Sandra Melgar had been married to her husband for 32 years before she allegedly murdered him for an insurance money grab. She is pictured in court in 2012
A Texas woman was found guilty of murdering her husband in 2012 after she staged a home invasion and stabbed her spouse to death.
Sandra Melgar was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering her husband Jaimie Melgar, 52, in 2012 after she staged a home invasion and stabbed her spouse to death in Harris County, Texas.
Sandra Melgar, 57, now faces life in prison for the December 23, 2012, stabbing death of her husband. She will not be eligible for parole. Prosecutors said she was motivated by Jaimie’s $500,000 insurance policy.
On Wednesday, Sandra Melgar cried hysterically in court when the judge read the verdict.
Sandra Melgar [center in red],slumped forward with her hands covering her face as the jury found her guilty on Wednesday of murdering her husband, Jaimie Melgar, in 2012 after she staged a home invasion and stabbed her spouse to death in Texas.
Relatives found the body of Jaime Melgar in one closet, and his wife still alive in another closet in the house, two days before Christmas in 2012.
Melgar told authorities she blacked out in the bathroom around 1 a.m. with her husband. She said she was tied up in the closet when she woke up.
Two years after the ‘staged home invasion’ Sandra Jean Melgar was charged in July of 2014 with murder, according to Harris County court documents in the death of her husband Jamie Melgar, 52, on December 23, 2012 in the 9500 block of Kelsey Meadows Court, in Harris County, Texas.
Sandra Melgar wept hysterically in court when the judge read the verdict, Wednesday. She faces life in prison for the December 23, 2012, stabbing death of Jaimie Melgar
The case was centered on the prosecution’s claims that Sandra Melgar [left], desirous to cash her husband’s $500, 000 insurance policy stabbed Jaimie [right], 31 times before she tied herself up in a bedroom closet to stage a home invasion
The emotional case was centered on the prosecution’s claims that Melgar stabbed her husband 31 times before she tied herself up in a bedroom closet to stage a home invasion.
Prosecutor Colleen Barnett 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, according to Chron.com.
But defense attorney Mac Secrest laid bare the problems with a lead investigator on the case, who was later fired for backdating a search warrant in a different murder case.
Melgar had been married to her husband for 32 years when the murder occurred.
Jaimie Melgar was found two days before Christmas tied up and stabbed to death in a closet by neighbors.
Meanwhile, his wife was discovered tied up in a separate closet claiming she blacked out and had no idea what happened.
At the time Sgt Robert Spurgeon said: ‘Mrs Melgar says that they were in the bathroom together.’
She maintained innocence throughout her trial, claiming she blacked out and had no idea what happened during the night of her husband’s death
‘At some time, she blacked out and next thing she remembers is waking up in the closet tied up,’ Spurgeon added.
She later blamed robbers, but no items were missing from the home, according to reports.
Neighbors said they doubted her tale and, more than a year and a half later, a grand jury agreed when she was indicted in 2014.
Melgar had been free on bail since her arrest, but moments after the verdict she was hauled off to the Harris County Jail.
When she appears in court on Thursday for sentencing, she faces five years to life in prison.
Investigators [photo], at the home on Dec 23, 2012 said the found the victim’s wife tied up in a separate closet
Jaimie Melgar was found two days before Christmas tied up and stabbed death in a close.
Investigators said they found his wife tied up in a separate closet. Sandra 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.
The home the Melgars shared throughout their 32-year marriage
Sandra Melgar had been free on bail since her arrest, but after the verdict she was hauled off to the Harris County Jail. When she appears in court on Thursday for sentencing, she faces five years to life in prison.
Leave a Reply