Santa Fe, NM (KKOB) – A strange murder trial in Santa Fe involving a sword as the murder weapon has come to an end. 29-year old Isaac Samson Apodaca was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after he manipulated his ex-girlfriend, into committing the murder in 2022. His girlfriend, Kiara McCulley, was 19 when she killed 21-year old Grace Jennings with a sword back in 2022. The trial lasted six days and the jury deliberated about 2-hours in the dark during a major power outage that happend in Santa Fe yesterday afternoon.
During the trial, McCulley, who pled guilty to the murder last year, told the jury that Apodaca had lied to her during their relationship claiming he was the archangel Gabriel and claimed he had killed 40 people. Police and prosecutors presented text messages showing the pair had communicated about their murder plot for hours before McCulley killed Jennings using a sword. McCulley was sentenced to serve 30-years in prison for the murder. Apodaca faces up to life in prison and his sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 24.
The trial was broadcast nationally on Court TV.
