Offender Record · OFF-2026-141
Dorothea Puente (photo from the Radford University biography)
Dorothea Helen Puente
Also known as Death House Landlady, Killer Landlady, Teya Singoalla Neyaarda, Sharon Johansson, Donna Johnson
Sex
Female
Race
White
Born
1929
Custody
Deceased
States
CA
Distinguishing featuresSmall stature; white/silver hair; coke-bottle glasses in later years; appeared grandmotherly in appearance.
Custody
Died March 27, 2011 of natural causes at age 82.
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Where a record says named by police, no charge was ever filed: the record rests on a law enforcement agency's public identification of the deceased person, cited below. Not guilty by reason of insanity means the court found the act proven but the person not criminally responsible. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Dorothea Helen Puente was convicted of three murders in 1993 for drugging and burying elderly and disabled tenants at her boarding house at 1426 F Street in Sacramento, California between 1982 and 1988. She was charged with nine murders total but jury deadlocked on six counts. Puente was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole and died in 2011 at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date 1960, Sacramento, California
Brothel operation; residing in house of ill fame
Sacramento Police Department · Sacramento Superior Court · Arrested 1960 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: 90 days county jail
Puente operated a bookkeeping firm as a front for a brothel. She claimed she was just visiting a friend and did not know it was a house of prostitution.
SourcesDorothea Puente, Killing for Profit; Dorothea Puente
Offense date Apr 1982, Sacramento, California
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
Ruth Munroe, age 61, Puente's business partner, moved in April 1982 and died within weeks. Death initially ruled accidental overdose of codeine and acetaminophen, later reclassified as homicide. She had been in good health upon arrival. Prosecution charged Puente with her murder but jury deadlocked; no verdict reached.
SourcesPUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW; Dorothea Puente, Killing for Profit; Dorothea Puente
Offense date 1987, Sacramento, California
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
James A. Gallop, age 62, tenant at boarding house, disappeared in July 1987 and was found buried in backyard. Jury deadlocked on charge; no verdict reached.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Puente, Dorothea
Offense date Feb 1987, Sacramento, California
Second-degree murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Fifteen years to life imprisonment, concurrent with first-degree sentences
Leona Carpenter, age 78, was discharged from hospital in February 1987 and moved into Puente's care. She disappeared within two weeks and was found buried near the back fence. Autopsy showed drug overdose from Dalmane. Extremely ill and bedridden; jury determined she could not have overdosed on her own.
SourcesPUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW; Dorothea Helen Puente; Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?
Offense date Oct 1987, Sacramento, California
First-degree murder with special circumstances
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment without possibility of parole
Dorothy Miller, age 64, an Army veteran, was last seen alive in October 1987. She was found buried in Puente's backyard with duct tape on her chest. Autopsy showed traces of flurazepam (Dalmane). Puente used Miller's veteran identification card to obtain medical treatment.
SourcesPUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW; Dorothea Helen Puente; Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?
Offense date Oct 1987, Sacramento, California
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
Vera Faye Martin, age 64-65, tenant at boarding house, disappeared in October 1987 and was found buried in backyard. Jury deadlocked on charge; no verdict reached.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Puente, Dorothea
Offense date 1988, Sacramento, California
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
Betty Mae Palmer, age 78-80, tenant at boarding house. Body found buried in backyard with head, hands, and lower limbs missing. Jury deadlocked on charge; no verdict reached.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Puente, Dorothea
Offense date Feb 1988, Sacramento, California
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
Alvaro 'Bert' Montoya, age 51-52, developmentally disabled homeless man, moved into boarding house February 1988. Disappeared within months. His disappearance triggered investigation when social worker Judy Moise filed missing persons report. Body found buried under newly planted apricot tree in side yard. Jury deadlocked on charge; no verdict reached.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Puente, Dorothea; Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?
Offense date Apr 1988, Sacramento, California
First-degree murder with special circumstances
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment without possibility of parole
Benjamin Fink, age 55, an alcoholic, moved in March 1988 and disappeared after six weeks. Last seen when Puente told another tenant she was going to 'take Ben upstairs and make him feel better.' Autopsy showed traces of flurazepam (Dalmane). Body found in backyard.
SourcesPUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW; Dorothea Helen Puente; Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?
Murder
Sacramento Police Department / Sacramento County District Attorney · Monterey County Superior Court · Docket Sacramento County Superior Court case #18056 · Penal Code section 187 · Arrested Nov 16, 1988 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: Jury deadlocked; mistrial declared
Everson T. Gillmouth, age 77, Puente's boyfriend whom she met through pen pal correspondence while imprisoned in 1982. Released in September 1985, she opened joint bank account with him and moved to 1426 F Street. His body was found in wooden box in Sacramento River January 1986 after hired handyman dumped it. Traces of flurazepam found in remains. Jury deadlocked on charge; no verdict reached.
SourcesPUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW; Dorothea Puente, Killing for Profit; Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
3
Victims convicted
0
Victims confessed
9
Victims suspected
Active years
1982–1988
Victim profile
Elderly, Patients in care, Acquaintances
Stated motive
Financial gain
Range from home
local
Education
high school
Marital history
Married, Divorced, Widowed
Children
1
Died
2011-03-27 · natural
Agencies
Law enforcement, prosecutors and corrections agencies the records show dealing with this person. An investigator working a case with a possible connection can start here.
Sacramento County District Attorney's Office · CA
Agency case 18056
Prosecuted case; John O'Mara was homicide supervisor and prosecutor; called 130+ witnesses
Source: Online Archive of California, Murderpedia
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation · CA
State prison system; oversaw Central California Women's Facility
Los Angeles Police Department · CA
Arrested Puente on Nov 16, 1988 at Los Angeles motel after she fled Sacramento
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department · CA
Operated Sacramento County Jail where Puente was held; contained in facility records
Source: Agency involvement: Sacramento County Sheriff's Department
Central California Women's Facility · CA
Correctional facility in Chowchilla; housed Puente from 1993 until her death March 27, 2011
Source: NBC News
Sacramento County Coroner's Office · CA
Conducted autopsies and toxicology reports on victims; identified remains; Laura Synhorst Santos was deputy coroner on case
Source: Online Archive of California
Sacramento Police Department · CA
Primary investigating agency; conducted search of property on Nov 11, 1988; Detective John Cabrera led investigation
Source: NBC News, Online Archive of California, FOX 40 Sacramento
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
CA
San Bernardino, California
approx. 1929 – 1935 · Born Redlands, San Bernardino County, raised in San Bernardino area
Fresno, California
approx. 1935 – 1946 · Raised by relatives after parents died
Riverside, California
approx. 1948 – 1950 · Arrested for check forgery 1948; released and left town by 1950
San Francisco, California
approx. 1950 – 1952 · Moved to San Francisco after leaving Riverside
Sacramento, California
approx. 1960 – 1982 · Arrested for brothel operation 1960; operated various boarding houses and worked as nurse's aide
Sacramento, California
approx. 1968 – 1968 · Opened 'The Samaritans' halfway house for alcoholics; closed after accumulating $10,000 debt
Sacramento, California
approx. 1970 – 1978 · Managed 16-bedroom Victorian boarding house at 2100 F Street for elderly and needy
Sacramento, California
approx. 1978 – 1982 · In-home caregiver for elderly and disabled; on probation for 1978 check forgery conviction
Sacramento, California
1982 – Sep 1985 · California Institution for Women in Corona; convicted of administering drugs and grand theft; released September 9, 1985 after serving three years (with two years credit for good behavior)
Sacramento, California
Sep 1985 – Nov 1988 · 1426 F Street, Victorian boarding house rented from Ricardo Ordorica; operated unlicensed boarding house in violation of parole; visited by parole agents at least 15 times without violations being reported
Los Angeles, California
Nov 16, 1988 – Nov 16, 1988 · Arrested at Royal Viking Hotel after fleeing to Los Angeles during investigation; recognized by Charles Willgraves in bar
Sacramento, California
Nov 17, 1988 – Dec 10, 1993 · Sacramento County custody; arraigned November 17, 1988; held during preliminary hearings (1990) and trial (1993)
Chowchilla, California
Dec 10, 1993 – Mar 27, 2011 · Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, Madera County; served life sentence without parole until death from natural causes at age 82
Timeline
Jan 09, 1929
Dorothea Helen Gray born in Redlands, San Bernardino County, California.
1933
Dorothea's father died when she was 4 years old.
1935
Dorothea's mother died when she was 6 years old; she was sent to orphanage and later raised by relatives in Fresno.
1946
Dorothea Puente married for the first time at age 17.
1948
First husband died of heart attack; Dorothea became pregnant and gave child up for adoption.
1948
Dorothea Puente arrested in Riverside, California for forging checks to purchase women's accessories; convicted of two counts of forgery.
1948
Dorothea Puente sentenced to four months in jail and three years probation for forgery conviction.
1952
Dorothea Puente married Axel Bren Johansson, a merchant seaman, in San Francisco; created fake persona 'Teya Singoalla Neyaarda.'
1960
Dorothea Puente sentenced to 90 days in Sacramento County Jail.
1960
Dorothea Puente arrested in Sacramento for operating a bookkeeping firm as a front for a brothel; convicted of residing in house of ill fame.
1966
Dorothea Puente divorced Axel Johansson after 14 years of marriage.
1966
Dorothea Puente married Robert Jose Puente in Mexico City.
1968
Dorothea Puente took control of three-story 16-bedroom care home at 2100 F Street in Sacramento; marriage to Robert Puente ended after 16 months.
1976
Marriage to Pedro Montalvo ended after a few months; Dorothea began spending time in local bars looking for elderly men receiving benefits.
1976
Dorothea Puente married for the fourth time to Pedro Angel Montalvo, a violent 52-year-old alcoholic tenant at 2100 F Street.
1978
Dorothea Puente sentenced to five years federal probation for check forgery; forbidden from operating a boarding house.
1978
Dorothea Puente arrested and convicted of forging 34 benefit checks belonging to her tenants at 2100 F Street boarding house.
1982
Dorothea Puente evaluated by prison psychologist and diagnosed with schizophrenia; noted as dangerous and disturbed.
1982
Dorothea Puente began pen pal correspondence with 77-year-old Everson Gillmouth while imprisoned.
Apr 1982
Ruth Munroe, 61, Dorothea Puente's business partner, dies of drug overdose at F Street home; death initially ruled accidental, later reclassified as homicide.
May 1982
Dorothea Puente arrested for drugging and robbing 74-year-old Malcolm McKenzie.
Aug 18, 1982
Dorothea Puente convicted on three counts of theft and sentenced to five years in California Institution for Women in Corona.
Sep 1985
Dorothea Puente opened joint bank account with Everson Gillmouth and moved with him to 1426 F Street.
Sep 09, 1985
Dorothea Puente released from prison on parole with conditions: no contact with elderly, no handling of government checks.
Nov 1985
Dorothea Puente hired handyman Ismael Florez to build wooden box 6 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet.
Jan 1986
Two fishermen found wooden box containing remains of Everson Gillmouth in Sacramento River after Puente had it transported there.
Feb 1987
Leona Carpenter, 78-year-old widow, discharged from hospital and moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house; disappeared within two weeks.
Jul 1987
James Gallop, 62-year-old tenant, moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house and disappeared.
Oct 1987
Vera Faye Martin, 64-65-year-old tenant, moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house and disappeared.
Oct 1987
Dorothy Miller, 64-year-old tenant, moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house and was last seen alive in October.
Feb 1988
Alvaro 'Bert' Montoya, 51-year-old mentally disabled homeless man, moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house.
Apr 1988
Benjamin Fink, 55-year-old alcoholic tenant, moved into Dorothea Puente's boarding house and disappeared after six weeks.
Oct 1988
Social worker Judy Moise filed missing persons report for Alvaro Montoya with Sacramento police.
Nov 11, 1988
Sacramento police began excavating yard of Dorothea Puente's boarding house at 1426 F Street; found seven bodies buried.
Nov 16, 1988
Dorothea Puente arrested in Los Angeles after being recognized in bar by Charles Willgraves; brought back to Sacramento.
Nov 17, 1988
Dorothea Puente arraigned in Sacramento Municipal Court on murder charges.
Apr 1990
Preliminary hearings began for Dorothea Puente murder trial.
Jun 1990
Judge found Dorothea Puente should stand trial on nine counts of murder.
Feb 1993
Dorothea Puente's murder trial began.
Aug 26, 1993
Jury convicted Dorothea Puente of two counts of first-degree murder (Dorothy Miller and Benjamin Fink) and one count of second-degree murder (Leona Carpenter) after 24 days deliberation; deadlocked on six other charges.
Oct 13, 1993
During penalty phase, jury deadlocked on whether to impose death penalty; Dorothea Puente's life was spared.
Dec 10, 1993
Judge Michael J. Virga sentenced Dorothea Puente to two concurrent terms of life without possibility of parole plus concurrent 15-years-to-life for second-degree murder conviction.
Mar 27, 2011
Dorothea Helen Puente died at age 82 from natural causes at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report ·
Agency involvement: Los Angeles Police DepartmentCourt record · Online Archive of California ·
The People v. Dorothea Montalvo Puente criminal case records, 1938-2001“Sacramento County Superior Court criminal case #18056, The People v. Dorothea Montalvo Puente, is the murder trial of serial killer Dorothea Puente, who ran a boarding house in Sacramento, California, where she murdered and buried several of her tenants.”
News report · Oxygen ·
Who Were Serial Killer Dorothea Puente's Victims?“While Puente was charged with the murders of nine people, she was convicted of only three of them in 1993: A jury could not decide on the other six deaths.”
News report · Wikipedia ·
Dorothea Puente“Dorothea Helen Puente (née Gray; January 9, 1929 – March 27, 2011) was an American serial killer who murdered various tenants of the boarding house she ran in Sacramento, California, between 1982 and 1988.”
News report · Lady Lawbreakers ·
Dorothea Helen Puente“On August 26, 1993, the jury convicted Puente of two counts of first-degree murder, for the deaths of Dorothy Miller and Benjamin Fink, and one count of second-degree murder for the death of Leona Carpenter.”
News report · FOX 40 Sacramento ·
Dorothea Puente, Sacramento's most notorious female serial killer“Dorothea Puente was convicted of three murders in 1993 and sentenced to life without parole; she died in the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla in 2011.”
News report · Murderpedia ·
Dorothea Puente“Date of murders: 1982 - 1988; Date of arrest: November 17, 1988; Status: Sentenced to life in prison without parole on December 11, 1993.”
News report · Crime Library ·
Dorothea Puente, Killing for Profit“After a year of weighing the testimony, the jury found Puente guilty of murdering Dorothy Miller, Benjamin Fink and Leona Carpenter.”
News report · NBC News ·
Woman who buried tenants in yard dies in prison“State Department of Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton says 82-year-old Dorothea Puente died at around 10:15 a.m. Sunday of natural causes at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla.”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Puente, Dorothea“Serial killer researched by Brad Johnson, David Haulsee, Angela Osborne, Kristen Intellini, & Ashley Amos; Dorothea Puente was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 12/1993.”
Court record · Casemine ·
PUENTE v. MITCHELL, No. C 02-4129 JSW“On August 26, 1993, the Monterey County jury convicted Petitioner of two counts of first-degree murder (counts five and seven), one count of second-degree murder (count four), and found true the multiple murder special circumstance.”
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