The eerie case of Betty Lou Beets, a Texas woman executed for the murder of three out of her five husbands, sparked significant discussion and controversy.
A Troubled Past
Betty’s story begins with a troubling childhood marked by profound hardships. She lost her hearing at the age of 3, and after her mother was institutionalized when Betty was 12, she was left alone to raise her siblings. To add to this, she faced sexual abuse from her father and other men.
At just 15, Betty married her first husband, with whom she had five children. This union lasted around 16 years before he left her.
Murderous Marriages
Subsequently, Betty remarried four more times. Out of these marriages, only two husbands survived without falling victim to her lethal tendencies.
Her second husband, who entered her life in 1970, was shot after breaking her nose. Despite surviving the attack, their relationship continued for another two years before it ended. Bachelor number three faced an attempt on his life in 1978 when Betty tried to run him over with a car but missed. Both husbands later testified against her in court.
The Gruesome End
The killings escalated with husbands four and five. Husband number four was shot and buried in a garage, while husband number five was also shot; Betty disposed of his body in an abandoned well after attempting to make authorities believe he had been drowned in a lake. Authorities spent three weeks dragging the lake before finding him in the well.
Legal Battles and Final Sentence
Betty pled not guilty and even attempted to place the blame on two of her children. Despite this, the court found her guilty. The conviction was overturned on appeal but later reinstated three years afterward.
After a decade of unsuccessful appeals, Betty was sentenced to death in November 1989. Her case navigated through the federal courts over another ten years until she received a lethal injection at Huntsville in February 2000.
The Emotional Aftermath
During the execution, Betty’s son reflected that his mother had “no expression on her face.” In contrast, James Beets shared a sentiment felt by many victims’ families: Nobody deserves to go through this. And I ask that God be with her family. Now she knows what we feel like.
