The true story behind Suzanne Schoff’s brutal crime against her husband ahead of Snapped

Snapped spotlights a York County case that ended with the shooting death of Frank L. Schoff III at his auto shop. The hour revisits how a bitter custody fight, repeated allegations, and a rented car fed an investigation that led to arrests within hours.

The episode first aired in 2016. A recent re-air ran on Oxygen on Monday, September 22, bringing the story back for viewers who follow the series.

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Case background in Snapped

Investigators traced the conflict to a protracted custody dispute. Suzanne Lucy Schoff repeatedly told authorities that her ex-husband was abusing their child, allegations that were unsubstantiated by Baltimore social services, according to Commonwealth v. Schoff. The tension reportedly escalated as a hearing neared that could shift custody.

Per trial records, Schoff and her mother sought help from several men before settling on Terry Wingler. They allegedly offered favours and cash, repeating claims of abuse to justify a plan to stop the custody change, as summarized in Commonwealth v. Schoff. Schoff’s mother died before the trial, per the same opinion.

Witnesses reported a quick getaway in a gold rental car (Image via Unsplash)

Evidence presented in court showed planning steps. Wingler retrieved a .32 calibre semiautomatic handgun from Appellant’s uncle’s home in Virginia; Schoff drove a scouting trip to the shop in Fawn Township; ammunition was supplied by Schoff’s mother; and a gold rental car was arranged so Wingler’s own vehicle would not be recognized, according to Commonwealth v. Schoff (2006).

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How Snapped traces the investigation

On August 6, 2002, Wingler arrived in the rented vehicle and approached the victim, who was working on a car. Shots rang out around 2:00 pm. A masked gunman fled to the gold car, witnesses said. The victim died at the scene from gunshot wounds, as recorded in Commonwealth v. Schoff.

The shooting occurred at an auto repair business in Fawn Township (Image via Unsplash)

Detectives constructed a detailed timeline using phone activity records, rental paperwork, and travel records to track movements between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Cell-site data showed calls before and after the attack, reportedly narrowing the window for the crime and the getaway. Interviews conducted that same evening led to contact with key players in Baltimore, and subsequent arrests followed, as per Commonwealth v. Schoff.

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Verdicts and sentences tied to Snapped

Wingler admitted his role and pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and conspiracy. He received a term of 20 to 40 years in state prison, according to the York Daily Record. At trial, jurors found Suzanne Schoff guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy; the court imposed life without parole.

A jury returned a first-degree murder verdict, and the judge imposed life without parole (Image via Pexels)

The Pennsylvania Superior Court affirmed the convictions and sentence, noting the unsubstantiated abuse complaints, the planning, the rented car, and the phone records that framed the case, per Commonwealth v. Schoff.

Court filings described how Schoff’s actions went beyond knowledge of a plan. Renting the car, mapping the route, and maintaining contact before and after the shooting were cited as evidence of intent and agreement, as summarized in Commonwealth v. Schoff. The appellate panel stated that the record supported the notion of accomplice liability and conspiracy.

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Snapped Season 17, Episode 11, titled Suzanne Schoff, is available to stream on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, fuboTV, NBC, Oxygen, YouTube TV, and Hulu. It can be purchased on Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Fandango at Home. Select Snapped episodes are also available to stream free on Spectrum On Demand.

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