A Napa Valley man hired by a former California Highway Patrol captain to kill her husband has been found guilty as text messages revealed details of the murder-for-hire plot.
A Cumberland County courthouse in Kentucky found Thomas O’Donnell guilty Friday of killing Michael Harding, the estranged husband of Julie Harding.
Prosecutors say she hired O’Donnell, who she had suggested to colleagues she was dating, to carry out the slaying amid a contentious divorce,KCRA 3 reported.
The jury deliberated for only about two hours after closing arguments.
“There’s no evidence someone else killed him,” Prosecutor Jesse Stockton said as he rested his case before the 12-member jury.
“All this evidence points to this amateur hitman from California. Do your duty. Find him guilty of murder.”
The quick verdict came after days of testimony from dozens of witnesses, including an FBI agent who walked jurors through 2022 text messages showing how Harding was lured to a secluded home under the guise of an HVAC repair.
“At 4:10 p.m., Michael Harding texts the prepaid phone, ‘35 minutes out,’” Special Agent Elizabeth Wheeler testified. She said someone replied, “No worries.”
Michael then responded, “Is that good for you?”
The user of the prepaid phone replied, “Yes.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
