What Happened to Robert Berchtold’s wife, Gail Berchtold, After Jan Broberg’s Kidnapping?
Peacock’s A Friend of the Family hit the streamer in early October, but the true crime drama only dropped the first four episodes, so viewers want to know what happened to Robert Berchtold and his wife, Gail, after the kidnappings. Robert “B” Berchtold sexually assaulted and kidnapped Jan Broberg at age 12 and again at 14. In the first few episodes of the Peacock drama, Berchtold’s wife, Gail, sticks by his side. But what happened after? Here’s everything we know about Robert Berchtold’s wife, Gail.
Robert Berchtold and his wife Gail married in 1961
Gail Toyn married Robert Berchtold (portrayed by Jake Lacy) on June 7, 1961, in the Logan Temple. The pair lived in various places together, including Albuquerque, New Mexico, Brigham City, Harper, and Ogden, Utah. However, It was in the town of Pocatello, Idaho, that the Berchtold family met the Brobergs.
“They have three boys — one Jan’s age, one Karen’s age, one Susan’s age, and a baby girl,” Mary Ann Broberg told her husband, Bob Broberg, in A Friend of the Family.
In the series, the Berchtold’s had three boys — Jasper, Joel, and Jacob — all close in age to the three Broberg girls — Jan, Susan, and Karen. The Berchtold family also had a baby girl at the time they met. In real life, the Berchtolds had five children, all names beginning with the letter “J,” but the producers changed their names in A Friend of the Family on Peacock.
In real life, Gail and Robert Berchtold’s children are Jerry, James, Joseph, Jeff, and Jill.
Gail and Robert Berchtold divorced before Jan’s second kidnapping
In an interview with Jan Broberg about the documentary, Abducted in Plain Sight, she revealed that Gail and Robert divorced shortly after the kidnapping.
“By the second kidnapping she had filed for a divorce,” Jan told Entertainment Tonight. “She divorced him and took her kids and moved.”
Jan also reported that she never spoke to Gail again after the divorce.
“No word and many, many years have gone by and, you know, can you imagine how awful it would be to discover that this was your dad?” Jan added. “I mean, it’s pretty tough, I feel bad for all of them.”
Robert Berchtold’s ex-wife, Gail, remarried, but her new name isn’t public
After watching Abducted in Plain Sight and A Friend of the Family, many viewers wonder whether Gail Berchtold knew what her husband did to Jan Broberg. Many documentary fans took to Reddit to debate whether Gail might be involved. The harsh way some individuals speak about Berchtold’s ex-wife is incentive enough for her to remain private.
In one Reddit thread, a video editor reported that they edited Abducted in Plain Sight. The person explained that production did reach out to Gail for an interview, but she declined.
According to another Redditor, Gail remarried but is now a widow. All of her children live in the midwest. However, further information about her whereabouts or life after Robert Berchtold is unavailable since she wishes to remain private.
A Friend of the Family premieres on Peacock on Thursday, October 6, with four episodes. The remaining five episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays through November 10.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
