Sarah Jo Pender is a killer from Indiana who was convicted of the murders of her roommates Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman
According to court documents Sarah Jo Pender was dating and living with convicted felon Richard Hull. Due to his felony convictions Richard Hull was unable to buy firearms. Sarah would buy Richard a shotgun and ammunition
Sarah Jo Pender and Richard Hull were having issues with their roommates, Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman. On the day of the murders Sarah Jo Pender went for a walk and when she was away Richard Hull would shoot and kill Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman. When Pender returned she allegedly helped Richard Hull dispose of the bodies
Sarah Jo Pender would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to 110 years in prison
Sarah Jo Pender would make news again years later when she would escape from prison and remained free for months
Sarah Jo Pender has maintained her innocence since being arrested in 2000
Sarah Jo Pender Videos
Sarah Jo Pender Now
| DOC Number | 953968 | |
| First Name | SARAH | |
| Middle Name | J | |
| Last Name | PENDER | |
| Suffix | ||
| Date of Birth | 05/1979 | |
| Gender | Female | |
| Race | White | |
| Facility/Location | Indiana Women’s Prison | |
| Earliest Possible Release Date* * Incarcerated individuals scheduled for release on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday are released on Monday. Incarcerated individuals scheduled for release on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday are released on Thursday. Incarcerated individuals whose release date falls on a Holiday are released on the first working day prior to the Holiday. | 02/11/2054 | |
Sarah Jo Pender Case
Students at Georgetown University are joining a growing list of people seeking to exonerate Sarah Jo Pender, an Indianapolis woman serving 110 years in prison for double murder.
Pender’s case is among five that students taking a class called “Making an Exoneree” will be reinvestigating in a new video and social media push aimed at overturning her conviction.
“Making an Exoneree (is) Georgetown University’s unprecedented course in which a group of dedicated undergraduate students reinvestigate likely wrongful conviction cases,” the university said in an announcement posted on its website. “By the end of the semester, (the students) will have created short documentaries based on their investigations and interviews, as well as online campaigns advocating for freedom.”
Pender, 43, is in the Rockville Correctional Facility serving a sentence for the October 2000 shotgun murders of her roommates Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman.
Over the years, doubts have been raised about the reliability of witnesses and evidence that was used to convict Pender.
Even the prosecutor who led the case that put her behind bars, the same man who gave Pender the nickname “female Charles Manson” back in 2002, now believes she deserves her freedom.
“I have learned things since Sarah Pender’s trial and conviction in 2002 that convince me that important evidence presented at her trial was tainted and that her murder convictions should be set aside,” retired Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Larry Sells told WRTV.
“Justice is long overdue for Sarah Pender. Unfortunately, the legal system has to date failed her, but that grievous error can and should be corrected.”
The Georgetown students are sorting through court records and have contacted Pender and her family, the university said.
The students at Georgetown, working with students at University of California, Santa Cruz, will produce documentaries, websites and social media campaigns aimed at winning freedom for Pender and the others they are helping this semester.
“It’s wild how quickly this program moves,” student Jacob Livesay said in the Georgetown announcement. “I met my team just two weeks ago, and we have already become fierce advocates for the exoneration of Sarah Jo Pender.”
“Just two weeks in, I can already tell working to overturn wrongful convictions is something I’m going to be passionate about for the rest of my life,” Livesay said.
Georgetown’s “Making an Exoneree” class launched in 2018 and has helped win freedom for five former prisoners, the university said.
Sarah Pender News
An Indiana woman seeking to modify her substantial prison sentence faced a Marion County judge on Friday. Sarah Pender, who was convicted of the murder of her two roommates in 2000 and later escaped from prison, is advocating for her release after serving 25 years of her 110-year consecutive sentence. In a poignant appeal, Pender expressed her desire for mercy, acknowledging her past while arguing that her long incarceration and time spent in solitary confinement have been enough punishment.
Pender was found guilty of the murders of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman, whose bodies were discovered in a dumpster, identified through tattoos and neighbor testimonies. Although Pender was labeled as the mastermind behind the killings, her ex-boyfriend, Richard Hull, maintains that he alone committed the murders. Pender admitted her role in the crimes, stating, “I bought the gun. I didn’t run away and report the crime, and I helped Rick afterwards. I deserved to go to jail.” However, she expressed her shock at receiving such a severe sentence, believing she would be sentenced to 45 years instead of the 110 handed down
Pender’s prison history includes a notable escape in 2008, facilitated by a relationship with a correctional officer. After being on the run for four months, she was captured in Chicago. Reflecting on that experience, Pender described her feelings of justice upon her capture and the heavy cost of her actions, marked by extensive time spent in solitary confinement.
Legal perspectives on Pender’s case have shifted, with former Marion County Prosecutor Larry Sells, who once advocated for the maximum sentence, now labeling it a major injustice. He believes Pender played a less substantial role in the crimes than initially thought and supports her petition for release. Legal expert Mark Howard highlighted the rarity of a former prosecutor publicly calling for the release of a convicted individual they once heavily prosecuted.
At 46 years old and having been just 21 at the time of the murders, Pender’s attorney argued her age at the time of the crime should be considered a mitigating factor. Pender’s family has expressed their readiness to support her if a modified sentence is granted, with plans for her to relocate to Arizona.
However, the modification is not without opposition; relatives of the victims voiced their disapproval of Pender’s petition. In an attempt to address the pain caused, Pender publicly apologized to the families affected, stating, “I am so sorry for the terrible loss that you suffered and for the role I played in it.”
The judge has yet to make a ruling on the petition, stating he will consider the case further before delivering a decision in the coming weeks. Pender’s father remains optimistic about the outcome and envisions potential plans for her to celebrate the holidays at home with family.
