'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAHxAAAgIBBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFERIhBjHR/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/xAAaEQACAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIhERLw/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDFdNu6bD4rrEc1Np7dh6ywTuFJgAZmbifY32A6yIb9ZSVMTkjrfivzGMNgtSeqrqR//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dateline’s 2021 episode Window of Opportunity delves into the gruesome murder of Renee Pagel, a 41-year-old woman from Michigan. She was found dead at her house with multiple stab wounds in 2006.
Renee was a single mother of three who had recently won a messy custody and alimony battle with her ex-husband, Michael Pagel. Just a few days before her demise, she had donated one of her kidneys to a needy man.
She was still recovering from her surgery at home, which made her vulnerable to an attack. However, as Dateline revealed, the mystery of her murder remained unsolved until 2020.
Dateline: Timeline of Renee Pagel’s murder and investigation
Renee Pagel was a nurse and a nursing instructor who devoted much of her life to caring for others. Those who knew her described her as a compassionate, faith-driven woman who often put the needs of others above her own. Here is the complete timeline of events from her marriage to her murder and to the conviction of her killer:
Mid-1990s: Marriage to Michael Pagel
In the mid-1990s, Renee married Michael Pagel. They had three children: twins Sarah and Joel, and their younger sister Hannah. Outwardly, the couple seemed happy, but friends noticed tension between them.
Renee was the primary earner in the family and often worked multiple jobs, while Michael stayed home and had disagreements with her about finances and responsibilities.
2005: Michael filed for divorce
By early 2005, Michael unexpectedly filed for divorce from his wife. Renee Pagel was shocked when the papers were delivered to her during one of her classes. The divorce quickly turned bitter, as Michael demanded the family home, full custody of the children and monthly alimony payments of $2,000 from Renee.
June 2006: Court ruling in Renee’s favor
Seven weeks before her death, a judge issued a ruling in favor of Renee. As per the order, Michael needed to find steady work and pay child support, while Renee could remain in the home with the children. The couple’s friends later recalled that Michael was furious with this decision.
July 2006: A life-saving kidney donation
Despite her personal struggles and court battle, Renee made an extraordinary donation in July 2006. Dateline revealed that, after learning that the father of one of her students was having kidney failure, she volunteered to be his donor and successfully underwent surgery to give him one of her kidneys.
August 5, 2006: Murder in Courtland Township
Just five days after her surgery, on August 5, 2006, Renee’s father found her body at her Rockford, Michigan home after she missed a planned outing. She had been stabbed more than 50 times. The brutal attack indicated she had fought desperately to survive.
2006: Initial investigation
Dateline noted that investigators ruled out robbery since valuables were left untouched at the scene. Suspicion then turned toward Michael Pagel due to the messy divorce and his potential financial motives.
However, when confronted, Michael remained emotionless and refused to answer questions without a lawyer. Police found no immediate evidence tying him to the crime, and the case went cold for years.
2011: Michael’s confession to his brother
According to a later testimony by Michael’s brother Charles “Beau” Pagel, Michael had confessed to killing Renee during a trip in 2011. He pulled out a knife wrapped in cloth and told him, ‘This is how I finalized my divorce,’ before throwing it into a river.
2019: A breakthrough tip
As seen on Dateline, Renee’s best friend, Chris Crandle, organized campaigns, created a website, and ran a Facebook page to keep public attention on the case. In November 2019, Crandle received a surprising online message from Beau. During a recorded conversation, he confirmed that Michael had confessed to killing Renee years earlier.
2020: Michael Pagel gets arrested and charged
Authorities recovered the discarded knife from the river and also found Michael’s hidden journals, which expressed his hatred toward Renee. The evidence was enough to charge Michael. He was arrested on February 6, 2020.
Trending
As seen on Dateline, Michael initially agreed to a plea deal for second-degree murder. But in court, he claimed that Beau had actually carried out the killing for $100,000. However, detectives found no such evidence. In October 2020, Michael Pagel was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison for second-degree murder.
Dateline: Window of Opportunity is available to stream on NBC.com.
Reply
