Naman Shrestha
In NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Bad Man’ and CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Brighton Ax Murder,’ the primary focus is on the brutal killing of Cathleen “Cathy” Krauseneck in 1982. When the investigation began, the police suspected her husband, James Krauseneck, of being involved in the murder. However, due to a lack of evidence, he was not charged with murder until several decades later. By then, he was married to Sharon Krauseneck, who supported him when he was arrested for killing his ex-wife. Sharon features in ’48 Hours: The Brighton Ax Murder’ and talks about her stance in the entire saga.
Sharon Krauseneck Was Unaware of James’ Connection to His Ex-Wife’s Murder
After Cathleen “Cathy” Krauseneck’s demise in 1982, her then-husband, James Krauseneck, moved to Michigan, alongside his daughter, Sara. In the following years, he got married briefly twice before finally moving to Washington, where he crossed paths with an old friend named Sharon James at a trade show in 1997. Interestingly, they both resided near Seattle at the time. As sparks flew between them, the two began dating. After two years of dating, Sharon tied the knot with James in 1999. He had told her about his first wife’s 1982 murder, but she didn’t ask about the intricate details because she claimed that he was extremely emotional about the subject.
In 2012, James and Sharon purchased a property in Scottsdale, Arizona, but went on to reside in Gig Harbor, Washington. By 2016, the murder case of Cathy was reopened, with the FBI providing the authorities with the resources to carry out the investigation. On April 16, 2016, two Brighton Police Department investigators knocked on the Krauseneck residence in Gig Harbor, where Sharon was shocked to learn that James was linked to the murder. A couple of days later, the couple put their house up for sale. In 2017, they bought another house in Peoria, Arizona, where he was arrested after being indicted for the murder of Cathy in November 2019. After pleading not guilty, James was released from custody on $100,000 bond and returned home to his wife, Sharon.
Sharon Krauseneck Continues to Believe in James’ Innocence Even After His Death
In 2022, James was found guilty of killing Cathy Krauseneck in 1982 and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Following his sentencing, Sharon continued to stand by her husband, whom she defended. “When you’re married to a man, you know his heart, and you know his soul,” she stated. However, she received heartbreaking news six months after he was sentenced, as James passed away due to cancer in prison while serving his sentence. Despite his passing, Sharon and his daughter, Sara, worked with their legal team to exonerate him.
Calling his conviction unjust, Sharon stated in June 2023, “Our family supports Jim’s desire to file his appeal in spite of his untimely death. Jim’s decision is not only based upon his desire to affirm his innocence, but also in hopes it may help other innocent people who have similarly been placed at huge disadvantages in defending themselves. This exemplifies Jim’s continued humanity, even as he had to endure unjust assaults on his character leading ultimately to his unjust conviction.” A few months later, in December, she was also interviewed by Erin Moriarty on her podcast, ‘My Life on Crime with Erin Moriarty.’ Sharon denied knowing anything about her late husband’s crime and believed he was not capable of committing murder.
Read More: Sara Krauseneck: What Happened to Cathy and James’ Daughter?
