"The Two Mr. Kissels": The Timeline

THE DEATH OF ROBERT KISSEL (Click each movie image for a more details)

For the Death of Andrew Kissel, click here

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1987

Robert Meets His Wife

1989

Getting Hitched

1991

Humble Beginnings

1997

Off to China!

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1998

The Trouble Begins

2000

Moving On Up

March 2003

Back to America

Summer 2003

The Other Man

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August 2003

Poisoned Scotch

November 2, 2003

The Pink Milkshake

November 2, 2003

Robert's Demise

November 5, 2003

Discovering the Body

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December 2003

Custody Battle Begins

Summer 2005

The Murder Trial Begins

August 1, 2005

Nancy Takes the Stand

September 1, 2005

The Verdict

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2004

Fighting for the Kids

2008

The Verdict Stands

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The Death of Robert Kissel

Robert Meets His Wife

1987: Robert Kissel meets future wife Nancy Keeshian. The pair begins dating. Return to top

Getting Hitched

1989: Robert Kissel marries Nancy after living together for two years. Return to top

Humble Beginnings

1991: Robert graduates from New York University. Nancy worked several jobs to support her husband’s business plans. According to Nancy, she suspected Robert was abusing drug during this time. Robert takes a finance job with Lazard Freres in New York. Return to top

Off to China!

1997: Robert, jumps to the Goldman Sachs Group and ends up relocated to their Hong Kong offices. He takes Nancy and their two daughters overseas. Return to top

The Trouble Begins

1998: According to Nancy, Robert become incensed when she refused to induce labor to fit the birth of their son around his travel schedule. She claims that Robert attempted to hit her, although the blow hits a wall instead. Return to top

Moving On Up

2000: Robert is hired by Merrill Lynch with a big-time gig that pays over $3 million yearly. According to Nancy, during this time, his substance abuse leads to increasingly violent behavior, including sexual attacks. Return to top

Back to America

March 2003: The SARS epidemic influences Robert to send his family to their vacation house in Vermont to wait out the epidemic. Return to top

The Other Man

Summer 2003: Nancy supposedly begins a romance with Michael Del Priore, a man hired to install the Kissels’ home theater system. Robert has P.I. keep tabs on Nancy and uses computer spyware which revealed her looking up the terms “sleeping pills,” “drug overdose,” and “heart attack.” Return to top

Poisoned Scotch

August 2003: Kissel’s private investigator receives a call from Kissel claiming that his wife is poisoning his single-malt scotch. Return to top

The Pink Milkshake

November 2, 2003: Family friend Andrew Tanzer and Robert Kissel are served pink milkshakes by their daughters. The milkshakes have been prepared by Nancy. Tanzer returned home feeling ill. Return to top

Robert’s Demise

November 2, 2003: Robert Kissel dies from a lethal blow to the head after being struck with a statue belong to Nancy’s grandmother. His widow claims to have killed him in self-defense. Others believe she poisoned her spouse with the milkshake and bludgeoned him afterwards. Return to top

Discovering the Body

November 5, 2003: Robert Kissel’s body is found in his apartment building by some maintenance men; it was wrapped in an oriental rug. Return to top

The Custody Battle Begins

December, 2003: From prison where Nancy awaits trial for Robert’s death Nancy Kissel writes a notarized declaration saying that Andrew Kissel, Robert’s brother, should not be allowed supervision of her children. Return to top

The Murder Trial Begins

Summer 2005: Nancy Kissel’s murder trial takes place in China and captivates the country. Return to top

Nancy Takes the Stand

August 1, 2005: Nancy Kissel claims that years of abuse and sexual degradation by her husband caused her to consider taking Roberts’ life. She claimed to have no recollection of any events following the first blow to her husband’s head. Prosecutors paint Nancy as a cheating spouse looking to gain control of her husband’s finances. Return to top

The Verdict

September 1, 2005: A Chinese jury deliberates for only 8 hours before returning a guilty verdict in the murder of Robert Kissel. Nancy Kissel is sentenced to life imprisonment. Return to top

Fighting for the Kids

2004: Robert’s kids are sent to live with Nancy’s parents, but the burden is too much. Andrew Kissel and his wife, Hayley petition the court and are granted temporary custody. Return to top

The Verdict Stands

2008: After an appeal citing procedural trial errors, Nancy Kissel’s guilty verdict is upheld by the courts. Return to top

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I watched this movie saturday night an i was wondering why did the driver kill andrew, this movie was a great movie , i hope lifetime shows it again!!also i really do think that robert loved nancy,he gave her the world,why would she kill him,i think she was demented.were did all this happen?

Posted by spiceblush41 Sep 01, 2009 1:24 pm ET

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Unfortunately, I missed the movie. BUT, if you enjoyed the movie, you must read "Never Enough" by Joe McGinniss. It is in-depth account of this family tragedy.

castares

Posted by castares Dec 18, 2008 4:52 pm ET

My daughter told me to watch the movie. Her best girlfriend's daughter was engaged when they lived in Hong Kong for 5 years. They lived in the opposite tower from the Kissels. She then told me her girlfriend's daughter and fiance would babysit for the Kissels 3 children. It happens that the fiance's mother was friends with Mrs. Kissel. She also said that Mrs. Kissel was very weird. I hope this movie is on again so I could DVR it.

Posted by Gia495 Nov 29, 2008 1:52 pm ET

I found this movie to be very compelling. Like the rest of those of us in the working world, I dream of winning the lottery, of being fabulously rich. This movie's premise illustrated that it is possible to know the price of everything but the value of nothing. That Nancy Kissel would sacrifice her husband, the hard-working father of her children, for her lover...that's one of the most selfish and heinous acts I can imagine. She had everything at her feet...more money at her disposal than some third-world countries, a cadre of servants, designer clothing, lovely homes, spa treatments...no weekly pesky 40-50 hours of employment to contend with while raising the children...to say she lead a priviledged life is a gross understatement! And still she managed to feel sorry for herself...give me a break. The woman had a lifestyle the rest of us only read about, as the narrator pointed out during the opening scene of the movie. The tragic ending proves that money, while seductive in its own right, cannot buy happiness!

Posted by pkgiddy Nov 18, 2008 6:29 pm ET

This was a very good movie.Kudos Lifetime! I've been missing good movies like this one.I had alot of compassion for Hayley,Robert and the kids.Keep em coming Lifetime.

Posted by MrsH2b Nov 18, 2008 12:29 pm ET

The lover of money is the root of all evil.

Posted by ex army wife Nov 18, 2008 10:34 am ET

Don't you mean "The love of money is the root of all evil?"

Posted by pkgiddy Nov 18, 2008 6:31 pm ET

I am surprised how most people never noticed that nancy had worked two jobs to support her husbands business plan and how he never considered her opinoin when lending his brother or making major decision to move. I had a similar situation nowhere near that kind of money, did you notice she was just the waitress and never good enough. He looked to please his family.Money talks remember she said he would never leave her go. I helped my husband for 10 yrs build a business and when i wanted to leave I ended up homeless, no car, no money, and THE REAL KICKER NO 3children I raised, he moved with family and filed bankruptcy. COME ON they changed company name and when you are married it is not illegal for him to take physical custody and the law states you have to go to court. ok no attorney I could go on thank god I worked hard for 3yrs and then took him back I wanted my children and he always has told me it is a package deal. the point is appearance is not the way it always is I was never good enough and abuse and deception will drive u crazy! It is a Nightmare

Posted by tohonest Nov 18, 2008 1:24 am ET

think about it ,it was a good movie,but it just makes you sad to know it's true and that their children and family suffer from it.What I want to know though is if Andrew or Roberts kids got their inheritance money?Nancy is in jail forever correct?Where she deserves to be!Does anyone know what is going on with the trial or if anyone was convicted of Andrews murder? I would like to know.Thanks

Posted by nanny1 Nov 18, 2008 12:56 am ET

I must say this was good movie.It really sad that robert marry evil person with split personality.

Posted by missygirly30 Nov 18, 2008 12:42 am ET

i was truly amazed that someone would do that to there loved one. Nancy Kissel was loved, cherished and cared for by her husband. She had everything..and JUST because she got lonely she decided to ruin everything. that is about the stupidest thing ever. and to kill him so carelessly..gosh you think she would have at least tried to hide the evidence..thats horrible i mean just think about their kids.

Posted by Cinderella_1034 Nov 17, 2008 11:33 pm ET

I was pretty impressed with this movie. I am already familiar with this case and I can honestly say that (aside from a few exaggerations for entertainment purposes) this movie is pretty spot on. I am mostly referring to the characters and personalities involved. It is quite compelling.

Posted by mah1302 Nov 17, 2008 9:14 pm ET

The movie was so biased against Nancy and made Robert appear to be such a saint it caused me to do a little more research on the subject. The brothers were so close I tend to believe Nancy's accusations toward Robert's drug use and sexual abuse. There is no way a woman would leave her loving, great paying husband for an electrical installer. The movie made it clear how much she enjoyed spending "his" money. They were married thus it was their money! Nobody being treated right is going to kill a man instead of divorcing him. An abused woman, is still going to feel trapped and helpless, thus the sleeping drugs to overpower him. Lifetime made Robert out to be too good to be true. According to some sites he was looking into getting a divorce after finding out about her infidelity. He didn't offer to move her lover to Hong Kong as the movie stated. I think the movie would have been better with a little more truth about Robert & Nancy.

Posted by musicgal.3 Nov 17, 2008 4:12 pm ET

My husband and I watched this movie together Saturday night. It was a good movie, Lifetime has very good movies. The sad thing is it is a true story. What an a** Nancy was. She was so rude to people because she had money. I have some friends that are very wealthy, although I am not. They have rich friends and friends that are not wealthy and they treat everyone with respect. When they have a party every one is invited and when those of us that aren't wealthy have a dinner party or shower they are right there. I really feel sorry for her children. Nancy having their daughter serve the milkshake with poison in it to her daddy! Oh my God! How could she do that? It certainly isn't the little girls fault, but can you imagine knowing your mother had you serve your father a poison milkshake? The guilt associated with that? I pray she never finds out that bit of information, if she hasn't already. I agree it is too bad that Robert and Haley didn't meet first. I also think Andrew and Nancy would have made a great couple!

Posted by DonnaDarleneWash Nov 17, 2008 3:41 am ET

wow this is the best movie so far on lifetime

Posted by wish999 Nov 16, 2008 8:32 pm ET

money make yu happy dont let anyone tell yu different!!!!
lol im kidding!!!!

Posted by jemzyy Nov 16, 2008 4:09 pm ET

I thought this was one of the best movies that, You have shown all year long. Money can't solve all your problems.

Posted by azalee Nov 16, 2008 11:52 am ET

I just watched this last night and it was good. I mean that it kept my interest. It is a shame that Robert and Haley did not meet first, because I think they would have made the better couple. I do think I ever remember seeing anything on tv about this, then again I was not really watching tv that much around that time.

Posted by jenmig Nov 16, 2008 8:31 am ET

truth is stranger than this

Posted by Serena9 Nov 16, 2008 1:26 am ET

Stamos and Mount were perfect for the roles. The movie was awesome and very nicely done. I heard about the story and knew that a movie would be coming soon. I hope Nancy never gets out of prison and I pray that the children from both of their families are doing well and adjusting with the loss of their fathers. I agree with one of the replies that it would have been better for Rob if he had met and married Haley, he would still be alive today. Andrew was brilliant, but I think it would have been better if someone was there to guide him in his business dealings. Sad Story, but an excellent movie!

Posted by Marilyn1024 Nov 17, 2008 9:44 am ET