Todd Kendhammer says his spouse Barbara died in a freak automotive accident. However authorities questioned his story from the start, and he was tried and convicted of intentional murder.
Barbara Kendhammer/Fb
Kendhammer and his kids have refused to just accept the decision and are in search of a brand new trial. Their struggle for what they are saying is justice is the main target of “Mystery on County Road M,” reported by “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty. An encore of the published is streaming on Paramount+.
Simply after 8 a.m. on September 16, 2016, a distraught Todd Kendhammer known as 911 to report a automotive accident on a rural street exterior La Crosse, Wisconsin. “A pipe or one thing got here by the windshield,” he informed the operator.
La Crosse County Sheriff’s Workplace 
When authorities arrived, he informed them a pipe flew off a truck driving in the wrong way, got here by the windshield and struck his spouse. Barbara Kendhammer, 46, was rushed to the hospital however died the subsequent day. The couple had simply celebrated their twenty fifth anniversary.
Their kids, Jessica Servais and Jordan Kendhammer, say their dad and mom have been nonetheless very a lot in love. “No matter my mother wished, my dad gave it to her,” Servais informed Moriarty. “They have been simply in a extremely good time of their lives ‘trigger that they had their first grandchild, they usually have been effectively off.”
An post-mortem revealed that Barbara died of blunt pressure accidents to the pinnacle and neck. She additionally had three lacerations to the again of her head. The medical expert didn’t suppose Barbara’s accidents have been in keeping with the accident as described by Todd.
“She stated that the accidents to Barb have been very inconsistent with a pipe … that dimension and that weight coming by the windshield,” says Tim Gruenke, La Crosse County district legal professional.
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Surveillance video from a horse ranch down the street confirmed what seems to be the Kendhammer automotive move by at roughly 7:57 a.m. on the day of the incident. However at across the identical time, no truck that matched the outline Todd gave police was ever seen heading in the wrong way.
Todd Kendhammer informed police that he and Barbara have been driving to select up a truck that wanted a windshield changed, belonging to a person named Justin Heim. Kendhammer did windshield alternative work as a facet job.
“When the police regarded into that, they discovered Justin Heim by no means had ordered a windshield from Todd, did not want a windshield. Todd did not even know the place he lived,” says Gruenke. Kendhammer then informed police he was going to see a buddy of Heim’s.
Gruenke believes Todd Kendhammer killed Barbara and staged the scene to appear to be an accident. Kendhammer was arrested three months later and went on trial a yr after that. “Every single day I used to be in a continuing state of hysteria and could not eat and could not sleep,” says Jessica.
At trial, each side argued about what triggered Barbara’s accidents — a tragic accident, or a brutal struggle. The windshield was as hotly disputed because the medical proof. Dueling specialists had completely different theories of what triggered the glass fracture patterns.
Jessica and Jordan do not imagine prosecutors ever answered vital questions on what occurred.
“They by no means actually stated how he killed her or what he did to stage every part,” says Jessica. Her brother added, “If he wished to kill Ma, why the hell would he undergo all of the work and hassle to discover a pipe, drive all the way in which out to the center of a busy street—.” “He has like 28 weapons within the basement,” Jessica interrupted. “Greater than that,” stated Jordan.
The prosecution needed to admit they did not know why Todd would kill Barbara. They discovered no proof both one was having an affair, no historical past of home violence or monetary hassle.
Todd Kendhammer made the weird determination to testify in his personal protection. He informed the jury he was distraught throughout his interview with police, when he informed these completely different tales of the place they have been going that morning. “I am not in the fitting mind-set… I wasn’t pondering of the place I used to be going or what I used to be doing. I used to be pondering of Barb,” he stated on the stand.
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However he continued to wrestle along with his reminiscence of the incident and informed the jury a couple of third individual he was going to see that morning. Gruenke requested him: “Did you alter your story for trial since you knew police had discovered your lies?” “No,” he responded.
Todd Kendhammer’s kids stood by him. “He does not lie. So when he says he did not do it, we imagine him,” Jessica stated. However the jury did not imagine him, and Kendhammer was convicted and sentenced to life in jail, with the potential of parole in 30 years.
After the conviction, the Kendhammer household employed legal professional Jerry Buting, of “Making a Assassin” fame, to deal with the enchantment, alongside along with his spouse and co-counsel Kathleen Stilling.
“This was an accident,” Buting informed Moriarty. “The concept out of the blue he would snap and kill his spouse after which stage the accident, it simply appears so implausible to me,” Stilling added.
In 2021, Todd Kendhammer was again in courtroom earlier than the identical decide for an evidentiary listening to. It was an opportunity to argue that his unique protection workforce had been ineffective, and that there was vital new proof. The forensic pathologist who testified there disagreed with the unique medical expert and stated Barbara’s accidents have been brought on by an accident.
“We aren’t going to cease till he might be dwelling,” Jessica says.
Prosecutor Gruenke believes justice has already been served for Barbara Kendhammer. “Do you’ve gotten any issues in any respect that you just might need convicted an harmless man?” Moriarty requested. “Not on this case, no,” Gruenke replied.
