The Flawed Evidence That Jailed Betsy Faria’s Husband: Inside Lincoln County's Corruption Scandal
By Sarah Jenkins
The 2013 conviction did not hinge on overwhelming physical evidence; it rested on procedural deceit. A massive document release forced by public records litigation in late 2019 revealed that lead investigators possessed interview notes directly dismantling Hupp’s testimony. They buried them.
Special prosecutors examined how testimony delivered under oath diverged from field notes. During the 2013 trial, a lead deputy told the jury that Pam Hupp’s cell phone location records supported her claim of being miles away from the crime scene at the estimated time of death. Internal records showed detectives knew her phone had pinged the cell tower serving the Faria residence. State prosecutors filed felony perjury and fabrication charges against former personnel who provided that testimony.
Defense attorney Joel Schwartz was barred during the first trial from naming Hupp as an alternate suspect. Circuit Judge Chris Mennemeyer ruled that the defense lacked sufficient direct evidence connecting Hupp to the physical act of murder. The county had successfully concealed the very records that would have met that evidentiary bar.
Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.
