What did Marybeth Tinning do?
Marybeth Tinning is an American murderer and suspected serial killer. She killed her ninth child, Tami Lynne, who was only four months old on the 20th December, 1985. She is also suspected of killing her other eight children over the span of fourteen years.
Initially, the causes of death of Tinning’s first eight children were thought to be linked to genetics, even when her sixth child died in 1981, despite being adopted. The police failed to launch an investigation into these deaths. Eventually, prosecutors had enough evidence to bring charges against her after a lab test indicated Tami Lynne’s death was due to asphyxia by suffocation.
What happened prior to the deaths of her children?
In 1963, Marybeth met Joseph Tinning on a blind date. They married in 1965 and had their first child, Barbara, in 1967, followed by Joseph Jr. in 1970.
In 1974, Joseph was taken to hospital with a near fatal poisoning, and he later revealed that his marriage to Marybeth was on the rocks around this time. This led to her putting barbiturate pills into Jospeh’s grape juice. He refused to press charges against her for the attempted murder.
What happened during the trial for Tami Lynne’s murder?
In July, 1987, Tinning was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to twenty years to life in prison for the murder of Tami Lynne. An appeal arguing that her confession was coerced was denied by the New York supreme court.
Some experts believe her pattern of behaviour links to a condition known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, but it is unclear if she was ever diagnosed with this.
Where is Marybeth Tinning now?
Tinning served her sentence at Taconic Correctional Facility in New York and was denied parole on six occasions, but she was eventually granted parole in July, 2018 and was released the following month. She is 81 years of age.
What do you think of Marybeth Tinning’s case? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!