THE MARJORIE CONGDON STORY:
A TIMELINE July 14, 1932
October 1932
Jacqueline Barnes is born in Tarboro, North Carolina.
Elisabeth Mannering Congdon adopts Jacqueline, renaming her Marjorie.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALLEGRA LOCKSTADT | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY DANA HALL; GLENSHEEN | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA–DULUTH; ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS | HANDWRITTEN WILL COURTESY OF ZENITH CITY PRESS AS PRESENTED IN WILL TO MURDER: THE TRUE STORY BEHIND THE CRIMES & TRIALS SURROUNDING THE GLENSHEEN KILLINGS, CONSIDERED THE “DEFINITIVE BOOK” ABOUT THE MURDERS
1947–1950 A rebellious, mischievous girl, Marjorie attends Dana Hall School in Massachusetts.
1949 Marjorie is diagnosed as a sociopath at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas.
June 1951 1968
Marjorie marries Richard LeRoy at Glensheen mansion.
Glensheen is donated to the University of Minnesota–Duluth. Elisabeth is given a life estate allowing her to occupy the home until her death.
1970
November 1973
Marjorie and Richard divorce.
Elisabeth becomes ill from mysterious elevated levels of the tranquilizer meprobamate, thought to be fed to her by Marjorie, who served her homemade marmalade.
March 1976 Marjorie marries Roger Caldwell. They live together in Colorado.
June 24, 1977 June 27, 1977
Marjorie has her handwritten will notarized. It promises Roger $2.5 million of her inheritance upon her mother’s death.
Elisabeth is asphyxiated in her bed with a satin pillow at Glensheen. Her nurse, Velma Pietila, is beaten to death with a candlestick holder.
July 5, 1977 July 8, 1978 Roger is found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. He is sentenced to two consecutive life terms at Stillwater state prison.
July 21, 1979 Marjorie is found not guilty on all four counts.
Duluth police arrest Roger for the murders.
July 11, 1978 Marjorie is arrested. She faces two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.