He also gave inconsistent statements about his wifes disappearance to various women he dated after Katz vanished. They could find no proof, however, that he had harmed his wife. Bierenbaum blamed his actions on being immature at the time and not understanding how to deal with his anger, according to the transcript. To our knowledge, hes never said to anyone, I did it. Its really about pointing to inconsistencies in his statements and its more than that, too, says DA spokeswoman Barbara Thompson. '', ''And as for the cats, they were very comfortable with Bob,'' she wrote. N E W  Y O R K, Oct. 24, 2000 -- Dr. Robert Bierenbaum, a plastic surgeon who wascharged with killing his wife 15 years ago and dropping her bodyinto the ocean from an airplane, was convicted today ofsecond-degree murder. What a stark difference between the lack of customer service we are used to. "We knew it was going to be the toughest trial that we'd ever had. The couple have a young daughter. Go check it out! Easy parking and great location. Bierenbaum described himself as immature at the time of the murder, for which he is serving 20 years to life. Proactive and Reactive LiesDuring the trial, defense lawyer David Lewis denounced theprosecutions murder theory as guesswork since there are noeyewitnesses or physical evidence in the death of Katz-Bierenbaum.Lewis said Katz-Bierenbaum is probably dead, but he stated thatnobody knows how or why. ''She often spoke of her dysfunctional family and treacherous childhood.''. Dr Birenbaum is a fantastic eye doctor. Upon graduation, his wife convinced him to move to her native home of Plano, TX, where he practiced optometry at First Eye Care for nine years. Great eye consult and check-up with Dr. Birenbaum, very kind and thorough in his work. Baran testified that she never told Bierenbaumthat. Confession: Dr. Robert Bierenbaum and his then-wife, Dr. Janet Cholett, leave court together in October 2000 in New York. ABC News and the Times reported that investigators learned that Bierenbaum had gone to the Essex County Airport in Caldwell, New Jersey, on July 7, 1985, and taken out a small plane for about two hours. Their marriage was said to be toxic, with Katz reportedly telling a neighbor once that she no longer felt comfortable at home. said Dan Bibb, one of the prosecutors who brought Bierenbaum to justice. A 5-star, upscale vision care experience! Follow on Instagram Ive waited a very,very long time for this day. I opened the door and then took her body out of the airplane over the ocean," the transcript said. Thank you Jon for restoring our faith in customer service again. We were visiting our daughter from Germany and swung by Spectacles to pick up a pair of glasses for her. News of Bierenbaums arrest rocked friends and colleagues in Las Vegas and North Dakota, where the doctor has spent most of the past nine years after leaving New York under a cloud of suspicion in 1990. This is not your ordinary eye doctor/ eye wear shop. But, my prescription turned out to be wrong (twice!) By 1990, Bierenbaum had relocated to Las Vegas and opened a plastic surgery practice there, ABC News reported. A Manhattan jury convicted him based on circumstantial evidence presented at a 2000 murder trial, but this is the first time he admitted to killing Gail Katz. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Prosper with their three children: Parker, Lyla, and Emmi. You would see the women later and they would say, We just broke up because we were fighting all the time.'. These trips were performed out of altruism, the memo states, and not ''with an ulterior purpose, to establish himself as do-gooder so that he would have a resume of public service to use should he subsequently be convicted.''. '', See the article in its original context from. After the verdict,Snyder ordered him jailed to await sentencing. The former plastic surgeon, who is in prison for the killing, admitted to the parole board in December 2020 that he strangled Katz, 29, before loading her body onto a Cessna 172 and tossing it into the Atlantic Ocean. Then, after serving 20 years of his sentence, he made his bombshell confession. Bierenbaum had been out on $500,000 bail. In a December parole hearing, however, Bierenbaum, now 66, admitted for the first time that he strangled Gail Katz, 29, in July 1985. When asked how, Bierenbaum said he "strangled" her, and went on to say, "I went flying. When Alayne Katz accused him of killing her sister, thedefendant called his missing wife a tramp and said he believedshe had run off with another man. All-inclusive retinal exams and consultation, evaluations and treatments for a dry eye condition, patient education, designer eyewear, minor foreign body removal, post cataract and LASIK surgery care, etc. Our designer collections comprise carefully selected, unique and trendy products under reputed brands such as Moscot, Tom Ford, Blac, Ronit Furst, Maui Jim, Zenka, Bevel, and Oliver Peoples. Rosenzweig's working theory was that the doctor had killed his wife and thrown her body into the Atlantic Ocean. Days turned to months, and months to years with no sign of Katz. Bierenbaum's defense tried to paint Gail Katz as an unstable woman with mental health issues and a drug problem, but her sister said none of this was true. All three subsequently contacted Katz and warned her that her life could be in danger, the newspaper reported. Thank you Jon for being so patient with me and helpful when picking out my glasses! Shout out to Mina Zadeh. I have needed my lenses replaced on both pairs of my glasses, due to me dropping and scratching them. Each client is unique to us. I wanted her to stop yelling at me and I attacked her, Bierenbaum told the parole board, according to the transcript. Robert Bierenbaum first made headlines for the murder of his wife Gail Katz. You can cancel at any time. Ellen Lane Busher is a health care provider primarily located in Boston, MA, with another office in Boston, MA. "I thought the demonstration with the airplane was extremely effective, probably one of the critical moments of the case," said Leslie Crocker Snyder, the judge who presided over the case. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Joseph Rhee, Keren Schiffman, Gerry Wagschal & Lauren Effron, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7. I was in the store today and was helped Jon the Optician. I'm loving. Always a pleasure to work with Dr. Birenbaum & his staff. This story has been shared 100,283 times. ''Her pain made her demanding, needy, depressive, dark, manipulative and at times, sadly, suicidal,'' Ms. Blanche wrote. The case continued to nag at Andy Rosenzweig, chief investigator for the Manhattan District Attorneys Office, and he and other detectives began re-interviewing everyone involved in the missing persons case, according to the network. var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/www.spectaclesfineeyewear.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/www.spectaclesfineeyewear.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/www.spectaclesfineeyewear.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; Dr. Steven Anderson has a comprehensive eye care and optical shop located in Legacy West in Plano, Texas. "I wanted her to stop yelling at me and I attacked her," Bierenbaum said in a transcript of the hearing obtained by ABC News. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. No one in North Dakota knew about Bierenbaum's past, and in fact he had become somewhat of a local hero for saving a boy's life after he was bitten by a tiger at the North Dakota State Fair. I will head back to the staff here again for all future needs. Meanwhile, back in New York, Rosenzweig was nearing retirement and was looking into cold cases that still haunted him. He claimed to have stayed home. Another lie was that her psychotherapist, Dr. Sybil Baran, hadtold Bierenbaum that his wife was suicidal and might have killedherself, Bibb said. Dr. Bierenbaum's first wife, Gail Katz-Bierenbaum, vanished on July 7, 1985, but the doctor was not charged with her murder until last December. Bierenbaum, 44, turned himself in to the Manhattan DAs office after an early-morning flight to Newark from his home in Grand Forks, N.D. One of the biggest hurdles at trial for prosecutors was to convince a jury Bierenbaum could fly a small plane and push a body out of it at the same time, so they filmed a recreation of this exact scenario to show it was possible. My love will cure. In the summer of 1985, in his exclusive Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, Robert Bierenbaum, a prominent surgeon and certified genius, strangled his wife Gail to death. After just five-and-a-half hours of deliberation, a jury found Bierenbaum guilty of murder. Investigators decided to re-interview everyone from the case. Bierenbaum started dating again and, in 1996, he married a Las Vegas gynecologist named Janet Challot. But it wasnt until last week, when after reopening the investigation two years ago the Manhattan DA persuaded a grand jury it finally had the proof it needs to pin the murder on Bierenbaum. These are not the acts of a suicidalperson, she said. I heard the cuffs close round hishands. Bierenbaum was found guilty of second-degree murder in October 2000. We have embraced amazing features of the modern-day technology, and as a result of that, we are able to treat our clients with 100% confidence. Plano, TX 75024. He was a handsome surgical resident who spoke multiple languages, and had a passion for gourmet cooking, skiing and piloting small planes. He saw three different doctors. Baran also noted that Katz-Bierenbaum had been apartmenthunting, had gotten a manicure and had bought birth control devicesjust before she vanished. Our clinic stands out from the rest mainly because of the experience, professionalism, and expertise of Dr. Anderson and his trained staff. Youngblood said he eventually admitted he had been married before, but said his wife had disappeared and he didn't like to talk about it. 7500 Windrose Avenue "An X-ray technician compared this X-ray with the torso and said, 'This is Gail,'" Alayne Katz said. Lorenzo Ciniglio/Sygma via Getty Images. As the case grew cold, Bierenbaum moved on with his life, remarried, had a daughter and opened medical practices in Las Vegas and North Dakota. No forensics, no eye witnesses, entirely circumstantial," Bibb said. We highly recommend Spectacles and want to recognize Jon and his exceptional, professional and knowledgable service. Jon went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. Mina, Jon, and Lanas knowledge on eyewear and brands is amazing. He explains his tests thoroughly so you understand how and why everything is needed for your exam. No forensics, no eyewitnesses, entirely circumstantial, Bibb told ABC News. Alayne Katz said. The torso was ruled out as belonging to Ms. Katz-Bierenbaum, whose remains have never been found. are some of the services we offer. Bierenbaum was convicted Oct. 24 of strangling Gail, a 29-year-old psychology grad student, in 1985 in a fit of jealous rage after finding shed cheated on him. The New York Times reported in 1999 that authorities believed he spent hours dismembering Katzs body before taking flight and dumping it into the water somewhere between Montauk Point, New York, and Cape May, New Jersey. In a December parole hearing, however, Bierenbaum, now 66, admitted for the first time that he strangled Gail Katz, 29, in July 1985. his trial lawyer. A former plastic surgeon who had long denied killing his wife confessed to strangling her to death and throwing her body out of an airplane, according to a report out Thursday. "That little, little shred of closure that I had has now been ripped away," she said "I looked up at Dan [Bibb] and at Steve [Saracco], and I said, 'Now, you better get a conviction.'". He is now eligible for parole and faces a hearing in November 2021, It is a white glove experience and time well spent. He attended the Southern California College of Optometry and graduated in 2014. But prosecutors When she heard the news, Alayne Katz said she was devastated. Others, including his current wife, Dr. Janet A. Chollet-Bierenbaum, and his parents, Dr. Marvin and Nettie Bierenbaum, described his life of accomplishment, concern for others and love for his 2-year-old daughter. Dr. Bob is incredible! "I was like 'Holy shit are you kidding me?'" One of the prosecutors in the case, Dan Bibb, told ABC he was stunned by Bierenbaums confession because he thought the convicted murderer would never own up and take responsibility for his actions. The network is featuring the case Friday night on 20/20.. The request was outlined in a presentencing memorandum submitted on Monday that includes dozens of support letters from Dr. Bierenbaum's family, his colleagues and even a high-ranking United Nations official. Bought my first pair from her 2 weeks back..great quality product. On July 8, 1985, Bierenbaum called the police and reported his wife missing. An Altru colleague says when the skilled scalpel-wielder started at the facility, he insisted one of his nurses be the one to meet and talk with his patients. The service was awesome by the 2 tech ladies, super polite and well mannered. ABC News and the Times reported that investigators learned that Bierenbaum had gone to the Essex County Airport in Caldwell, New Jersey, on July 7, 1985, and taken out a small plane for about two hours. Is this you? The talented plastic surgeon charged last week with the 1985 murder of his first wife, Gail Katz was described by stunned colleagues as aloof, standoffish and a loner who preferred his nurses interact with patients so he didnt have to. murdering Gail Katz-Bierenbaum. (Lorenzo Ciniglio/Sygma via Getty Images), We knew it was going to be the toughest trial that wed ever had. After killing Katz, he got rid of her body where no one would find it. The former plastic surgeon, who is in prison for the killing, admitted to the parole board in December 2020 that he strangled Katz, 29, before loading her body onto a Cessna 172 and tossing it into the Atlantic Ocean. BIERENBAUM--Marvin Leonard, M.D., 81 of Newark and West Orange, NJ died peacefully on January 28 after a prolonged struggle with Parkinson's disease. "She's not with me, and she's not with my parents, and at that moment I know that my sister's dead," Alayne Katz said. I mean, it's the method that he tries to cover up his crime," said Steve Saracco, a former Manhattan assistant district attorney who prosecuted the Bierenbaum case with Bibb. Prosecutors who convicted Bierenbaum were stunned by his admission to the parole board, particularly because the confession mirrored the states theory of the crime in 1999, when Bierenbaum was charged with second-degree murder. In an interview, he said Dr. Bierenbaum was beaten and bitten on the chest by an inmate trying to steal his wedding band. When their knowledge is combined with cutting-edge technology, we make one of the optometric care services in Texas. staff is knowledgeable and super friendly. Simply the best eyeglass store in DFW. His staff are super sweet as Dr. Robert was really nice. She convinced Bierenbaum to see a therapist, who ended up writing her a letter suggesting she should get out of the marriage and he was concerned he might kill her. He is a competitive cyclist (Texas State Champion in 2021) and loves go-kart racing, racing RC trucks in the cul-de-sac with his kids, watching F1 races, playing pickleball and tennis, and backpacking, mountain biking, and rock climbing with his wife on vacations. But there were two incidents where Youngblood said Bierenbaum exploded with rage at her in front of other people. WebDr. He hasnt changed. I wanted her to stop yelling at me and I his wife a quarter century ago even though her body was never WebMost recently, Dr. Birenbaum adopted the Kidds Kids charity founded and championed by top-rated radio personality and morning show host Kidd Kraddick. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Katz, 29, of New York, was murdered in July 1985 by her husband, Dr. Robert Bierenbaum. He is serving 20 years to life in His next parole hearing is slated for next month. At the time, she was in college and working odd jobs in Manhattan. A true luxury eyeglass doctor experience. Prosecutors said Bierenbaum rented a plane out of New Jersey the day his wife died but doctored his flight log to pretend he went flying the following day. A very pleasant experience, and truly the best eye care visit of my life! Jon took his time with my mom showing her many options to find the right glasses. He started dating Dr. Stephanie Youngblood, a chiropractor, and she said their first year together was "perfect. Prosecutors who convicted Bierenbaum in 2000 were stunned by his admission to the parole board especially since they had presented the same exact theory about Gail Katz's death during the original trial against Bierenbaum. Katz and Bierenbaum met in the early 1980s in Manhattan and had what initially seemed to be a magical romance, Katzs sister, Alayne Katz, told ABC News. A former plastic surgeon whose first wife disappeared more than 36 years ago and who was convicted of her murder 20 years ago reportedly has confessed his I highly recommend Spectacles to anyone needing glasses as well as someone with macular issues! Bierenbaum was on the staff of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. They are always excited to pull out new styles that just came in, some very hard to get. "He looked good, wore suits, loved his child, loved dogs, just all over all things that you think would be great characteristics," said Barb Cooper, who worked as a nanny for Bierenbaum.