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Teresa Lewis: Greed and Murder-for-Hire



Teresa Lewis: Greed, Murder-for-Hire, and the Death Penalty Controversy

True Crime | Virginia Murder Case | Death Penalty Debate


On the surface, Teresa and Julian Lewis seemed like just another couple living a quiet life in rural Danville, Virginia. But their tragic story began with heartbreak and vulnerability. When Teresa met Julian, he was a widower of four months, mourning the loss of his wife of nearly 30 years. Overcome by grief, Julian found comfort in Teresa’s attention. At that time, Julian was caring for his three grown children: Jason, serving in the Navy; Kathy, who moved back home to support her father; and C.J. Lewis, a 25-year-old Army Reservist with a promising future.

Teresa brought her own complications into the household, including two children from a previous relationship, Christie and Ben. During visitation, their poor behavior strained an already fragile family dynamic.


A Marriage Built on Hidden Motives

What seemed like a fresh start soon took a sinister turn. Teresa, battling insecurities and driven by greed, saw an opportunity in Julian’s vulnerability. After Julian’s oldest son, Jason died tragically in a car accident, Julian was the beneficiary of his $200,000 life insurance police with the US Navy. When Teresa discovered there were $250,000 military life insurance policies in place for Julian and C.J., Teresa began plotting a way to claim that financial windfall.


Teresa Lewis's Seduction, Manipulation, and a Murder-for-Hire Plot

Teresa’s greed escalated into a deadly obsession. She manipulated two younger men—Matthew Shallenberger (21) and Rodney Fuller (19)—using seduction and promises of wealth to lure them into her horrifying scheme. Her manipulative charm, combined with sexual favors, convinced them to commit murder.

On October 30, 2002, Shallenberger and Fuller came into the Lewis home after Teresa left a door open. Gunshots shattered the quiet Virginia night. Police arrived to find C.J. Lewis dead from multiple shotgun wounds, and Julian Lewis barely clinging to life. Before his last breath, Julian told police, “my wife knows who done this.”

What initially seemed like a violent home invasion soon unraveled into a calculated murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by Teresa—the one person Julian should have trusted most.


The Shocking Investigation and Courtroom Drama

Investigators quickly unraveled the chilling truth. Shallenberger and Fuller were arrested and confessed, revealing Teresa as the mastermind behind the murders. Her motive was clear: financial gain from the life insurance policies.

In court, the betrayal was undeniable. Shallenberger and Fuller received life sentences without parole, but Teresa, though she never pulled the trigger, was held as the architect of the crime—and sentenced to death by lethal injection.


Mental Capacity: A Controversial Legal Battle

As Teresa’s execution neared, questions arose about her mental capacity. With an IQ of 72—borderline intellectual disability—her defense team argued that she couldn’t fully grasp the consequences of her actions. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, sparking national debates on the ethics of executing individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Despite public appeals for clemency, the courts remained steadfast in their judgment. Teresa was held fully accountable for orchestrating the crime.


The Execution and Lingering Questions

On September 23, 2010, Teresa Lewis became the first woman executed in Virginia since 1912. Her death reignited fierce debates over capital punishment, mental capacity, and the definition of true culpability.

To some, Teresa was a manipulative predator, driven by greed and lust. To others, she was a mentally vulnerable woman caught in a destructive cycle, manipulated by the very men she believed she was controlling.

Regardless of perspective, two lives—Julian Lewis and C.J. Lewis—were lost to greed, betrayal, and cold-blooded murder. The chilling legacy of Teresa Lewis remains a cautionary tale of desperation, manipulation, and justice with heavy consequences.

This haunting case is more than just a story of betrayal and murder—it’s a deep dive into the human psyche and the dark consequences of greed. Subscribe to Hitched 2 Homicide for more chilling true crime stories that blend Southern humor with a deep respect for the victims and their families.

Sources used for this podcast and Youtube:

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Photos and Videos

  1. Duell, M. (2010, September 24). Teresa Lewis execution: I watched a woman die - One witness's hand account. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314993/Teresa-Lewis-execution-I-watched-woman-die-One-witness-hand-account.html

  2. Find a Grave. (n.d.). Julian Clifton Lewis (1961–2002). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71645449/julian_clifton-lewis

3.     Cringe Arena. (2020, August 9). Illinois State Fair Hog Calling Contest [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUY9FmBvqms&t=199s

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  2. Find a Grave. (n.d.). Julian Clifton Lewis (1961–2002). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71645449/julian_clifton-lewis

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DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

All information contained in this video presentation is provided for entertainment purposes only. The authors leave any and all conclusions to individual members of the audience. The author offers no statements of fact beyond those available through diligent private research or through information freely available in the public record. To the extent that pending or settled criminal matters or crime or possible crimes, are discussed in this video presentation. All parties or defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. To the extent that any pending or settle civil matters are discussed in this video presentation, all parties or defendants are presumed not liable unless proven liable in a court of law. Copyright for material incorporated and presented under Fair Use is retained by the original author or copyright holder where applicable. Our cases are researched using open source and archive materials, and the subjects are real crimes and people. We strive to produce each episode with respect to the victims, their families and loved ones. At Hitched 2 Homicide we are committed to always discussing how victims lived, and not just how they died. All podcast information is gleaned from sources given. All opinions in the podcast are solely of Hitched 2 Homicide and are for entertainment purposes only.


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