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What could drive a seemingly devoted grandmother to deceit and homicide?
This haunting question loomed over investigators as they delved into a disturbing case marked by a macabre find in a Florida condominium.
On April 8, 2018, Pamela Hutchinson, aged 59, was discovered dead from a gunshot wound in a condo at Fort Myers Beach. The grim scene was uncovered by officers from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, who were responding to an emergency call.
“A small caliber bullet was responsible for the fatality,” recalled Sgt. David Foraker, a former homicide supervisor with the LCSD, during an episode of Oxygen’s Killer Grannies aired on November 23. “It was likely a .22 caliber round.”
The condo’s air conditioning had been set to a low temperature, presumably to conceal the odor of decomposition. There were no clear signs of a violent struggle, nor was there any trace of the murder weapon.
Who was Pamela Hutchinson?
Further investigation revealed that Pamela originally hailed from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She had moved to Florida following her separation from her husband.
“I never recall Pam having any enemies,” said friend Gary Poff, “that would ever consider doing her harm.”
Pamela’s family was equally in the dark about any possible suspects.
Pamela had come to Fort Myers to visit her friend whose husband had passed. They were going to scatter his ashes on Sanibel Island, a popular destination in the area.
Security footage provides clues
Sheriffs found a date-stamped receipt from a local brewery in the crime scene. They collected security video of the restaurant and surveillance footage from the condo building.
Footage from the brewery showed Pamela talking with another woman.
“After finishing their meal,” said former LCSD homicide supervisor Sgt. James Divis, “they both left the area together.”
An hour later, they walked into Pamela’s condo unit, as seen in video footage. Pamela was never seen on video again.
But on April 6, the woman—who was around 60—was seen coming and going from the room. “She was adorning herself in the victim’s clothing,” said Foraker, “almost as if she was assuming her identity.”
Parking lot footage caught the woman near two cars—a white Escalade and Pamela’s Acura. The suspect was seen driving away in the Acura. That was four days before the 911 call.
Lois Riess becomes a suspect
On April 2, a few days before Pamela was found, Florida law enforcement were told to be on the lookout for Lois Riess, a Minnesota grandmother.
The tip came from Tess Koster, who resided in Florida and Minnesota. She told Lee County officials that Lois had pulled into her driveway and left in a hurry when she saw Tess.
“Lois had a plan in mind,” said Foraker, “but Tess interrupted that.”
They learned that she had a warrant for her arrest from Minnesota for fraud. Fort Myers sheriffs also discovered that Lois was under investigation for the murder of her husband, David Riess.
What happened to David Riess?
On March 22, 2023, David, 54, was found deceased at his home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota by Dodge County Sheriff officers making a welfare check.
David was found in a bathroom, where a window was left open. He’d been shot twice and covered with a towel and had been dead for at least a couple of days.
The similarities between the death scenes of David and Lois — the gunshots, the cold room to mask the smell—struck Florida detectives.
Who is Lois Riess?
Florida investigators learned that Lois grew up in Rochester, Minnesota. She dropped out of high school in her junior year. She married David and they had three children.
Her friend Jennifer Peterson described Lois as someone who “was super fun and just made you feel very comfortable.”
When her children were young, Lois ran a daycare in her home. David ran a wax worm and bait business.
“She was a good mom,” said Steele County Times reporter Kay Fate, “and a good grandmother.”
By all accounts, they were happy. But things changed after Lois began to frequent a nearby casino.
Lois Riess leads police on a chase
Investigators tracked Lois to a casino in Louisiana, where she hit a $1,500 jackpot and used her own ID to collect the winnings. Why risk that?
“She did have a gambling addiction,” said Foraker. “She felt proud.”
Lois proved slippery, eluding police in several states. “It became an all-points bulletin across the United States,” said Fort Myers News-Press journalist Michael Braun. “Lois became known as the ‘Killer Grandma.’”
The motive appeared to be financial. “I think she killed Pamela to get another car,” said Fate, “to get more money.”
Lois Riess captured near Mexico border
On April 19, Lois was apprehended by U.S. Marshals at a restaurant in South Padre Island, Texas. She immediately asked for a lawyer.
Receipts showed that she’d checked into a nearby motel 10 days earlier. In the room, officials found two guns—a 9mm and a 22-caliber, Pamela’s hat and driver’s license, latex gloves and duct tape.
“I do think she was planning on killing somebody in South Padre,” said Koster, “and getting a new identity to go across the border.”
Lois Riess charged and tried
After leading police on a multi-state chase, Lois was charged for David’s murder in Minnesota and Pamela’s shooting death in Florida.
She faced the possibility of the ultimate punishment. She pleaded guilty in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. She was sentenced to life behind bars.
Watch Killer Grannies, airing Sundays at 8/7c p.m. on Oxygen.
