In 1979, in Toledo, Ohio, the naive Shannon Mohr (Sally Murphy) goes to a wedding party where she meets the charming Dave Davis (Dwight Schultz), who tells that is a former football player and Vietnam veteran that studied pharmacology, and seduces her. Two months later, they get married in a little chapel in Las Vegas and move to a farm in Michigan. Soon Shannon learns that Dave was married and he is a liar. When her parents Lucille (Bonnie Bartlett) and Bob Mohr (Andy Romano) visit them in their farm, Dave has an argument with Shannon and invites her to horseback riding. Then he goes to the farm of his neighbor and friend Dick Britton (Michael O'Neill) telling that Shannon felt from the horse and hit her head on a stone. Shannon dies and there is a poor investigation of the local police and no autopsy, and Dave tells that Shannon wanted to be cremated. However Lucille and Bob oppose and Shannon is buried. Soon they discover that Dave has six life insurance policies and will receive a large amount with the death of Shannon. Further, that Dave is a liar. They decide to reopen the investigation of the suspicious death of their daughter and call the attention of the media. The efficient Detective Don Brooks (Gregg Henry) is in charge of the infestation and finds evidences that Shannon was murdered by Dave. But the man has vanished and it is almost impossible to find him.
"Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story" is a good unknown TV movie based on a true story of a compulsive liar that killed his wife to get the insurance. This film is rare and only released on VHS in Brazil. It would never be indicated to a Grammy but has a great screenplay that seems to be faithful to the events and cast, highlighting the performance of Dwight Schultz. The snoopy reporter Billy Bowles and the perseverance of Detective Don Brooks are very important to solve the case and find the criminal. The show Unsolved Mysteries was crucial to find Dave. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "A Paixão de um Crime" ("The Passion of a Crime")
