‘Does Murder Sleep?‘ is an Investigation Discovery investigation series. Wendy DiRodio, 61, was murdered at her parents’ home in Ventura, California, in early June 2009. The case remained unsolved for several years until an unexpected break broke it open. We’ve got you covered if you’re curious about how the homicide was solved, as well as the killer’s name and current whereabouts. Let’s get this party started, shall we?
Wendy DiRodio Biography
| Date of Birth | June 1, 1948 |
|---|---|
| Age | 75 Years |
| Birth Place | Ventura, California. |
| Residence | Ventura, California. |
| Country | California. |
| Profession | (will update soon) |
| Education | Inter |
| Father | (will update soon) |
| Mother | (will update soon) |
| Nationality | California |
| Siblings | (will update soon) |
| Brother | (will update soon) |
| Religion | (will update soon) |
| Spouse | (will update soon) |
| Horoscope | zodiac |
| Weight | 62 KG |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches |
| Net Worth | (will update soon) |
| Category | update soon |
How Did Wendy DiRodio Die?
Wendy Jo Wendy DiRodio was born in Ventura, California, on June 1, 1948, to the late David and Florence Silver. Wendy, their youngest daughter, moved in with them after her divorce from the Silvers, who lived in the city’s wealthy Ventura Keys section.
According to her acquaintances, she moved in to care for her 91-year-old father in June 2009 and lived on the lowest level of her parents’ home in the 2800 block of Sailor Avenue. Wendy’s niece, Talia Beal, mentioned that her grandfather had Alzheimer’s, and Wendy was overjoyed to be able to care for her parents.
Wendy was recalled by her Santa Barbara acquaintances as a fun-loving woman who taught swing dancing at a public recreation center. “She loved to laugh,” Rick Harmon, her long-time dancing partner, recalled.
We had a beginners’ class before the Friday night dances, and I asked her to help me make it light and relaxing. She was a wonderful dance partner who liked to throw me off.” Wendy, a psychotherapist, had allegedly recently been seeing someone and had even purchased property in Goleta, according to Rick.
Wendy had two dogs, which Talia remembered her aunt adoringly referring to as “the apples of her eyes.” But, the tranquil and pleasant family atmosphere was forever destroyed when Florence knocked on her 61-year-old daughter’s bedroom door on June 3, 2009, and discovered it was locked from the inside. Wendy was discovered dead in her bed, with several stab wounds to her head, neck, and upper torso, after the woman brought her additional keys and entered the house.
What happened to Gina Drake
About six years after her arrest in 2012, she pled guilty to killing her aunt. At the age of 51, she pleaded guilty to the crime in February 2018.
According to NBC News, Gina Drake has been released on bond since her first arrest in 2012. She also initially claimed innocence, and her trial was continually delayed. On February 20, 2018, she entered into a plea agreement in Ventura County Superior Court, admitting to committing the act in 2009.
Gina Drake was sentenced to 11 years in state prison under the terms of her plea agreement, according to NBC News. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2018.
Who Killed Wendy DiRodio
There were no signs of forced entry when the detectives arrived, and nothing was reported missing. One of the detectives found a wounded dog beneath Wendy DiRodio’s bed and was taken to the hospital with a knife wound to the neck.
They couldn’t find the murder weapon, but they did see a case on a bedside table. The officers assumed the missing blade was in the case, which did not belong to anyone in the Silver family. Wendy was murdered while sleeping, according to the detectives.
They phoned Florence and discovered that she had been awakened the night before by the sound of barking dogs between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. Wendy’s cats could have gotten loose in the backyard and been harassing the neighbors as a result.
She observed a figure speeding around the corner when she peeked out the window. Authorities speculated that she may have watched her daughter’s murderer leaving after committing the heinous act. They also searched the crime scene and discovered multiple blood samples from the victim.
Investigators felt Wendy’s death was linked to the double murder of Brock and Davina Husted, both 42, less than two weeks earlier, on May 20. The Husted couple had been stabbed inside their home about nine miles up the coast.
The proximity of the two crimes, as well as some remarkable similarities, led authorities to think they were committed by the same person. A former Brazilian boyfriend, an internet lover, and an accused stalker were also investigated.
Wendy DiRodio’s Brazilian lover, according to the show, got the keys to the Silver home since he had assisted in the care of Wendy’s father. He had recently attempted to reunite with Wendy, but she was uninterested, according to family members.
Wendy, a psychotherapist and marriage counselor by trade, had filed stalking charges and received a restraining order against a former client. Despite the authorities’ efforts, all of the suspects were eventually ruled out due to concrete alibis. Due to a lack of evidence and suspects, the case went cold.
Wendy’s family was called roughly ten months after her murder and invited to come in for a regular cheek swab. Apart for Wendy’s niece, Gina Drake, who immediately sought a lawyer, the rest of the family cooperated. While this made her a person of interest in the murder, there was no physical evidence connecting her to the crime, thus she could not be detained.
Gina made a breakthrough in November 2010 when she attempted but failed to complete suicide. While in the hospital, she made several incriminating remarks to a law enforcement agent.
Gina was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in May 2012. Her defense attorney claimed Gina’s ex-husband, former Ventura police officer Aaron Drake, was involved in her arrest.
According to reports, the two were married when police began investigating her as a suspect in the 2009 murder, but he filed for divorce shortly after the investigation led them to her. Gina’s counsel claimed in court documents that Aaron wore a wire, made calls, and provided statements to investigators.
Where is Gina Drake Now
According to reports, both the prosecution and defense planned to call Aaron to testify before his suicide attempt at the Ventura police station in July 2017.
But he survived the attack, court documents show that he made numerous claims in his suicide note that could harm his credibility as a witness. The defense stated in court that he admitted to “possibly criminal in nature” behavior. Gina, 51, admitted to using a knife and pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in February 2018.
According to the episode, Gina may have committed the act out of resentment because Florence was supporting Wendy in obtaining a property by lending her a substantial amount. Wendy and Gina had a falling out about providing care for a sick David, according to family members.
Gina was sentenced to 11 years in jail in late March 2018, despite the disappointment of the victim’s friends with the plea deal. Because her name does not appear on the state prison roster, she may have been released on parole now that she is in her mid-50s.
