Two-Hour Broadcast Features First Sit-Down TV Interview With Woman Befriended By Riess
“The Woman at the Bar” Airs Friday at 9pm ET/8pm CT
January 27, 2021 – Friday’s all-new Dateline NBC at 9pm ET/8pm CT reveals new details on the massive nationwide manhunt to capture Lois Riess. Dubbed “killer grandma,” Riess murdered her husband in Minnesota before fleeing to Florida, where she killed and stole the identity of Pam Hutchinson, a woman she had just met.
The two-hour Dateline features the first sit-down interview with Bernie Mathis, who Riess befriended in Texas just days after killing Hutchinson. Mathis tells NBC News’ Dennis Murphy that she was unaware that Riess was on the run for double murder when they met, explaining, “We hit it off like we were going to be best friends.”
After learning of Riess’ arrest and the eerie similarities of how Riess had also befriended Hutchinson just days earlier, Mathis explains, “My heart just went in my throat … I just really dodged a bullet.”
To watch a preview, click here.
The broadcast, entitled The Woman at the Bar, features interviews with insiders and witnesses in the case, including Riess’ friends, Hutchinson’s family members, police detectives and more.
Bernie Mathis speaks to ‘Dateline’ this Friday.
For More Information:
Dominique Cuce
NBC News
e: Dominique.Cuce@nbcuni.com
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Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 29th season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Natalie Morales, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT and Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, Dateline is the #1 Friday newsmagazine and reaches more than 17 million people every week through its broadcast, and millions more through its social media platforms and podcasts. Additionally, Dateline closed out 2019-2020 broadcast season as the #1 Friday newsmagazine across the board. David Corvo is the senior executive producer, and Liz Cole is the executive producer.
