Denver DA makes decision regarding decades-old murder case
The conviction in a murder case dating back to 2001 where a man was found guilty of killing his wife, will remain in place. Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said that after a lengthy review, she has determined that Hal Hebert's innocence claims lack any merit.
Investigators say Hebert shot his wife, Carol, in the back of the head in their home in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood in April 2001. Her body was found in the trunk of her car, which was discovered several miles near Colfax Avenue and Valentia Street. Police say Hebert put her in the truck and drove the car there.
A jury convicted Hebert of first-degree murder in June 2003. After appeals were denied, he filed a request to have his case reviewed in 2022.
The Conviction Review Unit of the Denver DA's office conducted that review that included additional DNA testing then upheld the conviction.
"After carefully reviewing all the evidence in the case, I have no doubt that Hal Hebert murdered his wife and was properly convicted by a jury of his peers," McCann said in a news release.
"I want to thank the prosecutors and investigators in my office, as well as the detectives with the Denver Police Department, whose work on the case more than 20 years ago resulted in Hebert's conviction and ensured that he was held accountable for this murder. I also want to thank the members of my Conviction Review Unit for their extremely thorough examination of the case."
"Contrary to Mr. Hebert's claims, there is no evidence that any member of the prosecution team or any law enforcement officer engaged in any wrongdoing."
Hebert also filed a motion with Denver District Court for DNA testing. That request was denied in December saying the evidence supported the jury's conviction.
