Daughter-in-Law “Masterminds” Murder of Woman as “Revenge” for Putting Son In Jail

When a beloved New Mexico school teacher mysteriously disappeared from her home, police were baffled as to what happened to her. But a look at 61-year-old Ellen Roth’s family shone a light on her dysfunctional relationship with her son, 19-year-old Bryan, and his wife, 21-year-old Cathleen. Months after she disappeared, police uncovered not only Ellen’s body buried in remote desert, but polyamorous relationships, affairs, and a desire for money and revenge that all led to Cathleen Roth and two other men being put in prison for Ellen’s murder.

“It’s a bunch of kids that relied on this person Ellen, their mother figure, and they decided to kill her,” said former Albuquerque police commander John Thies on Snapped, airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen. “For really nothing but their insecurities. That’s what disturbs me about this."

It all started when a fellow teacher reported Ellen Roth missing on May 6, 2009 in Albuquerque. There was no sign of forced entry or struggles in the home. Her minivan was missing. Her adopted son was in prison. But when police dug deeper into their relationship, it led them to a plot to kill.

Ellen Roth and her ex-husband adopted Bryan as a baby boy in 1990 after they were unable to have their own children. They divorced less than a year later, and Ellen was awarded full custody. Bryan had not only behavioral issues, but also a drug addiction, and he stayed at a recovery center. That’s where he met Cathleen, and later married her. But his problems with his mother continued. On March 25, 2009, he was arrested for domestic violence and put on probation.

“He had threatened her with a knife and she had ended up calling the police,” Thies said. “He was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.”

Cathleen Roth. Photo: Oxygen

And less than two weeks before she disappeared, Ellen filed another police report against her son for theft, after noticing unauthorized charges on her bank account and a missing debit card.

“Along with the card, she realizes that two diamond rings, a wedding band, and a dinner ring and three necklaces are also missing from her residence,” Thies said. “She suspects it’s Bryan. He had access to the house.”

Bryan was arrested again on May 1. He tested positive for narcotics, and his probation was revoked. He was in prison when his mother disappeared. Cathleen Roth told police that her mother-in-law gave her and Bryan the card to borrow.

“I will admit, Bryan went a bit overboard. We both did,” Cathleen told police. “It isn’t until later on that week, until either Thursday or Friday, that she puts a police report out. And rather than both of us getting arrested, only he got arrested. This was just kind of Ellen’s little power play to kind of control him … this time she was really upset.”

Ellen’s sister-in-law reported to police she’d been present for a phone call between Cathleen and Ellen after Bryan was arrested and called Cathleen “aggressive towards Ellen.”

“Cathleen was upset, and blamed Ellen for Bryan being in jail,” said former district attorney Kari Brandenburg on Snapped.

When police listened to the phone calls Bryan made from jail, they questioned Cathleen’s honesty.

“He’s telling Cathleen, take everything out of the apartment that we stole,” said former KOAT reporter Annabel Velasquez on Snapped. “The credit card, everything. And Cathleen tells him, ‘I’m on it.’”

Ellen Roth. Photo: Oxygen

Bryan also referred to another woman named Bella on the call. When officers asked Cathleen about this other woman, she admitted she and her husband were in an “open, polyamorous relationship” and that Bella Gonzales was Bryan’s girlfriend. She also admitted her relationship with her mother-in-law was strained.

“Our relationship with her wasn’t a very ethical one,” Cathleen told police. “Like, we would see her and she would help us out with gas, help us out with various bills.”

On Sept. 1, 2009, four months after Ellen Roth disappeared, an anonymous tipster came forward to police and revealed he knew about the plot to kill Ellen from a man named Christopher Donovan.

“It was um, his friend, Bryan — it was his mom,” the informant said. “She was a very, very deep sleeper, so it was easy for them to get into the house. They were waiting for her in the garage like the following morning.”

The informant claimed Donovan had told him another man named James Johnson strangled Ellen Roth. He also claimed Johnson was Cathleen Roth’s boyfriend.

When police interviewed Christopher Donovan, he admitted to everything. He claimed he was only the driver to and from the murder, however. He alleged that Cathleen used a garage door opener she was given to enter Ellen’s home with Johnson, where they waited for her to leave for work, then ambushed her, before Johnson strangled her. He admitted to helping Johnson and Cathleen drive the body to a remote area of the Jemez Mountains and bury her.

Donovan agreed to speak to Johnson and Cathleen on the phone about the crime to try and get evidence for police. Although Cathleen declined to say anything, Johnson did answer when asked if he was concerned about smell from Ellen’s grave.

“Maybe, but I mean, it’s been raining out,” he said on the call recorded by police. “It’s going to carry that smell away. And even then, any evidence is probably destroyed now or is gone.”

Bella Gonzales, Bryan Roth’s girlfriend, also talked to police.

“According to Bella, when Bryan was arrested, Cathleen flew into a rage, and she snapped, because she felt Ellen was taking Bryan away from her,” Velasquez said.

Cathleen Roth did help lead police to her mother-in-law’s grave. She pled guilty to second-degree murder, among other charges, and was sentenced to 37 years in prison.

“She thought that she needed to do something about it to avenge her husband and decided to take it upon herself to be the mastermind,” Ortiz said.

20-year-old Christopher Donovan pled guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He has since been released and is on probation. 23-year-old James Johnson pled guilty to second-degree murder, among other charges, and was sentenced to 28 years in prison. Bryan Roth was not charged in connection with the case.

Watch all-new episodes of Snapped on Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen and the next day on Peacock.