GUILTY MT - Kathryn Laird, 28, found murdered, Fort Smith, 31 July 1999

[OkieGranny]

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_fed203f1-2873-5d96-84f1-f3be58e3fdc6.html

Brian Laird is charged with deliberate homicide in the July 31, 1999, death of Kathryn Laird, said John Barnes, a DOJ spokesman, in a news release on Tuesday...

Prosecutors allege in court records that Laird killed his wife after an argument. Kathyrn Laird’s body was found floating face-down in Afterbay Reservoir below the Yellowtail Dam. The couple lived less than a mile away in a trailer court in Fort Smith.

An autopsy determined that Kathyrn Laird died from asphyxia by drowning and that the manner of death was undetermined, court records said. Laird, who was 28 at the time of her death, also had bruising on her body.

The couple, married only five months, appeared to have a stormy relationship, with Kathryn Laird telling her mother days before her death that she was leaving her husband, the affidavit said.

http://www.kbzk.com/news/former-billings-lawyer-arrested-for-1999-murder-of-his-wife-in-fort-smith/

A Billings couple who rented a lot in the same trailer court as the Lairds told an FBI agent in 2012 that they often heard arguing coming from the Laird's nearby trailer parked nearby... The couple said they herd a "horrible argument" coming from the Laird's trailer the night of July 30, 1999 or the early morning hours of the next day. The couple said they could clearly hear a man's voice yelling and cursing while a female voice was crying and pleading...

In a 2002 statement, Brian Laird denied ever having angry outbursts at his wife. He also told authorities that Kathryn Laird had yelled and screamed at him before leaving their home the night before she died.

The Billings couple also reported that the yelling and screaming abruptly stopped from the Laird's trailer, and they would have called the police if they had a phone.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://gazette.com/suspect-in-1999-killing-waives-extradition/article/1537836

Brian David Laird, 46, waived extradition during a first court appearance in Fort Collins, Colorado, before Judge Daniel Kaup, according to minutes of his appearance...

If convicted, Brian Laird, a former Montana fly fishing guide and attorney, could face the death penalty or a minimum 10 years to life in prison...

Judge Kaup scheduled a Sept. 25 status hearing in the case and ordered Laird remanded into custody on a $500,000 bond.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.kbzk.com/news/cold-case-murder-suspect-makes-first-montana-court-appearance/

The former Billings attorney accused of murdering his wife in 1999 has pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Brian David Laird, 46, appeared before Judge Blair Jones in Big Horn County District Court Wednesday morning. He faces one count of felony deliberate homicide...

Trial date was set for the week of March 9. Both defense and prosecutors agreed the trial would take all week due to the significant amount of witnesses and evidence.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/trial-delayed-in-coldcase-murder-in-montana-suspect-out/31681914

The trial of a Colorado man accused of killing his wife more than 15 years ago in Montana has been delayed until July 27, and he is out on bail after a judge reduced his bond amount...

The former fly fishing guide and attorney from Fort Collins, Colo. could face the death penalty or a minimum 10 years in prison if convicted.

 

[0101ABA]

UPDATE: Closing arguments are expected Monday in the trial of a man accused of killing his wife in 1999.Tom Keenan, with NBC, tells us both the prosecution and defense rested their cases in a Big Horn County courtroom Friday.

Keenan said the defense only called one witness to the stand, Pathologist Tom Bennett. Bennett was asked about bruises found on the body. Bennett testified, saying he believes some of the bruising he saw was done postmortem.
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Testimony starts in Hardin in the trial of a man accused of killing his wife in 1999.
Brian David Laird is charged with deliberate homicide in the death of his wife Kathryn July 31st, 1999. He was arrested in September of 2014.

http://www.kulr8.com/story/31371005/trial-begins-in-homicide-from-1999

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Former Billings attorney found guilty of 1999 murder of wife

http://www.ktvq.com/story/31408754/former-billings-attorney-found-guilty-of-1999-murder-of-wife

The former Billings attorney accused of strangling and drowning his wife nearly two decades ago was convicted late Monday.

After 5 hours of deliberation, A Big Horn County District Court jury found Brian Laird guilty of deliberate homicide for the 1999 death of his wife Kathryn.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Former Billings attorney sentenced for 1999 murder

http://www.kbzk.com/story/32195881/former-billings-attorney-sentenced-for-1999-murder

The former Billings attorney who was found guilty at trial of killing his wife in 1999 denied killing his wife shortly before he was sentenced to prison on Friday.

Brian Laird, 46, was sentenced in Big Horn County District Court to 100 years to the Montana State Prison without any parole restrictions.

Prosecutors recommended life without parole.

"For over 16 years, this violent homicide went unsolved," said Assistant Attorney General Brant Light.

The defense requested a 40-year prison sentence due to possible "mitigating circumstances," including the deteriorating marriage.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

'Dateline' takes on cold case murder with Fort Collins ties

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2016/07/26/dateline-takes-cold-case-murder-foco-ties/87569468/

A 1999 cold case that ended last month in a guilty verdict and 100-year prison sentence for a former Fort Collins attorney will be getting the "Dateline" treatment this week.

In an episode airing Friday, the investigative NBC show will take on the death of 28-year-old Montana woman Kathryn Laird, whose bruised body was found floating in a reservoir in southern Montana on July 30,1999.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

I watched the Dateline episode covering this case. I'm glad that investigator took another look at Brian Laird's story and helped give Kathryn and her family justice.

They showed a clip of the victim impact statement given by her mom. It was brief but still effective and sad.

"She was beautiful and happy, he took it all away. He didn't have to do that. He could have let her come home and have her life."