February...the month of love. Did you have a good Valentine's Day? Did you enjoy chocolates, flowers, and a romantic dinner with your loved one? Perhaps you had a day/evening of just pampering yourself...nothing wrong with loving and taking care of yourself. Or maybe you worked and then enjoyed a quiet meal...because it's just another Tuesday. Well, whether you celebrated with a loved one, didn't do much of anything, or just took care of yourself...I hope you had a great day.
Unfortunately, for 39-year-old Denise Leuthold, February 14, 2013, was her last day on this earth.
Let me introduce you to Nathan and Denise Leuthold. In 2013, Nathan and Denise had been married for 17-18 years and had three children; ages 4, 10, and 12. They lived in Peoria, Illinois, in her parent's home. Nathan and Denise were very active in their Lithuanian-oriented church, traveling a lot for missionary work before they had kids. They also would bring Lithuanian women to the US who had escaped abusive relationships. They helped these women live a better life in America.
February 14, 2013, was a typical day for the Leuthold family. Being Valentin's Day, Nathan got the kids up that morning and did their normal bathing routine while Denise made breakfast for the family. Before eating breakfast, the kids enjoyed a Valentine treat and Denise was given some chocolate and flowers. After breakfast, the kids went to school, Nathan headed out for work, and Denise stayed home.
Later that day, the family's daycare provider called Nathan and let him know that Denise had not shown up to pick up their daughter, Janelle. Nathan phoned his in-laws to see if they knew where Denise was and they told Nathan that Denise was not answering her phone. They offered to pick up Janelle, but Nathan went ahead and picked her up and headed home.
At 3:15, a call came into the 911 dispatch. It was Nathan Leuthold calling about a possible break-in at his home. He said his daughter stated that it looked like someone had broken in and he said that a window had been broken and the garage door was open. At no time during the 911 call did Nathan state any type of concern for his wife. Suspicious...in my opinion.
Nathan waited outside the home for the police. Once they showed up, he went inside. Denise's lifeless body was found just inside the front door. She had a single gunshot wound to her head. The overall scene initially looked like a burglary gone wrong as some electronics were missing as well as Denise's car.
Not sure if you caught how I said 'initially', but in March 2013, an announcement was made that police had a suspect in custody. That suspect was none other than Nathan Leuthold, himself. The police later stated that they suspected Nathan from the beginning as the burglary looked staged to them and there was no evidence of forced entry. When they searched Nathan's car, they found foreign currency, safety deposit box keys, and passports. Although Nathan stated that he left the house in the morning and did not return until after 3:00, a neighbor reported seeing Nathan walking toward the house around 12:20 p.m. He looked to have been walking from the direction of the parking lot where Denise's car was found. They also found a black sweatshirt in a closet that tested positive for gunshot residue.
Many people may be wondering why would this guy kill his wife and, more specifically, why on Valentine's Day? well...investigators discovered that Nathan was having an affair with a Lithuanian lady that he and Denise had brought back to the U.S. Her name is Aina Dobilaite. She was 20-years-old at the time of Denise's death. Aina met Nathan in Lithuania when she was 6-years-old. When she turned 18, Nathan brought her to the U.S.
Aina had been attending college and was being sponsored by the Letholds. The affair was initially denied, but Aina later admitted to Nathan visiting her in Chicago around 20 times and that she and Nathan shared a bank account. That bank account was used for Nathan to buy her food, clothing, and overall living expenses.
Toward the end of March, Nathan was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and his murder trial began in July of 2014. During opening statements, Prosecutor Jodi Hoos said that Nathan had killed Denise to be with his 20-year-old mistress. “She was his real Valentine,” she said. “I believe the evidence will show that before the murder and after the murder, the relationship that he had with Aina was much more than just a sponsored student.”
A lot of testimony focused on a note that Denise had written and was found in a day planner in her and Nathan's bedroom. She had written about knowing about Nathan and Aina, stating that Nathan was “running around with a 20-year-old” and humiliating her. Handwriting analysis confirmed that it was written by Denise. It was dated the day she died.
“What on earth could you possibly be thinking? I can’t imagine anything you could tell me that would hurt worse than what you were doing to me now — every day. I really don’t think there is anything that I have done or not done that would cause me to deserve this. I have tried to please you for seventeen years and never succeeded. I’ve never been good enough. Never done enough. I know that you want me dead. I’m not stupid. I suppose it will confirm my worthlessness to you when I write that I am not brave enough to do that job for you. And now all of a sudden, you are taking me with you places. What is that all about? Maybe you think I don’t feel bad enough. You act like you are somehow noble because you won’t tell me why you are doing this. It makes me sick. I have been willing at any time to fall in love with you again, but you reject me every time. I wish I could hate you. I’ve tried to hate you because I thought it would make it easier. I thought it wouldn’t hurt so bad. Of course, I couldn’t do it, so I have failed at that, too. I have been without pride. I have humiliated myself to try to win something that belongs to me. You defraud me, and you don’t seem to care. Well, I quit. I’m not going to try to please you anymore. I will do what I have to do, but no more of that game. You want to humiliate me by running around with a 20 year old? Fine. I won’t grovel. If I haven’t pleased you in seventeen years, nothing I do now will please you. And I refuse to leave my children just because you have decided to do this to me. You are the only person who thinks I am a bad mother. Complete strangers compliment me on them, so Iwill not join you in your obsession with perfection. I am the same person that I’ve always been. I am not weaker and in many ways stronger. I refuse to play to your perfectionism in that, too. I have borne neglect and criticism and kept going. But now this. How long? How long are you going to do this to me? Oh, yeah until I break. That’s what you said, isn’t it? Well, happy waiting.”
Aina Dobilaite ended up testifying. She explained how she met Nathan when she was 6, he brought her to the U.S. when she was 18, and he had basically funded her whole life. He took her on trips, went shooting with her, paid her expenses. She stated that she never stayed overnight with Nathan.
Aina also said she never told Nathan she was in love with him, but an email was brought into evidence from Aina to Nathan stating, “I let you down. From now on, I want to do all that I can for you and this relationship. I am so blessed to have you in my life.” I mean...do we really need to see the words 'I love you'? Investigators also discovered deleted text messages between Aina and Nathan that were very flirtatious.
A search of Nathan's computer showed multiple internet searches regarding how to kill someone with poison and how to silence a .40-caliber Glock handgun. Maybe he was searing for a friend? (very heavy sarcasm)
Nathan's cellmate, David D. Smith, testified that Nathan confessed to murdering his wife. He said that he waited in a closet for his wife to come home. “They had words and then he shot her in the head,” he testified.
It was later discovered that Nathan's parents told Aina not to speak to police. I personally find that a bit disgusting.
The jury took 90 minutes to reach a decision that Nathan Leuthold was guilty of the murder of his wife. He ended up being sentenced to 80 years in prison. Judge Keith Lyons called Nathan a “thief” for robbing their children of their mother, and taking Denise away from the rest of her family. I have a few more choice words I can think of to describe Nathan...I'll let you use your imagination.
Denise's parents provided a victim impact statement: “We are repulsed at his calculated, evil scheming. He has robbed us of the rest of our daughter’s life. We’ve had to wrestle with Nathan’s hypocrisy in claiming to be a man of God.”
I find it so sad that a kind and giving lady lost her life to the man who was supposed to be her friend, her lover...her Valentine.
-- Audre
Nathan Leuthold Denise Leuthold
Photo by: macabreatmidnight.medium.com
Sources:
pjstar.com
missinginillinois.org