Richy Maria Jacob
’20/20: New Year’s Evil’ retraces the long, drawn-out murder case of Shele Danishefsky that saw many twists in the years after her death. The well-to-do financial executive had a good marriage and two children before she began to take notice of some things that made her doubt her choices. Her untimely death revealed more details about her husband, Rod Covlin, who was arrested almost six years after the murder, thanks to his former girlfriend, Debra Oles. The police could indict and charge him due to her testimony about his statements that implicated him in the murder. Now, if you wish to know more about Debra and how she’s doing currently, we have you covered.
Who is Debra Oles?
Debra Oles, AKA Debra Oles Campbell, met Rod Covlin at a backgammon tournament in 2009 and lived with him in Westchester County, New York, in 2012. She said that the apartment was partially paid for by him through his daughter Anna’s college fund. In any case, Debra testified against Rod during his trial and stated several things that no one saw coming. She noted that Rod had made almost three different plans to kill his parents, who had taken over the custody of his children. Moreover, after Debra drove him to a Yonker’s warehouse in 2012, he allegedly bought makeup and a wig to disguise himself.
Debra said, “He wanted to drive to his parents’ house when he knew his mother was going to be home, and when she opened the door, he wanted to karate chop her in the throat and kill her.” The former, a mother of three, stated that though Rod never acted on it, he continued plotting his parents’ death. She said he also considered poisoning his parents, just as he had seen in TV shows. Rod allegedly wanted to carry out the scheme through Anna because she would not have to spend a long time in prison.
Moreover, Debra alleged that in another such plan, her ex-boyfriend wanted to light his parents’ house on fire during Hurricane Katrina to make the job more accessible with the alarm disabled. She said, “What he said frightened me very much.” Debra claimed that she initially believed in his innocence, only to realize his supposedly sinister plans later. As per a recording, she also alleged that he intended to marry off his daughter at 14 to someone in Mexico so that he could control her money.
Where is Debra Oles Now?
Though Rod Covlin’s defense attorney argued during the trial that Debra Oles was just a disgruntled ex, her statements played a massive role in his conviction. Based on her testimony in court and all the circumstantial evidence against him, he was found guilty of Shele’s murder in 2019 and sentenced to 25 years behind bars.
After Rod’s incarceration, Debra returned to her everyday life and seemingly went off the radar. Now in her 60s, she does not seem to have much social media presence, so her exact whereabouts are unclear. However, reports indicate she still resides in New York. In any case, we hope that she can put behind this challenging chapter of her life she had to bear and put up with.
Read More: Where Are Shele Danishefsky and Rod Covlin’s Kids Now?
