Woman, 75, Convicted In Murder Scheme
TOOLBOX   Resize
 Save/Share +
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
|
Friday, April 18, 2008; Page A08
LOS ANGELES, April 17 -- A 75-year-old woman was convicted on Thursday of murdering a homeless man to collect life insurance, but the jury said it was deadlocked on another murder charge and a conspiracy count.
The judge ordered more deliberations in an effort to conclude a trial that has spun a tale of a murder-for-profit scheme carried out by two elderly women.
Olga Rutterschmidt was convicted of the first-degree murder of Kenneth McDavid, 50, a day after she was found guilty of conspiring to murder him for financial gain. Co-defendant Helen Golay, 77, was convicted on Wednesday of murdering McDavid and Paul Vados, 73, and counts of conspiracy in both killings.
Without saying which way it was leaning, the jury said it was deadlocked 11 to 1 on the charge that Rutterschmidt murdered Vados and 10 to 2 on conspiracy to murder him for financial gain.
Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley ordered jurors to return on Monday to decide the remaining counts. Those deliberations will have to start from scratch, because the judge replaced a juror who told the court he had already made travel plans and could not serve any longer.
With Rutterschmidt's conviction on the murder count, both women are eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Thursday's verdict came after the jury heard a second round of closing arguments it requested in an effort to decide the last three counts against Rutterschmidt.
