Murder Uncut, 24 April 2024, Sky Crime, “Murder in a Pandemic”

Murder Uncut investigates the disturbing case of Gretchen Anthony, a Florida mother who went missing during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The episode, “Murder in a Pandemic,” airing on Wednesday 24 April, explores the suspicious texts sent from her phone and the sinister turn the investigation takes.

In March 2020, as the pandemic spread across the US, friends and family of Gretchen Anthony, a 51-year-old mother from Jupiter, Florida, received text messages claiming she had tested positive for COVID-19. The texts described her worsening condition and said she had admitted herself to Jupiter Medical Center. However, the hospital had no record of her as a patient.

The texts raised alarm bells for those who knew her, as they were filled with grammatical errors and abbreviations, unlike Gretchen’s usual style. Her ex-husband, Jeff Dreier, who was co-parenting their 12-year-old daughter, Ava, with Gretchen, was particularly suspicious. He received similar texts claiming she was in a CDC facility and may be placed in a medically induced coma.

As concerns grew, a neighbours report of hearing a woman’s blood-curdling scream coming from Gretchen’s home added to the sense of urgency. Police discovered her car in the hospital parking lot, with her purse inside, but no sign of Gretchen. A search of her home revealed signs of a struggle, including a broken picture frame, shards of glass on her bed, and a stained towel that tested positive for blood.

The investigation soon focused on Gretchen’s estranged husband, David Anthony, a 6’7″ former personal trainer. David had a history of erratic behaviour and had been fired multiple times for aggressive behaviour towards women. He had also been arrested a week before the murder for approaching teenage girls at a mall and resisting arrest.

David, who had moved in with his mother, claimed Gretchen had COVID-19 and was at a CDC facility. However, there was no record of her at any hospital. David then went on the run, driving across multiple states, selling Gretchen’s jewellery, and attempting to cover his tracks.

The case took a chilling turn when security footage from Gretchen’s home was recovered, showing David lying in wait and then attacking Gretchen in the garage. Her desperate cries for help were captured by an Amazon Alexa device.

David was eventually arrested in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and charged with second-degree murder and kidnapping. He initially denied the murder, but later pleaded guilty in exchange for a 38-year prison sentence and the disclosure of Gretchen’s body’s location.

Murder Uncut airs on Sky Crime at 9.00 pm on Wednesday, 24 April 2024.