Ep 4. Teresa Lewis and Matthew Shallenberger

The episode of Killer Couples season 14, titled "Teresa Lewis and Matthew Shallenberger," delves into the disturbing case of a woman who manipulated her lover into murdering her husband and stepson. Teresa Lewis, a Virginia native, had a history of mental illness and a low IQ that put her at risk for exploitation. After marrying her husband Julian and having a son, Teresa began to feel unfulfilled in her life and longed for something more exciting.

Enter Matthew Shallenberger, a young man who Teresa met through her stepdaughter. Despite being 15 years younger than her, Teresa felt drawn to Matthew and began a sexual relationship with him. However, Teresa quickly realized that she could use Matthew to her advantage. She convinced him that killing her husband and stepson would be the solution to all of their problems. Teresa was set to inherit her husband's life insurance policy, and she wanted to be free to live the life she believed she deserved.

Matthew, desperate for love and attention from Teresa, agreed to carry out the plan. The night of the murders, Matthew broke into the Lewis family home and shot Julian and his son. Teresa helped plan the murders and left the doors unlocked to allow Matthew easy access. However, the plan quickly unraveled when the police discovered that Teresa had taken out life insurance policies on her husband and stepson just weeks before their deaths.

Both Teresa and Matthew were arrested and charged with capital murder. Despite her low IQ, Teresa was found to be competent to stand trial and was ultimately sentenced to death by lethal injection. Matthew, facing the same charges, was also sentenced to death. The case garnered national attention due to the fact that Teresa was one of only a few women in the United States to be sentenced to death in the past decade.

The episode not only dives into the twisted relationship between Teresa and Matthew but also explores the implications of mental illness and low IQ on criminal cases. Many experts argue that Teresa's low IQ made her vulnerable to manipulation and that her actions were not fully her own. Additionally, debate surrounds the morality of executing someone with a history of mental illness.

Throughout the episode, viewers are presented with chilling details of the murder and its aftermath. Interviews with family members and law enforcement officials shed light on the devastating impact that the murders had on the Lewis family and the community as a whole. Ultimately, the episode provides a sobering look at the lengths that some individuals will go to in order to fulfill their desires, regardless of the consequences.