Jury Finds Amy Van Wagner Guilty of First Degree Intentional Homicide In Death of Husband

NOW: Jury Finds Amy Van Wagner Guilty of First Degree Intentional Homicide In Death of Husband
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A mother and a wife on trial for killing her husband.

Either way, the verdict is hard for everyone involved so the prosecution didn't necessarily call this one a win. Instead, for them it was bittersweet.

You could hear moans of emotion from a crowd of family members as a judge read that 53-year-old Amy Van Wagner is guilty - accused of shooting her husband Stanley to death in the basement of their Oconomowoc home.

"She's obviously very disappointed," said John Schiro, Defense Attorney.

"Extremely difficult case all the way around for family members to absorb the loss of their father and the conviction of their mother so we are please there is justice for Stan," said Susan Opper, Prosecutor.

After the verdict, a crowd of family members rushed out of the courtroom covering their faces. They sat through more than two hours of closing arguments. The state's theory that Van Wagner shot her husband, wrapped his body in a tarp, and hid it.

All over money troubles in the midst of a divorce. The defense says that theory was overblown and the facts of the case were wrong.

"I think there was sufficient evidence to establish that she wasn't guilty. We had two good citizens who saw him alive and a medical examiner who said he wasn't killed on Friday. 00:55 I am very disappointed that the jury didn't accept that," said Defense Attorney Schiro.

Even though Van Wagner herself chose not to take the stand in her own defense. The state says what they think did it for the jury was a deer skin rug that was found full of Stan's blood.

"I would probably go back to the deer skin as I argued with the jury, it had to be down there at 5:30 in the morning so blood had to be down there" said Prosecutor Opper.

Van Wagner's attorney says he does plan to file an appeal. The judge did revoke her bail. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24th in Waukesha County.

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