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David Francis Hoffman (1946) was charged with the murder of his wife, Carol Stebbins Hoffman in 1981. The homicide is one of the most famous in Hennepin County, Minnesota’s history. David Francis Hoffman strangled his wife to death after she refused to have sex with him. With the help of his mother, Helen Ulvinen, he dismembered her body disposing it through the garbage disposal, a fire in their garden and lake near by. He initially claimed she had run away before confessing to her murder after having a religious conversion. David Francis Hoffman was sentenced to life in prison for first degree murder in 1981 and is currently still incarcerated, but seeking parole which has thus far been denied. His mother, Helen Ulvinen was charged for the same murder, but her conviction was over turned in 1981.

Origins
David Francis Hoffman was born in 1946 in West Saint Paul, Minnesota and was educated at North High School Minnesota.

Family
David Francis Hoffman married Carol Stebbins in West Saint Paul, Minnesota. They resided in Hennepin Country, Minnesota and has two daughters born in 1971 and 1977. The Hoffman’s marriage was extremely tumultuous, especially in the years preceding the murder. The pair often fought in front of their children and argued in public. Many of Hoffman’s colleagues reported that Hoffman made frequent complaints about his marriage with Stebbin’s which evolved into threats and plans to eventually kill his wife.

Helen Ulvinen, David Francis Hoffman’s mother, moved into the Hoffman’s family home two weeks before the murder. She resided there as a permanent baby sitter for their two daughters. exacerbating the pairs already troubled marriage. Ulvinen’s presence in the home exacerbated the pairs already troubled marriage as Uliven and Stebbins did not have a happy relationship. Carol Stebbins had disputes and disagreements with Uliven on many occasions which she discussed with her friends.

The Murder of Carol Hoffman
On August 10, 1980 David Francis Hoffman murdered his wife Carol Stebbins Hoffman in their family home in Hennepin County, Minnesota. After spending the day playing with their 9 month old and 3 year old daughters and putting them to bed Hoffman and Stebbins went to bed where Hoffman began trying to have sex with Carol Stebbins. She told her husband to “go have sex with your fat momma” while refusing to have sex with him. Upon this David strangled her to death, while their 9 month old daughter was in the room. An act that he has allegedly been planning for over 2 years, with his mother who endorsed his plan, stating that “It will be for the best”.

Helen Ulvinen’s involvement continued after the murder as she kept the Hoffman’s two daughters occupied while her son dismembered Carols body in the bathroom, diving her remains into separate bags. David Francis Hoffman then disposed of the pieces of her body by burning her in a fire lit in the garden of their family home, through their garbage disposal and the rest of her remains were put into bags and tossed into Weaver Lake near by.

Hoffman then cleaned the bathroom to remove all evidence while his mother cleaned all the sheets. Hoffman and his mother then composed a story to tell police where Stebbins left home after having a heated argument with her husband. The next day, David Francis Hoffman filed a missing persons report for Carol at the Corcoran Police Station, stating that she had run away. Throughout the police interviews and investigation, Hoffman and Uliven maintained this fabricated story.

Religious Conversion
David Francis Hoffman was interviewed by the Hennepin County Sheriff and assisted in their search for Carol which was conducted in the area. Hoffman was seen to be mourning the loss of his wife, leading the search, desperate to find her. In the days that followed Carol’s death David experienced a religious conversion. He started to anticipate the end of the world approached and became extremely emotional. On August 19, 1980 Hoffman met with Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies again and confessed to the murder of Carol Stebbins Hoffman, recounting in great detail what actually happened on August the 10th, 1980. Including his plan, how he murdered her, how he disposed of her body and his mothers involvement in planning and covering up the murder. He asked each detective if they believed in the lord before his confession and claimed to have killed her because she was possessed by the devil. In his meeting he composed a written confession which he signed.

Investigation
Following his confession Hoffman took detectives to Weaver Lake and showed them where he had dumped her remains. The bags were then retrieved. The Hennepin County Sheriffs department arranged search warrants for their family home where remnants of Carol’s body were found and evidence against Hoffman was compiled. The evidence found in the investigations conduction supported Hoffman’s confession and he was rendered guilty. During his confession he implicated his mother, Helen Ulvinen for conspiring to murder Carol Stebbins Hoffman and helping him to dispose of her remains.

Conviction
David Francis Hoffman was charged with First Degree Murder of Carol Stebbins Hoffman and sentenced to 30 years in prison. David Francis Hoffman pleaded not guilty due mental illness and claimed that the written statement made on August 19, 1980 to the Hennepin County Sheriff's deputies was not made voluntarily as he was not in sound mind at the time he spoke to detectives and made the confession. The motion to suppress his confession statement was denied as the court found he had voluntarily waived his Miranda rights, supported by the three officers that were present when he confessed to killing his wife.

Helen Ulvinen was charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder. Her conviction was over ruled on the 17th of December 1981 by the Supreme Court of Minnesota as it was ruled Uliven was not involved in the scheming or operation of the murder.

Sentence
Hoffman was charged with first degree murder and was not eligible for parole for the first 17 years of his 30 year sentence.

David Francis Hoffman has come up for parole five times since his first attempt in 1994. He attempted parole again in 2000, 2010 and 2016 and was denied parole each time due to his lack of remorse and inability to recognise the enormity of his crime. Both of his daughters have supported Hoffman’s parole at previous hearings and his sister, Olean Hoffman has stated that David has shown guilt and sorrow over Carols death and thus, should be released.

Carols relatives, the Stebbin’s family, have been working hard to ensure that Hoffman remains behind bars since he was incarcerated in 1981. Fighting to keep David Francis Hoffman in prison as they believe he is still a danger to society because of his lack of remorse shown. Despite many pleas from Carol Stebbin Hoffman’s family to extend his sentence David Francis Hoffman was released from prison in April 2018.

Carol Stebbins Hoffman’s body resides in Anoka County cemetery, Minnesota.