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Cindy Monkman's murder case, which dates back to December 1988, was one of the most shocking in Pinal County, Arizona, at the time it happened.
Investigation Discovery’s American Monster is all set to unravel the case where two German brothers, who were known for conning women, killed Cindy Monkman after an elaborate scheme that included Michael Apelt, one of the brothers, marrying Cindy and getting her life insurance.
Titled Brothers and Sisters, the synopsis for the episode reads as:
"Cindy Monkman turns heads wherever she goes, but by age 30, she's looking for something serious; Michael Apelt, a handsome German businessman, seems to be the answer to her prayers, until their first Christmas together turns into a horror story."
The brutal case is filled with mysteries that will engage even veteran true-crime fans. Here are five such details from Cindy Monkman's murder case.
Five quick facts about Cindy Monkman's murder
1) Cindy by-chance got entangled in the conning schemes of the Apelt brothers
Cindy was not a particular target for the Apelt brothers. The German brothers were in a long line of conning women when Michael met Cindy Monkman at Bobby McGhee's restaurant.
The duo were drawn to each other and began dating, finally tying the knot in October 1988. Unbeknownst to Cindy, this was all a part of Michael's scheme.
2) Michael got life insurance for Cindy Monkman worth $400,000
A part of Michael and Rudi's scheme was to get Cindy life insurance. A few weeks after their marriage, Michael applied for life insurance in her name. The brothers waited exactly the amount of time it took for her life insurance to be approved before killing her.
In fact, they killed the victim the day after her insurance was approved, making it one of their biggest mistakes in the process of avoiding the law.
3) Cindy Monkman was brutally stabbed to death
The day after her life insurance was approved, Rudi and Michael drove Cindy to the desert, where they stabbed her in the chest, leading to her death. Her throat was also slashed.
The following morning, Michael allegedly reported that his wife was missing. However, it was rather easy to link him to the murder because of the life insurance.
4) Michael's ex-girlfriend Anke Dorn became the key to cracking the case
Michael's ex-girlfriend, Anke Dorn, was also a part of the plan. Michael and Rudi reportedly met Anke for dinner after their trip to the desert. When the investigation commenced and the trio were brought in for questioning, the authorities were able to get Anke to admit the crime by showing her photos of the crime scene and appealing to her human nature.
She was also offered immunity for testifying against the brothers. This worked, and Anke testified against Michael and Rudi.
5) Michael and Rudi were sentenced to death but Rudi's sentence was later overturned due to mental incompetence
After the brothers were sentenced to death, they appealed for mental incompetence to avoid death penalty. Upon checking, Rudi was actually found to be mentally incompetent. His sentence was overturned and he was sent to prison for life, where he died. Michael was sentenced to death.
American Monster will cover this tragic case in detail when it airs on November 20, at 9:00 pm EST.
