Women Behind Bars – Delpha Spunaugle & Carmen Ortiz 3/4

Delpha Spunaugle & Carmen Ortiz We investigate the lives of Delpha Spunaugle, who found an accomplice to help her murder her fourth husband; and Carmen Ortiz, a heroin-addicted single mother, who has been given 25 years for felony murder. More… First up we look at Delpha Spunaugle, a woman convicted of murder in 1993. According to police, Delpha, a former High School valedictorian, had made two attempts to solicit help in murdering her fourth husband, Dennis Spunaugle. Then she found Edwin Woodward, with whom she beat, stabbed and strangled Dennis. Delpha denies participating in his murder but does admit to helping to dispose of the body. She was charged with capital murder and given the death penalty. Two years later, in exchange for pleading guilty, she was given life without parole. Carmen Ortiz grew up in a poor neighbourhood on the North side of Chicago and by the time she was in her mid-twenties, she was single mum to a daughter and strung out on heroin. In January 1998, Carmen met Oswaldo Gonzalez, a fellow drug user and Chicago gang member. Carmen became Oswaldo’s lookout while he robbed and murdered Antoni Rafalo, a Polish immigrant, outside a liquor store. When police questioned Carmen about a rash of burglaries in which Oswaldo was a suspect, she confessed to being present at the murder of Rafalo. She was convicted of felony murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison.