Woman convicted in stabbing death of husband
Jurors discount claim that ‘wonderful man’ was killed by intruder
Sandra Melgar slumped forward, put her hands over her face and let out a howl as the judge read the verdict late Wednesday. Guilty. Family and friends in the courtroom let out shrieks, covered their faces and began to cry.
The outbursts capped an emotional case centered on the prosecutors’ claims that Melgar stabbed her husband, Jaime, 31 times, then tied herself up in a bedroom closet to stage a home invasion.
Minutes after the verdict, Melgar, 57, who has been free on bail since her arrest, was taken to the Harris County Jail.
She will return to court Thursday to begin the punishment phase of the murder trial in front of state District Judge Kelli Johnson. She faces five years to life in prison.
Prosecutor Colleen Barnett had argued that the crime scene did not match Melgar’s story of a home invasion and that she was motivated by a $500,000 life insurance policy.
“I would like to thank the jurors for their patience and attention throughout this long, difficult case,” Barnett said in a statement released by the district attorney’s office. “Jaime Melgar was by all accounts a wonderful man.”
Defense attorney Mac Secrest put on an elaborate defense that included DNA experts and a former homicide investigator who outlined problems with the lead investigator.
The lead investigator, who was later fired for backdating a search warrant in a different murder case, also took the stand for the defense.
Jurors deliberated about eight hours before handing up their verdict.
Neither the defense nor family answered questions as they left the courtroom.
Melgar maintained her innocence in the Dec. 22, 2012, killing, which occurred the day before the couple’s 32nd wedding anniversary.
Friends discovered the couple in the home when they arrived the next day for an anniversary party.