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Dateline: Unforgettable is set to revisit the shooting deaths of two servicemen, Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau, who were murdered 20 years apart in murder plots allegedly orchestrated by the same woman. The woman in question was reportedly their wife at the time, Sonia Rios, dubbed the Lomita Black Widow. The episode titled The Black Widow of Lomita will air on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 8 pm ET on Oxygen.
Here's the synopsis:
"A California woman's two former husbands are mysteriously murdered nearly 20 years apart; Keith Morrison reflects on the case that sent him halfway across the world on a hunt for answers."
While Risken was shot to death in a hospital parking lot in 2006, Bourdeau was shot in 1987 at Sonia's family home. Both the murders took place in the Philippines, halfway across the world from their homes, and in the presence of the suspect's family members. Although she was killed before investigators could come to a conclusive end in both cases, two individuals were arrested in connection to her murder in 2009.
Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau's suspicious killings, which remain unsolved to date, uncovered a web of lies, deceptions, and the dark side of humanity. The case, supposedly fueled by greed, has left a mystery greater than anything.
Here's more to know about the murders ahead of the episode premiere.
Similar patterns were found in Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau's decades-apart murder cases
The parallels drawn between the cases of Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau were no coincidence and shocked investigators and the victims' families when the appalling discoveries were made and connected. Both servicemen were married to Sonia Rios, and were on the verge of divorce at the time of their respective murders - Risken in 2006 and Bourdeau in 1987.
Other similarities include that the victims were gunned down in the Philippines, away from the States, and in the presence of Sonia's family members. Both the husbands also had life insurance policies under their names, with the sole benefactor being their wife. Risken and Bourdeau were both visiting the foreign country when they were murdered upon their wife’s request, which only raised questions about her involvement in the murders.
Evidence suggested that Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau were killed planned for financial gains
Back in 1987, after Earl Bourdeau's murder, her family claimed that the incident was nothing more than a burglary gone wrong. But authorities rejected the story, stating that there were no signs of forced entry. Sonia's first husband was sleeping in the living room and was shot at point black range. They also discovered blood on one of Sonia's brothers' shirts.
Based on circumstantial evidence, authorities initially arrested five individuals, including two of her brothers, in connection with Bourdau's murder. However, the charges against them were dropped and the case came to a sudden stop. After Earl's death, it was discovered that Sonia claimed tens of thousands of dollars in life insurance money.
On the other hand, Larry Risken was shot in the presence of Sonia's 14-year-old nephew Jetmark and other family members in a hospital parking lot. Reports state that two men on a motorcycle approached their jeep, and the one at the back went to Risken's side and shot him twice, once in the head and the second time in the stomach. The two men then took off. The teenager witnessed the murder.
Risken reportedly had numerous life insurance policies worth over $1 million at the time of his death, with Sonia Rios as the only beneficiary. However, when Sherry Jackson, the victim's sister who suspected his wife all along, notified the insurance companies about the widow's potential involvement in the killings, the payments were permanently suspended. Sonia had a motive and became a major suspect.
Evidence suggested that Sonia orchestrated the murder-for-hire plots for the murders of Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau. Unfortunately, she was gunned down at her California home on April 26, 2007, before the truth about the murders could be unveiled. The victims' families continue to hold her responsible despite the fact that she was never formally charged or found guilty.
Learn more about the Larry Risken and Earl Bourdeau cases on Oxygen's Dateline: Unforgettable this Tuesday, October 4, 2022.
