Frances Schreuder, convicted in death of wealthy father

SAN DIEGO -- Frances Schreuder, a Manhattan socialite who was convicted of persuading her son to murder her father in a case that was made into two books and two television miniseries, died Tuesday, her sister said. She was 65.

The cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said her sister, Marilyn Reagan.

Ms. Schreuder, who sat on the board of the New York City Ballet, was largely supported by her wealthy father, Franklin Bradshaw. She allegedly began scheming to kill him because she thought she might be disinherited, hatching at least two unsuccessful murder plots, hiring a bogus hit man, and giving her sons poison to put in his food.

Bradshaw was fatally shot by his grandson, Marc Schreuder, on July 23, 1978, in Salt Lake City. The teenager testified at his mother's trial that she told him: "Look, Marc, it is not really killing. It is the right thing to do for us."

Marc Schreuder was convicted of second-degree murder in 1982 and served a 12-year sentence. In 1983, Frances Schreuder was convicted of first-degree murder and served 13 years in prison.

The family's story was the basis of "My Mother's Request: A True Story of Money, Murder and Betrayal" by Jonathan Coleman and "Nutcracker: Money, Madness, Murder: A Family Album" by Shana Alexander.