Mechele Linehan, who awaits sentencing for a first-degree murder conviction in an Alaska jail cell, will be the focus of a two-hour "48 Hours" episode at 9 p.m. Saturday on CBS.
On tv
•What: Special about Mechele Linehan, who was convicted in connection with the shooting death of a former fiance
•When: 9 p.m. Saturday
•Where: CBS, Channel 7
•Online: To view a preview of the special, click the link with this story at www.theolympian.com.
TIME LINE
1994: Mechele Hughes moves to Alaska, gets job as an exotic dancer at Great Alaskan Bush Company. Meets Kent Leppink
April 1996: Leppink sends letter to parents saying if he dies its because of Hughes and/or Scott Hilke or John Carlin, two other fiances
May 2, 1996: Leppink killed in Hope, Alaska
1997: Hughes meets Colin Linehan at a park in New Orleans
1998: Hughes and Linehan marry
April 2005: Mechele Linehan works for Washington state Executive Ethics Board
Oct. 4, 2006: Linehan arrested for first-degree murder in Leppinks death
Oct. 13, 2006: Linehan pleads not guilty
April 2007: Carlin convicted of first-degree murder in Leppinks death
Sept. 19: Linehans trial begins
Oct. 10: Linehan's husband, Colin, of Olympia testifes that his wife is not guilty
Oct. 22: Linehan convicted
Nov. 9: Carlin to be sentenced
March 8, 2008: "48 Hours Mystery" features two-hour special on Linehan's case
March 28: Testimony is taken at Linehan's sentencing, which is delayed until April 2
April 2: Linehan is sentenced to 99 years in prison
Read more about Mechele Linehan's trial:
• Linehan catches network attention (Oct. 22, 2007)
• Convicted killer describes events outlined at trial (Oct. 22, 2007)
• Day of judgment looms for Linehan (Oct. 18, 2007)
• Defense rests case; Linehan won't testify (Oct. 15, 2007)
• Husband defends Linehan as hard-working, generous innocent (Oct. 12, 2007)
• Attorneys in murder case dissect Linehan e-mails (Oct. 11, 2007)
• Leppink sent letter to parents predicting his own murder (Oct. 9, 2007)
• Judge denies request for film showing at Linehan trial (Oct. 5, 2007)
• Linehan acquaintance told different story in '06 (Oct. 4, 2007)
• Killer's son offers details at Linehan trial (Oct. 2, 2007)
• Prosecutors contend Linehan based crime on film (Sept. 28, 2007)
• Linehan's life, friends become focus of former fiance's testimony (Sept. 27, 2007)
• Witness says Linehan tried to get refund on insurance (Sept. 25, 2007)
• Killer acted solo, Linehan defense says (Sept. 21, 2007)
• Linehan jury selection a lesson in Alaska law (Sept. 19, 2007)
• Jury selection under way as Linehan friends defend character (Sept. 18, 2007)
• Alaska time defined by competing love interests (Sept. 16, 2007)
• Acquaintances stunned by court case (Sept. 16, 2007)
• Linehan's 'exotic' past to be part of testimony (Sept. 13, 2007)
• No delay for murder trial of Olympia woman (Sept. 7, 2007)
• Problems could delay murder trial (Sept. 6, 2007)
• Jury convicts man tied to Olympia woman (April 4, 2007)
• Linehan accused of seeking to wipe laptop after death of fiance (March 25, 2007)
• Ex-boyfriend testifies that Linehan 'buffaloed' several men (March 22, 2007)
• Former fiance testifies in Linehan case (March 21, 2007)
• Alaskan slaying suspect at home (Oct. 25, 2006)
• Judge reduces bail for Linehan (Oct. 21. 2006)
• Linehan in jail after bail review (Oct. 17, 2006)
• Olympia woman accused of Alaska murder pleads not guilty (Oct. 14, 2006)
• Olympia woman extradited to Alaska (Oct. 13, 2006)
• Former exotic dancer held in 1996 slaying (Oct. 5, 2006)
• More from the Anchorage Daily News
Linehan, who worked as an exotic dancer when she lived in Alaska in the mid-1990s, was convicted in October in connection with the 1996 shooting death of Kent Leppink. Until she was charged in October 2006, Linehan lived in Olympia with her husband, Colin, a former civilian doctor at Madigan Army Medical Center, and their school-age daughter.
Linehan and her husband gave "48 Hours" an exclusive interview. Linehan's sentencing is set for March 28, and she faces a potential 99-year prison sentence. A co-defendant, John Carlin, was sentenced in January to 99 years in prison for Leppink's murder.
According to Alaska authorities, Linehan and Carlin planned Leppink's murder to collect on Leppink's $1 million life-insurance policy, which they mistakenly thought named Linehan as the beneficiary. Leppink changed his policy a week before his death to make his father the beneficiary instead of Linehan, court documents state.
Linehan maintains her innocence, according to excerpts of the interview that were released to The Olympian by CBS.
"I just feel like there is nothing I can do to make people believe me or make people like me," Linehan says in the interview, according to the release. "A witch I may be, but a psychopath I am definitely not."
Colin Linehan also consented to an interview with "48 Hours."
"The whole thing is surreal," he said in the interview, according to the release. "(A) nerve-shattering, anxiety-provoking nightmare ... the bottom line is that's not who she is."
Jeremy Pawloski covers public safety for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5465 or jpawloski@theolympian.com.
