Ex-Con Found Guilty In Girlfriend's Beating Death Staged As Car Crash

GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ/AP) - A western Michigan man has been found guilty of killing his girlfriend, whose death was staged as a fatal car crash.

A Kent County jury on Friday convicted 46-year-old Donald Spice of first-degree murder and mutilation of a dead body for the November death of Lori Vargas. Her body was found in a burning car along I-96 near Grand Rapids.

Police say the crash and fire were staged to cover up the slaying. An autopsy determined that the 37-year-old Vargas was struck with a blunt object and died of head trauma.

Spice, who previously spent 15 years in prison for breaking and entering, said he struck Vargas with a hammer after she came at him with a knife.

Sentencing is expected in July.

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