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Over four decades ago, in late December 1981, Bill Edmondson, who served in the US Navy, was found beaten and shot to death in a wooded area in Kitsap County, Washington. An examination revealed that he had been shot four times in the head and had incurred critical and ghastly wounds to his body.
Information concerning his death eventually surfaced, revealing a horrible crime committed by his then-wife, Rosalina Edmondson, and her former husband, Richard Manthie. While the former's actions were fueled by greed, the latter acted partially out of jealousy and partially because of his history of violence and alcohol. Both were convicted and given their respective life sentences without parole.
On Friday, February 3, 2023, Oxygen's Snapped will chronicle the gruesome murder of Bill Edmondson. The episode, titled Rosalina Edmondson, is scheduled to re-air on the channel at 8 pm ET. The synopsis of the episode reads:
"As investigators search for the vicious killer of a Navy yeoman in Kitsap, Washington, they come across the troubling realization that the victim may have expected his own demise."
Bill Edmondson murder case: Five key details about the brutal killing of the Navy serviceman by his wife and her former husband
1) Bill Edmondson's body was found with vicious wounds over a week after he was murdered
On December 29, 1981, Kitsap County authorities found Bill Edmondson's body face down in a pool in a secluded forested area. The discovery was made after a caller reported finding a corpse in the area. His body displayed indications of a vicious assault - his eyes were swollen shut, his lips were torn, his teeth were broken, and his nose was completely crushed.
Edmondson was also shot four times in the head with .22 caliber bullets and a cowboy boot print embedded in his chest, which caused his liver and spleen to rupture, bruised his heart and broke his sternum. Further examination showed that his body had suffered injuries after he died and that he was killed days before his body was found.
2) He was last seen alive with his wife, Rosalina Edmondson, four days before Christmas
Bill Edmondson was reportedly last seen alive on December 21, leaving his house with his wife, Rosalina. His case was only reported to local authorities by Naval Criminal Investigative Services the following day when he failed to show up at work.
Days later, when his body was found, Rosalina told authorities that they had gone out together that night when Bill got drunk and tried to score drugs when she left him at the bar. She also tried to pin the murder on one of his colleagues, Michael Cogswell, who refuted some major claims - about Bill's alleged drug habit and that he killed his friend.
3) Authorities found incriminating evidence connecting Rosalina and her ex-husband to Bill's murder
On December 30, authorities interviewed Rosalina Edmondson's ex-husband Richard Manthie, who had been residing at her house on Long Lake Road after being released from prison a few days before Bill Edmondson's murder. They learned that she even filed for Manthie's parole, claiming she was still his wife.
Inside the home, authorities found incriminating evidence, including a broken back door, broken glass, blood on the kitchen floor and walls, and a pair of muddy cowboy boots.
Moreover, Manthie admitted to not knowing about Rosalina and Bill's marriage and that she had divorced him until the two showed up at the house on Long Lake Road on the night of December 21. He claimed that they argued, after which the couple left the place.
Authorities also found a car that Rosalina lent to her ex-husband outside the house. Inside the car, they found 22 caliber bullet shells, glass pieces, hair, and blood that matched Bill's blood and Manthie's cowboy boot prints similar to the one embedded in the victim's chest.
4) Revelations confirmed that Rosalina Edmondson provoked former husband to murder Bill
According to reports, on January 14, 1982, Richard Manthie was arrested and charged with murdering Bill Edmondson. During his trial, one of his former cellmates testified, claiming that Manthie had spoken in-depth about the murder, which started when Rosalina Edmondson sent him a beer case the night of the crime.
A short while later, she and Bill arrived at the house. This infuriated Manthie, who savagely assaulted Bill and broke his nose. But things only became uglier when Bill alerted Rosalina that he was dropping her as a beneficiary on his insurance policy. Manthie subsequently shot him twice after she warned him, saying,
"Kill this son of a b**ch or I will."
5) Both Rosalina and her ex-husband were convicted in Bill Edmondson's murder
In June 1982, Richard Manthie was found guilty of aggravated first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Rosalina Edmondson was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder. She was also found guilty in a March 1983 trial and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
