Family Of Murdered Woman Reacts To Trevino Verdict
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- The family of a murdered St. Paul woman now has some sense of closure.
Jeffery Trevino was found guilty of killing his wife, Kira Steger, in a Ramsey County courtroom on Wednesday. A 12-member jury found him guilty of second-degree murder without intent and not guilty of second-degree murder with intent. It took the jury nearly two days to deliberate this case.
This is a family that has been through a horrific experience. Kira's father described waiting 17 hours for a verdict as the longest hours of his life.
This guilty verdict brings some closure and he said he can now plan a memorial service for his daughter.
The jury of eight men and four women had a lot of evidence to sort through. Throughout the case, the prosecution argued Trevino killed Kira in their St Paul home in a fit of jealous rage because she wanted to leave him and was having an affair.
The defense focused heavily on physical evidence inside the home. They argued there was not enough blood evidence inside the home to prove the crime even happened there.
Both families were overcome with emotion upon hearing the verdict.
"If she was here she'd say he's not going to be walking away for what he did," said Marcie Steger, Kira's mother.
"I think we have to respect the jury and we do. But naturally we're disappointed with the outcome," said John Conrad, Trevino's defense attorney.
Jeffery Trevino will be sentenced in late November. The sentencing guidelines call for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the charge of second-degree murder without intent, but could Trevino could serve up to 40 years due to aggravating factors that a judge will consider.
Jurors told us they had too much circumstantial evidence in front of them to convict Trevino of the higher charge of intent. He will remain in the Ramsey County Jail until his sentencing date.
