Jury deliberates verdict for Orem man in murder trail


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PROVO — A jury debated for seven hours Tuesday and will continue deliberations Wednesday morning on whether an Orem man killed his wife two years ago or if she died from an accidental shooting.

Prosecutors took less than 10 minutes Tuesday to make closing arguments against Conrad Mark Truman, 32, who is charged with murder, a first-degree felony, and obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, in the shooting death of his wife, Heidy Truman.

Prosecutor Craig Johnson said the more than 150 exhibits presented in the case, including a pantry door leaning against the stand, show that Truman shot his wife.

"The evidence has shown that the defendant is guilty," Johnson told jurors.

Defense attorney Ronald Yengich took about an hour to argue that the evidence against Truman is not sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty. Yengich read love notes and texts between Truman and his wife, as well as transcripts from a 911 call and interviews with police.

"Every statement he made, he loved her — every one," Yengich said.

The defense attorney also identified what he said are flaws in arguments from prosecutors during the past 12 days of the trial.

"They've had a moving target throughout this whole case," he said. "You cannot convict the defendant on mere possibilities. And that's what their whole case is, because that's all they've got."

In a 90-minute rebuttal, Johnson warned jurors not to be distracted from the evidence by "theories" that Heidy Truman's death was a suicide or an accident — theories he says are a "red herring."

"It's irrelevant. It's speculation. These are all theories that are not supported by the evidence," Johnson said. "Heidy Truman was murdered in cold blood by her husband."

Johnson identified several discrepancies between Truman's statements to police and his testimony on the stand last week.

"The evidence is everywhere throughout his statements," he said. "If he makes 50 different stories … he's lying. And so based on that, he'd be the only other person there, why would he have a motive to lie unless he killed her?"

Heidy Truman was killed on Sept. 30, 2012. Police arrived at the couple's Orem home and found her lying face down in a pool of blood after Conrad Truman called 911.

Orem Police Sgt. William Crook testified during the trial that Conrad Truman was "very agitated" and that he threatened police and paramedics while they attended to the woman.

Conrad Truman offered a number of explanations for his wife's death during the initial investigation, including that an intruder may have been in the home, that she was shot through a window by someone outside, or that she killed herself, according to prosecutors.

Prior to the shooting, Conrad Truman and his wife were drinking and watching TV when an argument ensued. Heidy Truman went to take a bath, and Conrad Truman went to investigate voices that he heard outside. He took his dog and a gun and went outside, where he saw a man acting erratically.

After he returned, Conrad Truman said he heard a pop and found his wife bleeding from her head from a gunshot wound.

Defense attorneys argue Heidy Truman may have retrieved a gun when she heard voices outside. They say as she came out of the bathroom holding the gun, she may have slipped on the wet floor, causing the gun to go off.

Yengich also contends Conrad Truman's jumbled and threatening statements to investigators were made while he was intoxicated and that they show sincere bewilderment and concern for his wife, not guilt.

Prosecutors, however, say Conrad Truman's conflicting accounts of what happened are evidence that he killed his wife and later tried to impede the investigation. Johnson added that Heidy Truman had more than $750,000 in multiple insurance policies taken out. Prosecutors, however, aren't required to present a motive for the defendant to be found guilty, he said.

Contributing: Sam Penrod

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