Conviction in Murder-for-Hire Case Linked to CHP Trooper

A man from Napa Valley has been found guilty of murdering the estranged husband of a former California Highway Patrol officer, following incriminating text messages that exposed the murder-for-hire scheme.

In a Cumberland County, Kentucky courtroom on Friday, Thomas O’Donnell was convicted for killing Michael Harding, who was separated from his wife, Julie Harding.

Prosecutors claimed that Julie, amid her divorce turmoil, hired O’Donnell. They suggested she had previously hinted to a co-worker she was dating about wanting her husband dead, according to reports.

The jury reached a decision in about two hours after closing arguments, which is remarkably quick.

Prosecutor Jesse Stockton stated, “There is no evidence that anyone else killed him,” urging the jury to do their duty and convict O’Donnell for murder.

The swift verdict followed several days of testimonies from a range of witnesses, including an FBI agent who presented 2022 text messages that illustrated how Michael was lured to a secluded location under the pretense of fixing an air conditioning unit.

Text messages from Michael to a prepaid phone made it clear he was waiting for someone, saying, “35 minutes left.” When he asked if everything was alright, the response was reassuring, “Don’t worry.” He subsequently texted, “See you soon,” to which a reply of “Perfect” came just minutes later.

Investigators found data showing O’Donnell’s prepaid phone traveling alongside his personal cell phone, including trips to Celina, Tennessee, where Michael resided. Just days before the murder, his phone was detected near Julie’s home in Sacramento, coinciding with her phone usage.

On the day of the murder, Julie’s phone was still in Sacramento while O’Donnell’s phones were by the crime scene in Kentucky, where Michael was shot on September 19, 2022.

While prosecutors referenced DNA and ammunition evidence, they noted that the actual murder weapon, along with the prepaid device, remained unlocated.

The defense contended that the phone location data only establishes where devices were, not who activated them. They also highlighted the absence of proof regarding any payment for the murder.

Defense attorney Sarah Zurcher argued that while O’Donnell may have participated in a plan, he didn’t foresee that it would lead to Michael’s death. There were suggestions of a third party possibly involved in the shooting.

Zurcher remarked, “Julie came up with a plan involving another man and Tom,” asserting that Tom was unaware of any intent to kill. Following the tragic events, Julie took her own life a few months later, which left many questions unanswered.

O’Donnell, now 64 years old, is facing an additional 20 years in prison and is set to be sentenced on Monday.