Naman Shrestha
Gail Dews appeared to have it all — a happy married life, healthy children, and a beautiful, humble abode. Tragedy struck in March 2013 during her hiking trips with her husband, Stephen Dews. When she was found dead in Pennsylvania, the detectives dug deep into her life and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death. All the intricate details and the investigation that ensued are explored in Investigation Discovery’s ‘Fatal Vows: Betting on Murder,’ which also features exclusive interviews with Gail’s loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation.
Gail Dews Was Found Dead at the Foot of a Deep Ravine in Pike County
On November 20, 1956, in Passaic, New Jersey, Annette Settembrino Vander Teems welcomed a little bundle of joy into the world in the form of Gail A. Dews (née Vander Teems). Growing up in Wayne, New Jersey, Gail formed a close-knit bond with her sisters, Karen Ann Giganti and Robin Ziegler, and her brother, Neil Vander Teems. She was employed at a local dairy distributor as a clerk. On the personal front, she was married to Stephen James Dews, with whom she shared three children — Jaime, Christopher, and Timothy. Passionate about adventure, Gail and Stephen regularly went on trips and explored new places. On March 10, 2013, the couple drove from their home in Hawthorne, New Jersey, to Pike County, Pennsylvania, to go on a hiking trip.
What seemed like just another of their adventures soon turned into a nightmare. The following day, the authorities found 56-year-old Gail’s remains at the bottom of a ravine near Shohola Falls. It took the first responders more than eight hours to recover the remains, after which she was officially pronounced dead. Upon conducting an autopsy, the medical examiner determined that she had a fractured neck bone and injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. Since he could not rule out the possibility of strangulation, the cause of her death was concluded as multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
The Perpetrator Reported Gail’s Death to the Authorities a Day After the Killing
When the police met with Gail Dews’ husband, Stephen Dews, they interviewed him about her whereabouts. He told them that he and Gail had traveled from Hawthorne, New Jersey, to Pike County the previous morning for a hike. Recounting the events of the day, he said that they went to Dunkin’ Donuts in Hawley for lunch before driving to the Shohola Falls area to begin their planned hike. After 7 pm, Stephen claimed they began exiting the woods when he slipped on the ice and bumped Gail. As per his account, he stayed unconscious for a while and couldn’t find his wife upon waking up.
He also told the detectives that his cellphone and car keys were lost during the fall. When asked why he didn’t seek help and search for his wife right after, Stephen failed to answer. After much insistence, he agreed to take the authorities to the spot where he had last seen his wife — a ravine in the Shohola Creek. Although the officers spotted Gail’s remains at the bottom of the ravine, the position of the remains didn’t match how Stephen described the fall. Suspicious about him, the investigators reached out to an employee at the Dunkin’ Donuts where the couple had stopped for lunch on the fateful day. The employee alleged that he observed Stephen speaking to Gail in a disrespectful, loud tone.
In the following days, the detectives interviewed Gail’s brother, Neil Vanderteem, who alleged that Gail and Stephen’s marriage was deteriorating and she had been contemplating leaving her husband. The authorities also spoke to Gail’s sister, Karen Ann Giganti, who claimed that Stephen was jealous and controlling towards her. Moreover, the investigators explored a potential financial motive, as he was the sole beneficiary of the funds they had received from the sale of a couple of properties. When they found out that the blood stains on his clothing also contained Gail’s DNA, they obtained an arrest warrant against him. Thus, on May 14, 2015, Stephen Dews was taken into custody in Little Falls, New Jersey, and charged with the murder of his wife, Gail Dews.
Stephen Dews is Currently Incarcerated at a Pennsylvania Prison Facility
After his arrest, Stephen Dews was extradited to Pennsylvania, where he awaited his murder trial. More than a year later, in October 2016, the accused stood trial for killing his wife, Gail Dews. He ended up pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter, while the charges of murder and third-degree murder were dismissed. Eventually, he was sentenced to 8 to 16 years in prison for his involvement in the crime. As of today, 70-year-old Stephen James Dews is reportedly serving his sentence at SCI Camp Hill in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
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