The Man Who Got Away With Murder

Mel Ignatow was acquitted of the murder of Brenda Sue Schaefer in 1988. Six months later, a carpenter found an audiotape, video, and photographs showing Ignatow murdering Brenda, but due to Double Jeopardy laws, he could not be retried for her murder. Once this evidence came to light, Ignatow was charged with perjury due to the testimony provided to the grand jury. At his perjury trial, he made a full confession to the murder, but assured the court that Brenda “died peacefully.”

Brenda Meets Met

Brenda Sue Schaefer began dating Mel Ignatow in 1986. She thought he was the perfect man but soon after they began dating, he became violent and emotionally and physically abusive toward her.

Two years later, Brenda had enough and decided to leave Mel. She told Mel of her plans. He decided that if he could not have Brenda, no one could.

Mel and an ex-girlfriend, Mary Ann Shore, planned the murder for several weeks. The pair dug a grave in the woods behind Shore’s home and “scream tested” her house.

A Fatal Encounter

Brenda drove to Mel’s home under the premise he wanted to buy some of her jewelry. When she arrived, At gunpoint, Mel forced Brenda to strip and photographed her in provocative positions before he blindfolded, bound, and gagged her. He then brutally raped and sodomized her before he killed her with chloroform.

Mary Ann stood back and videotaped and photographed the entire incident. Mel also tape-recorded the event. A small transcript from the audio:

*Graphic Warning*

Ignatow: Good evening ladies and gentleman and we are coming to you live. This is your host Mel Ignatow and with me is the puta, the Jezebel who tried to leave me. She has been captured and taken prisoner by me now. (Yelling) THE PRISONER WILL IDENTIFY HERSELF.

Brenda: My name is Brenda Sue Schaefer, I have been captured and taken prisoner by Mel Ignatow.

Ignatow: Describe your situation Brenda

Brenda: You have treated me like a dog and humiliated me by stripping me naked. You have bound me hand and foot. Oh no! I am trapped like a beast in a snare!

Ignatow: (Laughing) Well Brenda my bound beauty welcome to your nightmare!

Brenda: (Sobbing) Oh no! Oh Dear God please no! Mel I am so sorry. Don't touch me! Oh God please don't hurt me!

The two then drove Brenda’s body to the grave and buried her. Mel took the audio tape, jewelry and film and buried it.

Mary Ann Confesses

Police suspected Mel of the murder but without any evidence, could not make an arrest. When police asked him to come in to “clear his name,” he mentioned Mary Ann Shore. Police then interviewed her and eventually, she confessed to the crime. More than one year after the murder, Mary Ann took police to the badly decomposed body. She then used a wire to set up Mel. In exchange, police agreed to drop all charges except tampering with evidence if she did.

On the audio tape, Mel said that he didn’t care if police dug up the property because “that place we dug is not shallow.” Mel was arrested for Brenda’s murder, but during his trial, he was acquitted of the charges.

The jury misheard what he said on the audio tape. They thought he said “safe” instead of “place” and also misunderstood the word “dug.”

Dressed in a mini-skirt, Mary Ann spread her legs wide open as she took the stand, laughing and giggling as she testified.

The jury did not take her seriously and with the misunderstanding of words on the audio tape, they felt an acquittal was the only justifiable outcome.

Ignatow Arrested on Perjury Charges

When the carpenter found the film and audio, he turned it over to the FBI. The film showed the horrific torture and murder of Brenda. The state filed perjury charges against Ignatow for statements that he made to the grand jury. During his perjury trial, Ignatow confessed to the murders. He said yes, he killed her, but rest assured she died peacefully.

Ignatow served 5-years on perjury. Upon his release, police prosecuted him on perjury charges in another incident related to Brenda’s murder. He served 9-years on that charge.

He died in his home at age 70 after falling down off a table.