Charles Albanese

Case record: Charles Albanese

Background

Charles Albanese was convicted in 1982 of murdering his father, Michael, his mother-in-law, Marion Mueller, and his wife’s grandmother, Mary Lambert. He was also convicted of attempted murder in the arsenic poisoning of his brother.

Mary Lambert, age 89, and her daughter, Marion Mueller, age 69, lived in Leisure Village, a retirement community 50 miles outside of Chicago, until August 3, 1980. Marion’s daughter, Virginia, and her husband Charles Albanese were constant companions to the retired pair. The couple frequently invited them to their Spring Grove home.

Charles Albanese was married three times. His two previous unions ended in divorce. The record described him as a devoted family man with a sprawling home. It also stated that, though he had never been convicted of a serious crime, he had a record: in 1965, while employed as a car salesman, he was arrested for armed robbery. The account said he stole $160 from a suburban home.

In the family business, the record said he changed his ways. After his father died, he split the company’s profits with his mother and brother. It also said he talked Mary into changing her will to leave everything to Marion, cutting off her son, Francis. With both women dead, everything went to Virginia, and the record said he acquired $150,000 in cash and a $95,000 home from their deaths and sold their house.

The offence

The record described a Sunday dinner at the Albanese home that went wrong for Mary Lambert in August 1980. She began vomiting and died suddenly. Twelve days later, Marion Mueller also died from the same symptoms. At the time, no one suspected foul play, and community residents in Leisure Village were satisfied with the deaths being a coincidence.

Nine months later, a coroner found evidence of arsenic in blood serum from Mike Albanese, Sr., age 69, Charles’s father. It said Mike Sr. had died abruptly while Charles’s brother, Mike Jr., had been ill as well but was alive and confined to a wheelchair, and it said arsenic was in Jr.’s blood.

It stated that the family-owned business, Allied Die Casting Corporation, was checked and did not use arsenic. With his father dead and his brother in a wheelchair, the record said Charles had free rein at the company.

It stated that Virginia consented to the exhumation of her mother and grandmother and that their bodies contained 370 times the normal amount of arsenic. It also said many of the medical staff that attended the women were questioned and stated that Virginia and Charles were frequent visitors who often brought cookies and donuts.

The record described the deaths as being linked to inheritances and control of the family business. It said investigators discovered Charles had purchased two pounds of arsenic. Prosecutors said he was after $72,000 in inheritances and control of the family’s trophy business, the Allied Die Casting Corporation. It also described his aim as taking over the family business and receiving the estates and personal fortunes.

The record said that on Tuesday night the Supreme Court rejected Charles Albanese’s petition for a stay of execution. Earlier, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit turned down the appeal. Gov. Jim Edgar rejected his petition for clemency.

Investigation

The record said police turned their attention to Charles after the evidence of arsenic was found. It also said police questioned the company’s suppliers and customers to look for any way that Charles could come in contact with arsenic.

It stated that the company sold scrap zinc to a firm in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Joe Reichel, the manager, told investigators Charles had complained of pests around his home and that Reichel suggested arsenic. The record said Charles bought two pounds, and that this “now” provided investigators’ proof.

The record said police believed Charles was planning a Jamaican getaway with his wife and mother and that police believed he was going to kill his mother on the trip. It also said police made it in time to stop that trip.

The record said the authorities had initially attributed the deaths of Mary Lambert and Marion Mueller to natural causes until Michael Albanese’s death from acute arsenic poisoning nine months later.

Arrest and charges

Charles Albanese was charged with three counts of murder and one of attempted murder.

It stated that in May 1982 he stood trial for the murders of his father and his wife’s grandmother. It also stated that in November 1982 he was found guilty of his mother-in-law’s murder.

Trial

In May 1982, Charles Albanese was found guilty and sentenced to death for the murders of his father and his wife’s grandmother.

In November 1982, Charles Albanese was found guilty of his mother-in-law’s murder and sentenced to death again.

Sentencing

Charles Albanese was sentenced to death in 1982 for murdering his father and his wife’s grandmother. The record also said he was sentenced to death again in November 1982 for his mother-in-law’s murder. The record further stated that he was condemned in 1982.

Appeals and clemency

The record said the Supreme Court rejected Charles Albanese’s petition for a stay of execution on Tuesday night. Earlier that day, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit turned down the appeal. It stated that Gov.

Outcome

Charles Albanese was executed by lethal injection in Illinois on September 20, 1995.

The record stated that he issued a statement on Tuesday saying he was not guilty, and it quoted him as saying: “covered up the facts of who really killed the people I loved and who really gained from their deaths and my conviction.”

The record stated he had no final words other than a “thank you” to the prison warden moments before being put to death.

Timeline

• August 3, 1980 — Mary Lambert, age 89, and Marion Mueller, age 69, lived in Leisure Village, a retirement community 50 miles outside of Chicago, until this date.
• August 1980 (Sunday dinner) — Mary Lambert began vomiting and died suddenly after a Sunday dinner at the Albanese home.
• August 1980 (twelve days later) — Marion Mueller died from the same symptoms.
• May 16, 1981 — Mike Albanese, Sr. died.
• May 1982 — Charles Albanese stood trial for the murders of his father and his wife’s grandmother and was found guilty and sentenced to death.
• November 1982 — Charles Albanese was found guilty of his mother-in-law’s murder and sentenced to death again.
• September 20, 1995 — Charles Albanese was executed by lethal injection in Illinois.
• September 21, 1995 — The New York Times reported on an execution by injection early today.

Other details

The record stated that Mrs. Lambert and Mrs. Mueller died in August 1980 within days of having dinner with Mr. Albanese. It also stated that authorities initially attributed the deaths to natural causes until Michael Albanese’s death from acute arsenic poisoning nine months later.

It said investigators discovered Charles Albanese had purchased two pounds of arsenic.

The record described that the authorities attributed the early deaths to natural causes, that the evidence of arsenic was found later, and that the family business was checked and did not use arsenic.

The record said that investigators believed Charles was trying to gain inheritances and take over the family business, the Allied Die Casting Corporation.

It included the following motive and disposition details: “Motive: CE” and “MO: Poisoned father, mother-in-law, and grandmother to inherit family business.” It also stated: “Disposition: Condemned, 1982; executed Sept. 20, 1995.”