Joyce Marie Pelzer: Georgia woman serving life for killing wife convicted in decade-old murder of ex

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

LITHONIA, GEORGIA: Joyce Marie Pelzer, 47, currently serving a life sentence for the homicide of her wife, has recently been convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her former girlfriend, Shawndell McLeod, which occurred over a decade ago.

The DeKalb County District Attorney disclosed that Pelzer's wife, Rosalyn Lewis, played a sinister role in the earlier murder, only to fall victim to the 47-year-old's violence in December 2018.

Pelzer had previously pleaded guilty to charges related to Lewis' death in January 2021 after she stabbed the victim to death over 30 times.

Following the recent conviction, the suspect received an immediate life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Timeline of Shawndell McLeod's death

The intricate web of Pelzer's crimes began with McLeod's disappearance in September 2011, reported by her mother shortly after ending an abusive relationship with Pelzer.

Despite initial police interviews with Pelzer during the disappearance, the case remained unsolved for over seven years until a breakthrough in August 2018.

One of Pelzer's ex girlfriend, unnamed in official statements, revealed crucial information, disclosing Pelzer's admission to plotting McLeod's murder for months, as per New York Post.

Joyce Marie Pelzer's wife hired hitman to abduct Shawndell McLeod

Lewis allegedly hired a hitman to aid in the kidnapping, and the trio held McLeod captive, and “dug a hole for her body." The details of McLeod's gruesome demise were not explicitly outlined in official statements.

The same "girlfriend," pivotal in reopening the McLeod case, later informed the police in December 2018 that Pelzer intended to kill Lewis, who had filed for divorce. This revelation led to a dramatic confrontation between Pelzer and Georgia State Patrol troopers, resulting in Pelzer's arrest after she raised a gun at them.

In subsequent police interviews, Pelzer attempted to shift blame, asserting that Lewis orchestrated McLeod's murder. She claimed they buried McLeod on Arabia Mountain, though her remains have yet to be discovered.