A Tucson man suspected of killing his former girlfriend within two hours of being served an order of protection was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Deborah Bernini will decide Jan. 17 if Richard Wojcik, 55, should be sentenced to life in prison with or without the possibility of release.
Tucson police served Wojcik an order of protection prohibiting him from contacting Karla Ember, 54, after he showed up at the home she was sharing with Steven Carney on the evening of Sept. 3, 2010, according to court testimony.
Carney testified last week Wojcik broke into their house through a sliding glass door a couple of hours later, came into their bedroom with a knife and stabbed Ember in the chest.
Carney, 42, told jurors he fought with Wojcik, disarmed him and tossed him outside.
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Ember died Sept. 8.
Defense attorney Richard Lougee tried to cast doubt on Carney’s credibility.
Carney testified the break-in occurred at 11:37 p.m., but the 911 call came in at 11:57 p.m.
Lougee suggested Carney and Wojcik argued during that 20-minute time frame and Ember was accidentally stabbed by Carney when she got in between the two men.
Lougee asked Carney if Ember told him Wojcik had AIDS, but Carney did not answer the question following an objection from the prosecutor.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Nicol Green told jurors a detective told Carney the call came in at 11:57 p.m., but he mis-remembered the time when testifying.
Lougee also reminded jurors Tuesday that Carney was wanted for failing to appear at a sentencing hearing in a stolen-property case at the time of Ember’s death and he gave police an alias. Carney also acknowledged Ember didn't know about his criminal past although they'd been living together nine months.
In addition, Lougee found it suspicious the police weren’t able to find the murder weapon and Carney claimed he did not remember what he did with it for about 17 hours after the incident.
Carney testified he found the knife in the garage underneath some shelving after mulling over the events. He told one of Ember's relatives about the knife and they contacted police Sept. 7.
Green downplayed the issue, telling jurors only one detective searched the garage and only gave it a glance.
Wojcik was also convicted of assault and first-degree burglary.
Contact reporter Kim Smith at 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com
