Viswa Vanapalli
ABC News’ ‘20/20: Divine Intervention’ focuses on the events leading up to Earl Olander’s murder in April 2015 and how the authorities eventually zeroed in on two men responsible for the heinous crime. The 90-year-old farmer was a prominent member of the community, so his sudden death obviously left many shocked. After all, by all accounts, he was a good man who spent his time farming and lived a self-sufficient life.
How Did Earl Olander Earn His Money?
Earl Arthur Olander was born to Arthur and Mabel Olander on January 13, 1925. He had a sister, Gloria, and religion was a big part of his life; he was baptized in 1925 and had his confirmation in 1938. About four years later, he graduated from Chaska High School in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Earl actually remained a lifelong bachelor, but he always had a positive presence in the community of Carver County, Minnesota, where he lived.
Apart from spending time playing cards with loved ones, Earl enjoyed watching baseball and football. Though, he did devote most of his time to farming while living on his family land. He tended to his cattle and bailed hay, selling it once a week in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. For the most part, he seemed to lead a modest life, but nobody imagined that things would take a fatal turn in April 2015.
On April 11, a neighbor discovered Earl’s body inside his home and called 911 right away. It then came to light that he’d died from blunt force trauma through an assault after his hands and feet were bound. The house appeared to be ransacked, leading the police to believe the farmer was robbed and left to die. He’d been targeted because he had money, partly from inheritance and partly from his years of working.
After no convincing leads for almost a month, a tip led investigators to an old Bible belonging to Earl’s family in an apartment all the way in St. Paul. Inside, there were also two $1000 savings bonds in Earl’s name. Soon, it was revealed that Edson Benitez lived in the apartment. When questioned, he claimed to have been told about Earl being an easy burglary target by a friend, Reinol Vergara.
Edson claimed that he waited in the car while Reinol attacked Earl on the night of the incident. However, the latter accused his friend of being the aggressor while he claimed to have waited outside. In the end, circumstantial evidence placed both men at the crime scene, and despite each of them trying to minimize involvement, they were convicted of the crime and were sentenced to serve 37 years behind bars.
Earl Olander’s Net Worth
Taking into account his inheritance, the money he made as a lifelong farmer, his home, and his land, Earl Olander was seemingly worth around $4 million at the time of his demise.
Read More: Where is Reinol Vergara Now?
