Remember & Honor
In the summer of 1977, Elisabeth Congdon and Velma Pietila’s lives were suddenly taken at Glensheen. Roger Caldwell, Elisabeth’s son-in-law, was convicted of the murders. The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned the case due to questions on evidence and ordered a new trial. Roger confessed to the murders in a guilty plea and was released in 1983, after serving fi ve years in prison. In 1988, he took his own life. The motive was believed to be for the money. Elisabeth’s daughter, Marjorie Caldwell (named after Elisabeth’s sister) was set to inherit $8 million upon Elisabeth’s death, with an agreement that a $2.5 million share would go directly to Marjorie’s husband, Roger. Marjorie was tried for conspiracy in connection to the murder and found not guilty.
That fateful evening in 1977 ended nearly seven decades of Glensheen being home to the Congdon family. With the University of Minnesota’s mission for public education, research, and outreach in mind, we choose to utilize Glensheen to interpret Minnesota life and design of the early 20th century. The murders were a media spectacle in the 1970s and ‘80s and still intrigue many to this day, however, out of respect for the victims and their families, we choose not to highlight this event on our tours. If you wish to learn more, we recommend reading Will to Murder, available in our Museum Shop, and more resources are available online.