Podcast: The murder case against Sandra Melgar
Sandra is serving 27 years in prison for brutally stabbing her husband 31 times. Why are there so many questions about her guilt? For six months, KHOU reporter Grace White and I investigated the murder of Jim Melgar and whether Sandra killed him or if a jury sentenced an innocent woman to prison.
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Episode 1: Christmas Lights and a Crime Scene
It’s Dec. 23, 2012, and Jim and Sandra Melgar are celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary in their Jacuzzi with candles, cocktails, whipped cream and strawberries. Sandra wakes up the next morning in her closet, her hands and feet bound, and her underwear soiled. She has little recollection of what happened the night before. There’s no sign of Jim.
Episode 2: 'I Didn't Hear Anything'
As crime scene investigators process the Melgar home, Sandra is taken to the police station to give a statement. That’s when detectives begin to suspect she’s the killer. For three hours they interrogate her about everything from the time she and Jim got home to when she woke up the next morning, tied up and bound in the closet.
Episode 3: Behind the Prison Glass
We head to the William P. Hobby prison unit to meet Sandra Melgar in her first and only interview since Jim’s death.
Episode 4: The Pendulum Swung
After a three-week trial, it took a jury eight hours to convict Sandra Melgar of murdering her husband. Sandra shrieked and nearly collapsed into her seat in the courtroom when the judge read the verdict. How was she found guilty? This week, we hear from prosecutor Colleen Barnett, blood-spatter expert Celestina Rossi, and the jury foreman. They all agree: Sandra did it.
Episode 5: The Aftermath
As Sandra’s family and friends deal with the cold reality of her sitting in prison, they question the motives thrown out by the prosecutor. They begin writing letters to the judge pleading for a new trial.
Episode 6: The Appeal
Where does Sandra Melgar’s case go from here? She is fighting her conviction, but an appeal is a long process and doesn’t guarantee she will get out of prison. And as one law expert told us, going through the appeals court isn’t the best way to prove a wrongful conviction.
Episode 7: Q&A with Grace and Matt
We’ve covered a lot about the Sandra Melgar murder case these past six weeks. In this week’s bonus episode, hosts Grace White and Matt Keyser discuss lingering questions and answer your questions about the case.
Episode 8: Sandra's appeal moves forward
It’s been two years since Sandra Melgar was convicted of murdering her husband, Jaime “Jim” Melgar. After lengthy delays, her appeal is going before the judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. In this episode, we look at both Sandra and the state’s briefs, and where her case goes from here. We also received a letter from Sandra in prison.