"I opened the door and then took her body out of the airplane over the ocean," the transcript read. The therapist wrote Gail a letter advising her to run away from her marriage to Robert. (Photo courtesy of ABC 2020), ABC news anchor John Quinones (right) interviews Stephanie Youngblood, who had dated Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, for a "20/20" two-hour special airing at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Bierenbaum was found guilty in a New York state court in 2000 of Gails sister, Alayne Katz, recalls the terrifying phone call that came after Robert tried to drown Gails cat in the toilet. As part of our new investigation, we speak to a multitude of sources, family and friends of both Gail and Robert Bierenbaum in New York, Nevada and North Dakota. Gail Bierenbaum had had affairs with at least two men and had separated more than once from her husband. Bierenbaum, an experienced pilot who had been convicted on circumstantial evidence, was serving his 20 years-to-life prison . According to ABC News, his next parole hearing is scheduled for November. Stunned, said Dan Bibb of Bierenbaums confession, because he felt the convicted murderer would never own up and accept responsibility for his acts, said Bibb, one of the prosecutors in the case. He decided to reinterview everyone hed talked to about Gail and see if he could learn anything that might help him close the case and give her family closure. During the search for Gail, Robert partied in the Hamptons and wooed other women. A friend would later testify that Bierenbaum had speculated that his wife had been abducted or murdered by drug dealers with whom she was acquainted. A Unit Findings Recommendation The therapist said he was concerned Robert might kill her and called him psychotic. We've received your submission. Other interviews include Daniel Bibb and Steve Saracco, the original prosecutors; Virgilio Dalsass, the missing persons police officer who was the first on the case; and New York State Supreme Court Justice Leslie Crocker Snyder, who sentenced Bierenbaum to 20 years to life in prison. When the trial opened on October 2, 2000, the press was focused on how the prosecutors would solve the problem of the "missing body." Prosecutors also had to present a theory of the case illustrating the circumstances under which the murder could have happened and explaining what the defendant's motive might have been, including evidence of a troubled relationship. lawyering for his conviction. Fifteen years after Gail Katz Bierenbaum vanished, her husband, plastic surgeon Robert Bierenbaum, is being tried for murder. Yet, according to the show, the women Robert dated, including a doctor called Stephanie Youngblood, talked about his uncontrollable rage. N E W  Y O R K, Oct. 24, 2000 -- Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, a plastic surgeon who wascharged with killing his wife 15 years ago and dropping her bodyinto the ocean from an airplane, was convicted today ofsecond-degree murder. Robert Bierenbaum was convicted of killing his wife Gail Katz in 2000, but he maintained his innocence for decades. Stephanie was able to end the relationship. Although several instances in the toxic marriage led to Gail wanting an out, the show mentioned a hair-raising incident where Robert caught his wife smoking and choked her until she lost consciousness. Indeed, on November 12, 1983, Gail had filed a police report claiming that her husband had choked her until she lost consciousness. Gail told Alayne, No, no, no, Alayne were gonna get rid of the cat and then everythings gonna be fine because hes gonna believe that I love him., Alayne said Gail told her she thought she could keep Robert from hurting her, My sister told me, Im smart. He flew to North Dakota and Vegas to talk to Robert again as well as his ex, Dr. Stephanie Youngblood. And he had been known to take women out for romantic plane rides. Dr. Baran testified that she had never reported such a thing. We were shocked there was absolutely no indication from his mannerisms that he was involved in any kind of problem, says Dr. John Youngs, medical director at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, where Bierenbaum had been on staff since August. Ive waited for that sound a long time.. Robert Bierenbaum claims the reason he murdered his wife is that she wouldnt stop yelling. Even with the plastic surgeon maintaining that his wife had left on her own, Gails family and loved ones suspected Robert of being involved in her disappearance. "I wanted her to stop yelling at me and I attacked her," according to a transcript of the hearing obtained by ABC News. Racy flash trend confuses users, How to add music to BeReal with Spotifys new personalization feature, Share This Post On WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Telegram. Plastic Surgeon Robert Bierenbaum Finally Confesses to Tossing Wife Reporter: Just weeks after his wife Gayle vanishes in new York City, Robert starts . Amazon.com: The Surgeon's Wife: A True Story of Obsession, Rage, and he was from a well-to-do family, a medical student who spoke five languages fluently, a skier, and he even flew an airplane. Dr. Robert Biernbaum is a Emergency Medicine Physician in Victor, NY. Former New York surgeon admits killing wife, throwing body from - WFTV STATE OF NEW YORK - BOARD OF PAROLE APPEALS UNIT FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATION Name: Bierenbaum, RobertDIN:00-A-7114 Facility: Otisville CF AC No. Miraculously, Robert Bierenbaum was found guilty and sentenced to twenty years to life. He then drove her body to an airstrip in Caldwell, N.J., and dumped it into the Atlantic Ocean from a single-engine private plane. Skilled in Healthcare Consulting, Hands-on. At trial, prosecutors said Bierenbaum probably strangled his wife in the New York apartment after she told him that she was leaving him for another man, according to the AP account. The TV special also features rare home videos of Katz-Bierenbaum; never-before-seen photos of Bierenbaum; a new interview with Alayne Katz, the sister of Katz-Bierenbaum who has been on a relentless quest for justice since her sisters disappearance; and a rare interview with Denise Kastenbaum, Katz-Bierenbaums closest childhood friend who describes Bierenbaums suspicious behavior after his wife vanished. He then drove her body to an airstrip in Caldwell, N.J., and dumped it into the Atlantic Ocean from a single-engine private plane. Bierenbaum, 44, clasped his hands in front of him and loweredhis head when the verdict was read by the jury forewoman inManhattan State Supreme Court. Doctor Convicted in 1985 Missing Body Case By Samuel Maull N E W Y O R K, Oct. 24, 2000 -- Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, a plastic surgeon who wascharged with killing his wife 15 years ago and dropping her bodyinto the ocean from an airplane, was convicted today ofsecond-degree murder. The episode premieres Friday, October 22, 2021, at 9 p.m. Eastern time.. ABC News reports that Robert Bierenbaum, who is serving 20 years-to-life in prison for murdering his wife Gail Katz, confessed to the crime during a Dec. 2020 parole board hearing. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). them." Doctor Convicted in 1985 Missing Body Case - ABC News As all their friends knewand Bierenbaum acknowledged then and would latertheir relationship had been a troubled one. It was a pretty dramatic murder story.. (Photo by Lorenzo Ciniglio/Sygma via Getty Images) 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Bierenbaum, a licensed pilot, took a two-hour flight in a Cessna 172 from Essex County, New Jersey over the Atlantic Ocean on the day he murdered Gail. Although her family and friends couldnt control their anxiety and searched frantically for the missing woman, Robert seemed hardly bothered and seemingly moved on with his life. NEW YORK (AP) A federal appeals court agreed Tuesday that a Robert Bierenbaum daughter, second wife, family, Ex-surgeon confesses Finally in 2000, a grand jury indicted Robert Bierenbaum for second-degree murder. 3.86. Pamela Knudson is a features and arts/entertainment writer for the Grand Forks Herald. Robert Bierenbaum was a well-known plastic surgeon who met his wife, Gail, in Manhattan when he was a surgical resident. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" The Good Doctor (TV Episode 2001 - IMDb Again, Stephanie asked Robert to see a therapist and again this therapist privately told Stephanie to leave the relationship for her safety. As an editor who assigned and read stories prior to publication in the Herald, Jacobs drew much of his knowledge about the Bierenbaum case from reading then-Herald reporter Stephen Lees articles. ABCs 20/20 recounts the horrifying disappearance and portrays how it took more than 15 years to convict Robert of his wifes murder. Even her therapist warned his vulnerable patient that she could eventually die at the hands of the man she married.Fifteen years after this unspeakable, unfathomable crime, a jury found Robert Bierenbaum guilty of murder--and stripped the mask off of this privileged professional to reveal a monster. Surgeon Admits to Throwing Wife Out of Plane - What's Up Today Ex-surgeon Robert Bierenbaum confesses he took wife Gail Katz's 'body His New Jersey medical license was revoked in 2002. 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I took her body out of the plane as it was flying over the ocean, he allegedly said. Moreover, although airport records later verified the trip, it appeared he had attempted to alter the flight log. But last week, a Manhattan jury found Dr. Bierenbaum guilty of killing his first wife and. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. To our knowledge, hes never said to anyone, I did it. Its really about pointing to inconsistencies in his statements and its more than that, too, says DA spokeswoman Barbara Thompson. Baran testified that she never told Bierenbaumthat. Your Heart Will HealA Gentle Guided Journal For Getting Over Anyone, by Chrissy Stockton, will help you uncover inner peace and the strength to move on. Legislation to close North Dakota's public pension plan is on its way to Gov. A former Las Vegas girlfriend provided a crucial break investigators needed to arrest the doctor, when a story he told her was inconsistent with statements he previously gave cops. Video: Ex-surgeon confesses he took his wife's 'body out of the Therapists feared that use of such evidence in court would discourage patients from sharing feelings of violence in the future. He is serving 20 years to life in Where is Gail Katz's Husband Robert Bierenbaum Now? Bierenbaum remarried, had a daughter, and started medical businesses in Las Vegas and North Dakota after the case went cold. "Robert Bierenbaum Trial: 2000 (Original Caption) Dr. Robert Bierenbaum and his wife Janet Cholett leave court in downtown New York after hearing charges against Dr. Bierenbaum for allegedly kil- ling his first wife. In 1989, she believed that a female torso washed ashore on Staten Island was that of her dead sister. The only thing more shocking may be how he tried to cover up the crime. Basically, the law demands that the prosecution of any crime must pass the corpus de/ecti test, which refers to the "body of the crime," not a human corpse, proving that the crime actually took place. Gail started to realize she needed to leave Robert for her safety. The Surgeon's Wife by Kieran Crowley | Goodreads Much of the interview with Jacobs centered on the question of how someone who was so respected and had done much good for disadvantaged people, could be capable of such evil. An Altru colleague says when the skilled scalpel-wielder started at the facility, he insisted one of his nurses be the one to meet and talk with his patients. He was also known as a skilled skier and a gourmet home cook. "If this had happened in 2021 Robert Bierenbaum would have been in handcuffs immediately," Bibb added. Soon after Gail Katz vanished, her family and friends told cops Bierenbaum had once tried to strangle her after catching her smoking, which he had forbidden. The Surgeon's Wife: A True Story of Obsession, Rage, and Murder. INTIMATIONS OF MURDER | Vanity Fair | September 2000 His arrest came nearly 15. Sau 35 nm, Bierenbaum mi nhn ti. Fridays 20/20 will feature an exclusive interview with Stephanie Youngblood, who rejected his proposal and now reveals new details about their relationship. In a December parole hearing, however, Bierenbaum, now 66, admitted for the first time that he strangled Gail Katz, 29, in July 1985. PEOPLE v. BIERENBAUM (2002) | FindLaw CHARGES ROBERT BIERENBAUM, M.D., the Respondent, was authorized to practice medicine in New York state on July 2, 1979, by the issuance of a license number 138748 by the New York State Education Department. Chief Defense Lawyer: Edward J. Reilly Assistant District Attorney Daniel Bibb said in his summationthat Bierenbaum told proactive and reactive lies, dependingon whether he was speaking before or after someone asked aboutKatz-Bierenbaum. Process every stage of your breakup: shock, denial, grief, sadness, insecurity, and anger while feeling supported and loved through your pain. Robert was also an experienced pilot, which added to his charm and drew Gail towards him. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? ." It was Bierenbaums fault for being immature at the time and not knowing how to deal with his rage, as the transcript shows. Doctor charged with wife's body-in-bag murder 15 years later Bierenbaum, 44, was charged Tuesday with murdering Katz, loading her body into his twin-engine plane and flying out over the Atlantic to dump her in a watery grave. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. his trial lawyer. 2254 (d), for habeas corpus relief from a judgment of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York rendered on November 29, 2000 upon his conviction after a jury trial of murder in the second degree ( N.Y. Alayne Katz told ABC News, This is exactly the same man that I knew 35 years ago He hasnt changed he is incapable of a shred of remorse.. Please subscribe to keep reading. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Once Robert was presented in court, he pleaded not guilty and based his defense on the claim that Gail was suicidal and unstable. Privately, he was an abuser, strangling Gail into unconsciousness as a punishment for smoking a cigarette and threatening to kill her cat because he was jealous of it. Defendant: Robert Bierenbaum Crime Charged: Murder Chief Defense Lawyers: Scott Greenfield, David Lewis Chief Prosecutor: Daniel Bibb Judge: Leslie Crocker Snyder Place: Manhattan, New York Date of Trial: October 2-24, 2000 Verdict: Guilty Sentence: 20 years to life SIGNIFICANCE: Fourteen years after the disappearance of his wife, a prominent New York City doctor . License No. 138748, Robert Bierenbaum, M.D. Gail met Robert when she was in college. With help from Alayne, the media soon knew that Bierenbaum's life had also been less than perfect. Bierenbaum, who said he is innocent, did not address the court at sentencing, according to the AP. !guess who and i will pay u a million dollars. The couple have a young daughter. Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, a former plastic surgeon from New York convicted of murdering his wife in 2000, confessed to killing her and then throwing her body out of an airplane and into the Atlantic ocean after decades of maintaining his innocence. (585) 545-7200. Former plastic surgeon Robert Bierenbaum reportedly admitted to the parole board in December that he strangled his wife, Gail Katz, 29, in July 1985 before loading her body onto a Cessna 172. The husband of a former plastic surgeon has admitted to strangling and dumping his wifes body from an airplane, according to a report released on Thursday. North Dakota Gov. Robert Bierenbaum confessed to killing his wife Gail Katz in 1984. However, in 1997, when Alayne and her brother Steven had the body exhumed, a DNA test revealed the body was not Gail's. The 20/20 episode is described as a Jekyll and Hyde story, according to an ABC news release distributed this week. I would really appreciate it if you kept this under wraps.'". By all appearances, Bierenbaum seemed to have it all -- he was a surgeon, a skilled skier, gourmet chef, fluent in multiple languages and an expert pilot. Robert then admitted to the prosecutions theory and said that he flew out over the Atlantic Ocean and dumped her body into the water from where it was never recovered. Flight Log the KeyIt was after prosecutors found Bierenbaums flight log, whichthe law requires pilots to maintain, that they suspected they couldmake a murder case against him. The murder occurred in their Manhattan apartment on July 7, 1985. The couple moved to Minot, North Dakota, to start a new life together, and eventually had a . The Surgeon's Wife on Apple Books Ex-surgeon admits murdering wife and pushing her body out of flying