyard, a grim testament to her methodical and calculated approach to murder.

The Manhunt and Arrest

When police arrived with a warrant to search her property, Puente calmly asked if she was under arrest. When told she was not, she asked to go down the block for a cup of coffee. The police, inexplicably, allowed her to leave. Puente then fled, making her way to Los Angeles. There, she was recognized by a man who had seen her on the news and contacted the authorities. Puente was arrested and brought back to Sacramento to stand trial.

Puente's escape and subsequent arrest added another layer of intrigue to an already sensational case. Her ability to evade capture, even temporarily, demonstrated her cunning and resourcefulness.

The Trial and Conviction

In 1993, Puente was tried for the murders of nine of her tenants. The prosecution argued that she had killed them to collect their Social Security checks. Despite her defense team's efforts to portray her as a frail old woman incapable of such heinous acts, Puente was convicted of three murders and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The trial was a media spectacle, with extensive coverage highlighting the contrast between Puente's grandmotherly appearance and the horrific nature of her crimes. The prosecution presented overwhelming evidence of her guilt, including financial records and testimony from surviving tenants.

Legacy

Dorothea Puente died in prison on March 27, 2011, at the age of 82. Her case remains one of the most bizarre and chilling examples of how appearances can be deceiving. To this day, the house at 1426 F Street stands as a macabre monument to the crimes of the "killer granny" no one suspected.

Puente's story serves as a stark reminder that evil can lurk behind the most unassuming facades. Her ability to manipulate and deceive those around her, combined with her ruthlessness and lack of remorse, make her one of the most notorious female serial killers in American history.

Conclusion

The story of Dorothea Puente serves as a grim reminder that evil can often hide behind the most unassuming facades. Her life of deception, manipulation, and murder left an indelible mark on American crime history. The meticulous planning and cold execution of her crimes shocked a nation and continues to captivate those interested in true crime.