By Trend News Line 2024-04-03 10:23:21.
Woman Convicted of Second-Degree Murder in Husband’s 2002 Death
A woman who was extradited from Italy for the 2002 fatal bludgeoning of her husband in Michigan has been convicted of second-degree murder in a case that prosecutors likened to a “made-for-TV movie.”
The jury in Eaton County took only two hours to decide the outcome of the trial against Beverly McCallum, who was accused of the murder of her husband, Roberto Caraballo. Caraballo, 37, was suffocated and beaten in the basement of his home in Charlotte, about 105 miles northwest of Detroit.
Burned remains were found in a metal locker near a blueberry field in western Michigan’s Ottawa County, but the remains were not identified as Caraballo until 2015, more than 10 years later.
McCallum, 63, was arrested in Italy in 2020 and held there for more than two years before being returned to Michigan. She showed no visible reaction as the verdict was read in court.
Prosecution Allegations and Defense Arguments
Prosecutor Doug Lloyd alleged that McCallum wanted to get rid of Caraballo in 2002 after he was released from federal prison because “Robert being around was cramping her lifestyle.” Defense attorney Timothy Havis, on the other hand, told jurors that McCallum didn’t have a role in the killing but was lured into taking a ride to get rid of the remains.
During the trial, Christopher McMillan, a witness who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and cooperated with police, implicated McCallum in the killing. He stated that Caraballo was attacked by McCallum and her daughter, Dineane Ducharme. Ducharme, 43, is currently serving a life prison sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2021. McMillan, 45, is serving a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Testimonies and Verdict
McCallum took the stand and denied any role in her husband’s murder, while her daughter, Sicily Caraballo, who was 9 at the time of the killing, testified and refuted some of her mother’s claims. Prosecutors described the trial as resembling a “made-for-TV movie” due to the conflicting testimonies and explanations provided by McCallum.
After the verdict was read, Lloyd expressed his disbelief at McCallum’s attempts to explain her innocence, stating that her testimony “didn’t make any sense at all.”
The case has garnered significant attention due to its long timeline, international extradition, and complex family dynamics. The conviction of McCallum for second-degree murder brings some closure to the tragic events that unfolded in Michigan in 2002..
– Woman convicted years after husband’s remains found near Michigan blueberry field
– Woman convicted after husband’s remains found near Michigan blueberry field like a made-for-TV movie.