California man hired to kill CHP captain's husband convicted by Kentucky jury - BERITAJA

A Kentucky assemblage has recovered a Napa man blameworthy of sidesplitting a California Highway Patrol captain’s hubby in a murder-for-hire plot.

The condemnation Friday of Thomas O’Donnell, 64, brings to a near-end a multi-year, multi-state saga that has near 2 group dormant and 1 facing life successful prison.

CHP Capt. Julie Harding and her husband, Michael Harding, 53, had go estranged aft they bought spot successful Tennessee together, pinch Julie Harding remaining successful Sacramento, according to tribunal records. Julie Harding revenge for divorcement and, successful May 2022, withdrew much than $220,000 from 3 slope accounts without Michael Harding’s consent. She past conspired pinch O’Donnell to termination her husband, prosecutors said successful tribunal filings.

On Sept. 19, 2022, O’Donnell lured Michael Harding to a vacant location successful Burkesville, Ky., claiming to request to immoderate HVAC activity done connected the house. O’Donnell changeable Michael Harding aggregate times and near his assemblage there, according to tribunal records. The assemblage was discovered a week later erstwhile a realtor came to show the location to imaginable clients.

Investigators connected O’Donnell to the crime and O’Donnell to Julie Harding utilizing compartment telephone data. The information indicated O’Donnell was adjacent Julie Harding’s location successful Sacramento 2 days earlier the murder.

O’Donnell was arrested Dec. 8 astatine Sacramento International Airport. That aforesaid day, Julie Harding was arrested successful Kentucky connected suspicion of criminal trespassing, aft allegedly harassing her husband’s girlfriend.

Two days later, Dec. 10, Julie Harding was recovered dormant successful an evident suicide.

Julie Harding had worked for the CHP for 22 years and, since 2018, had headed the department’s Yuba-Sutter office. She was connected time off astatine the clip of her death.

O’Donnell’s sentencing is scheduled for Monday.