Crimes of Passion

Crimes of Passion.  A phrase that builds up images of scorned women taking revenge on their former lovers.  The face of Ruth Ellis is usually one of the first names that you would come up with.  However, the phrase is really misleading, and nowhere is that most apparent than in the USA.  It is not a crime of passion but one of lust.  When a woman can persuade a man to kill his wife, and he willingly goes along with it, is it because he is in love with this woman, or in lust?  Usually it is because she gives him hot sex, sex that he does not have with his wife, though that could be for many practical reasons.  When he is with the other woman, there will not be any distractions, he is free to give full rein to his lust.

    What is the power that women can yield?  Money is a favourite excuse, and there are women who want to get their hands on it no matter what.  Some like to manipulate men, and get a sexual kick out of them jumping through hoops for them.  Some women get a thrill from the actual killing of the other woman, and even join in.  Likewise, men can use women in the same way.  There was a case in the states where a man persuaded his schoolgirl daughter, to shoot her step-mother dead, and then take an overdose that would kill her.  The fact that she vomited was the reason she survived.  She went to prison, whilst her father married the younger sister of his dead wife, who herself was only in her mid-twenties.  Later, it emerged that her new step-mother had conspired with her father to murder her own sister, and eventually the truth came out in court.  The father had a thing for young wives, the younger the better.  The presiding judge told him "You`re a scary man."

  What is strange is that divorce does not seem to be an option. If you no longer want to be with somebody, then simply end it and get on with your life, but no, they must rid themselves of their spouse  by murder.  Getting their hands on insurance money is the obvious motive, but in reality, it is pure and simple greed.  North Carolina woman Barbara Stager murdered her husband Russ because she had an out of control obsession with spending and lovers.  Her first husband died in similar mysterious circumstances; Accidentally shot in bed.  She did not get away with the second death.  In Oklahoma, Barbara Andrew aided by her lover James Pavett are both on Death Row for the murder of her husband, Rob Andrew.  His crime?  Simply being a good, hard working devoted husband.