Suvechha Sarkar
In October 2002, the city of Orinda, California, became the center of a heartbreaking case when 70-year-old psychologist Dr. Frank Polk, lovingly known as Felix, was found stabbed in his home. The investigation soon revealed a series of disturbing allegations by his wife, Susan Mae Polk, who was later identified as the killer. The case comes into focus in the episode titled ‘Revenger’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Deadly Women: Fatal Instincts.’ It delves deeper into the psychological layers of the relationship between Felix and Susan. The episode further features interviews with the detectives who worked on the case.
Susan and Felix Polk Were Undergoing a Bitter Divorce When He Was Killed
Susan Mae Bolling was born sometime in 1958 to Helen Bolling and her partner. However, Susan’s parents eventually parted ways due to problems in their relationship, which allegedly began to affect her. Reports state that when Susan was 15, she was attending Clayton Valley High School and began skipping school. It led the school counselor to advise her to see a psychologist, Dr. Frank Polk, also known as Felix. By the time Susan was 17 or 18, Frank and Susan had grown closer, which led to an affair. According to court records, Frank ultimately got a divorce from his first wife around that time. In the meantime, Susan first enrolled at Mills College before moving to San Francisco State University and graduating there. Around 1982, when Susan was 24 and Felix was 49, the couple finally tied the knot.
Over the next few years, Susan and Felix welcomed their sons, Adam, Gabriel, and Eli, into the world. The family eventually settled in a home in Orinda, California. Records state that things seemed to be going well until around 2001, when law enforcement officials began receiving reports and visiting the household, during which Susan alleged that Felix was a spy. In that same year, Susan reportedly filed for divorce and moved to Montana in October 2002. Reports state that things took a turn when she learned that, in her absence, Felix had taken some steps in their divorce proceedings. According to court records, Felix got a restraining order against her, giving him the full custody of their two minor children and reducing her monthly alimony from $6,000 a month down to $1,700 a month. Moreover, Felix received the ownership of their house.
Susan Was Arrested Based on a DNA Match and Witness Testimony
On October 14, 2002, Gabriel called 911 to report that he had found Felix dead in the pool house. When officials arrived at the scene, they discovered that Felix had died from multiple stab wounds and also found a clump of hair in his hand. During the initial investigation, authorities reportedly questioned Susan at the scene, who had been at the house to collect some of her belongings. Reports state that she allegedly said, “We were getting a divorce, anyway.” Police records indicate that they learned from Gabriel that Felix had dropped off 22-year-old Adam at his university on October 13, 2002, and returned with his son, Gabriel, on that same day around 11 pm. In his statement, he told officials he was unable to get a clear answer from his mother when he asked about Felix’s whereabouts.
According to investigative reports, detectives soon learned that three days prior to October 13, Felix had called 911 to report that Susan had kicked him out of their house and forced him to move into the pool house. Authorities soon discovered from Gabriel that prior to returning to Orinda, Susan had allegedly threatened to shoot Felix. The DNA report further revealed that the hair clump found in Felix’s hand at the scene matched Susan. When Susan was interrogated, she confessed to killing her husband but claimed that he had attacked her first with a knife, as per reports. She continued that after a struggle, she allegedly took the knife from Felix and stabbed him in self-defense. Ultimately, Susan was arrested and charged with the murder of Felix in October 2002.
Susan Polk is Serving Her Sentence at a State Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Susan Polk began in early 2006, during which she had let several attorneys go and represented herself throughout much of the proceedings. During the trial, the prosecution presented DNA evidence and her son, Gabriel, as the star witness. They claimed that Susan had killed Felix because of financial motives. The prosecution reportedly emphasized that Susan and Felix’s bitter divorce battle led up to the murder and believed that she had attacked him in the pool house with a kitchen knife on October 13, 2002. On the other hand, Susan argued that she was a “medium” and had allegedly acted in self-defense. According to court records, Susan claimed that Felix was an Israeli spy.
During the proceedings, Susan cross-examined two of her sons, who testified against her, and claimed that when she initially visited Felix as a patient, he had drugged and allegedly raped her. She further alleged that Felix was mentally and physically abusive toward her. Reports state that Susan also claimed Felix lied to their children about her. Ultimately, after much deliberation, the jury found her guilty of second-degree murder on June 16, 2006. On February 23, 2007, Susan was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 16 years. Following her conviction, she had filed a motion for a new trial claiming that the evidence supported manslaughter and not murder, the jury might have been influenced by media coverage, and the judge showed bias during the proceedings.
However, all those arguments were rejected by the judge in February 2007. Susan later appealed her conviction to the California Appellate Court, but the court upheld the judgment in December 2010. Polk then petitioned the California Supreme Court, but on March 30, 2011, the court denied the review. After Susan became eligible for parole, her first parole hearing happened on May 29, 2019, but it ended prematurely after she was removed from the courtroom for disruptive behavior. On that same day, she was also denied parole for 10 years. As of writing, Susan is incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Chino, California. She later filed a request to advance her next parole hearing, but it was denied on July 29, 2025. Susan’s next parole eligibility hearing is scheduled for May 2029.
Read More: Loretta Doyle Burroughs: Where is the Killer Now?
