133: She Made Them Do It: Sarah Jo Pender

133: She Made Them Do It: Sarah Jo Pender

From Residue: A True Crime Podcast by Residue: A True Crime Podcast

June 2, 2026 · 45 min · Episode 133

About this episode

The episode explores the controversial case of Sarah Jo Pender, who was convicted of a double murder she claims she did not commit.

Was Sarah Jo Pender a master manipulator who orchestrated a brutal double murder, or was she a young woman caught in a flawed investigation and wrongfully convicted? One of the most controversial true-crime cases of the 2000s. Sarah Jo Pender was convicted in 2002 for the murders of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, a crime prosecutors argued she planned and directed. Dubbed the "female Charles Manson", Pender maintained her innocence throughout her trial and imprisonment. The Lifetime movie She Made Them Do It , starring Jenna Dewan depicted Sarah's story. Sources: https://www.hulu.com/series/5eb21b90-555a-4dc3-9b6c-60c8f7087bd4 She Made Them Do It https://law.justia.com/cases/indiana/court-of-appeals/2003/12090302-smb.html https://www.aetv.com/articles/sarah-pender-escaped-prison-many-call-wrongful-conviction

Topics covered

  • true crime
  • wrongful conviction
  • murder case
  • manipulation
  • investigation flaws

Keywords

  • Sarah Jo Pender
  • double murder
  • wrongful conviction
  • manipulation
  • true crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lifetime, A&E

Books & works: She Made Them Do It

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