Jury Convicts Jennifer Trayers Of Second-Degree Murder In Death Of Dr. Frederick Trayers
SAN DIEGO — A woman who stabbed her Navy doctor-husband in bed three months after learning he was having an affair was convicted Wednesday of second-degree murder. Jennifer Trayers, 43, stabbed Dr. Frederick Trayers on the morning of Dec. 4, 2010. Prosecutors had sought a first-degree murder conviction, while a defense attorney urged jurors to convict Trayers of voluntary manslaughter. The seven-woman, five-man jury deliberated more than three full days before reaching its verdict. Trayers faces 16 years to life in prison when she is sentenced March 9 by Judge Joan Weber. Deputy District Attorney Fiona Khalil said she was satisfied with the verdict. “I think it reflects the defendant’s culpability,” the prosecutor said outside court. “I feel that we gave the jury everything that we could possibly give them.” By its verdict of second-degree murder, the jury found that the killing was intentional but not premeditated. Defense attorney Kerry Armstrong said he was “sad” about the outcome. “Obviously, second-degree is better than first-degree, but it’s still very disappointing, when you put your heart and soul into a case for 12 months — 14 months — and she’s not going home in a couple years like I’d hoped.” Armstrong said Trayers had very little to say after the verdict was announced. “She feels absolutely horrible about what happened to her husband,” Armstrong said. “I know this sounds strange to say, but she still loves him, she really does.” In her closing argument, Khalil said the defendant lied and presented a “false concoction” when she told the jury how she killed her 41-year-old spouse. Trayers testified that she was frustrated by her husband’s refusal to speak to her about his affair when she went into the bedroom with a butcher knife and asked him how to kill herself. She said she and her husband struggled over a sharper military knife that he pulled out, and she stabbed him in the back of the neck. The defendant said her husband stood up and pulled the covers off the bed, then she blacked out and couldn’t remember stabbing him 10 more times, including two lethal stab wounds to the chest. Khalil said the evidence didn’t support the defendant’s story and that, in fact, she attacked her husband in bed after he had taken sleep medication. Armstrong said his client attacked her husband while in a “total uncontrollable rage” three months after finding out he was having an affair with a younger woman he met on a hospital ship. Trayers found herself on an “emotional roller coaster” because her husband told her he would never leave her but at the same time was telling his mistress that he loved her and wanted a divorce. The defendant installed spyware on her husband’s computer and intercepted hundreds of emails between him and his girlfriend discussing how they wanted to get married and have children, Armstrong said. Trayers sent an eight-page email to her husband’s mistress the morning of the murder, telling the woman “My husband is NOT going to be yours” and “I was the last person he was with.” Armstrong said that email was a problem for Trayers’ defense. “This would have totally been a different case if it wasn’t for that email that was sent that morning,” Armstrong said. “I don’t even think they (prosecutors) would have gone on a first-degree murder theory at that point. I could be wrong, but I don’t think they would have.” What makes matters worse for Trayers is the bandage on she must wear on her chin. “She tripped on a jail bus last week and split her face open and it got infected, so she’s having to deal with that all weekend and this today,” said Armstrong. “It’s been a rough few days for her.”Previous Stories:
- February 6, 2012: No Verdict Reached In Love Triangle Murder Trial
- February 1, 2012: Jury Deliberations Begin In Love Triangle Murder Trial
- January 31, 2012: Murder Defendant: Navy Husband ‘Didn’t Deserve To Die’
- January 30, 2012: Woman Accused In Death Of Navy Husband Takes Stand
- January 26, 2012: New Details Emerge In Love Triangle Murder Trial
- January 25, 2012: Mistress Testifies In Trial Of Wife Accused In Doctor’s Death
- January 23, 2012: Trial Begins For Woman Accused Of Killing Navy Husband
- January 17, 2012: Jury Selection Today For Wife Accused Of Murdering Husband
- March 8, 2011: Trial Date Set For Woman Accused Of Killing Husband
- February 22, 2011: Wife Accused Of Killing Doctor-Husband To Stand Trial
- February 18, 2011: Witness: Slain Doctor Acknowledged Marital Problems
- December 8, 2010: Injured Wife Pleads Not Guilty To Charges In Death Of Doctor
- December 7, 2010: 1 Dead, 1 Injured At Apartment Complex In North Park
Copyright 2012 by 10News.com. City News Service contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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