Killer Husband Realizes He's Been Caught Redhanded 13 Years Later - Part ONE

October 15, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In February 2000, Cynthia Risco was found dead in a whirlpool tub at her home in South Barrington, Illinois. Thirteen years later, her husband Frank Blushwer sat down with investigators who had reopened the case. The interview began cordially, with Frank describing the worst day of his life, but the tone shifted as detectives pressed him on inconsistencies in his account of how his wife died.

The Marriage Under the Microscope

Frank, a retired chemical engineer with a degree from the University of Wisconsin, met Cynthia through a dating service called Heart to Heart. They married in October 1996, and she kept her maiden name because her PhD in neuropathy and her holistic medicine practice made "Dr. Risco" a recognizable name to clients. The couple decided to build a custom house in South Barrington, designed around Cynthia's home office, but the project became a source of escalating conflict.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:03) **Case Introduction** - The host introduces the case of Cynthia Risco, found dead in a whirlpool tub in February 2000, and her husband Frank Bluschwer being interviewed 13 years later.
2 (03:28) **Police Interview Begins** - Investigators Bryant and his partner sit down with Frank Bluschwer for a formal interview, 13 years after Cynthia's death.
3 (05:09) **Interview Logistics and Frank's Background** - The investigators establish Frank's personal details and his relationship with Cynthia.
4 (09:55) **The Troubled House Build** - Frank describes the stressful and costly process of building their dream home, which became a major source of marital conflict.
5 (14:45) **Cynthia's Career and the Marriage's Strain** - Frank explains Cynthia's profession as a holistic doctor and how the house was built around her home office.
6 (17:20) **The "Lawyer" Letters** - Frank describes how the couple began writing letters to each other as a therapeutic exercise, which became a key piece of evidence.
7 (20:20) **The Secret Loan to the Cousin** - Frank reveals he secretly wrote a $30,000 check to his cousin's wife without Cynthia's knowledge, which caused a major blowup.

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Guests on this episode

Frank Blushwer Cynthia Risco

Show Notes

Thirteen years after Cynthia Risco was found dead in a whirlpool tub, investigators questioned her husband, Frank Blushower, about what happened. They presented their homicide findings and challenged his account of discovering her. Blushower denied killing her and said he could not recall anything beyond pulling her from the tub.

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