These days, true crime biopics are being released left and right. While they may be the latest trend for streamers, Hollywood has been making them for years. 2011’s hidden gem, Bernie, saw Jack Black as the titular Bernie Tiede, a beloved funeral director-turned-murderer who kept the body of a widow he befriended in his deep freeze for months before anyone caught on. The film’s end credits showed Black visiting the real Tiede in prison to conduct a character study, but where is Tiede today?
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An Unlikely Friendship
In 1996, Bernie Tiede was in his late thirties and working as a funeral director in Carthage, Texas. He was widely respected in his community as a hard worker and compassionate presence for grieving loved ones. His services were known for being top-notch, and it was at one of these services that Tiede met the freshly widowed Marjorie Nugent. His attempts to check in on Nugent following her husband’s service led to the pair striking up a very close relationship, with Tiede quickly becoming Nugent’s sole companion, and eventually the sole beneficiary of her $10 million estate. This relationship was the subject of much gossip around Carthage as Marjorie Nugent was widely regarded as unpleasant. She was also forty years Tiede’s senior.
The Murder Of Marjorie Nugent
Nugent’s constant demands for attention mixed with her hard-to-please nature began to wear on Tiede. Tiede was learning why Nugent had such a bad reputation – at the expense of his free time and mental clarity. This struggle eventually led to Tiede shooting Nugent in the back multiple times, then preparing her body as he would for burial and keeping it in a freezer in her garage.
In order to keep up appearances, Tiede acted as if Nugent were still alive, canceling her appointments and sending on her well-wishes to anyone who asked. Tiede also spent large chunks of Nugent’s fortune on charity but failed to pay several of her debts. This led to her family becoming suspicious and filing a missing person report. The situation came to a head when nine months after her murder, Nugent’s body was discovered in the freezer during a search of her home.
Arrest And Sentencing
Tiede quickly confessed to murdering Nugent and expressed a great deal of remorse for his crime. He was initially sentenced to 50 years in prison but appealed, which ended up being a bad move. He was resentenced to life in prison where he was a model prisoner, leading health classes for inmates and participating in the prison choir.
Where Is Bernie Tiede Today?
In 2014, Tiede’s defense filed another appeal, citing childhood trauma as a contributing factor to the crime. This appeal was granted and Tiede was released pending a resentencing hearing. Interestingly, he spent his time as a “free” man staying with Richard Linklater, the director of the 2011 biopic based on the case.
In 2016, Tiede was resentenced once again, this time for a term of 99 years. As of 2021, he is residing in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and will not be eligible for parole until 2029 when he’ll be 71-years-old.
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