SP
BravenNow
She convinced police her husband died by suicide. His family helped convict her of murder.
| USA | general | ✓ Verified - nbcnews.com

She convinced police her husband died by suicide. His family helped convict her of murder.

#Susan Embert #Jake Embert murder #Georgia conviction #staged suicide #financial murder #family investigation #legal appeals #Dougherty County

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Susan Embert convicted of murdering husband Jake after initially staging his death as suicide
  • Jake's family persisted for over a decade through multiple trials and legal challenges
  • Evidence suggested Susan poisoned Jake over time before shooting him for financial gain
  • Original investigation failed to conduct proper forensic examination or autopsy

📖 Full Retelling

Susan Embert, 61, was convicted of murdering her husband Jake in Georgia's Dougherty County more than a decade after his death, a case that began when she initially convinced police he died by suicide in June 2014. The conviction came in January 2026 following a legal saga that spanned three criminal trials and what the victim's family described as failures in the justice system. Prosecutors presented evidence that Susan killed Jake for financial gain, poisoning him over time before shooting him and staging the scene to appear as a suicide. Jake, an Army veteran and mechanic, had been married to Susan for just over a year when he was found dead with a .45 handgun in his hand. Despite the initial suicide ruling, Jake's family immediately doubted the conclusion, noting his opposition to suicide and plans to attend a car race with his son that afternoon. The family's decade-long pursuit of justice involved hiring a private investigator who uncovered numerous flaws in the original investigation, including the lack of forensic examination and the cremation of Jake's body within 24 hours. After Susan's first conviction in 2019 was overturned due to an ineligible juror, prosecutors successfully secured a second conviction in January 2026, resulting in a life sentence without parole. Throughout the ordeal, Jake's family described their experience as 'a slow, grinding, merciless erosion of our humanity,' with his daughter Rachel noting that while they felt justice had been served, they remained 'forever broken.'

🏷️ Themes

Justice delayed, Family persistence, Legal system failures, Financial motivation

📚 Related People & Topics

Dougherty County, Georgia

Dougherty County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

Dougherty County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 85,790. The county seat and sole incorporated city is Albany.

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

No entity connections available yet for this article.

Mentioned Entities

Dougherty County, Georgia

Dougherty County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This case highlights potential failures in initial investigations and the challenges families face when seeking justice for loved ones. It underscores the importance of thorough forensic analysis and the potential for systemic errors within the judicial process. The story also demonstrates the resilience of a family pursuing justice over many years.

Context & Background

  • Suspicious circumstances surrounding Jake Embert's death shortly after marrying Susan.
  • Initial investigation leaning towards suicide despite family doubts.
  • Family's long struggle for answers and perceived mishandling by authorities.

What Happens Next

Susan Embert will remain incarcerated with a life sentence without parole. The case raises questions about oversight in jury selection and potential reforms to investigative procedures. The family continues to grapple with the emotional impact of the events.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the initial cause of death ruled as?

Initially ruled as suicide by the coroner.

Why did the family suspect foul play?

They suspected foul play due to Jake's sudden illness after marrying Susan, inconsistencies in the circumstances of his death, and Susan's financial motivations.

What led to Susan Embert's conviction?

Evidence from a private investigator, including inconsistencies in the initial investigation and toxic chemicals found in Jake's body, led to her conviction for murder.

Why was Susan Embert's conviction overturned?

Her conviction was overturned due to the discovery that one of the jurors was a convicted felon and ineligible for jury service.

}
Original Source
She convinced police her husband died by suicide. His family helped convict her of murder. Jake Embert started getting sick soon after he married his second wife and was dead shortly after their anniversary. His family's agonizing journey to justice took more than a decade. Jake Embert had been married to Susan for just over a year when he was killed. Gabrielle Korein / NBC News/Dateline Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 27, 2026, 6:57 PM EST By Tim Stelloh Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 Jake Embert was fatally shot in his Georgia home more than a decade ago. His family searched for justice for years, enduring a legal saga that spanned three criminal trials and what they said was an agonizing series of failures and mistakes at nearly every level of the justice system in Dougherty County, in the southwest part of the state. “A slow, grinding, merciless erosion of our humanity” is how his daughter, Rachel Embert, once described it. For more on the case, tune in to “Malice” on “Dateline” at 9 ET/8 CT tonight. Add NBC News to Google DATELINE FRIDAY SNEAK PEEK: Malice 01:46 In January, that process took a big step forward. For the second time, Jake’s second wife, Susan Embert, 61, was convicted of murder in a crime prosecutors described as a financially motivated killing staged as a suicide. Embert was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She has always maintained her innocence and told “Dateline” that she had nothing to do with her husband’s death. For Rachel, the long-awaited resolution felt like justice. But, she told “Dateline,” “we’re forever broken.” Newly married and frequently sick According to Jake’s family, the trouble with the investigation into his June 28, 2014, death began soon after Dougherty County police officers responded to a 911 call from Susan. She reported that her husband had fatally shot himself, a recording of the call shows. The couple had been married for just over a year. An Army veteran and me...
Read full article at source

Source

nbcnews.com

More from USA

News from Other Countries

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇦 Ukraine