Suvechha Sarkar
Patricia Lynn Steller and Ronald H. King, affectionately known as Ronnie, returned to their home in Middletown, Connecticut, from work on November 1, 1993, like any other day. However, their ordinary evening turned into an unimaginable tragedy when they were brutally killed. Their untimely deaths left their loved ones and the community scrambling for answers. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Trick or Terror’ sheds light on this case, revealing how officials uncovered a chilling tale of jealousy and rage. It also delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding the murder and the aftermath that followed.
Patricia Lynn Steller and Ronald King Had Built a Remarkable Life For Themselves
Arthur and Ruth VanDerkar welcomed their daughter, Patricia Lynn VanDerkar, into their lives on October 20, 1950, in Hoosick Falls, New York. While growing up, she always got abundant love and support from her parents. She spent her childhood playing alongside her brothers, Gerald, John, and Kenneth, and sisters, Shirley, Annette, and Sandra. Unfortunately, a few years later, her parents parted ways, and Arthur remarried. It introduced her to her stepsiblings, Arthur Jr. and Marjorie. Whenever she got the chance, Patricia loved indulging in woodworking and restoring furniture. She completed her initial education at Hoosick Falls Central School and graduated in 1968. During her time at Hoosick Falls, Patricia worked as a coach for the Miss Softball League and the Little League Baseball program.
Fate intervened as Patricia met Robert Howard Steller. After dating for a while, they eventually tied the knot in 1970. Over the next few years, they welcomed their sons, Howard J. III and Matthew, into the world. Patricia’s life was also filled with immeasurable joy when her sister, Sandra, and her husband, Frederick King, welcomed their son, Ronald H. King, on September 10, 1967. Ronald was affectionately known as Ronnie and was loved by his family and friends for his sense of humor. Moreover, he had a close relationship with his sister, Shari, and his brothers, Timothy and Gregory. Ronald graduated from Hoosick Falls Central High School in 1985 and then moved to Middletown, Connecticut. There, he began working at multiple restaurants. He then attained employment at Wesleyan College alongside his aunt, Patricia.
Patricia Lynn Steller and Ronald King Were Found Dead on the Kitchen Floor
Around September 1993, Ronald moved in with Patricia in her residence on Red Orange Road in Middletown. By that time, Patricia and Robert Steller had gotten a divorce, and she was dating Gina Coccia. On November 1, 1993, Patricia had made plans to meet her girlfriend at her own house after she and Ronald returned from their work. However, when Gina entered Patricia’s home around 5:30 pm, she horrifically discovered Patricia and Ronald lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. Following her prompt 911 call, officials arrived at the scene and found Patricia and Ronald dead.
Further inspection revealed that Patricia and Ronald were shot with a small-caliber pistol and had multiple stab wounds. Although detectives were unable to find the firearm, they discovered three bloodstained knives at the scene. They also uncovered the killer’s blood on Robert’s clothing, the wall, carpet, and even the walkway that led away from the residence. Shockingly, the authorities found that the answering machine had accidentally recorded the murder. The autopsy reportedly revealed that Patricia was shot three times while Ronald was shot once. Their cause of death was determined to be a combination of gunshot and stab wounds.
An Accidental Recording Became the Key to Solving the Double Murder
During the investigation, one of the most significant leads came from the answering machine. According to court records, the audiotape that was accidentally recorded on it had captured the killer and the accomplice’s voices. It also reportedly captured Patricia pleading with one of them, named “Janet.” The official reports further stated that in the recording, Janet was heard asking the accomplice, referred to as “Butch,” for knives. Upon hearing the tape further, officials reportedly deduced that Janet had first shot Patricia and Ronald, but when she discovered that they were alive, she asked for knives. When Gina was questioned about Janet, she told the detectives that she had previously dated someone with the same name, Janet Griffin, and their relationship had allegedly ended by January 1993.
The investigators reportedly learned from Gina that she and Janet were still friends and sometimes drove to work together. In her statements, Gina told them that in the summer of 1993, she had shared with Janet her plans to move to Connecticut to be closer to Patricia, but Janet allegedly became upset upon hearing this. Without wasting any time, the police tracked down Janet with the help of a card they found in Patricia’s address book. When they finally visited her home, they found out that she was living with Gordon Fruean, AKA Butch. As per reports, Janet willingly provided them with her blood sample. The detectives also noticed a deep cut on her palm, which she claimed happened while she was unscrewing a light bulb. During questioning, Janet reportedly denied having any involvement with the murders.
According to investigative reports, Gordon was also interrogated, and after a while, he confessed to the double murders. He reportedly admitted to entering through the dog door of Patricia’s house. He confessed that he and Janet waited for Patricia and Ronald, who returned around 3:30 pm from the office. The court records state that Gordon led the officials to the location where the gun was disposed of. Additionally, the blood found at the scene was a match to Janet’s. Ultimately, both of them were arrested. While Janet was charged with two counts of murder and one count of capital felony, Gordon was charged with two counts of murder as an accessory and one count of capital felony.
Janet Griffin and Gordon Fruean Are Seemingly Serving Their Sentence in State Prisons Today
Janet and Gordon reportedly had separate jury trials. The jury trial of Janet began in April 1996, during which the prosecution presented the recording and the matching blood sample from the scene before the court. They claimed that she planned the murder and was allegedly motivated by jealousy. On the other hand, the defence challenged the evidence and emphasized Gordon’s role in the murder. Ultimately, Janet Griffin was convicted on April 22, 1996, on all charges. According to records, in the case of conviction, she was reportedly set to receive a death sentence. However, the jury ultimately merged the two murder counts and one capital felony count, and she was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on June 17, 1996.
During Gordon’s jury trial, the prosecution reportedly emphasized that he knowingly helped and encouraged Janet in the attack by handling the knife and supplying the gun. On the other hand, the defence claimed that he was under duress and extreme emotional disturbance. In May 1997, the jury found Gordon guilty on the lesser charges of two counts of first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 30 years in July 1997. Following her conviction, Janet appealed her judgment, claiming that the trial court had made mistakes during jury selection and that a juror had been unfairly dismissed. However, the Connecticut Supreme Court affirmed Janet’s sentencing on December 21, 1999.
Although Janet passed several post-conviction/habeas petitions raising ineffective assistance and other trial-related claims, the direct appeal and the subsequent ones were also rejected. Gordon also appealed his judgment, claiming that the judge didn’t clearly explain the idea of proximate causation to the jury, which might’ve confused them. However, the Appellate Court upheld his judgment on May 15, 2001. It is essential to note that there are currently no available prison records for Janet and Gordon. Furthermore, there are no public reports regarding their current location. It appears that they are currently serving their life sentence in the Connecticut State Prisons.
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