Jury Returns Guilty Verdict In Murder For Hire Trial
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Jury Returns Guilty Verdict In Murder For Hire Trial
A Central Texas jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday in the capital murder trial of a man accused of having his wife shot and killed outside a VFW hall in order to collect on a life insurance policy.
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(August 28, 2008)—A jury Thursday in Lampasas County returned a guilty verdict in the capital murder trial of Donald Gower, 40, of Copperas Cove, who was accused of hiring a hit man to shoot his wife to death in order to collect on a life insurance policy.

He was automatically sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hidi Gower was found gunned down in front of the Kempner VFW on July 4, 2007, after her husband allegedly sent her outside to retrieve something from their car.

She was airlifted to Scott & White Hospital in Temple where she died shortly after arrival.

The gunman, Chaka Johnson, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in June.

Testimony began Monday.

Prosecutors weren’t seeking the death penalty.

Two other defendants in the case Jeremiah John Ellison and John Robert Martinez have pre-trial hearings set for next month.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anon Location: Waco on Aug 28, 2008 at 05:10 PM

He got what he deserved. I don't see how he could have thought he would not have been caught. Justice was served. I pray for the family that lost their loved one.
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