Christina Hellinger (Susan Blakely) is the main villainess from "Suspicion of Murder," episode 7.12 of Murder, She Wrote (airdate January 20, 1991). She is the wife of industrial businessman Ben Hellinger, and the stepmother to his sons, Danny and Joey. Christina is also an old flame of insurance investigator Dennis Stanton, and the pair reunited at a reception in the beginning of the episode.
However, Christina was plotting a murderous scheme, with Joey as her accomplice. During an argument, the evil Christina killed Ben, doing so by stabbing him with an ice pick. As soon as Joey found put, he helped Christina place the body in a garage freezer, and then placed it in the shower to thaw out. After the murder, Christina cried on Dennis' shoulder with claims that Ben abused her, showing bruises on her face (which were assumingly self-inflicted). Dennis later entered the Hellinger home to investigate, which fell into Christina's plan. With evidence that he was in the home, Dennis was arrested, and Christina was later shown implicating Dennis to police.
In the climax, Christina was on the phone attempting to hook up with retired tennis player Ryan Donovan when she was surprised by Dennis' appearance. It was there that Christina's reveal occurred and in an attempt to trap her, Dennis offered to help create an alibi for her and scapegoat Joey as the lone killer. Christina agrees, unaware that Dennis had been recording her. Joey was shown with police listening to his evil stepmother sell him out, and he agreed to a deal. Christina was arrested for her husband's murder.
Trivia[]
- This was the second villainous appearance on the series for Susan Blakely. She previously appeared as the evil Pauline Byrne on Season Six, and as villainess Joyce Hacker on Season Ten.
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