Shivangi Sinha
In June 2014, Susan Embert called the police and reported that her husband, Jake Embert, had taken his own life. His death was ruled a suicide, but Jake’s children remained apprehensive. They voiced their concerns, and when private investigators were hired, a wealth of evidence emerged that pointed toward Susan herself. Although the legal process was long and drawn out, Jake’s family remained determined to seek justice and see the case through. In NBC’s ‘Dateline: Malice,’ the details of the case and the evidence that led to Susan’s conviction are explored in depth.
Susan Embert Staged the Crime Scene After Shooting Her Husband
Susan Fortune and Jake Embert first connected in the early 2010s through an online dating app. Their relationship blossomed quickly, and by December 2012, they were engaged. They tied the knot in March 2013 in a modest, intimate ceremony and were seemingly content in their own little world. The couple made their home in Albany, Georgia. Jake had two children from a previous relationship, but they were already grown and living independent lives. Everything appeared to be going smoothly until June 28, 2014, when Susan called 911 to report that her husband had shot himself.
Police arrived at the scene and ruled the death a suicide. No toxicology tests or autopsy were conducted, but Jake’s children remained uneasy. They alleged that after their father married Susan, he had become distant and no longer kept in close contact with them. They also expressed concern that his health had reportedly declined following the marriage. According to them, Susan had allegedly told others that her husband “wouldn’t be alive much longer” and had taken control of his finances. Troubled by these circumstances, the children decided to hire a private investigator, who eventually presented his own findings.
The investigator discovered that in the aftermath of her husband’s death, Susan had transferred a significant amount of money into her personal bank account. It was also alleged that hair fibers collected from Jake’s hairbrush contained traces of antifreeze and insecticides, suggesting the possibility of long-term intentional poisoning, though this piece of evidence later became highly disputed. Furthermore, the positioning of Jake’s fingers was not consistent with suicide, and the scene was considered staged. The investigator shared these findings with the District Attorney’s office, and following their own inquiry, Susan was arrested in February 2015 and held without bond. By June 2015, she was charged with malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
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Susan Embert is Serving a Life Sentence in Georgia Today
Susan Embert’s first trial began in December 2019, and she was found guilty on all five counts brought against her. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, along with an additional 15-year sentence. Maintaining her innocence, she continued to appeal the verdict. In 2022, she was granted a new trial after it was revealed that one of the jurors had been a convicted felon and was therefore legally ineligible to serve. In February 2024, the case against her was dismissed on the grounds that her constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated. Due to the significant delay in retrying her case after the new trial was granted, the court ruled in her favor, and all charges against her were dismissed. She was subsequently released without any bond conditions.
In June 2025, however, the Georgia Supreme Court vacated the dismissal and sent the case back to the lower court. Her bond conditions were reinstated after the court ruled that the trial court had reportedly erred by excluding her December 2019 conviction from the calculation of her constitutional right to a speedy trial. Susan’s second trial began on December 3, 2025, but it was declared a mistrial on the very first day. This happened after a coroner mentioned the antifreeze evidence, which had previously been ruled inadmissible. Soon after, a third trial was scheduled.
In January 2026, Susan stood trial for the third time. She was ultimately found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 5-year sentence to be served consecutively. Now 61 years old, she is being held at the McRae Women’s Facility and is expected to spend the remainder of her life behind bars.
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