Authorities in Panama swiftly alerted the public and detained the suspect and his Costa Rican wife after discovering the dead of Cher Lynn Hughes and Bo Islar buried in William Holbert’s backyard. Laura Michelle Reese, William’s wife, adamantly maintained her innocence and said she had nothing to do with her husband’s misdeeds.
“Dateline: Stealing Paradise” recounts the horrifying double murder and the police investigation that followed, leading to the conviction of the murderers. But if you’re curious about the specifics of the case and want to know Laura Michelle Reese’s current location, we’ve got you covered.
Who Is Laura Michelle Reese?
William Holbert and Laura Michelle Reese initially crossed paths at their Saluda, North Carolina, gym jobs. Despite William’s marital status at the time, their relationship quickly blossomed and led to an affair. Furthermore, it has been reported that William was waiting for the ideal chance to move in with Laura and file for divorce from his high school love. It’s interesting to note that the gym discovered William had embezzled about $25k from the business. William divorced his first wife and went to the island of Bocas del Toro in Panama with Laura Reese because he did not want to face legal action.
William married Laura at that same time, and the two of them started operating a pub on the island. Wiliam and Laura encountered a group of American expats who led delightful, carefree lives on the island soon after they moved to Bocas del Toro. Nonetheless, the pair identified themselves as William “Wild Bill” Adolfo Cortez and his wife, Jane Cortez, with the intention of concealing their true identities. As luck would have it, the two became good friends with another expat, Cher Lynn Hughes, and William even gained recognition for being a jovial pub owner who enjoyed organising big parties.
However, nobody knew about the dark secret the two were keeping. When Bo Islar vanished in December 2009, a lot of people thought he had left to start his own life. Bo was known to go abruptly, and rumours had it that he was spending his days in Argentina. However, because Cher was a beloved member of the community, her disappearance in March 2010 generated a number of concerns. People were aware of Cher’s immense enjoyment of the island lifestyle, so it appeared unusual for her to depart with just one farewell.
William moved into Cher’s home in the interim and used it as a party pad. Attendees of a party held soon after the incident reported that it was strange to see people laughing and drinking while the missing woman’s possessions were lying around. However, neighbours and law enforcement observed Cher’s dog repeatedly visiting William’s home, seemingly in search of something significant.
By then, Don Winner, another American expat who managed Panama Guide, a news website for visitors to Panama, was working for Cher’s family. Due to William’s suspicious behaviour, Don requested that the police take him into custody for gun ownership, which is illegal in Panama, so that the inquiry could move more slowly. But when police arrived at William’s residence, they were unable to locate the culprit, so they had to remove Cher and Bo’s bodies from his property.
Laura Michelle Reese Remains Behind Bars Today
Laura and William were quickly captured by the Costa Rican police and brought to Panama to stand trial. William admitted to the double homicide when he was questioned, saying he killed Bo and Cher so he could have their properties. He did, however, go on to confess to four more killings, which included the demise of Michael Francis Salem, his spouse, and their kid.
It was eventually discovered that William had approached Michael pretending to be interested in purchasing his land before ruthlessly killing the entire family. Interestingly enough, though, Laura insisted on her innocence and denied knowing anything about the deaths. She went so far as to release an official statement in which she denied any connection to the killings and asserted that she was unaware of her husband’s actions.
However, Laura’s justification proved inadequate, and in 2017 she was put on trial. Laura was found guilty of her part in the crimes and given a 26-year jail sentence, while William was found guilty of the robbery and murder of five persons and sentenced to 47 years in prison. Laura is currently incarcerated in a Panamanian prison as she awaits the completion of her term.
