A few years later, however, new information would surface that put the blame squarely on Karl. Karl had already jacked the truck up and had arranged for Levi, a young father of two girls of his own, to work on the truck while Karl and Cindy went to a funeral. 21:47 GMT 28 Feb 2020 The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Kati Reynolds Authorities discovered that Karlsen had taken out a life insurance policy on his wife 19 days before she died. The Karlsen's burned home in Murphys, California. "NOOOOO!" Homer said sadly. Authorities in New York had already pieced together Karl Karlsen's long history of collecting life insurance payouts not only for the deaths of family members, but also seemingly tragic accidents. It wasnt an accident.. DeRoche and Reynolds credit the media coverage of their brothers case and their aunt Colette Bousson, who never stopped seeking justice for her sister, for encouraging authorities to take another look at their mothers case. Christina and Karl Karlsen with their children, Levi, Kati and Erin. At one point, the familys barn caught on fire killing multiple horses, garnering another lucrative insurance claim for Karl. In March, Karl Karlsen, 60, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his first wife Christina Karlsen in a 1991 house fire in California. Erin DeRoche was six and Kati Reynolds was four years old when their mother died. They had insurance and stuff that he needed as a father trying to support his children. Aside from his death, there was no new evidence the DAs office could point to to justify Mr. Karlsens prosecution. Reynolds said she remembers seeing the hallway engulfed in flames. Actor Alex Dsert is to replace Hank Azaria as the voice of Homer's workmate Carl Carlson in the first episode of the new season . She worked with police to secretly record conversations with Karlsen and these eventually led to his arrest later that year. Victor Carl Carlson, 88, of Bostic, died Monday, November 2, 2015 at Fair Haven. Karl Karlsen and Christina Karlsen and their three children in Calaveras County, California. After a few minutes, his partner announced that he found Christina's body. FOX News personality Tucker Carlson has been married to Susan Andrews for nearly three decades. Emily Crane Amy. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Best said that about two years after Levi Karlsens death she began to have serious suspicions that Karl was involved in her stepsons and Christina Karlsen's deaths. His death, which was announced on Wednesday, was caused by kidney failure, his son, Rolf, said. His death was initially ruled an accident, but Karlsen collected a $700,000 life insurance payout after the incident, raising suspicions. Fearful that she might be next to die, she agreed to cooperate with the police by secretly recording her conversation with Karl, in which headmitted to removing his truck's front tires and raising it on a single jack before Levi volunteered to do the repairs. DeRoche was 6 years old and Reynolds was 4 years old when their mother died. His son, Levi, was crushed under his fathers truck while he was repairing it in November 2008. That was his term, a crispy critter because I think he truly believed that my sister had burned up in the house and that there would be no evidence and he was wrong.. That November, Karlsen went with Levi to take out a $700,000 life insurance police on Levis life, naming himself as the sole beneficiary. He was walked up to the house and he was kind of kicking at the concrete foundation, um, and then turned around and came back after you know, a few minutes. She added, Obviously what he did was wrong, but I still struggle with the fact that prior to the arrests, he was the most important person in my life.". Hollywood To You/Star Max/GC Images The couple got married in 1991 in the. Carl was born in Strand, Varmslands, Sweden the oldest son of Gustaf Carlsson & Johanna Eriksdotter. My sister is gone, three young kids grow up without a mom. So, I definitely ramped up my activities to try and get their attention that we're still out here. Karl made it out to be that Levi didn't trust his ex-wife [and] that Levi wanted his daughters taken care of and he trusted his dad.. Karl Karlsen collected $200,000 of life insurance after his first wife Christina died in a house fire on in California, New Year's Day 1991 after being trapped in the bathroom with a boarded-up . He very much was trying to get life figured out and he was happier, she added. The investigation into Karl Karlsen for Levis death in New York prompted authorities in California to reopen the investigation into the 1991 house fire that killed his first wife. Karl Karlsen is a hardworking man with what seems to be a terrible streak of bad luck. Kati Reynolds and Erin DeRoche spoke to "20/20" with their aunt Colette Bousson. Multiple murder accessory Rhonda Carlson avoided the death penalty in a deal with prosecutors in exchange for testifying against her husband, Christopher Henderson, prior to his quintuple-homicide and depraved arson trial that ended in his death sentence. After that, he may stay there, or he may be moved to Calaveras County Jail in California, where he was found guilty in 2016 for the first-degree murder of his first wife, Christina. Acompanhe-nos: bonsall oaks development Facebook. Friday on #ABC2020 at 9/8c. Karl Karlsen and his three children, Levi, Erin and Katie, escaped. During the investigation, authorities would also uncover another disturbing aspect of the case. He was the son of the late Ludwig and Viola (Larsen) Carlson and was born on September 12, 1936, in Manhattan, N.Y. Between the two of uswe knew, because he didnt try, Erin said. A women (probably Carl's wife) told him that Carl's plane crashed and he was dead. 2. There, he has a life sentence without parole, so although Karl Karlsen is still alive, he will be living out the rest of his life behind bars. Calaveras County Sheriffs Office, I started screaming, Christinas mother, Arlene Meltzer, told. It wasn't just the loss of my brother, with that one statement, it was the loss of my father, too.. Would love your thoughts, please comment. I definitely would have loved to still have that time but my kids were shorted and her kids were shorted and that really bothers me, Bousson said. He would have been 35. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Christina Karlsen died in a tragic house fire, during which she was unable to escape her bathroom, Her husband and three children survived the fire, but eventually Christina's death and a subsequent death of their son Levi revealed they were both murdered, Information eventually revealed that husband and father Karl Karlsen had murdered his family members and collected hefty insurance policies after their deaths, Credit: Calaveras County Sheriffs Office, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). On New Years Day in 1991, the Karlsen family was enjoying a relaxing day at home when a fire broke out that quickly consumed their small, rural California home. "There was concern that something wasnt right.". At the time of her . Following Levi Karlsens death, Reynolds said her father told her that Levi had a small insurance policy. 'What would you call it?' In February 2020, Karlsen was convicted for the death of his wife by arson, and the following month, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Years later, his son Levi Karlsen was crushed while working on a truck. My father had said mommy's gone to heaven even before the ambulance got there, DeRoche said. Police began an investigation and in 2013, that investigation led to Karlsen pleading guilty to second-degree murder in Levis 2008 death. And now his haunted family is ready to share their story with American Greed. She wouldnt get that wish. Levis death was initially ruled an accident, but DeRoche believed otherwise. Karl Karlsen, 54, who is currently serving . Troopers said they found Tracy G. Simpson, 54, dead with "significant facial trauma" and "a small circular injury" on the left side of his torso early Monday morning -- Simpson was in a. The coincidences started getting to her. This reality is best epitomized by the sad case of Marx's forgotten secret son, Fredrick Demuth. And on Monday, a California jury returned a verdict: That wasnt an accident either. He gathered both girls and placed them in his pickup truck and then went back to rescue Levi. Over lunch in November 2012, Cindy, by then estranged from Karlsen, demanded that he tell her the truth about how Levi died. Today, Karlsen is serving two sentences for the murder of his wife and his son. Average Age & Life Expectancy Carl A Carlson lived 19 years longer than the average Carlson family member when he died at the age of 95. Alexander offered to let the young family stay for free in a home he was renting out, but Karl wanted to pave his own way and purchased a run-down home deep inthe woods. Bousson suggested Christina leave Karl, but Christina wanted her children to grow up with both parents in the home. Carl stole the money to buy a lost piece of a historical tapestry, which he believes will exonerate his family. Karlsen shoots back. Levi would get beat with anything that my father had within reach. [Karl] stated it was barely enough to cover the cost of [Levis] funeral, Reynolds said. They remember her as a kind, fun and caring person. There were also signs of physical abuse. She said she became worried that she could be Karlsens next victim. He grew up on a farm near Windom and . and Karls son Levi often suffered the worst of the abuse in the familys barn. The front wheels had been removed, and there were no safety blocks supporting the vehicle in the event that the jack broke and the truck fell. The sisters said they both had been put down for a nap and DeRoche said she remembers waking up to her mother screaming, Karl, get the kids.. Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Photos: Dozens dead after trains collide in northern Greece. On the way to the hospital, Karlsens sister-in-law, Jackie Karlsen, remembered, He said he couldnt believe how one person could have so much bad luck in his life, she said during testimony, the Union Democrat reported. As per Karl, he was alerted of the blaze by his wife's screams and quickly managed to save their three children by chucking them out of their family residence, but he could not rescue Christina. They still remember details from that day. DeRoche and Reynolds opened up about the heartbreak of losing their mother, Christina Karlsen, and brother, Levi Karlsen, at the hands of their father and described how he nearly got away with their murders. At the time, her death was ruled an accident. Karl had an answer for everything.. Deroche said she and her brother Levi were about 11 or 12 when they secretly discussed the possibility that their father was somehow involved in their mother's death. And two defendants a mother and her son who denied the charges to the end. Levi's death, like his mother's 17 years prior, was initially ruled an accident. He had likely been dead for hours. Karl Karlsen was found guilty of murdering both his son and his wife in two separate incidents 17 years apart. When they returned home, Cindy placed a frantic call to 911 reporting that the truck had fallen on her stepson and crushed his chest. Although he initially denied having any involvement in his sons death, he later admitted to getting into the vehicle while it was on the jack, causing it to fall on top of his son. The woman Karl had been dating at the time of Levis death eventually put forward information to local New York authorities that raised enough questions to spur an investigation. This was our life it was just one bad thing happening to us after another, Reynolds said. The way he explained it made perfect sense to me, his second wife, Cindy Best, said of Christinas tragic death, speaking to the Post-Standard years later. We're still waiting for justice, Bousson said. Another Tragic Accident In the years that would follow, Karl settled down with the family on a farm in Varick, New York, where he raised Belgium draft horses as a hobby. He maintained it was an accident but admitted that he left his son to die. Reynolds added that she feels like her life has been chaotic since her fathers arrest in Levis murder and that she hasnt had time to process it all, including how to have a relationship with her father now. He grinned like a Cheshire cat and said, Its been 20 years. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. According to family members, Karl was mentally controlling over his wife Christina and bullied her. And now, with Levi there, they're there together, Bousson said. The authorities first deemed the death an accident and Karlsen collected a $700,000 payout on his insurance policy. She learned he had invested some of it into a life insurance policy on her own life and that, again, he named himself as the sole beneficiary, according to Seneca County court documents. She took that out of my hands by calling Seneca County Sheriff's Office.. That day, Karlsen's first wife, 30-year-old Christina, died in a fire while trapped in a bathroom behind a boarded-up window. Gary Muehlberger. Bousson said she kept her suspicions from Karl Karlsen so she could have a relationship with her sisters children. Wenatchee World, The (WA) - Wednesday, December 13, 2000 ~~~~~ Ernest S. Carlson, 85, of Ephrata, died Friday, Dec. 8, 2000. After her death was deemed accidental, he collected over $200,000 in an insurance payout. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Thats who hes always been. It was devastating for me to have my dad admit [to Levis murder], Reynolds said. We want him to be held accountable for what he did and for everything that he stole from us because he stole a lot.. I had no idea how much money there was until it was gone.. After Levi Karlsens death was ruled an accident, Karl Karlsen collected a $700,000 payout. I struggle personally because he committed [these crimes] and also [I have] the lost connection of having a dad and part of me still wants a relationship. Investigators listed Christina's official cause of death as an accident. His fists, pipes, shovels, pitch forks, belts, electric cattle prods. Just hours later, the 23-year-old man, a father of two, laid on his back underneath the truck to take a look. It was a funeral for Carl. Fortunately, Karl would never have the opportunity to arrange any more accidents for his family members. On New Years Day in 1991, Christina died after getting trapped inside the bathroomwhere the only window had been boarded up with plywood days earlierafter the fire broke out inside the home. 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