6 Grace Oakeshott, a British activist, and a married woman, faked her death in 1907 by leaving a pile of her clothes on a beach in Brittany, which gave the impression that she drowned. She escaped with her lover, Dr. Walter Reeve, with the knowledge of her husband, when divorce was considered scandalous.
Walter, Harold, and Grace (on the left), Joan Reeve (on the right). Image credit: Cherry Dingemans/rnz
Grace Oakeshott was a British women’s rights activist. She was married to Harold Oakeshott, and both were active socialists. She also participated in the foundation in 1904 of the first Trade School for Girls.
In 1907, she faked her death and ran away with her lover, Dr. Walter Reeve, to New Zealand. She gave the impression of drowning after leaving a few of her clothes on the beach in Brittany when she was on a holiday.
Her husband was aware and approved of her action because the couple didn’t want to divorce each other due to the worry that many would consider divorce as scandalous. Grace Oakeshott changed her name in New Zealand to Joan Reeve and had three children with Walter Reeve.
An author, Jocelyn Robson, deeply researched the life of Grace Oakeshott and published the book Radical Reformers and Respectable Rebels: How the Two Lives of Grace Oakeshott Defined an Era. (1, 2)
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7 Juan Pujol Garcia, a World War II MI5 spy, faked his death from malaria in 1949 for almost four decades and traveled to Angola because he feared reprisal from surviving Nazis. Later, he moved to Venezuela and lived a simple life in anonymity, running a bookstore.
A critical World War II MI5 spy named Juan Pujol Garcia faked his death from malaria in 1949, fearing that surviving Nazis might kill him as a reprisal. Pujol was a Spanish Civil War veteran who loathed totalitarianism both of Francisco Franco and Adolf Hitler and was determined to join the British war against Germany.
He acted as a double agent in WWII and was loyal to Great Britain and against Nazi Germany. He fooled the Nazis into thinking that he was an important spy and used to send false information to them. He was given the code name “Garbo” at the time of war.
Pujol traveled to Angola with the help of MI5 after escaping and later moved to Lagunillas, Venezuela. He successfully faked his death for four decades. He was living a simple life in anonymity by running a book shop and gift store. Pujol died in 1988 in Caracas. (1, 2)
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8 Alfred Rouse was a cold-blooded, womanizing British killer who faked his death in 1930 due to financial problems. He faked his death by burning a car with an unknown victim in the driver’s seat. The case was later known as “The Blazing Car Murder.”
Alfred Rouse was a British criminal and a cold-blooded, womanizing murderer who faked his death just because he was having money problems.
On 5 November 1930, he murdered an unknown hitchhiker and put him in his Morris Minor car’s driver seat, torched the vehicle, and then fled to Wales. He chose Bonfire Night to cover his crime. The case was later known as “The Blazing Car Murder.”
The identity of the victim is still unknown despite DNA testing. Rouse committed this heinous crime just to avoid paying child maintenance. On March 31, 1931, Rouse was hanged at Bedford Gaol for his 1930 “Blazing Car Murder.” (1, 2)
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9 John Stonehouse, a former member of the UK Parliament, faked his death in 1974 to start a new life with his mistress after being caught in fraudulent activities. He fled to Australia after pretending to drown in Miami, FL. Later, he was caught and pleaded guilty, and served a short time in prison.
John Stonehouse and Sheila Buckley. Image credit: Dailymail
John Stonehouse, who was a former member of the UK Parliament, faked his death in the 1970s. After a series of fraudulent businesses, he decided to start a new life with his mistress.
In 1974, he pretended to drown in Miami Beach. He left the pile of clothes on the beach to give the impression of drowning. He escaped to Australia with his mistress and secretary, Sheila Buckley.
On Christmas Eve, he was caught in Melbourne living under the false name “Joseph Markham.” In June 1975, he returned to Britain. In August 1976, he was convicted of 18 counts of fraud, deception, and theft, and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. He was released after three years and married Sheila Buckley. He died in 1988. (1, 2)
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10 Marcus Schrenker, a former American financial advisor, faked his death in 2009 because of personal, financial, and legal troubles. He faked his death in a plane crash and used a parachute to escape. He was sentenced to 51 months in prison for faking his death and destruction of an aircraft.
Marcus Schrenker, who is a former American financial advisor, decided to fake his death after being caught up in legal, financial, and personal problems.
He had taken money from accounts, forged signatures on investment documents, and charged outrageous fees. After being convicted of fraud, he faked his death by taking off in his private plane, and while flying over Alabama, he parachuted from the plane.
The parachute was traced back to Schrenker after the lines which had been cut and left in the branches were discovered. Schrenker was found hiding in Florida and admitted that he planned the crash.
In 2009, he was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment on federal charges and was fined $905,000. In 2010, he plead guilty to state charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. (1, 2)
