Former plastic surgeon in Manhattan Convicted of murdering his missing wife She admitted to throwing her body from a private jet into the Atlantic Ocean, more than three decades later.
Dr. Robert Birnbaum, a trained pilot serving 20 years in prison, admitted to the crime at a parole hearing for the first time since the disappearance of his wife Jill Katz, 29, in 1985, ABC News reported “20/20”.
“She went by plane. She opened the door and then removed her body from the plane over the ocean,” Berenbaum told the parole committee in December 2020, according to a recent transcript obtained.
The outlet reported that Berenbaum told the board of directors that he smothered her in a fit of rage because he was “immature” and “didn’t understand how to handle his anger”.
“I wanted her to stop yelling at me,” he said, “and I attacked her.”
Although Katz’s body was never found, Birnbaum was convicted of her murder in 2000.
Prosecutors were able to secure a conviction based on circumstantial evidence, and provided a theory of what happened to Katz matching the doctor’s confession.
One of the plaintiffs, Dan Beebe, told Confession Outlets, “I was like, Holly—are you kidding me?”
“I was shocked because I always thought that day would never come, that he would be held responsible for killing his wife.”
Bierenbaum was denied parole. Its next meeting before the council is set for November.
The Katz family found no solace in the bomb’s confession.
“This is exactly the same guy I’ve known for 35 years,” Katz’s sister, Alayne Katz, told ABC News. “He hasn’t changed… He is incapable of an iota of remorse.”
She added, “My sister’s body has not been found… Gale is resting nowhere.”
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