Ann Patton, wife of tycoon says husband committed suicide

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The wife of a Wall Street tycoon, who was found dead in the bedroom of his Costa Rican home, is maintaining her innocence as she faces a fourth murder trial.

John Bender died from a bullet wound to the back of his head in January 2010. His wife, Ann Patton, says he was trying to kill himself.

Patton says when she saw her husband holding their 9mm Ruger pistol, she went to wrestle the gun away from him when the gun went off. 

Now for the fourth time in seven years, Patton will defend her innocence in her husband's death as Costa Rican prosecutors attempt to prove that she murdered the hedge fund manager.

The wife of a Wall Street tycoon, who was found dead in the bedroom of his Costa Rican home, is maintaining her innocence as she faces a fourth murder trial. John Bender (right) died from a bullet wound to the back of his head in January 2010. His wife, Ann Patton (left), says he was trying to kill himself.

The wife of a Wall Street tycoon, who was found dead in the bedroom of his Costa Rican home, is maintaining her innocence as she faces a fourth murder trial. John Bender (right) died from a bullet wound to the back of his head in January 2010. His wife, Ann Patton (left), says he was trying to kill himself.

Patton (pictured, September 2015) faced a first murder trial in 2013 and was acquitted. A retrial was held in 2014, however, where she was found guilty and sentenced to 22 years in prison. She served nine months of her sentence in El Buen Pastor prison before the verdict was thrown out

Patton (pictured, September 2015) faced a first murder trial in 2013 and was acquitted. A retrial was held in 2014, however, where she was found guilty and sentenced to 22 years in prison. She served nine months of her sentence in El Buen Pastor prison before the verdict was thrown out

Patton (pictured)told 48 Hours that when she saw her husband holding their 9mm Ruger pistol, she went to wrestle the gun away from him when the gun went off

Patton (pictured)told 48 Hours that when she saw her husband holding their 9mm Ruger pistol, she went to wrestle the gun away from him when the gun went off

Within hours, investigators began to think Bender may have been shot in his sleep and died where he lay and Patton (pictured) was their prime suspect

Within hours, investigators began to think Bender may have been shot in his sleep and died where he lay and Patton (pictured) was their prime suspect

Multiple questions were raised in the investigation following the Bender's death on the night of January 8, 2010, on being that the gunshot was behind the right ear but Bender was left-handed.

Also the gun would presumably would end up on the same side as the bullet hole but it ended on the opposite side of the wound. 

Investigators were puzzled by the bullet's trajectory, entering just below the right ear and ending up behind the left eye. They also though tit was odd that the spent cartridge was found some 15 feet behind the bed, which they found inconsistent with Patton's story of a struggle.

Within hours, investigators began to think Bender may have been shot in his sleep and died where he lay. There were pools of blood on both sides of his body and the earplugs he always wore were still in place.

The death occurred in the couple's home in Boracayan, Costa Rica (picturd). It is four floors tall and nearly 50,000 square feet, with tons of gleaming granite and no windows or walls

The death occurred in the couple's home in Boracayan, Costa Rica (picturd). It is four floors tall and nearly 50,000 square feet, with tons of gleaming granite and no windows or walls

Patton (front) has insisted however that Bender (back) was struggling with crippling depression. In a journal entry written just weeks before he died, Bender wrote:'I wish I were f*****g dead. I feel so f*****g horrible. I want to kill everyone and then myself'

Patton (front) has insisted however that Bender (back) was struggling with crippling depression. In a journal entry written just weeks before he died, Bender wrote:'I wish I were f*****g dead. I feel so f*****g horrible. I want to kill everyone and then myself'

Patton (pictured) first met Bender in March 1998 in Virginia. From their first encounter, the couple bonded over their struggle with bipolar disorder and depression

Patton (pictured) first met Bender in March 1998 in Virginia. From their first encounter, the couple bonded over their struggle with bipolar disorder and depression

Patton faced a first murder trial in 2013 and was acquitted.

A retrial was held in 2014, however, where she was found guilty and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

She served nine months of her sentence in El Buen Pastor prison in Desamparados, south of San José, before the guilty verdict was thrown out by an appellate court in Cortago.

Then in September 2015, a three-judge panel acquitted the US expat of a murder. As soon as her passport was returned she left Costa Rica with no intention of going back.

But in June 2017, a new trial was ordered, to be held before a fresh trio of judges, with the intention of overturning the previous acquittal.

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The Prosecutor's Office reported that the appellate judges ruled that Patton's last acquittal 'was not well-founded, as there was an inadequate analysis of the evidence provided during the trial'.

If successful in bringing Patton back from the US to stand trial, this will be her fourth murder trial in seven years. In Costa Rica, there are no laws against double jeopardy, and those accused can stand trial multiple times for the same exact crime.

Patton has insisted however that Bender was struggling with crippling depression.

In a journal entry written just weeks before he died, Bender wrote:'I wish I were f*****g dead. I feel so f*****g horrible. I want to kill everyone and then myself.' 

The messages were a window into the life of a tormented soul, Patton told CBS's '48 Hours'.

'John was the...most tortured person I ever met,' she said. 'He had been wanting to kill himself for weeks.

''He became...suicidally depressed. He wanted to die.'

In between the second and third trials, 48 Hours brought in outside experts, Selma (left) and (center) Richard Eikelenboom to Boracayan and asked them to determine if the death was murder or suicide - they said suicide

In between the second and third trials, 48 Hours brought in outside experts, Selma (left) and (center) Richard Eikelenboom to Boracayan and asked them to determine if the death was murder or suicide - they said suicide

'John was the...most tortured person I ever met,' Patton (pictured) said. 'He had been wanting to kill himself for weeks'

'John was the...most tortured person I ever met,' Patton (pictured) said. 'He had been wanting to kill himself for weeks'

Bender (pictured), the son of a high-ranking Justice Department official, ran several arbitrage funds and had a personal net worth upward of $600million

Bender (pictured), the son of a high-ranking Justice Department official, ran several arbitrage funds and had a personal net worth upward of $600million.

In between the second and third trials, 48 Hours brought in outside experts , Selma and Richard Eikelenboom to Boracayan and asked them to take a look. 

'The prosecutor said: "If you're going to shoot yourself...Everyone knows it's here or it's here or it's here",' correspondent Susan Spencer said, pointing to her mouth, under her chin and her temple.

'Well, that's completely unscientific,' Selma replied. 'If that's an example of the logic they used in this case, then I'm really very worried.'

The couple several monumental mistakes: not immediately testing for gun powder residue, not fingerprinting the gun, not testing the sheets for blood spatter.

The successful investor (pictured) cashed out and decided to move to Costa Rica, where he and his wife - both avid outdoorsmen and nature lovers - planned to create a sprawling ecological preserve

The successful investor (pictured) cashed out and decided to move to Costa Rica, where he and his wife - both avid outdoorsmen and nature lovers - planned to create a sprawling ecological preserve

Selma testified as a witness at the third murder trial, saying: 'In my opinion, as an expert, all the evidence that is available points clearly in the direction of a suicide.' 

Patton first met Bender in March 1998 in Virginia. From their first encounter, the couple bonded over their struggle with bipolar disorder and depression.

Bender, the son of a high-ranking Justice Department official, ran several arbitrage funds and had a personal net worth upward of $600million. He was well on his way to becoming a billionaire when in 2000 he suffered a stroke.

Around the same time, the successful investor cashed out and decided to move to Costa Rica, where he and his wife - both avid outdoorsmen and nature lovers - planned to create a sprawling ecological preserve. 

The Benders moved to Costa Rica in 1998 and spent four years building an elaborate secluded compound on 5,000 acres of land in the heart of the Costa Rican jungle, complete with a circular glass house atop a mountain overlooking a 600-foot waterfall. 

It is four floors tall and nearly 50,000 square feet, with tons of gleaming granite and no windows or walls. 

The Benders (pictured) mmoved to Costa Rica in 1998 and spent four years building an elaborate secluded compound on 5,000 acres of land in the heart of the Costa Rican jungle

The Benders (pictured) mmoved to Costa Rica in 1998 and spent four years building an elaborate secluded compound on 5,000 acres of land in the heart of the Costa Rican jungle

Additionally, precious stones worth $7million that were found in the couple's home during the investigation into Bender's death were impounded (pictured)

Additionally, precious stones worth $7million that were found in the couple's home during the investigation into Bender's death were impounded (pictured)

In September 2015, a three-judge panel acquitted the US expat of a murder. But in June 2017, a new trial was ordered, to be held before a fresh trio of judges, with the intention of overturning the previous acquittal (pictured, Patton hugging a friend after her trial in 2015)

In September 2015, a three-judge panel acquitted the US expat of a murder. But in June 2017, a new trial was ordered, to be held before a fresh trio of judges, with the intention of overturning the previous acquittal (pictured, Patton hugging a friend after her trial in 2015)

Additionally, precious stones worth $7million that were found in the couple's home during the investigation into Bender's death were impounded.

Authorities claim the couple didn't pay taxes on the stones and that they were smuggled into the country. 

'My hope is that the verdict will be strong enough so that an appeal cannot be written or won't be accepted and that it can end now and John can finally rest,' Patton said. 

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