09/02/2026
She introduced herself as Carrie Phenix, Attorney at Law.
Except Carrie Phenix wasn't her real name, and she had never been an attorney.
Her real name was Caroline Herrling.
Using forged wills, counterfeit IDs, practiced signatures, and hired impostors, Herrling stole nearly $3.9 million from vulnerable people.
Then prosecutors say she found an elderly man dead inside his home.
What happened afterward included keeping him alive on paper, taking control of his estate, and helping dispose of his remains in San Francisco Bay.
Herrling ultimately received 20 years in federal prison.
But here's the part that made me want to cover this case:
She was never charged with murder.
How does THAT happen?
I break down the entire story in Carrie Phenix: The Paper Criminal, the newest episode of GBRLIFE Of Crimes.
🎙️ Out now on GBRLIFE, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform.