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The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher revisited the 2008 killing of Las Vegas widow Maria Marino and traced how a desert body find led detectives to a family plot. Season 1, Episode 5, titled Mummified Truth, aired on Oxygen and used case files and interviews to show how police built a case over the years, then secured pleas from key relatives.
The episode focused on evidence first, then on motive. It laid out the discovery of a body off Lee Canyon Road, the condition of the remains, and the steps that identified the victim as Maria Marino, 52. From there, the story followed rifts inside a large household and the money issues that reportedly set off violence.
How The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher set the scene
On May 28, 2008, a motorcyclist spotted a woman’s body in the desert near Mount Charleston. The victim wore pajamas and socks. A towel lay around the neck area. A wire ligature was present. There was little blood at the spot, so the killing likely happened elsewhere. Heat and dry air had altered the remains, which added to the challenge.
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According to Oxygen, the Clark County Coroner’s Office rehydrated skin to pull prints and confirm the victim as Maria Marino, who had worked in the gaming industry.
Inside the episode, investigators described a crude dump job and a white substance on the body that looked like lye. That detail matched what officials later documented in public records. The show noted that the scene pointed to panic and inexperience, not a careful plan.
Early findings on The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher
The narrative placed Maria in a shared Las Vegas home. She lived with her father, Alfred Ross. Her sister, Dolores Penardo, and Dolores’s husband, Richard Penardo, stayed there, as did other family at times. Maria’s last known contact came the week before the body was found. She reportedly planned to join relatives for a holiday gathering.
An autopsy found petechial hemorrhaging and a broken hyoid bone, consistent with strangulation. Bruises covered the back, which signaled blunt-force trauma while still alive. The use of speaker wire emerged as a key fact cited by multiple witnesses over time, as noted in the case files summarized on Oxygen.
Family rifts and motive
Money sat at the center of the conflict, as relatives and friends told detectives. Maria handled parts of the family business and finances, which reportedly fueled jealousy. Arguments inside the house were common. The episode relayed statements that Dolores and Maria clashed over access to funds. It also showed how rumors about a possible settlement swirled, adding to talk about motive.
Years after the killing, jail calls and fresh interviews shifted the case. A relative, already in custody on another matter, spoke with investigators in 2011 and pointed back to the house. He said a fight broke out. He alleged that Dolores struck Maria with a fire extinguisher. He also said that Dolores’s daughter, Stefanie Petrozzino, strangled Maria with speaker wire.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, police had long suspected family involvement but lacked proof they felt could stand up in court.
Arrests and outcomes are detailed by The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher
In 2012, three relatives were charged in connection with the killing of Maria Marino, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The episode then charted the plea path that followed.
According to Oxygen, Richard Penardo pled guilty to accessory to murder and conspiracy to commit murder and received a 2 to 5 year sentence. Dolores Penardo pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and received 6 to 16 years. Stefanie Petrozzino took a plea for second-degree murder and received 13 years to life.
The episode closed the loop on every key thread. A desert recovery. A house full of stress. Money that reportedly bred envy. And a homicide that turned on interviews, phone calls, and admissions to others.
Full episodes of The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher stream on the Oxygen app, and episodes are available to buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango At Home.
