In the Dateline episode “The Favorite Son” Josh Mankiewicz investigates the 2013 murders of 39-year-old newlyweds Joseph and Olga Connell. Just months after their wedding, their bodies were found in front of their Paladin Club condominium in New Castle, Delaware. Neighbors called 911 after hearing close to 25 shots fired. In 2016, Christopher Rivers, Joe Connell’s auto-repair business partner, was found guilty of plotting the murders and was sentenced to life in prison.
According to the prosecutors, Rivers offered to pay his drug dealer Joshua C. Bey to kill the couple. Rivers’ motive was a $1 million insurance policy on his partner Joe Connell. Prosecutors also say Bey hired two men, Aaron Thompson and Dominique Benson, to carry out the hit. Bey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and in exchange for his testimony, he was given a five-year sentence. Bey testified that he told Rivers he could get the job done for $60,000 and Rivers would have to pay Bey “an additional $2,000 a month for life.” Before Rivers was arrested, Bey had received about $15,000 of the $60,000. Dateline NBC airs Fridays at 9pm.
