American Monster is highlighting the homicide of Cindy Monkman by her husband, Michael Apelt, and his brother, Rudi Apelt.
In 1988, Michael and Rudi left their residence in west Germany and moved to the United States, the place they took on the persona of wealthy worldwide businessmen.
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Michael and Rudi’s purpose in America was reportedly to get cash by conning ladies and finally marrying somebody to gather their life insurance coverage cash.
That plan got here to fruition when Michael met 30-year-old Cindy Monkman at Bobby McGhee’s restaurant in Pinal County, Arizona.
On October 28, 1988, they acquired married in Las Vegas, Nevada. Several weeks later, Michael took out a $400,000 life insurance coverage coverage on her.
When it was authorized on December 22, 1988, Monkman went lacking.
Cindy Monkman is discovered murdered within the desert
On December 24, 1988, Michael contacted the native police division and reported his spouse lacking. Later that day, a passerby discovered her physique in a desert close to Apache Junction.
An post-mortem revealed that Monkman had been stabbed a number of occasions and that her throat had been slit.
She was almost decapitated.
Investigators grew to become suspicious of Michael after studying in regards to the life insurance coverage coverage. That’s when undercover law enforcement officials started following the brothers, together with Michael’s ex-girlfriend named Anke Dorn.
When they realized they had been being adopted, they contacted the police and later went to the precinct for questioning.
During their interview with Dorn, she instructed investigators that Michael and Rudi plotted to kill Monkman after the life insurance coverage coverage went by means of.
Michael and Rudi conspired to kill Cindy Monkman
On December 23, 1988, Michael took his spouse to a desert. Rudi and Dorn adopted behind them in a separate car. Once they arrived at that location, Dorn mentioned Michael and Rudi had killed Monkman.
Afterward, they went purchasing and later paid a homeless man to depart a message on Monkman’s answering machine and admit to the killing. He was additionally instructed to say that the brothers had been subsequent.
Dorn added that after Monkman’s funeral, Michael instructed her that she had “signed her death warrant when she signed the insurance papers.”
In alternate for Dorn’s confession and testimony, she was given immunity.
A jury discovered Michael responsible of first-degree homicide, and on August 10, 1990, a decide sentenced him to dying.
Rudi was additionally sentenced to dying.
In 2009, his dying sentence was overturned after it was deemed he was mentally disabled. He was later sentenced to life in jail with the potential of parole after 25 years.
American Monster airs Sundays at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.
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