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The murder of Sherri Ponsati in September 2017 made for a grueling case at the courthouse as Marc Eric Ponsati insisted he had no participation in her death. Sherri was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of her Val Vistas Lakes home. Forensic tests showed that she had suffered extensive trauma and injuries.
The American Monster episode We Were Fooled chronicles the grisly details of Sherri Ponsati's murder. The episode aired on June 23, 2024, at 9 pm EST on Investigation Discovery and is available for streaming on Discovery Plus and Prime Video. The official synopsis reads:
"Mark-Eric and Sherri Ponsati have a picture-perfect life, and the arrival of two children completes their family. When Mark-Eric reports that Sherri has had a tragic accident, their world falls apart."
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Five details about Sherri Ponsati's murder explored
1) Sherri Ponsati was found dead in her home on September 7, 2017
Sherri Ponsati was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of her Val Vistas Lakes home on September 7, 2017, per the Gilbert Sun News. The mother-of-two was allegedly taking a bath when she slipped and fell to hurt her head.
The authorities arrived at the crime scene to find the bathroom door blocked by Sherri's legs. Inside the bathroom, the floor was covered with soap, water, and blood. Sherri was rushed to the Banner Gateway Medical Centre but was declared dead upon arrival, per ABC 15 Arizona.
2) Mark Eric Ponsati had dialed 911 to inform the authorities of Sherri's death
The 911 call from the Ponsati household went out as Sherri's husband, Mark Eric Ponsati, dialed the Gilbert dispatch at 9:58 pm local time. He told the operator he was unsure what went down but said that Sherri had stopped breathing.
A recording of the call played at the proceedings featured Mark share:
“There’s children in the house. I believe she’s dead. She’s in the bathroom and there’s water and soap everywhere and blood. Oh my God, Oh my God, my children, my children.”
The 911 operator asked Mark Eric Ponsati to perform CPR but he refused to do so as he mentioned Sherri turning purple. Moreover, he asked the dispatcher to ensure the fire truck on its way did not blare its horn close to the premises to avoid waking up their children, Maddie and Max.
3) Sherri Ponsati had suffered extensive injuries from her alleged fall
The Gilbert Sun News reported that the Medical Examiner in the case came back with results of multiple blunt force injuries on Sherri's body. It is to be noted that she had sustained rib and skull fractures, a nose injury, bruises on her spine and brain, and abrasions to the back of the head, neck, and upper back.
Moreover, the report suggested that strangulation or asphyxia could not be ruled out and Sherri Ponsati's death was thus declared a homicide.
4) Mark and Sherri shared a difficult married life
During interrogation, Mark Eric Ponsati claimed to have shared an ordinary and peaceful married life with Sherri. However, this was in contrast to the reality as multiple sources claimed that the couple shared a difficult married life. According to The Arizona Republic, Mark Ponsati had threatened to kill Sheri if she were to leave him.
Sherri's close friend, Stacy Wolf, testified to Mark's violent temper with the children and the pets beside Sherri. He reportedly forced Sherri to participate in his sexual deviations as well.
5) Mark Eric Ponsati was sentenced to 25 years in prison
The witness statements and the testimonies from Sherri's friends led to the arrest of Mark Eric Ponsati on the charges of second-degree murder. He was held on a bail amount of $1 million. Mark's defense team argued that Sherri had lost her balance and hit her head due to a preexisting medical condition of cardiac arrhythmia.
However, Mark Eric Ponsati was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years regardless of his stance, per 12 News.
Watch all the details on American Monster's second episode as it streams on Discovery Plus and Prime Video.
