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The murder of the mother of three daughters, Lori Roberts, brought the city of Wahpeton to a standstill in 2009. Lori was shot to death in her home and her ex-boyfriend dialed 911 to inform authorities about the alleged death. However, as time passed, Lori's close ones started suspecting Jeff of foul play.
The American Monster episode titled Broken People brings the ugly details behind Lori Roberts' murder. The episode aired 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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Five key details about Lori Roberts' murder explored
1) Lori Roberts was found dead on her bedroom floor on October 2, 2009
The mother of three from Doran, Minnesota, Lori Bartsch Roberts, was reportedly found dead in her apartment on October 2, 2009. The authorities who arrived at the scene found Roberts lying on the bedroom floor. She had been shot twice - once in the chest and once in the neck, per MPR News.
Lori had been found naked waist down. Furthermore, the authorities determined that she had been shot with a 9mm handgun, per The Jamestown Sun.
2) Lori Roberts' ex-boyfriend, Jeff Silvernail, had been in the middle of moving out
The authorities had been alerted with a 911 call from Jeff Silvernail, Lori Roberts' ex-boyfriend, who had allegedly been in the house to collect his belongings. Jeff mentioned to the authorities that he had left the house around 3 a.m. local time. He allegedly returned in the morning to find Lori shot to death.
He dialed 911 at 8:44 a.m. local time the same morning. According to the Jamestown Sun, Jeff had been in the process of moving out the week she was found dead.
3) Lori and Jeff had reportedly broken up a few days before the murder
Lori Roberts had been dating Jeffrey “Jeff” Allen Silvernail since late 2005 or the beginning of 2006, according to the Wahpeton Daily News. The court documents stated that Jeff had found out about an affair Lori was having with a man named Gary a few days before her death.
Silvernail had lived with Lori in her apartment for a while before he informed his son and a coworker that he would be moving out. The two had allegedly agreed upon a breakup mutually.
4) The authorities found evidence against Jeff Silvernail
Episode 4 of Season 10 of American Monster showcased the evidence that the authorities collected against Jeff Silvernail as he was suspected of foul play by Lori's family members and close friends. According to The Jamestown Sun, Jeff Silvernail had a gun collection of four handguns including a 9mm handgun which was found to be missing.
While Jeff told the authorities that it may have been stolen, the investigators tested the blood spot found on the pants he wore the day of Lori Roberts' death. Another blood stain from his 1991 GMC pickup truck was tested as well and both came back with Lori's DNA along with Jeff's DNA. Additionally, the cellphone records showed that there had been existing tension between the couple.
5) Jeff Silvernail was arrested on May 24, 2010
Armed with the evidence, Silvernail was arrested on May 24, 2010, from the Wilkin County Courthouse. Silvernail was charged with Lori Roberts' murder and stood trial in October 2011. He was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and second-degree intentional murder.
Jeff was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, per Park Rapids Enterprise. He is presently held at the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights.
Catch the new episode of American Monster on Investigation Discovery to find out all the details of Lori Roberts' murder.
