A Napa Valley man has been found guilty of murder-for-hire following incriminating text messages that unveiled a plot to kill a former California Highway Patrol captain's estranged husband. Thomas O'Donnell, 64, was convicted on Friday in Kentucky for the 2022 murder of Michael Harding, who was in the midst of a contentious divorce from CHP Captain Julie Harding.
The jury at the Cumberland County courthouse deliberated for just two hours before returning a guilty verdict. Prosecutors argued that O'Donnell was hired by Julie Harding, with whom he was allegedly romantically involved, to murder her husband.
Evidence and Testimony
Key evidence came from O'Donnell's phone, which revealed he had searched the address of the vacant home where the murder took place twice while staying at a hotel about an hour away. Text messages between Michael Harding and an anonymous person indicated he was lured to the property under the pretense of HVAC services. Special Agent Elizabeth Wheeler testified that at around 4:10 p.m. on September 19, 2022, Michael texted a prepaid phone that he was 35 minutes away. The anonymous person replied, "No worries," and upon Michael's query, confirmed, "Yes." Michael responded, "See ya soon," to which the person replied, "Perfect."
Location data from the prepaid phone and O'Donnell's cellphone showed they traveled in the same areas, including three trips to Celina, Tennessee, where Michael lived, before the murder. Additionally, O'Donnell's phone was in the same area as Julie Harding's near her Sacramento home two days before the killing. On the day of the murder, Harding's phone was in Sacramento, while O'Donnell's phone and the prepaid phone were near the crime scene.
Defense and Prosecution Arguments
Defense attorney Sara Zeurcher argued that Julie Harding devised a plan involving another man, and that O'Donnell was involved but did not intend for Michael to be killed. "There has been no proof he had any idea that Michael Harding would be murdered," she said. However, prosecutor Jesse Stockton countered, "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."
The prosecution highlighted that the motive stemmed from arguments over money and property during the divorce. Although no murder weapon was produced, ammunition found in O'Donnell's truck matched that recovered from the crime scene.
Reactions and Sentencing
Michael's daughter, Heather Cavalieri, expressed shock and relief: "We got a guilty verdict for murder, and I think right now we're just both in shock, happy but in shock." Conversely, O'Donnell's sister, Sharon Goldberg, stated, "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."
O'Donnell faces sentencing on Monday, with a potential sentence ranging from 20 years to life in prison. Julie Harding died by suicide months after the murder, leaving unanswered questions about her role.
