I am so blessed to have called you my friend. You were such a wonder teacher and advocate for animals. She said she texted Sheriff Randy Smith during the incident and later called a friend who works for the Sheriffs Office. On July 14, 2017, the badly burned body of Nanette Krentel was found amongst the burnt-out remains of her Lacombe, LA., home. The 911 call is placed after a neighbor's child notices the flames while riding their bike in the neighborhood. May you rest in peace Nan. Lee said the department did not receive any calls Thursday from motorists about a high-speed chase on the interstate. Nanette made her husband Stevethe then fire chief of St. Tammany Parish's Fire District 12lunch before he left for work. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Nanette Watson Krentel entered the kingdom of heaven on July 14, 2017. As they were leaving the property, according to Wendy, they were confronted by Steve, who chased them away in his vehicle. They soon locate her body in the master bedroom, lying face-up on the floor and burned beyond recognition. "The more eyes that see it, maybe the better, keep her name alive. Our thoughts and prayers will be with all of you. The coroner's office performs two autopsies (the second at the request of Steve Krentel) and rule Nanette's death a homicide. Anyone with information about Nanettes death is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 504-822-1111 or detective Daniel Buckner in the St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office at 985-726-7835. Investigators initially thought the retired preschool teacher died in the house fire, but the death was ruled a homicide when a . After nearly 10 months of a civil service probe regarding Steve and his employment as chief of District 12 of the St. Tammany Fire Department, Steve officially leaves the department and retires on September 1, 2018. Steve says Brian blamed the couple for turning him in after he wrecked his mothers car. Watson, who was staying at the Beau Rivage casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, said they no longer saw Krentel following in his pickup truck shortly after they entered Mississippi. At 10:03 am, Nanette called her local Kmart pharmacy to refill a prescription. She was and remains our angel. Who Killed Her? According to Steve, he and Nanette had been planning for him to retire after his 50th birthday, which occurred on August 16th. Nanette is survived by her husband, Stephen Krentel; her step-son, Justin Krentel, and his wife, Michelle Krentel; her father, Dan Watson; her siblings, Amy Bernard, Wendy Watson, Kim Watson, Lisa Watson, and Chad Danenhower; and her nieces and nephews, Cory, Shelby, Callan, Brennan, and Andrew. Steve finds that the gate security system at his and Nanette's house had been deactivated, but does not stop to reset them. Nanette's case is extremely tragic and odd. Contradictory reports of whether Steve and his unit arrive before or after the responding unit. Scott Lee confirmed Friday the department is investigating the matter involving Stephen Krentel and Wendy Watson. A memorial service is scheduled for1:00 p.m.onFriday, July 21, 2017at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 499 Sharp Road, Mandeville, LA 70471. Even her husband was present on the scene with his unit and helped bring the flames under control. What we know about what happened and when, St. Tammany fire district demotes Chief Steve Krentel but not as a disciplinary measure, St. Tammany fire chief, with wife's killing unsolved, now at center of civil service probe, Embattled former St. Tammany fire chief Steve Krentel announces plans to retire, St. Tammany fire district's civil service board orders full probe of complaints against Chief Steve Krentel, St. Tammany firefighter put on leave after raising complaints about fire chief, St. Tammany DA subpoenas Sheriff's Office for all records connected to Nanette Krentel's death. He insisted his wife's former boyfriend, in town from El . As police began to investigate, suspicion quickly focused on Steve, then the 49-year-old fire chief for St. Tammanys district 12, who admitted cheating on his wife of 22 years with a colleague. The Unsolved Murder of Nanette Krentel - discussion, UNSOLVED: Louisianas Nanette Krentel case, UNSOLVED murder of Nanette Krentel Round Table Discussion - Part 3, Firefighter's Wife Loses Her Life In Fire And It Wasnt An Accident I Killer Bites, Nanette Krentel Death Investigation Update, St. Tammany Parish Sheriffs Office Investigating Death Following Lacombe Fire, Krentel Case Still Active Investigation at One-year Anniversary, Sheriff Smith Meets with Krentels Family, Releases Additional Details, Up In Flames An Unsolved Mystery - What Happened To Nanette Krentel? Prayers for Stephen, family, and friends who loved her dearly. Love you dearly! . Grief researchers say holding that missing funeral service, even a year or more later, can still help us heal. At 9 a.m. the morning after the fire, St Tammany Parish Coroner conducted an autopsy on Nanette's remains and discovered the gunshot wound to her head. Nanette pulled over, called for help, and lent moral and emotional support as we waited for the wrecker to arrive. Serial shooters are the bailiwick of the Louisiana State Police, but I-10, like . Words cannot describe how I am feeling, how everybody is feeling. Nanette's case is extremely tragic and odd. She chose to help us. It also obliterated any chance of discovering if the fire-damaged gun found near her body was the same weapon used to kill her. The case which is featured on the premiere episode of the new season of People Magazine Investigates, airing Monday night on Investigation Discovery has become a magnet for countless theories about who could be responsible. Bagnell & Son Funeral Home, Covington, LA in charge of arrangements To view and sign the family guest book please visit WWW.bagnellfuneralhome.com. On the afternoon of July 14, 2017, her body was discovered inside her rural home in Lacombe, Louisiana. A preschool teacher's house was set on fire to cover up her murder. But, he says, This is not 48 Hours, where we solve a case in 60 minutes or less.. Nannette Krenzel's Killer Wanted To Inflict 'Great Punishment' On Her. Follow the links to read about more unsolved deaths and murders profiled on Still A Mystery. Nanette walks her husband, Steve, out to his car as he is leaving for work. Jerry Rogers, right, and Lori Rando bow their heads in prayer during a public vigil for Nanette Krentel at the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office in Slidell on Thursday, July 14, 2022, the fifth anniversary of Krentel's unsolved murder. In the days following the fire at the Krentel home, officials send out a press release to the public, confirming that Nanette's remains were discovered in the Krentel home. Published by The New Orleans Advocate from Jul. Unfortunately, there have been no further significant developments. He just looks creepy!" Steve also passes a polygraph regarding the crime, but it is unclear when the polygraph was performed. Nanette had expressed to her father that she had felt like she was being followed. At this point, her family knows that she had been getting guns and cameras out of fear of Bryan. You have permission to edit this article. Homicide victim Nanette Krentels sister investigated for trespassing at North Shore death site, Robert Rhoden, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Nanette Krentel homicide case had family doubting long before anonymous emails, father says. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. Sherriff's office clears Nanette's husband, Steve, of any wrongdoing in this case after Steve provides an "airtight" alibi. (WGNO) Its been five years since Nanette Krentel, the wife of former St. Tammany fire chief Stephen Krentel, was found dead with a gunshot wound within the ashes of her rural Lacombe that burned down. However, a few months later, the detectives cleared their primary suspect of any wrongdoing. Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. She could easily have driven on, but she did not. Nanette Krentel was found with a gunshot wound to the head & burned. 19 to Jul. There have been 140 homicides this year, 150% more than in 2019, and 51% more than in 2021. Today I am discussing the case of Nanette Krentel. Dan also files a petition for injunctive relief at this time. Nanette Krentel's cellphone was traced . This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the Raul and Cathy Sarinana were sentenced to death for abusing Would love your thoughts, please comment. Despite living in her home on 100 acres that she deemed a fortress due to her extensive security measures, in 2017 her house was burned to the ground with Nanette inside of it. The subpoena stated that the files were required because of differences between reports from the Sherriff's office and the Coroner's office. Featuring interviews with Nanette Krentel's family . She helped me get our belongings out of our car, and then she drove me and my dog to her vet, while Steve took my husband to get a rental car. Still A Mystery is in St. Tammany Parish in Louisianna to investigate the strange murder of Nanette Krentel. But it wasn't until the day of her memorial service, a week later,that the Sheriff's Office disclosed she had been shot. The pathologist agrees that Nanette's death was a homicide because of the lack of smoke inhalation (death is not instantaneous, even with a gunshot to the head; pathologist would have expected soot in her airways if she had set the fires). The media has speculated whether the DA brought Nanette's case up again because he is up for re-election and wanted to draw the public's favor. Lee says that he has been ruled out as a suspect at this time., (Steve eventually resigned from the fire department after an internal review found hed had improper relationships with two female employees and allegedly took air-conditioning units from ambulances.). ET) on Investigation Discovery. NANETTE KRENTEL OBITUARY. Her husband, Stephen Krentel, initially became the primary suspect, but the police subsequently ruled him out of their investigation. Members of the public are asked to contact the Sheriffs Office at 985-898-2338 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 if they have any information. Unsolved death joins other mysterious north shore cases, Nanette Krentel remembered; North Shore slaying unsolved after 18-months, Federal agent arrested for criminal defamation in Krentel case won't be charged, AG says, See St. Tammany coroner talk about Nanette Krentel homicide, DNA used to ID fire victim as Nanette Krentel, wife of fire chief, Nanette Krentel's final day: Details, images revealed in death of Tammany fire chief's wife, Friends continue to seek justice for Nanette Krentel, found dead in Northshore home, Probe deepens into embattled North Shore fire chief, Death of North Shore fire chief's wife ruled a homicide, Fire District 12 Chief Steve Krentel subject of civil service probe, North Shore firefighter seeks independent probe of Chief Stephen Krentel, Northshore fire chief gives $5,000 to increase reward in wife's homicide, Fire Chief Who Cheated on Wife Is Still in Complete Shock After Her 2017 Unsolved Murder, TV show to feature unsolved killing of North Shore fire chief's wife, St. Tammany fire district's investigation into complaints against chief turned over to Sheriff's Office, Husband, family react to new details in the murder of Nanette Krentel, AG declines to prosecute federal agent arrested by STPSO for an email written to Nanette Krentel's family, St. Tammany fire chief's wife killed by gunshot, not fire, coroner says, Beyond Bardstown: Lacombe | An original true-crime podcast from WWL-TV, Friends, loved ones gather to continue finding justice for Nanette Krentel, SOURCES: FBI Civil Rights division probes St Tammany Sheriffs defamation arrest, 'He threatened to set the house on fire': Emails show Nanette feared for her life before her death, Stalemate: Friends of Nanette Krentel gather in front of sheriffs office, pray for answers 5 years after her death. The Sheriff's Office releases a statement that they do not necessarily agree with these findings, suggesting that it could have been suicide. Had he killed his wife and set his home ablaze? However, even the email led nowhere as the police were unable to track down the man in question. For a while, Chicago investigators thought that Nannette Krenzel's grisly 1995 murder might have been committed by her boyfriend in a drunken rage. However, every single lead headed to a dead-end giving the police one setback after the other. You were a beautiful person inside and out. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Nanette was born in New Orleans, LA. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. The body of Nanette Krentel, 49, was found July 14, 2017, after fire destroyed the couples home. Steven, Justin and Michelle. I'm a better person for having known her. She will always be remembered. The local sheriff, Randy Smith, has spoken of the difficulty of the case and how much of the evidence was destroyed in the fire. Nanette begins sending her family emails about being afraid of Bryan Krentel. According to Sheriff Randy Smith, multiple firearms were found near Nanette's body. It was a well-set fire, you are a fire chief. The department and State Fire Marshals Office continue to investigate the slaying. Lori Rando, a close friend who was a classmate of Krentel's at Archbishop Chapelle High School in Metairie, said Thursday's anniversary seemed like a fitting time to push for more attention. The unsolved crime remains a source of controversy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google The show mentioned that Nanette also alleged she was being followed as she found hints of someone having been on the property. When a Louisiana woman's worst fears come true, investigators are left to sift through the ashes of the home she shared with her fire chief husband. 21, 2017. You will be missed. Krentels father, Ken Watson, has told the media that he fears his daughters murder will never be solved.