Joanna Wilton (Leslie Easterbrook) is the main villainess from "The Personal Trainer," episode 5.05 of Matlock (airdate October 9, 1990).
About[]
Joanna Wilton is the wife of wealthy roofer George Wilton, who Ben Matlock was angry with over the delay regarding his leaky roof. However, the beginning of the episode revealed that Joanna was an adulteress, as she was shown in bed with her personal trainer, Harry Slade — continuing an affair that had been ongoing for five months.
In actuality, Joanna was one of multiple women who Harry was seeing simultaneously, and as Joanna herself learned, one of Harry's other women was her own daughter, Bobbie. Joanna learned about Harry's dalliance with Bobbie when she found his lighter in the master bedroom, and after George spotted the lighter, he unleashed his anger over Harry sleeping with his wife.
Heel Turn[]
Joanna Wilton killing her lover, Harry Slade
Joanna harbored her own anger at Harry for his fling with Bobbie, among other women, and after seeing Harry's outburst, Joanna turned heel and devised a murderous and lucrative scheme to eliminate both men in her life. After driving Bobbie to her workplace, a child care center, Joanna drove to George's parking garage and took his gun out of the glove compartment. Later on, the evil Joanna drove to Harry's home and shot her lover to death. Her plan was to frame her husband for the murder, as a pre-nup stated that she would get nothing in a divorce, but would control all of his finances if George ends up in jail.
The motive was detailed by Ben Matlock in his defense of George, and a copy of Tropic of Capricorn (which Joanna gave Harry as a gift) was found in the trunk of her car, officially revealing Joanna as the killer. After expressing defeat, Joanna was arrested (off-screen) for killing her illicit lover.
Trivia[]
- Leslie Easterbrook later appeared as the villainous Matron Knull in the 2001 film, Maniacts.