Testimony in Hitman Trial Linked to CHP Captain’s Estranged Husband’s Death

Former colleagues of a California Highway Patrol captain reported noticing a troubling change in her behavior before her estranged husband was allegedly murdered by a hitman.

Brian Whitmer, a retired Army sergeant, testified during the trial of Thomas O’Donnell in Kentucky that Captain Julie Harding, 49, started showing signs of distress toward the end of their three-and-a-half-year working relationship.

Prosecutors claim that O’Donnell fatally shot Michael Harding, 53, in a murder plot supposedly masterminded by Julie Harding. O’Donnell has pleaded not guilty to the charge of capital murder.

According to Whitmer’s testimony, Harding began to lose weight, acted erratically, and discussed personal matters more frequently than before.

Whitmer recalled receiving a call from Harding in September 2022, informing him of her husband’s passing, and remarked that her reaction seemed exaggerated. “When she got off the phone, I thought she really wanted me to remember that moment,” he said.

Doug Lyons, the former Chief of Staff, also provided testimony about a call from Harding that he received when he had just started his new role at CHP. “It was a rambling 35-minute call. I didn’t even know Julie, so that made it extra strange,” he shared.

When asked whether he thought Harding might be a suspect in Michael Harding’s murder based on their conversation, Lyons responded, “Absolutely.”

FBI agent Wayne Johnson testified that they found no evidence of financial transactions between Harding and O’Donnell and identified no forensic link tying O’Donnell to the murder weapon.

After O’Donnell was detained at Sacramento International Airport in connection with Michael Harding’s death, Julie Harding subsequently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Records from her phone indicated multiple calls between her and O’Donnell, leading investigators to him.

A state police detective noted, “She was calling a number almost every day, sometimes multiple times a day.” This connection was crucial in the case against O’Donnell.

Michael Harding was reportedly killed in 2022 while responding to an HVAC service call in Kentucky. Prosecutors allege that this call was a setup, leading to his murder in a vacant home.

Julie Harding, who had been with the CHP since 1999, continued her role as the commander of the Yuba-Sutter Regional Office until her passing. Following their separation, Michael moved to Celina, Tennessee, while she remained in California.