5 chilling details about Darlene VanderGiesen's murder

Darlene VanderGiesen, a deaf white Sioux Falls resident, went missing in February 2006, and days later her dismembered body parts were found scattered in different locations across the city. One of her acquaintances, a deaf black woman, Daphne Wright, was later found guilty of murdering and butchering her in a fit of rage and jealousy.

Deadly Affairs: Betrayed By Love on ID is scheduled to revisit the gruesome murder in its upcoming episode titled Dead Silent, which is slated to air this Saturday, October 29, 2022.

The synopsis reads:

"A piano teacher finds happiness with a new love, but when both men die brutally, police realize someone wanted their love song to end; a woman from the Sioux Falls deaf community goes missing, but there's one person who knows exactly where she is."

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Five unsettling details about Darlene VanderGiesen's butchering case

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1) Darlene VanderGiesen's car was found abandoned in a Pizza Hut parking lot

Darlene VanderGiesen was reported missing by her father on February 4, 2006, after she failed to show up to work for two consecutive days. A day later, on February 5, authorities discovered Darlene's deserted car in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut establishment along with some of her missing clothing. Her house keys, car keys, pocketbook, and identification, however, were still missing.

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2) VanderGiesen's dismembered body parts were found in two separate locations

On February 11, a sweatshirt, together with Darlene VanderGiesen's legs and lower body, was discovered in a dump. Over a month later, on March 28, the remainder of her body parts were located in a ditch on the western edge of Rock County 6, Minnesota, not far from the state border.

According to the autopsy results, she was strangled and suffered a seven-inch skull fracture caused by a blunt object. Additionally, her body displayed burn marks and was dismembered with a sharp blade, subsequently identified as an electric chainsaw.

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3) She received threatening e-mails from an anonymous person

Police were contacted by Darlene's sister, who informed them that she was receiving threatening emails from an unidentified account. Detectives searched through Darlene's computer and phone and tracked the emails back to Jackie Chesmore.

Chesmore told authorities that she had no clue about the emails. However, it was later discovered that her roommate, Daphne Wright, who was Darlene's acquaintance, had been sending emails under the alias Wendy.

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4) Incriminating evidence was found in Daphne Wright's home

Darlene VanderGiesen's blood was discovered on the bumper of Daphne's car. Moreover, remnants of the victim's bones, muscles, and blood were found on the walls of the suspect's home basement. They also discovered a receipt indicating that Daphne bought an electric chainsaw on February 3, 2006. Additionally, there was freshly painted concrete in the basement that had cut marks and Darlene's DNA on it.

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5) Wright was convicted in Darlene VanderGiesen's murder case

An 11-member jury found Daphne Wright guilty of premeditated murder and aggravated kidnapping based on the evidence presented and overruled the prosecution's request for a lethal injection by sentencing her to two consecutive life terms in prison. Wright is currently serving her term at the South Dakota Women's Prison in Pierre.

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Learn more about Darlene VanderGiesen's murder case on Deadly Affairs: Betrayed By Love's upcoming episode this Saturday.