Terri Garman Holbert

Terri Garman Holbert is the main villainess from "The Dark Side of the Door," episode 12.15 of Murder, She Wrote.

She was played by the late Marcia Strassman.

Backstory
Terri Garman Holbert is the mother of Erin Garman, as well as the wife of Mike Holbert. 12 years prior to the events, Terri had dreams of opening a health club with Mike, who was only her boyriend at the time, but her father wouldn't fund his daughter's goal due to his disapproval of Mike. With that, Terri devised a villainous plot to get the $3 million she needed; enlisting waitress Nora Delano to abduct Erin (12 years of age at the time) and hold her for ransom. Nora kidnapped Erin and (under Terri's orders) kept her well fed, and following the abduction, Terri's father paid the $3 million ransom, which she used to open the her club with Mike.

Events
In the episode's events, Nora approached Terri and demanded money from her in exchange for her silence regarding the kidnapping. After this, Terri followed Nora to the docks, where she was talking with novelist Dirk Matheson and attempting to get money from him in exchange for information regarding the kidnapping. After Matheson left, Terri shot and killed Nora, turning heel once again. Terri's secret was still threatened by Matheson's plan to write a novel based on the kidnapping, and it prompted the villainess to visit Matheson and demand the tapes of Nora's interviews. Matheson acquiesced to Terri's demands, and at that moment, the evil Terri shot and killed Matheson.

Terri's reveal came when Jessica Fletcher caught Mike going into Terri's locker, which had the clothes Terri wore in Matheson's murder. After police arrived, Terri confessed to being behind the kidnapping of her daughter and to the murders, while stating that she had no idea that Erin would be traumatized for years after the event. Terri was later arrested for her various crimes.