Ep 11. Bloody Matrimony

In the season 3 episode 11 of Fatal Vows named "Bloody Matrimony", viewers are presented with a disturbing case of a marriage that ended in tragedy. The episode narrates the story of the seemingly perfect couple, Bob and Nancy Kissel, who relocated to Hong Kong from the United States amid Bob's promotion as a high-profile investment banker.

The couple appeared to have everything they needed to live a comfortable and happy life, including luxurious properties, cars, and high-end membership to Hong Kong's elite social circles. However, underneath the facade, their relationship was falling apart, and the couple resorted to ugly fights and irreconcilable differences.

Bob Kissel spent most of his time working, and each time he returned home, he would get involved in heated arguments with his wife, Nancy, who was unhappy about their marriage's state. Nancy Kissel had confided in her friends about the constant abuse and neglect she endured from her husband and her desire to end the relationship.

Things took a dark turn on November 2, 2003, when the couple argued again, and Nancy ended up killing Bob in their apartment. She drugged him with sedatives and then struck him with a lead ornament several times until he lay dead on the floor. To cover up her crime, Nancy tried to make the scene look like a robbery, including emptying the contents of Bob's briefcase on the floor, rearranging the furniture, and placing a children's toy in his hand.

The police identified Nancy Kissel as the primary suspect, and she was arrested and put on trial for the murder of her husband. The proceedings revealed several disturbing pieces of information, such as Nancy's infidelity and her affair with a TV repairman, Michael del Priore. She hired him to install a hidden camera in their apartment to spy on her husband, and when Bob discovered it, he requested a divorce.

The prosecution further presented Nancy as a calculated murderer who planned everything carefully, from drugging her husband to hiding the lead ornament used to kill him. The defense argued that Nancy overreacted to Bob's abuse and neglect and killed him in self-defense. However, the jury found her guilty of murder and sentenced her to life imprisonment.

The episode highlights the importance of acknowledging and addressing domestic violence, abuse, and neglect in marriages. It also highlights the dangers of keeping secrets and highlights the consequences of extreme actions taken in an emotional state. It explores the depths of toxic relationships and how long-term neglect, abuse, and violence can take a serious toll on an individual's mental health and well-being, leading to extreme outcomes.

Overall, the "Bloody Matrimony" episode of Fatal Vows is a gripping and heartbreaking story that engages viewers with its emotional depth and highlights the dangers of ignoring abuse and emotional neglect in any relationship, especially marriage. It is an important story that needs to be heard, as it shows the terrible outcomes of toxic and abusive marriages and how they can destroy lives.