Sam Mandez was just 14 years old when his elderly neighbor, Frida Winter, was found murdered in her home, the same home Sam had painted with his grandfather just a few summers prior. It would be years before they set their eyes on Sam as their main suspect. And while he was just a kid when the crime took place, Sam was tried as an adult and eventually sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder. Despite maintaining his innocence, he now faced a future behind bars. But what would that future *actually* look like? Today, we’re starting where a lot of other true crime stories end – in prison. 

Please be aware that today’s episode discusses incarceration, solitary confinement, severe mental illness, suicide, and self-harm. Please take care while listening.

Action Items Related to Today’s Episode:If you’re in the United States and you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or visit their website at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. To learn more about solitary confinement and the movement to end its practice, I highly recommend checking out Solitary Watch at https://solitarywatch.org/.A full list of sources, resources mentioned, and photos related to the case are available in the show notes of today's episode, https://truercrimepodcast.com/sam-mandez.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices