Jury recommends lighter sentence than prosecution sought in Renick murder trial
Watch the sentencing phase recommendations in the player below.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A jury on Thursday recommended more than a decade in prison for a woman convicted in her husband's Montgomery County killing.
Jurors recommended sentencing Lynlee Renick to 13 years in prison for second-degree murder and three years in prison on armed criminal action. Judge Kevin Crane will impose the sentence during a Jan. 24 hearing, and said Thursday that he's likely to follow the recommendation. Crane will also decide whether to have the sentences run concurrently or consecutively.
Prosecutors sought life in prison on the murder conviction and 15 years for armed criminal action.
The jury began considering Renick's fate late Thursday afternoon after hearing from family members who begged them for leniency.
Jurors found Renick guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of armed criminal action Thursday after over 13 hours of deliberations. She was found guilty of killing her husband, Ben Renick, at the couple's Montgomery County property on June 8, 2017.
Jurors went back behind closed doors to decide her sentence just before 5 p.m.
Replay of verdict being read
Replay of testimony during sentencing phase
Replay of jury reccomendation being read
Deliberations on her guilt started on Wednesday around 5 p.m. The jury didn't break until 11 p.m. after asking to see 18,000 messages between Lynlee and Ben.
Jurors also heard Lynlee take the stand for the first time during the trial on Wednesday. The jury listened to her explanation of what transpired the day her husband was killed.
Lynlee said she went with Michael Humphrey to confront her husband and ask for a divorce. She claimed that's when Humphrey shot Ben.
A jury found Humphrey guilty in October for his role in Ben's death.
Lynlee added she didn't call 911 because she was in shock following the shooting. However, prosecutors asked Lynlee during cross-examination how she was able to text Humphrey, her babysitter, and Ben acting as if nothing were wrong.
Ben Renick was a renowned snake breeder who was close to selling his business.
