A Napa Valley man was found guilty of murder-for-hire after damning text messages revealed the plan to kill a highway captain’s estranged husband.
Thomas O’Donnell, 64, was convicted of murder-for-hire on Friday in Kentucky after he was hired by former California Highway Patrol Captain Julie Harding to kill her husband.
The Cumberland County courthouse deliberated for just two hours before returning with a guilty verdict.
O’Donnell was convicted of the 2022 murder of Michael Harding, who had been in the middle of a contentious divorce with the CHP Captain Harding.
The defense said that only Harding truly knows what happened, but she died by suicide months after the murder, KCRA 3 reported.
Prosecutors argued that O’Donnell had been hired by Harding, who she was allegedly dating, to murder her husband, the outlet reported.
Michael Harding was killed on September 19, 2022, at a vacant home for sale in Burkesville, Kentucky, according to the outlet.
Evidence from O’Donnell’s phone pointed prosecutors toward a guilty verdict, as investigators discovered that O’Donnell had searched the address of the home twice while at a hotel around an hour away.
Thomas O’Donnell, 64, was convicted of murder-for-hire on Friday in Kentucky after he was hired by former California Highway Patrol captain Julie Harding to kill her husband
The defense said that only Harding, seen above, truly knows what happened, but she died by suicide months after the murder
O’Donnell was convicted of the 2022 murder of Michael Harding, who had been in the middle of a contentious divorce with the CHP Captain Harding, seen above with Michael
Text messages from Michael Harding and another anonymous person also led prosecutors to argue that Michael had been lured to the vacant home under the guise of HVAC services.
Special Agent Elizabeth Wheeler testified that, at around 4.10pm that day, Michael texted a prepaid phone that he was 35 minutes away, the outlet reported.
‘No worries,’ the person texted back.
‘Is that good for you?’ Michael asked.
‘Yes.’
‘See ya soon.’
‘Perfect.’
The prepaid phone was seen travelling in the same areas as O’Donnell’s cellphone, locational data showed, the FBI said.
The prosecution argued that Harding hired O’Donnell to murder Michael during their divorce, due to arguments over money and property
Wheeler testified that data from both phones saw three trips to Celina, Tennessee, before the murder – where Michael lived, the outlet reported.
O’Donnell’s phone was also located in the same area as Harding’s near her Sacramento home two days before the murder.
The day Michael was killed saw Harding’s phone in Sacramento while O’Donnell’s phone and the prepaid phone were both near the scene of the murder.
Closing arguments heard O’Donnell’s defense attorney, Sara Zeurcher, argue that ‘Julie came up with a plan involving another man and Tom.’
‘Tom was involved with this plan but did not intend for this result,’ she continued.
‘There has been no proof he had any idea that Michael Harding would be murdered.’
Prosecutors, however, said ‘there’s no evidence someone else killed him.’
‘All this evidence points to this amateur hitman from California. Do your duty. Find him guilty of murder,’ Prosecutor Jesse Stockton said.
Text messages from Michael Harding and another anonymous person also led prosecutors to argue that Michael had been lured to the vacant home under the guise of HVAC services
The prosecution argued that Harding hired O’Donnell to murder Michael during their divorce, due to arguments over money and property, the outlet reported.
While no murder weapon was produced, the prosecution focused on ammunition found in O’Donnell’s truck which matched that which was found at the crime scene.
Michael’s daughter, Heather Cavalieri, told the outlet: ‘We got a guilty verdict for murder, and I think right now we’re just both in shock, happy but in shock.’
Meanwhile, O’Donnell’s sister Sharon Goldberg said: ‘It’s a little shocking. I know my brother’s definitely not a murderer, so I was a little shocked that murder was the actual charge he was convicted of.’
On Monday, O’Donnell faces his sentencing; ranging from 20 years to life in prison.
