Ex-Wife Gets Caught Planning A Murder-For-Hire, Tells Cops The Whole Thing Was A Joke

Watch this police interrogation with intense raw interrogation from the interrogation room as police conduct a full interrogation of a suspect. This raw interrogation footage captures every moment of the suspect interview, complete with deception detection techniques, and criminal psychology in true JCS style interrogation. The Background Dawn Renee Rolfe and Richard Rolfe were married for more than 25 years. Richard left in January 2019 and moved to his mother’s (Penelope “Penny” Newberg-Rolfe’s) 23-acre property. In April 2019 Richard began dating Stacy Peabody; Peabody later moved in with him. Dawn had hoped for reconciliation. After learning of the new relationship her financial situation deteriorated; she blamed Richard and became increasingly angry and resentful. Intended targets of the plot (per charging documents and trial evidence): Richard Rolfe, Penelope Newberg-Rolfe, and Stacy Peabody. The Crime No homicide or physical attack occurred. The case concerned a foiled plot. On or about August 23, 2019, at the Columbia Inn in Kalama, Washington, Dawn told coworker Brenda Mortensen she wanted to kill Richard, Penny, and Peabody. She said she had been planning for a couple of months, preferred to have someone carry out the killings so they would look like a home invasion, and was willing to do it herself if necessary. She discussed obtaining an untraceable firearm, ways to alter it and remove evidence, and paying a third party (including with money and jewelry). Surveillance of the intended victims was also reported. Arrest occurred September 6, 2019, in the Kalama area (Cowlitz County), Washington, when she accepted a pistol from Mortensen (who was cooperating with law enforcement). The Investigation Mortensen reported the statements to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and agreed to cooperate. She recorded conversations with Dawn (approximately three hours of recordings were played at trial) and arranged the controlled delivery of the firearm. Detectives contacted the intended targets and obtained a recording of Dawn’s later custodial interview with Detective Lorenzo Gladson. Dawn was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder (and/or conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the alternative) with firearm enhancements, plus second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm (and initially felony harassment counts). At trial Dawn testified she never intended to harm the three people and characterized the discussions as fantasy. The jury heard the recordings, Mortensen’s testimony, and testimony from Richard, Penny, Peabody, Dawn’s son, and officers. Conviction and Sentencing Jury acquitted Dawn of the three attempted first-degree murder counts and convicted her of the three alternative counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder (each with a firearm enhancement) plus second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Judgment was entered around October 19, 2020 (Cowlitz Superior Court, Judge Patricia M. Fassett). Original sentence: 398.25 months of confinement (including consecutive firearm enhancements) plus 36 months of community custody. On appeal the Court of Appeals (Division One, April 18, 2022) held the three conspiracy convictions violated double jeopardy (unit of prosecution is the agreement, not the number of intended victims), vacated two conspiracy counts, and remanded for resentencing. On or about December 19, 2022, the same trial judge resentenced Dawn to a total of 309.75 months of confinement on the remaining counts. A later personal restraint petition was denied (Division Two, March 25, 2025). true crime,law and crime network,interrogation,interrogation analysis,red thread interrogations,interrogation jcs inspired,interrogation jcs style,interrogation psychology,interrogation psychology jcs inspired,new interrogations 2026,interrogation breakdown,police interrogation psychology,bodycam,interview,case analysis,bodycam footage,crime investigation,police interrogation,suspect interview,int,interrogations 2026,interrogation videos,jcs true crime