Widow’s Web by Gene Lyons (August 1993)

Oh, What A Tangled Web She Weaved
Review by Kim Cantrell

On March 12, 1982, Ron Orsini was murdered in his home while he lay sleeping in his bed.

His widow, Mary Lee, and her 13-year-old daughter swore they never heard anyone inside the home or the sound of gunfire.

Although it was suspected and despite intense investigations, police were unable to prove that Mary Lee had murdered Ron.

And that should have been the end of the story.

But it wasn’t.

For the next two years, Mary Lee Orsini made wild claims about shadowy figures breaking into her home, chasing her in rural parts of North Little Rock, and of an underworld conspiracy that included many members of law enforcement.

And then Mary Lee’s attorney – who had represented her during the grand jury hearing in the matter of Ron’s death – came home to find his wife had been fatally shot.

Mary Lee’s claim was that it was part of a conspiracy.

But this time even the Pulaski County’s Sheriff’s testimony in her favor couldn’t save her.

Author Gene Lyons manages to relay the in a clear, comprehensive manner a story that if described as complicated would be an understatement.

Full of twist and turns, ups and downs, Widow’s Web is a most definitely edge-of-seat thriller; a real-life, honest-to-God story.

Heard that old saying, “You can’t make this stuff up?” That definitely applies to Mary Lee Orsini.

If you haven’t yet read Widow’s Web, you must put this one you list. You’re missing one heck of a story if you don’t!

Other Books About Mary Lee Orsini: Murder In Little Rock by Jan Meins.

Movies: Seduction In Travis County, a made-for-television movie which aired in 1991 on CBS (USA). Sold on VHS only under the title Blind Judgement.

Updates on Mary Lee Orsini and Others:

On August 11, 2003, Mary Lee Orsini died of a heart attack at Newport, Arkansas, hopsital near the McPherson Unit where she was serving her life sentence. She was 55-years-old.

Just three weeks before her death, Mary Lee confessed to investigators that she had killed Ron. She also told them that she was involved in an affair with Bill McArthur but he had no knowledge of her plans to kill his wife, Alice.

Euguene “Yankee” Hall continues to serve a life sentence at the Cummins Unit in Grady, Arkansas.

On October 2, 2009, Bill McArthur died at the age of 71.

Sheriff Tommy Robinson served one term as a U.S. Congressman. Following the end of his political career, Robinson has piddled as owner of a couple of businesses; eventually winding in bankruptcy. Refusing to comply with bankruptcy proceedings, Robinson was ordered to jail in 2008 for contempt.

Updates on Tiffany Orsini, who would now be 41-years-old, could not be located.