Iva Kroeger Now? – “Deadly Women” is a true crime series that premiered on Investigation Discovery in 2005, and it focuses on the lives of real-life female killers. The show examines their motivations, methods, and the consequences of their actions. Each episode profiles three cases, highlighting the women who committed the crimes, their victims, and the law enforcement officials who investigated them. The show also includes expert commentary from criminology, psychology, and forensic science professionals, providing additional insights into the crimes.
Deadly Women Season 7 Episode 18, “Souls of Stone,” features the stories of three women who committed murders to achieve their own goals. The episode particularly highlights Lucille Hooper, who bought her friend’s motel in Santa Rosa, California, and later killed its elderly proprietor and her ex-husband in December 1961 and January 1962, respectively. The episode delves into her motivations, behavior, and attempts to evade justice. It also examines the details of the case and Iva’s eventual fate. Overall, “Deadly Women” is an enduring true crime series that provides a captivating look into the minds of female killers.
Where is Iva Kroeger Now?
Lucille Hooper, who was also known as Iva Kroeger, was born in Kentucky in 1922 to a day laborer and a Norwegian immigrant. In 1945, Lucille was arrested in Chicago for impersonating a Navy nurse who served in a Japanese POW camp. Although she pleaded guilty, she violated her probation and fled to the West Coast. Lucille then piled up minor theft charges under various aliases.
After marrying Ralph Kroeger of San Francisco, Lucille changed her name to Iva and continued to use aliases. In 1961, the couple changed their names to Eva and Ralph Long and checked into a Santa Rosa motel to avoid creditors. Iva befriended the elderly motel owner, Mildred Arneson, and convinced her to receive a $100,000 settlement from an accident claim. Iva also convinced Mildred to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to Brazil and procured over $1,000 worth of traveler’s checks.
After Mildred and her ex-husband Jay disappeared, Iva claimed that Mildred had given her the deed to the motel and provided a detailed account of Mildred’s supposed trip to Mexico. However, suspicion arose when Jay did not return, and authorities later discovered that Iva had murdered both Mildred and Jay and driven their bodies across the country in a car.
In the “Deadly Women” episode, the gang visits Iva at her home, where she asks for their help with plumbing in the basement. Later, Iva takes Jay to the hospital and tells her friends they can leave without her. In August 1962, authorities searched Iva’s home and found Jay’s body under a concrete patch in the garage and Mildred’s body under a trunk under another patch. Iva was charged with murder and assault, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was later arrested in San Diego under the alias “Julia Schmidt.”
During the trial, Iva and Ralph denied their guilt, but the jury found them guilty. Iva attempted to plead not guilty because of insanity, but psychiatrists testified that she was perfectly sane at the time of the murders. Ralph died of cancer while in prison in 1966, and Iva was granted parole in 1975 due to her blindness and adoption of braille. In 1987, Iva was arrested for threatening to murder a man and died of cervical cancer in 2000 while in Boston.
The case of Iva Kroeger, as discussed in the “Deadly Women” episode, highlights the factors that can lead women to commit violent crimes and emphasizes the significance of thorough investigation and anonymous tips in solving crimes. The show offers a unique perspective on true crime, providing insight into female killers’ minds and motives.
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