International

Woman drugs husband, burns house in scheme to gain more money

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

Barbara Pasa

Woman drugs husband, burns house in scheme to gain more money

An Iowa nurse had one final act of desperation to keep her husband from divorcing her and to cash in on life and home insurance payouts: set her house on fire — killing her husband inside.

Barbara Pasa denied murdering her husband, Timothy, but was found guilty by a jury after only three hours of deliberation.

“I think Barb was in a bad place financially,” said police chief Tom Demry on Snapped, airing Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen. “She wanted to appear to be the perfect family. Have the perfect home. The perfect cars. And I think it got to the point where she was not going to be able to uphold that appearance and that’s why she did what she did.”

Tim and Barb met at one of Tim’s country band concerts in 1999. The two were born and raised in the small town of Centerville, Iowa. They eventually had two children together.

“Barb and Tim seemed to have a great life, and she was so proud of her home,” said Sonja Carson, a former friend of Barb, on Snapped. “She always had pictures on Facebook. It seemed to be a well-rounded family.”

But appearances were deceiving. Two weeks before her husband’s death, Barb made an eerie threat while out with friends.

“She talked about a pending divorce,” Carson said. “She said that she hated him. She said it with a lot of emotion. And that if she wanted to get rid of someone, she knew she could.”

What happened to Tim Pasa?

Around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2018, a neighbor spotted a fire at a home in Centerville, Iowa and called for help. When firefighters got the flames under control, they found the body of 50-year-old Tim Pasa on the bed in the master bedroom.

Firefighters noticed a few disturbing details in the home, including two smoke detectors that were disabled, and a candle on the floor of the bedroom.

“These were some things that stuck out to me as red flags because this is not normal stuff that you usually see,” Vern Milburn, Centerville fire rescue assistant chief, said on Snapped.

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Neighbors had been unable to contact Tim’s wife, Barb. When they finally reached her, she said she’d been at her children’s soccer tournament. Police said she showed little emotion when she was told her husband was dead but asked to see his body in the ambulance outside their home.

“When she came out, we were waiting for her, and she was very stoic,” Carson said. “I just thought she was in shock. She didn’t show a lot of emotion and I was concerned that when she broke, it was going to be bad.”

Barb Pasa had an explanation for the disabled fire alarms.

“She said something had burned while she was in the process of baking and set off the smoke alarms,” Demry said. “And so, she asked Tim to take the batteries out of the smoke alarms until they could get the smoke cleared out of the room.”

She also explained that she’d lit a candle in the master bedroom area to cover up the smell of dog pee on the carpet.

When Barb was told there would be an autopsy on her husband’s body, police said she grew angry.

“I thought Barb’s reaction to that was not typical,” Michael Moore, Centerville police officer, said on Snapped. “I just felt that maybe she was being overwhelmed with everything that had gone on that morning.”

Barb Pasa explained that she and her children left the house just before 7 a.m. to head to a soccer tournament and had left Tim sleeping in bed. But police and firefighters found other red flags in Tim’s death, including that he had made no attempt to get off the bed or move during the fire.

“Even if a smoke alarm didn’t go off, the smoke, the heat, and the flames would have woken somebody up,” Demry said. “And there was no indication that that happened … why wouldn’t somebody wake up when there was a roaring fire right next to them?”

But the smoking gun that turned it from an accident investigation into a murder investigation: The medical examiner found no smoke inhalation in Tim’s lungs, meaning he was dead before the fire started.

How did Barb Pasa try to deal with her money troubles and impending divorce?

Friends agreed Barb Pasa was upset at the prospect of divorce.

“I think they stayed together for the kids … and Barb, I think she did not want to have a marriage that ended in divorce,” Carson said. “In her eyes, she would have felt like she wouldn’t be accepted or that she wouldn’t be able to do things with us as couples.”

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Finances were other source of tension in the family.

“Barb always wanted the kids to have the best of everything,” Carson said. “They drove nice cars, had the newest shoes — whatever they wanted. She also spent a lot of time shopping for herself … Spending money was one of her favorite things to do.”

But police learned the Pasa home was about to go into foreclosure when Tim died, and the couple was swimming in overdue credit card bills. Barb had also taken suspicious steps before Tim’s death.

“Barb had maxed out Tim’s life insurance from $50,000 to $200,000,” Moore said. “That had happened approximately five months prior to this incident. We were also able to determine she had increased the amount on the homeowner’s insurance for the residence.”

Although an initial toxicology report on Tim’s body didn’t show anything suspicious, when police considered Barb Pasa’s profession as a surgical nurse, that led toxicologists to test for an anesthetic called propofol, that’s commonly used to sedate patients before surgery. The drug was found in Tim’s blood.

“The injection of propofol is going to cause a person to sleep, and it can also affect the heart and lower blood pressure,” said Dr. Laura Labay, forensic toxicologist, on Snapped. “It can cause an individual to stop breathing, and a sufficient concentration can lead to death.”

Although Barb told police she had left the house by 7 a.m., an eyewitness proved that wasn’t true.

“As I was driving to work, I happened to notice that Barb’s vehicle was at home,” said Meghan Decena, a former co-worker of Barb, on Snapped. “I knew it was her vehicle based on the personalized plates that she had that spelled out ‘Pasa.’”

Decena used an app for work that tracked her whereabouts, and it put her by the Pasa house at 7:22 a.m.— well after Barb claimed to have left.

“Barb snapped because she didn’t want people to know the truth,” Moore said. “She didn’t want them to know that her life was not as it was portrayed.”

Barb Pasa testified in her own defense at her trial for murdering her husband.

“The tears that she was giving — all phony. The entire thing was phony,” said Rich Parker, a friend of Tim Pasa, on Snapped. “In my opinion, this woman is a psychopath. Lucky for us, she’s not a very smart psychopath. If she was as smart as she thought she was, Tim would have had smoke in his lungs. She didn’t think that part out.”

Barb was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years. Her children now live with family and have no contact with their mother.

“These children lost a father and a mother both, and the kids will remember this forever and it’s just a very, very sad ordeal,” Milburn said.

Watch all-new episodes of Snapped on Sundays at 6/5c on Oxygen and the next day on Peacock.

Woman drugs husband, burns house in scheme to gain more money

International

US Counterterrorism Chief Resigns Over Opposition to Trump’s Iran War

Published

13 hours ago

March 17, 2026

Trends Admin

Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent

US Counterterrorism Chief Resigns Over Opposition to Trump’s Iran War

The Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent, has resigned from his position, citing strong opposition to Donald Trump’s administration’s war stance on Iran.

Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he could no longer align himself with the government’s approach to the escalating conflict.

“I cannot in good conscience back this war,” Kent said, underscoring deep divisions within national security circles over U.S. policy toward Iran.

In a statement shared on social media, Kent argued that the justification for the conflict was flawed and warned that continued military engagement could have serious global consequences. He emphasized the need for diplomatic solutions rather than prolonged warfare.

His departure marks a significant development within the U.S. intelligence and security community, where internal disagreements over foreign policy decisions—particularly regarding Iran—have increasingly come into focus.

Kent’s resignation is expected to intensify debate in Washington over the administration’s handling of the crisis, as critics continue to question both the strategy and potential long-term implications of the conflict.

US Counterterrorism Chief Resigns Over Opposition to Trump’s Iran War

International

EU, UK Reject Trump’s Call for Military Action to Secure Strait of Hormuz

Published

22 hours ago

March 17, 2026

Trends Admin

US President, Donald Trump

EU, UK Reject Trump’s Call for Military Action to Secure Strait of Hormuz

European and NATO allies have firmly rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for military assistance to secure the Strait of Hormuz, even as the strategic waterway remains effectively blocked amid the U.S.–Israeli war on Iran and global oil prices surge above $100 per barrel. The standoff highlights deep divisions among Western allies over how to respond to the crisis and underscores the challenges of securing international cooperation in the face of intensified regional tensions.

In a series of statements by European defence and foreign ministers, leaders made clear that military involvement in the Strait of Hormuz is not an option for most EU states, pointing instead to diplomatic engagement, strategic clarity, and wider de‑escalation as necessary prerequisites before any coordinated action can be considered.

“What does … Trump expect a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to do in the Strait of Hormuz that the powerful U.S. Navy cannot do?” German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in Berlin. “This is not our war. We have not started it.”

Similarly, Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis stated that Greece would not participate in any military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed that Italy would not extend its naval missions into the contentious waterway.

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Other European foreign ministers emphasised the need for more strategic clarity from Washington before any allied military support could be considered. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said US allies wanted to understand Trump’s overall “strategic goals” and his plan for the wider conflict, while Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski said that a formal NATO request would be required for his country’s participation.

“If there is a request via NATO, we will, of course, out of respect and sympathy for our American allies consider it very carefully,” Sikorski said, indicating that any European involvement would likely need to follow collective defence protocols.

In contrast, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen urged EU member states to keep an open mind about helping ensure freedom of navigation through the strait, even if Europe does not endorse the US‑Israeli military campaign. “We must face the world as it is, not as we want it to be,” Rasmussen said, stressing that any engagement should prioritise de‑escalation.

The United Kingdom reiterated its commitment to working with allies to devise a collective strategy to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore freedom of navigation, but made clear it would not be drawn into a wider war. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was coordinating with partners on a plan aimed at securing maritime routes while avoiding expansion of the conflict.

Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters in Brussels that EU leaders would focus on what member states are willing and able to contribute to efforts aimed at reopening the strait. “Of course, the need to open the Strait of Hormuz is there right now,” she said, noting that the closure — which has propelled oil prices above $100 per barrel — was inadvertently benefiting Russia’s war on Ukraine by boosting Moscow’s energy revenues.

Energy Market Response and IEA Actions

Amid political stalemate and pressure on oil markets, the International Energy Agency said it stands ready to release additional strategic oil reserves if needed, describing the current situation as “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.”

Last week, the IEA authorised a record release of 400 million barrels of oil to help cushion the immediate impact of the strait’s effective blockade. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol noted that while recent decline in oil prices showed some relief, the release of reserves is not a lasting solution without assured access through the strait.

“The volume of oil supply offline is already higher than any previous disruption, including the oil crisis of 1973,” Birol said, while confirming that the agency still holds over 1.4 billion barrels in reserve, which could be deployed in future if necessary.

EU, UK Reject Trump’s Call for Military Action to Secure Strait of Hormuz

International

Israel to Extend Military Strikes on Iran for At Least Three More Weeks

Published

2 days ago

March 16, 2026

Trends Admin

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel to Extend Military Strikes on Iran for At Least Three More Weeks

Israel has officially announced plans to continue its military campaign against Iran for at least three more weeks, as its forces sustain strikes on strategic Iranian targets. The announcement comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following Iranian drone attacks that temporarily shut Dubai International Airport and hit major oil facilities in the UAE, highlighting the conflict’s wider regional impact.

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), confirmed that detailed operational plans have been drawn for the coming weeks, along with contingency strategies extending beyond that timeframe. The campaign is aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to threaten Israel, focusing on ballistic missile systems, nuclear infrastructure, and security apparatus, with thousands of targets reportedly still on the list.

Over 110,000 Israeli reservists have been mobilized to support the operations. The military emphasizes that its objectives are strictly defensive and strategic, targeting only facilities tied to Iran’s military and security network. Shoshani said, “We want to make sure that they are as weak as possible, this regime, and that we degrade all their capabilities, all parts and all wings of their security establishment.”

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The conflict’s escalation has had serious repercussions for global energy markets, particularly at the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. The Iranian strikes have disrupted key infrastructure, prompting fears of prolonged supply shortages and rising energy prices worldwide.

This ongoing crisis stems from a joint U.S.–Israel military operation launched on February 28, 2026, in response to Iran’s regional activities, including ballistic missile development and support for proxy groups. Airstrikes have targeted cities including Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, while limited ground operations in southern Lebanon have also been reported, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah positions.

Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks against U.S. and Israeli positions, with civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries affected. International observers warn that unless diplomatic measures are taken, regional instability may worsen, further impacting energy markets and global security.

Global responses remain mixed. The United States and allied nations have urged de-escalation and efforts to secure critical maritime routes. Meanwhile, humanitarian concerns rise as civilian casualties and infrastructure damage continue. Analysts say the ongoing military campaign could have lasting implications for Middle East stability, global energy security, and international relations.