FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Jurors in the first-degree murder trial of a woman accused of killing her ex-lover’s wife reached no verdict Friday. They were to resume deliberations Monday.
Prosecutors allege Shawna Nelson, 36, ordered Heather Garraus to her knees, then shot her twice in the head outside a Greeley credit union where Garraus worked Jan. 23, 2007. Witnesses said the shooter yelled, “you ruined my life,” before firing.
Nelson contends she was going to a liquor store at the time of the shooting.
Nelson had a three-year affair with Garraus’ husband, former Greeley police officer Ignacio Garraus, and the two had a son together. Prosecutors said he ended the affair a few weeks before the shooting, setting off a flurry of angry messages from Nelson to the Garrauses.
The trial was moved to Fort Collins to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
In closing arguments Friday, prosecutor Greg Lammons said jealousy and love were the motives and that Nelson thought Heather Garraus was standing in the way of her happiness.
Nelson’s attorney Kevin Strobel argued that police unfairly focused their investigation on his client.
Strobel said Ignacio Garraus and Nelson’s husband had motives to either set up Nelson or get rid of Heather Garraus, but that was not investigated.
Shawna Nelson’s best friend, Michelle Moore, earlier pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a crime and testified at Nelson’s trial that she and Nelson had discussed how Garraus could be killed. Strobel said Moore had reasons to lie.
Strobel also raised questions about gunshot residue found on Nelson after the shooting, the fact that no murder weapon was found in Nelson’s possession and a lack of DNA evidence.
“The evidence must take you beyond any reasonable doubt, and the evidence in this case doesn’t do that,” he said.
Prosecutors said the evidence leads to Nelson.
Shell casings at the scene matched that of a gun Nelson’s husband owned, and Nelson was Garraus’ only known enemy, prosecutors said. Nelson’s husband was at work when Garraus was shot.
Lammons reminded jurors Garraus is survived by a daughter. “Heather Garraus lost her life and had to get down on her knees in front of the defendant. It’s your job to hold her accountable,” he said.
