A con man with a shady past is now facing murder charges after a disturbing twist in his criminal history.
Derek Bollwinkel, a man once known for running scams, has been arrested and charged with the cold-blooded killing of his 82-year-old former neighbor, Linda Baran. Authorities say Bollwinkel fled Arizona after the February shooting and was finally captured in Utah before being extradited back to face justice.
Baran was discovered shot dead in her own garage on February 11. According to court documents, the elderly woman was found slumped in the back seat of her car with her hands raised in what police described as a “surrender” position. A gunshot had pierced her left side, and detectives believe she was executed as she tried to plead for her life.
Bollwinkel had been Baran’s neighbor until he was evicted just three weeks before her death. Investigators say he had been relentlessly pressuring Baran for money in the days leading up to the murder. On the night she was killed, a witness spotted Bollwinkel parking his van near her home, then later saw him running from the scene.
Detectives pieced together the timeline using surveillance footage and cellphone data, which placed Bollwinkel at the scene of the crime. Just 20 minutes after the murder, he was caught on ATM security footage using Baran’s debit card in an attempt to withdraw $10,000. He successfully stole $4,000 before disappearing across state lines.
Baran’s family had requested a welfare check after losing contact with her. When police arrived, they found the horrifying scene inside her garage, with the retired woman lifeless in her vehicle.
The manhunt ended on June 2, when Bollwinkel was arrested upon arriving at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. Authorities have not yet released how they tracked him down in Salt Lake City.
He is currently being held in Maricopa County Jail on a $1 million cash bond. He faces charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and fraudulent use of a credit card.
This isn’t Bollwinkel’s first brush with the law. He previously served time for a housing scam and was convicted of forgery and criminal impersonation in a separate case.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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