In 1971, John List committed a horrific crime that would shock the entire United States: He murdered his mother, wife, and three kids inside their New Jersey mansion. The List family was somewhat reclusive, however, and with no regular visitors to the mansion it wouldn’t be until a month later that their bodies were discovered. John List, in the meantime, had skipped town, and the ensuing police search would prove fruitless. List managed to disappear for 18 years, and had even remarried, but was eventually found thanks to an episode of America’s Most Wanted.
After being captured, List claimed that he murdered his family due to their crushing debt, a product of both their lavish mansion and their numerous medical expenses. According to a psychiatrist who testified in the trial, List only saw two choices: Go on welfare to support the family, or send them to heaven. List was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences without parole, and would die in prison in 2008.
There’s a twist to the story, however. As it turns out, List’s mansion was adorned with a skylight rumored to be an original from Tiffany. The skylight alone would have been enough to pay off any debt List may have incurred and then some. It was unclear if List was aware of the skylight’s origin or of its value when he committed the gruesome murders.
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