What Happened—According to Linda Stermer

On January 7, 2007, in their rural Michigan home, Linda says she was doing laundry in the basement when she heard her husband, Todd, scream. Rushing upstairs, she found the living room engulfed in flames and, unable to reach him, panicked and fled through the front door—barefoot and without her phone.CBS News+1
She ran to their van (keys always inside) intending to drive for help. Moments before leaving, she saw Todd outside—burned and disoriented. Frantically, she yelled at him to get in the van, but he wouldn’t move. She lost sight of him, maneuvered the van to a sandier area for traction, and later discovered investigators found Todd’s blood on the van’s front bumper and undercarriage—indicating he had been struck. Linda insists she had no idea she had hit him.CBS News+2CBS News+2

Legal Proceedings and Verdicts

2009: After a two-year investigation, authorities charged Linda with arson and murder.CBS News+1
2010: She was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.Court TVPeople.com
2018: A federal appeal overturned her conviction due to prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective defense.World OnlineCBS News
2025 Retrial: The case was reopened. In April, Linda was again found guilty of murder, leading to a second life sentence without parole. Judge Kathleen Brickley emphasized the unprecedented brutality of the act, stating she “cannot fathom the suffering he endured.”AP NewsCourt TVPeople.com

Prosecutors’ arguments:
- Todd’s clothing tested positive for gasoline.
- A gas can was found outside the house; a witness saw Linda near it earlier.
- Linda allegedly told a friend she considered killing Todd by running him over.Investigation DiscoveryCBS NewsPeople.com
Defense counterpoints:
- Fire expert Robert Trenkle questioned arson conclusions and pointed to possible cross-contamination as gasoline was found on items not belonging to Linda. He argued there wasn’t conclusive evidence she doused Todd intentionally.CBS News+1

Detail	Insight
Origin of the incident	A house fire that began while Linda claims she was doing laundry.
How Todd died	He died of burn injuries and smoke inhalation, though blunt trauma from being run over was also noted.Court TVAP News
Linda’s explanation	A panicked attempt to escape and get help—she claims hitting her husband was accidental and she was unaware.
Legal outcome	Two convictions of murder and arson, both resulting in life sentences without parole. Despite her continued claims of innocence, the latest jury again found her guilty.AP NewsPeople.com