A New Identity, a Dark Past
During those 12 years in her new identity as Joan, she became a real part of the community, accumulating adoring friends and employers – none of whom were even vaguely aware of the considerable baggage she was carrying from her past life. Eventually though, in the wake of her arrest, her secret obviously came out.
Source: Flickr
Believe it or not, despite the shocking revelation, every one she knew stood by her. The Washington Post story was even filled with flattering tributes. Friends and former employers described Joan as a “high-class woman” with “the highest character, the most honest person.” All this was about a woman accused of murder and of escaping the “looney bin.”