Twist In Murder Case Reveals Woman Accused Of Killing Husband Also His Former Stepdaughter

A Florida man who police believe may have been murdered by his wife was previously married to the woman’s mother, according to those who knew the couple.

Danielle Redlick faces charges of second-degree murder with a weapon and evidence tampering after her husband, 65-year-old Michael Redlick, was found dead in their Winter Park home in January, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Danielle Redlick initially called 911 on January 12 to report that her husband, a faculty member at the University of Central Florida, had had a heart attack, but she later told authorities that he stabbed himself during an argument, a story that authorities claim is inconsistent with the man's fatal wounds, according to the outlet.

In a new twist to the case, friends of the former couple revealed recently that Michael's second wife was actually Danielle’s mother, WFTV reports. Michael married Danielle, who was 20 years younger than him, after her mother died of cancer, according to the outlet.

“In fairness to Mike, Danielle’s mother was dying of cancer when they were dating,” said an unnamed family friend. “She had terrible insurance.” 

Authorities theorize that Michael married Danielle’s mother to help her get access to better care, according to WFTV.

Danielle and Michael seem to have had a tumultuous relationship. Their neighbors reported that it was not uncommon for Michael to move out of the house on multiple occasions, and their children told police there was often tension between their parents, according to WFTV.

Danielle said in an interview with police that she and her husband, whom she said was talking to another woman, had been fighting before his death because he’d seen that she’d been exchanging messages with another man, local outlet WESH reports. She said that the tension got so bad that she locked herself in the bathroom, but he broke the door open.

Michael died after being stabbed in the shoulder, police say. Authorities claim that Danielle waited 11 hours and tried to clean up the scene of the stabbing before finally contacting police about her husband’s stabbing, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Danielle was taken into custody on February 6, less than a month after her husband’s death, and has been held at the Orange County jail in the months since as she awaits trial, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The couple’s two children, an 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, are expected to testify in their mother’s trial.