American Monster on ID: Where is Jeff Silvernail now?

The death of Lori Roberts in 2009 brought the investigations to her ex-boyfriend, Jeff Silvernail. Silvernail had alleged that he had returned to Lori's residence to collect his belongings when he noticed her dead body on the floor.

However, suspicions arose as he was the last person to see her and the person to inform the law enforcement officials about her death. Authorities arrested Jeff Silvernail on May 24, 2010, and then sentenced to life in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights.

The American Monster episode titled "Broken People" shows the arrest of Jeff Silvernail for second-degree homicide as the episode airs on July 7, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery. The official synopsis reads,

"When Jeff Silvernail returns home to find his partner, Lori, dead in a pool of blood, it appears to be a burglary gone horribly wrong; investigators must uncover whether Jeff is a heartbroken partner or a monster who couldn't cope with rejection."

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How was Jeff Silvernail arrested?

Episode 4 of American Monster's Season 10 showcases Lori Bartsch Roberts's death in her home in Wahpeton. Roberts was a mother of three when she was found dead in the early hours of October 2, 2009. Lori had two gunshot wounds, once in the chest and once in the neck, with a 9mm handgun.

Her live-in ex-boyfriend, Jeff Silvernail, had reportedly dialed 911 to inform the police about her death. He mentioned he had visited Lori's residence to collect his belongings after leaving it around 3 a.m. local time on the same day. As Jeff was the only person to see her for the last time, Lori's close ones suspected his involvement in her death.

Lori Roberts (Image via Violence free Minnesota)

During interrogation, Jeff mentioned their break up over Lori falling for another man. According to his alibi, he had been in the process of moving out of Lori's house. However, as the authorities began their investigation, they found a 9mm handgun missing from Silvernail's collection.

The officers tested the blood spot found on the pants he wore on October 2 and another sample from Jeff's 1991 GMC pickup truck to find a match with Lori's DNA. The forensic report mentioned,

"It is estimated that 99.999995 percent of the general population can be excluded from being possible contributors of the DNA mixture."

According to The Jamestown Sun, Jeff mentioned that someone possibly stole one handgun out of four.

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Where is Jeff Silvernail now?

Jeffrey “Jeff” Allen Silvernail was arrested from the Wilkin County Courthouse on May 24, 2010, based on the collected evidence. He had visited the courthouse on an unrelated matter, according to The Jamestown Sun. He was held at the Wilkin County Jail in Breckenridge before his trial on May 25, 2010.

Silvernail was charged with the second-degree premeditated murder of his ex-girlfriend, Lori Roberts, per Wahpeton Daily News. Sheriff Tom Matejka reportedly shared,

"I think our department is pleased with the investigation, the results of it, and the hard work they put in. We all want closure to this, and this is the start of it."

Jeff Silvernail stood trial in October 2011 and was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder, per the court documents. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He currently serves his sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights.

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Catch all the details of Lori Roberts' murder as the new episode of American Monster airs on Investigation Discovery on Sunday.