Pittsburg man sentenced to 75 years to life in wife’s murder

MARTINEZ — In 2019, Kevin Easter acquired a second probability at freedom when an appeals court docket overturned his conviction of murdering his spouse inside their residence.

However ultimately, the profitable enchantment changed into dangerous luck for the 59-year-old Pittsburg resident. This time round, Easter was sentenced to 75 years to life — 10 years greater than what he obtained after his first conviction. Contra Costa Choose David Goldstein handed down the sentence on Feb. 17.

Prosecutors retried the case and final December, a jury convicted Kevin Easter, as soon as once more, of murdering 52-year-old Janice Easter.

The killing occurred on Aug. 7, 2013, whereas Janice Easter was making an attempt to kick him out of their residence on Military Road in Pittsburg. She was shot 5 instances, and her physique was discovered on a sofa within the residence. After the homicide, Kevin Easter feigned shock and had a relative take him to the police division to inquire how she died, and ditched the gun on his approach over, authorities say.

Easter was initially convicted of homicide in 2015. In 2019, an appellate court docket dominated {that a} Contra Costa decide was mistaken to disregard indicators that Easter’s psychological well being had deteriorated to the purpose that he couldn’t help his legal professional shortly earlier than the beginning of his trial. Easter had been recognized with schizophrenia however had been beforehand discovered competent to face trial.