A convicted Arizona con man was tracked down in Utah and charged with the murder of his former neighbor earlier this year.
According to court documents, the body of 82-year-old Linda Baran was discovered on February 11 in the backseat of her car located in her garage, as reported by KPHO. Furniture in the home indicated a struggle had occurred, and investigators noted that Baran was shot while her hands were raised in a gesture of surrender.
Derek Bollwinkel was arrested last week after he was extradited from Salt Lake City. Police did not say how he was tracked down.
Authorities stated that Baran and Bollwinkel had been neighbors until his eviction from his residence approximately three weeks before the murder. Detectives reported that Bollwinkel had been harassing Baran for money and used her debit card to withdraw $4,000 from an ATM shortly after the murder.
Court documents further reveal that Bollwinkel parked his van near Baran’s home around 6:15 p.m. on February 9, the last day she was seen alive. He was observed fleeing from the residence and driving away around 7 p.m., and began attempting to use her debit card approximately 15 minutes later.
According to KPNX, police found Baran’s body when her family requested a welfare check on February 11.
“Our family is relieved that the suspect in the callous murder of our mother is in custody and can no longer be a threat to the public,” Baran’s family said in a statement. “We appreciate the dedicated work and support of the Mesa Police Department, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the US Marshal’s Office and look forward to justice being served. We ask that our privacy be respected as we continue to grieve.”
Bollwinkel has been charged with first degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and first degree burglary, KPHO said. He’s being held on a $1 million bond.
Bollwinkel was convicted in 2014 of ripping dozens of people off in a fraudulent “house sitting program.” He and his wife, who participated in the scheme, were hit with a $2.1 million judgement in civil court.
He was also arrested in 2018 and convicted of a similar scheme that involved forgery and criminal impersonation.
