Nancy Campbell-Panitz Was Killed the Same Day Her ‘Jerry Springer Show’ Episode Aired

The Jerry Springer Show marked a turning point in American culture and television. Along with shows like COPS, which premiered two years earlier, it profited off of the lowest moments of people's lives. The only difference between the two was the fact that being on The Jerry Springer Show was a choice. Of course some guests didn't always know what they were signing up for.

Nancy Campbell-Panitz was one of the unlucky individuals who was kept in the dark about her appearance on the controversial talk show. She was invited by her ex-husband, with whom she still had a difficult on-again, off-again relationship. She thought he finally wanted to get back together but Ralf Panitz had other plans. Hours after their episode aired, she was brutally murdered. What happened to Nancy Campbell-Panitz? Here's what we know.

The episode Campbell-Panitz was on aired July 24, 2000. According to CBS News, she was beaten and choked to death that very same day. Two years later, her ex-husband was found guilty of second-degree murder as well as violating a domestic violence order, per the Herald-Tribune. Panitz was sentenced to life in prison and is currently serving his time at Marion Correctional Institution in Ocala, Fla.

During his sentencing, Circuit Judge Nancy Donnellan said Panitz was not the only one responsible for Campbell-Panitz's death. She said the producers of The Jerry Springer Show manipulated the people on that stage. "Are ratings more important than the dignity of human life," she asked. "Shame on you. Shame on you."

Campbell-Panitz's sons from a previous marriage declined to speak. "I know that she (Campbell) would have been proud of you and loved you very much," said the judge.

There were actually three people on the show the day Campbell-Panitz was humiliated in front of millions. The third was a woman named Eleanor and she was also in a relationship with Panitz. In fact, the three of them briefly lived together a month before their episode aired, in a house bought by Campbell-Panitz, reported The Guardian. What Campbell-Panitz didn't know was her ex and Eleanor had secretly married.

By the time Campbell-Panitz joined her ex-husband and Eleanor on the stage of The Jerry Springer Show, she was already painted as a stalker who wouldn't let her relationship go. This is the moment Eleanor and Panitz revealed they were now husband and wife. "I want you to leave us alone. I want a normal life," said Eleanor. "No, you don't. Neither does Ralf. He loves the excitement," responded Campbell-Panitz before revealing that she and her ex had slept together the night before.

When asked by Springer why he did that, Panitz said he wanted to make sure his ex-wife would come on the show. "I thought she might be humiliated enough to realize it was over," he replied. Springer looked at Campbell-Panitz and said, "He's telling you he doesn't want to be with you." That's when she left the stage.

Eleanor stayed married to Panitz, even after the long sentence was read. "We don't agree with this verdict; we don't think this was a fair trial," she said. "We really expect this will be overturned and we'll have a new trial." That never happened. Per Eleanor's Facebook page, the two are still together.

There are multiple pictures of her with Panitz who is wearing prison-issued clothing. She previously worked as a support specialist at a Goodwill in Manasota, Fla., but retired in January 2021.

Most of her Facebook page is devoted to animals. Under two posts shared in May 2023, two different producers are asking to speak with Eleanor. One is a documentary film producer working for Minnow Films. The other is a German television producer based out of California. In January 2025, Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action dropped on Netflix. It was produced by Minnow Films. We don't have to guess why they were so keen to chat with Eleanor.