Woman convicted in slaying of husband

Bill Gang

Tuesday, May 12, 1998 | 9:56 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman has been convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting death of her husband, despite the fact he was standing near a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper.

Linda Carbary, 33, will be sentenced by District Judge Lee Gates on June 30 to a life prison term. The only question is whether it will be with or without the possibility of parole after 40 years.

The jury heard testimony at the trial last week that before the March 15, 1997, incident, Carbary had told friends she intended to kill Jeffrey Carbary for leaving her and then bragged after the shooting that she had followed through with her pledge.

Jurors also saw a photo of the defendant laughing after her arrest.

The argument by defense attorneys that drugs and alcohol sent the woman into an uncontrollable rage was rejected by the jury.

Carbary also was convicted of attempted murder for firing a shot at her husband through the windshield of his car after he rejected her attempts at reconciliation.

The bullet didn't penetrate the glass and Jeffrey Carbary drove off with his wife in pursuit, according to trial testimony.

The victim stopped next to the trooper for protection on Interstate 15 near Cheyenne Avenue but Linda Carbary also stopped and fired a single bullet into Jeffrey Carbary's head.

Special Public Defender Michael Cherry had tried to gain sympathy for the defendant by explaining that the couple had a stormy relationship and alleging that there had been incidents of abuse.