By Michelle Marcotte
The Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel
Saturday, October 03, 2009
NACOGDOCHES – Kyle Barnhill received the maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10,000 fine Friday for the March 11 death of his estranged wife, Melissa Barnhill, whom he fatally shot while she cooked dinner for their two daughters.
Barnhill was found guilty Thursday, and the jury debated the punishment phase on Friday. He will become eligible for parole in 30 years.
(ENLARGE)
KYLE BARNHILL
In closing statements before the jury left to deliberate for approximately 45 minutes, defense attorney Bill Agnew pointed out several events in Barnhill’s life that led up to the night he fatally shot his wife — bankruptcy, being kicked out of his home and the loss of time with his daughters.
“Mr. Barnhill was in a very, very, very vulnerable situation,” Agnew told jurors, adding that he was not trying to excuse Read more