Woman gets 27 years in stabbing death of husband

Sandra Melgar reacts after being convicted in the murder of her husband at the Criminal Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Houston. Sandra Melgar reacts after being convicted in the murder of her husband at the Criminal Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Houston. Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 35 Caption Close Woman gets 27 years in stabbing death of husband 1 / 35 Back to Gallery

A Houston woman convicted of brutally stabbing her husband and then staging an elaborate home invasion to cover up the crime was sentenced Thursday to 27 years in prison and fined $10,000.

Hours after the jury's decision was handed down, however, Sandra Melgar's attorney continued to protest that she is not guilty.

"Sandy Melgar is innocent and the prosecution certainly didn't prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," defense attorney Mac Secrest said as he left the courtroom. "I think the jury got it wrong."

The couple's adult daughter, Liz Rose, said the decision was a miscarriage of justice and declined to comment further.

Assistant District Attorney Colleen Barnett called the sentence just.

"Sandra Melgar hacked the life out of her husband Jaime, and for that she will spend the balance of her life on a cell block," she said. "She showed no remorse."

In a case that attracted national attention, the three-week trial featured no forensic evidence, no motive other than a life-insurance policy and a lead detective who was later fired for shoddy work, including backdating a search warrant in another murder case.

During the trial, Barnett agreed that she did not know the reason behind the stabbing but said there was no evidence of a break-in or murderous assaults by a stranger or strangers.

Barnett said Melgar stood to collect on a $500,000 life insurance policy. In a more controversial line of reasoning in her arguments, Barnett highlighted Melgar's faith as a Jehovah's Witness and said she wanted to avoid being ostracized for a divorce.

Many of her fellow church members stood with Melgar and her family during the trial and were outraged by the accusation. One supporter, who declined to give her name, said the allegation was religious discrimination.

During arguments before the jury, Barnett said Melgar manipulated her family, her church friends and even her lawyers into believing her deceitfulness.

"They drank the Kool-Aid," Barnett told jurors. "The devil is in the details. When you put together all the little details, it all adds up to guilty."

Barnett convinced jurors that Melgar brutally stabbed her husband 31 times, then staged a home invasion and tied herself up in a closet. She was found the next day by family arriving to celebrate the couple's 32nd anniversary.

During the trial, Barnett demonstrated how someone could tie themselves up behind their back after binding their ankles.

Jaime Melgar, a 52-year-old computer programmer, was found bloody and naked in the closet of the master bedroom of the couple's northwest Harris County home. His ankles were bound with a telephone cord.

The cornerstone of Barnett's case was an hourslong meandering interrogation video. She said Melgar's story continued to evolve as she talked to police.

In closing arguments, Barnett told jurors that the widow would have had time to commit the murder, stage a crime scene, and tie herself up in the 16 hours before she was found by family and friends who came into the home through an open garage door.

Secrest's defense put the investigation on trial, including testimony from the disgraced lead detective and two career prosecutors who said he has a reputation of untruthfulness.

Secrest also pointed out a crime scene photo of a bloody fingerprint on a safe next to Jaime Melgar's body. The fingerprint was never tested, though a crime scene investigator said it was not testable.

Neither the prosecution nor the defense called any witnesses during the punishment phase, opting instead to go straight to closing arguments early Thursday.

Secrest implored the jurors who struggled with the decision to argue for a short prison sentence.

"I respect the system," he said. Then he pointed across the courtroom to Melgar, who was weeping, and said, "That woman didn't do it."

Melgar could have faced up to life in prison. She will be eligible for parole after she serves 13 years and six months, or half of the prison sentence. There is no requirement that she pay the fine.

brian.rogers@chron.com

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