5 chilling details about Doris Carlson’s crime

Doris Carlson sits at the center of a case that began with a wounded patient in an assisted living room and ended with murder convictions tied to money. The record shows how a family’s finances, a house, and a trust became part of a plan that brought two young tenants into a violent attack.

A re-air of the Snapped episode Doris Carlson is set for Friday, September 5, at 6:00 pm ET on Oxygen. The episode originally aired on August 20, 2023. The rundown below focuses on established filings and reporting.

Snapped keyart (Image via Oxygen)

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Case Background for Doris Carlson

Mary Lynne “Lynne” Carlson lived with multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair in Peoria, Arizona. Her finances included a trust and annuities. Her son, David, and his wife, Doris Carlson, lived with her in a house purchased with her funds. Tension over money and care grew as bills mounted and Lynne’s needs increased.

By mid-1996, trustees moved Lynne into a residential facility. Utility payments and checks tied to the home no longer flowed as before, and the household faced deepening debt. Soon after, two boarders renting rooms from David and Doris Carlson entered the picture. Within weeks, a late-October attack left Lynne with multiple stab wounds. She survived surgery for months, then died in April 1997.

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5 chilling details about Doris Carlson’s crime

1) A cash motive sat at the core

Investigators documented overdue bills and a house at risk. The plan that followed revolved around access to trust and annuity money after Lynne’s death. A later appellate record described the case as driven by the expectation of financial gain and referenced a promised payment to the attackers, according to the Arizona Supreme Court.

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2) Access came from inside the circle

The assailants did not force entry. Accounts state a key to Lynne’s room was supplied ahead of time, which solved the puzzle of a locked door and intact windows. Planning included a drop-off near the facility, gloves, and preselected knives, as reported by Oxygen.

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3) The victim spoke before surgery

A nurse found Lynne alive and calling for help around dawn. She said she had tried to fight “them,” but it was too hard. Those words narrowed the timeline, supported the two-person theory, and shaped early interviews that followed at the Peoria police station.

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4) Tenant talk triggered the break in the case

A tipster who knew the household reported that one tenant bragged about a coming payoff. During a recorded meeting, the second tenant confirmed a promised split for their help. Statements described a drive to the facility, entry with a key, staging of a fake burglary in the living room, and stabbing in the bedroom.

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5) Outcomes diverged at sentencing

After Lynne died, charges were upgraded to murder. One teen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and served a limited term. The adult tenant received life without parole. David Carlson received a 25-year-to-life sentence and, according to later records, was released after serving 25 years.

Doris was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and burglary. (Image via Pixels)

Doris Carlson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and burglary. Her initial death sentence was reduced on appeal, leaving life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Arizona Supreme Court.

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Where to watch Snapped: Doris Carlson

Oxygen lists the re-air of Snapped Doris Carlson for Friday, September 5, at 6:00 pm ET. Local carriage can vary, so listings should be checked for regional timing to ensure accuracy.

Episodes of Snapped can also be streamed on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, fuboTV, NBC, Oxygen, YouTube TV, and Hulu. Episodes can also be digitally purchased on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango.

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