Florida Woman Charged With Felony Wiretapping in Lindsay Clancy Case
A 46-year-old woman from Sanford faces charges after uploading a recording of the former father-in-law to Instagram without his consent.
By Marco Kapoor ·
One audio clip has drawn a felony charge in the high-profile Lindsay Clancy murder trial. Authorities on Oct. 20 filed a count of unlawful wiretapping in Hingham District Court against Shawna Leigh Gramkow, 46, of Sanford, Fla. The charge stems from a video she posted to Instagram on Aug. 30, which included a recording of Christopher Clancy, the father of Clancy’s ex-husband Patrick.
Gramkow is currently out of custody and is scheduled for an arraignment on Nov. 20. She responded to the news on Instagram Thursday, stating, "The allegations are false. And easy to prove."
Police records indicate that Christopher Clancy reported the incident on Sept. 4. He stated that he received an unknown number call while driving in Scituate around Aug. 6. According to the report, he accidentally answered the phone, creating an open line of communication. He did not realize he was being recorded until the audio appeared on the account "saltylunatics," which Gramkow operates.
The uploaded video features Gramkow explaining that a trial attorney released Patrick Clancy’s phone number, prompting a call. She notes that Christopher Clancy was still on the line and mumbling. The clip then plays an adult male voice that Christopher Clancy identified as his own, though most of the audio is unintelligible. He told police the comments concerned his son Brian, Patrick’s brother. He did not recall speaking to anyone at the time nor did he know his words were being captured.
Massachusetts is a two-party consent state, requiring both parties to agree before a call is recorded. Police secured a search warrant for the Instagram account to identify Gramkow as the operator. The report did not specify how a third party joined the initial call.
The recording controversy unfolds as Lindsay Clancy, 36, prepares for further legal proceedings. She pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 24, 2023, strangulation of her children Cora, Dawson, and Callan in Duxbury. Clancy admitted to the killings through counsel but claimed postpartum psychosis rendered her not criminally responsible. Her first trial ended in a hung jury in September, with all but one juror favoring a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to retry Clancy for first-degree murder or reduce the charges to second-degree murder, which carries a life sentence with parole eligibility after 15 years. The next hearing in that case is set for Monday.
