Who was Leslie Neulander and how did she die? NBC Dateline to explore mysterious bathroom shower accident

What appeared to look like a tragic accident that took away the life of Leslie Neulander was seen in a new light when evidence suggested that her mysterious death could very well be ruled a homicide. The mysterious incident involving the death of Dr. Neulander's wife will be the subject of Dateline's upcoming episode this week.

The true-crime episode, titled The House on Shalimar Way, will premiere on NBC this Friday, May 20, 2022, at 9/8c. Here's the official synopsis for the episode:

"Andrea Canning looks into the September 2012 death of Leslie London Neulander in her Syracuse, NY, area home. Initially ruled an accident, her doctor-husband is later charged with her murder. Canning interviews investigators, as well as friends of the victim and reveals the latest news about the case."

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Exploring the tragic and mysterious death of Leslie Neulander

Leslie London Neulander, from Fayetteville, NC, was 61 years old and a long-time Syracuse, New York resident. She appeared to be leading a happy life with her husband, Dr. Robert Neulander, a well-recognized gynecologist in the community, and their beautiful children.

She had a big bright smile, was thoroughly dedicated to her community, and was a beloved member of local organizations, doing whatever she could to assist others.

But it was she who needed assistance on September 17, 2012. On that perilous day, Jenna Neulander, Leslie's daughter, anxiously contacted 911, telling authorities that her mother had fallen in the shower and required medical help right away.

She described how her father yelled for aid after discovering Leslie bleeding on the bathroom floor.

Paramedics arrived at their elegant mansion within minutes, finding blood in various locations in the couple's master bedroom because, despite Jenna's objections, Robert had dragged her out so that he could easily conduct CPR. Despite all of this, Leslie was pronounced dead at the site.

Her death was deemed an accident from blunt force to the head after the medical examiner examined her injuries and found them to be totally consistent with her husband's account of the events.

Leslie Neulander's friends began to wonder whether her death was truly an accident three months after she died, especially because the amount of blood at the scene was incompatible with a simple fall. Even the investigators in the case found peculiar amounts of blood that had pooled into Leslie's eyes, which were clear-cut signs of assault and torture.

Meanwhile, suspicions regarding Dr. Robert Neulander began to circulate around the same time. His marriage to Leslie Neulander had apparently not been as happy and joyous as it appeared, and his booming practice had just been disrupted by an insurance battle, resulting in him only serving half as many customers.

After three months of thorough investigation, authorities concluded that Dr. Robert Neulander assaulted his wife in their bedroom before pursuing her to the bathroom and striking her in the shower seat. He then went for a jog to get rid of the blood-soaked bedlinens and possibly the murder weapon.

Nearly two years after Leslie Neulander's death, her husband was charged with her murder by the verdict of a unanimous jury and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, based on a growing body of evidence and theories.

Due to juror misbehavior, the New York State Court of Appeals ordered Robert Neulander to undergo a new trial in October 2019, four years after the original verdict. Robert was found guilty of killing his wife for the second time on March 1, 2022, despite their children claiming that their father wasn't a murderer.

Don't forget to watch The House on Shalimar Way on NBC Dateline this Friday, May 20, 2022, at 9/8c.