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In a shocking decision, a judge has ruled that Pam Hupp will be allowed to keep the life insurance money she collected after Betsy Faria’s murder in 2011. Betsy’s daughters, Leah and Mariah Day, filed a lawsuit in April of 2014 claiming Hupp defrauded them out of $150,000 in life insurance. As a result of the ruling, along with losing their mother’s life insurance, the two daughters have been ordered to pay over $2500 in attorney’s fees which resulted from the civil trail.
In an odd series of events, Betsy Faria, who at the time was terminally ill with cancer, signed over a life insurance policy to Pam Hupp, just four days before Betsy was found murdered in her home. Her husband, Russ Faria was charged and wrongfully convicted of Betsy’s murder in 2013. Faria appealed his conviction and was exonerated in 2015.
Pam Hupp made herself available to investigators immediately after Betsy Faria’s murder, making it well known to anyone who would listen that she was a longtime friend of the murder victim. According to Hupp, the Farias had a rocky relationship, claiming that Betsy confided with her that her husband had been abusive. Hupp described a “death game,” where Russ Faria placed a pillow over his wife’s face to show her how it would feel to die. Hupp’s farcical claims have never been supported by anyone else in Betsy Faria’s life.
Hupp’s actions shortly before Betsy’s murder were questionable. Hupp showed up at Betsy’s chemotherapy treatment on the day of the murder insisting that she drive Betsy home. When Betsy assured her she already had a ride to her mother’s home, Hupp left only to show up later in the day at Betsy’s mother’s home, once again insisting that she drive Betsy home. Betsy accepted the ride on Hupp’s second attempt, making Hupp the last person to see Betsy Faria alive. Oddly, Hupp was never considered a suspect by police. Her willingness to talk early on caused her to be viewed as a friend who was just trying to help the investigation.
Hupp has changed her story repeatedly over the years. When first asked why Betsy Faria abruptly changed the beneficiary on her life insurance policy, Hupp claimed that Betsy wanted to make sure her grown daughters received the life insurance payout and she did not trust her husband with the money.
In an act of pure deception designed to fool the court, Hupp set up a trust for Betsy’s daughters so it would appear that she was doing what was right. As a result, the court viewed Hupp favorably during Russ Faria’s first trial. Hupp went on to revoke the trust shortly after Faria’s conviction so that she could keep the money for herself.
During the civil trial in 2014, Hupp changed her story drastically, stating that Betsy wanted her to keep the money for herself. She cited memory problems for her change of story. She told the court that her loss of memory was due to a traumatic brain injury and concussion syndrome. She provided no proof of her condition. When her husband was questioned in court about his wife’s medical status, he stated that her only ailment was a back injury.
During the civil trial, Betsy’s daughters’ attorney Chris Roberts, told Fox2 News St. Louis that “they couldn`t keep track of how many times Hupp changed her story, including one time when she told Betsy`s family she gave all of the money to charity.”
How is it possible for a judge to rule in favor of a serial liar like Hupp? In Thursday’s ruling, Judge Ted House stated: “It is not possible from this limited evidence to determine with any specificity what Betsy’s intent was regarding the insurance proceeds, other than that stated on the beneficiary form.” House went on to say that Hupp could still give the money to Betsy’s daughters.
Pam Hupp claims that Betsy Faria was her friend. Those who are currently part of Pam Hupp’s life should stop and ask themselves why Pam would want to take life insurance money from the children of a woman who she claimed was a dear friend. How could anyone with a conscience take like insurance money away from two young women grieving the death of their mother?
There is no doubt that Pam Hupp should do what is right and give the life insurance money to Betsy’s daughters. Of course, there is little hope that Hupp will do what is right, as she has shown no interest in doing so to date.
Hupp told FOX2 News St. Louis on Thursday that she did not consider the ruling a victory, and that she feels bad for Betsy’s girls. I guess Hupp feels bad, just not bad enough to give the daughters their mother’s life insurance money. Who on earth would want to associate with a person who is capable of such evil? Only those who choose to continue to stand by Pam Hupp can provide an answer to that question.