Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah judge ordered a Magna woman Thursday to stand trial on charges of killing her husband, despite arguments that she acted in self-defense.
Cynthia Lynn Vincent, 42, is charged with murder, a first-degree felony, and accused of shooting her husband at a karate dojo where the couple lived, shortly after midnight on July 6, 2021. The charge wasn't filed until early January, almost six months after Michael Vincent died.
Unified Police detective Britania Hulse testified that Vincent admitted to shooting her husband. Over the course of two interviews, she said Cynthia Vincent's story changed. Initially Vincent said her husband was standing in the middle of the foyer when she fired the gun and later that he was near the door. Vincent also first said she wasn't sure if her husband lunged towards her, later saying that he did lunge toward her, and another time saying that he was turning toward her, Hulse testified.
The crime scene was consistent with Michael Vincent standing in the foyer facing the door and possibly beginning to turn around when he was shot, the detective said. Hulse said they didn't find any evidence that the two were standing close to each other when the gun was shot, and he was likely closer to the door.
Vincent called 911 around 12:30 a.m. and said she shot and killed her husband, according to Hulse. During the call, she found her husband's pulse and dispatchers helped Vincent do CPR; she was heard yelling at her husband asking, "Why did you do this to me?" according to testimony at the hearing.
Just a few minutes before Vincent called 911, she called Crystal and Rodney Wright and said something similar to "come over and get him before I kill him," according to their testimonies at Thursday's preliminary hearing. Crystal Wright said they assumed she was talking about Michael Vincent and left as soon as they could, but by the time they arrived at the dojo, police were already there and Michael Vincent was seen laying on the ground.
Crystal Wright said she had never seen Michael Vincent be physically abusive toward his wife, but said their relationship was "like a tornado meeting a hurricane" and got worse when alcohol was involved. Wright's husband said the two would argue over small things.
Third District Judge Paul Parker said whether Vincent acted in self-defense is still an issue, but the low standard of proof required for this stage of the case had been met, meaning there is probable cause for him to believe Vincent murdered her husband in order to send the case to a jury trial.
"There really is not any question that the defendant in this case intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Michael Vincent," Parker said.
He said the angle of the bullet wound and other evidence at the crime scene do not show that Michael Vincent was lunging toward his wife, and videos don't show any disturbance between the couple that evening. Parker said Michael Vincent seemed to be leaving the dojo, which is inconsistent with what Cynthia Vincent has said.
Self-defense?
Defense attorney David Clark argued that his client's actions were in self-defense and said she had been a victim of abuse for months prior to that day. He said although her husband was not facing her, he could have been preparing for a karate move. Rodney Wright had testified that Michael Vincent had a black belt in karate.
Hulse testified that Vincent reported that her husband had passed out drunk the evening before, and after waking up had been violent toward her, including wrapping his hands around her neck. Hulse said she found there was a scratch on the wife's neck which would be considered superficial, and the wife did not report any additional injuries.
Clark argued the phone call Vincent made to friends showed she was doing what she could to protect herself while giving her husband the option to leave.
"I'm very proud of Ms. Vincent. … I think she's a hero," Clark said. "This woman, my client, has been through a living nightmare. She did nothing wrong here."
He said self-defense would have been justified if Vincent was protecting herself from an aggravated assault and argued she should no longer be held in jail.
The judge and attorneys viewed video showing the karate dojo on that evening during the hearing. Deputy district attorney Breanne Miller said the video simply shows the couple going about their day. She said Cynthia Vincent is shown walking inside and outside multiple times during the time she claimed she was being abused and even takes dogs outside the house with her husband at about 11 p.m.; later she is outside smoking. Miller said the behavior does not support that Vincent was being assaulted by her husband.
The prosecutor also said the phone call made to friends shows that she was not under threat, but was threatening her husband and Clark's theory that Michael Vincent was about to do a karate move is only speculation. She said physical evidence from the crime scene supports the charges.
Clark entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Vincent after the judge ruled there was enough evidence to support the charges.
