Laren Renee Sims was born on January 3, 1967, in Brooksville, Florida. She was a cheerleader, did well in school, and had an I.Q. of 140. 

Shortly before her graduation, Laren dropped out of high school. Twice married with two children, for Laren Sims, a life of petty thievery and scams had more appeal than diaper-changing. 

In 1993, Laren stole a hair coloring kit in a Woolworth’s store. After receiving probation, she used a stolen credit card and staring now at prison time, Laren cut her ankle monitor and headed to Las Vegas. 

Calling herself Elisa Redelsperger, she got a job at a law office. Her new boss was enthralled, whatever her name might be. With his history of spousal and alcohol abuse, attorney Larry McNabney was a colorful, if not questionable character in his own right. 

He was still no match for Elisa. They married in 1995, even after McNabney learned she’d embezzled a small fortune from his practice. Larry lost his Nevada law license because of his bride’s misdeeds.  

The newlyweds moved to California, and Larry opened an office in Sacramento. Business there was good. The McNabneys spent their money and their time on shopping trips and horse shows. Larry loved his wine, and bought a vineyard

Larry McNabney hired 21-year-old Sarah Dutra as a part-time legal secretary, but Sarah became a full-time “companion” to his wife. Always together, often dressed in matching outfits, Sarah and Elisa went through scads of Larry’s money, and I say “Larry’s”, because technically Elisa McNabney didn’t exist. 

That was news to Larry McNabney, and he didn’t like it much. He didn’t like his wife’s relationship with Sarah Dutra, either. Unfortunately for him, the women were able to procure acepromazine, a powerful horse tranquilizer. Three agonizing days would pass before Larry McNabney died. 

Elisa was arrested after a nation-wide manhunt—and after a heavy rain washed Larry McNabney's leg up from the vineyard. On March 31, 2002, Elisa McNabney made a noose from braided strips of a pillowcase and tied it to an air duct. She left a note instructing her attorney to sue the county jail for its failure to prevent her suicide

Sarah Dutra was sentenced to eleven years in prison, not a moment of which, I hope, was spent pining for Elisa. If Sarah thought Laren loved her, she was in for a surprise

Broken as the ground she put her husband in, Elisa loved no one.

Not Sarah. Not her children. 

Not even Laren Sims.