Featured Image Credit: The Jerry Springer Show
Topics: Crime, Real Life, TV And Film, True Crime, True Life, Documentaries, Netflix
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Crime, Real Life, TV And Film, True Crime, True Life, Documentaries, Netflix
A woman was tragically murdered just a matter of days after appearing on The Jerry Springer Show with her ex-husband and his mistress.
Nancy Campbell-Panitz was found dead in July 2000, a few weeks after she had filmed the episode on the famous chat show fronted by host Jerry Springer.
The single mother reunited with her ex, Ralf Panitz, on national television alongside his new wife, Eleanor.
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However, after realising the show's producers seemingly were after a heavy dose of drama, Nancy walked off the stage and refused to get involved in the theatrics that the show had become infamous for.
When the episode was finally aired, Ralf went over to Nancy's home - shortly after she had been granted a restraining order against him - and horrifically beat and strangled her to death.
He was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole and is currently still behind bars.
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The new Netflix docuseries Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action has since shone a spotlight on Nancy's brutal murder.
Take a look at the official trailer here:
It also features an interview with her son, Jeffrey Campbell, who said that after his mother and stepfather got married in 1997, there was a 'domestic issue' where Ralf had 'thrown her on the floor and she hit her head' which led to her leaving him, adding (via US Weekly): "All of sudden, she was in a big house alone and I think she just got lonely. That’s why she went on the show, to get him back."
He also claimed that his mother was 'lied to' when she arrived to pre-record the episode in 2000.
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"My mother believed that Ralf had been deported to Germany and that the show was going to pay for his travel back to America, and that they would reconcile, and that he would tell his new girlfriend that he wanted to be with my mother." he said. "But she was basically lied to because that never happened. I don’t think my mother had any idea what she was walking into."
Elsewhere in the doc, Jeffrey explained just how 'shocked' he was after finding out his mum was going to go on the show which is well-known for its heated confrontations.
"As far as my mother going on the show, it was shocking to say the least," he recalled in the documentary. "I was pretty surprised when she told me about going on the show... She didn’t like having her pictures taken much.
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"She always had to hide her face or hide behind something, so to see her up there on the stage, just looking like a deer caught in the headlights, like, 'What is going on here?'"
Jeffrey added: "I just wish I could go back and say, 'Don’t do it'."
Tyla has reached out to The Jerry Springer Show for comment.
Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action, is currently available to stream on Netflix.