An 86-year-old man was sentenced to life plus three years in prison on Friday for the murder of his wife, who went missing almost 50 years ago.
The life sentence given to Richard G. Pierce by Door County Circuit Court Judge David Weber was mandatory.
Carol Jean's body was moved byPierce after he murdered her. Weber said that he would be served consecutive to the life sentence as requested by the assistant district attorney, rather than concurrent with the defense attorney's request. He already spent 322 days in jail.
Grode said during the hearing that the defendants took from Carol Jean's family as well. They couldn't say goodbye for 46 years because of the hiding of Carol Jean's body.
In October of last year, he was arrested at his trailer home in Cheboygan, Michigan, in the disappearance of his wife. Richard and Carol Jean lived in a trailer in the city at the time. After Carol Jean's disappearance, he was due to retire and move to Michigan.
Carol Jean's body hasn't been found nor has she been found dead.
The victim statements were given by three relatives of Carol Jean Pierce. Weber was asked to give the maximum sentence allowable.
The chance to reignite our relationship was taken away byPierce. You should tell the court where the body is so Carol Jean can have a decent burial. I hope you rot in jail.
You had the chance to live. Clark said that she didn't have the chance.
He has maintained his innocence throughout, that Carol Jean may have run away, and Zuidmulder said during the hearing that he still maintains his innocence.
The effect Carol Jean's disappearance had on her family was one of the reasons Weber cited for the murder.
One deprives another person of the greatest gift that person can have if they take another person's life. It's like a domino effect. Taking Carol Jean's life robbed her of the ability to rebuild her relationships with her family. The victims' comments are sincere and I think they are.
During six days of testimony that began April 19, Grode presented a variety of evidence, including six places on Pierce's property in Cheboygan where dogs trained to detect human remains by scent indicated the presence of remains.
Grode told the jury that there were some things they didn't need to prove. The exact way Carol Jean was killed is the first thing that comes to mind. He caused her death. We don't have to prove why.
Without a body, a murder weapon or other physical evidence, the state never met its burden of proof, Zuidmulder said in her closing argument. The defense didn't call any witnesses.
The jury deliberated for about an hour. The guilty verdicts were handed down the same day. He was accused of killing his wife in Sturgeon Bay and moving her body to Michigan without permission.
Christopher Clough can be reached atcclough@doorcountyadvocate.com
There is doubt without a body. There is a murder case from 1975.
The first week of testimony in the Door County murder trial focused on scent dogs.
Our website is a good place to find more Door County news.
Richard Pierce was sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife.
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