In the summer of 2019, the life of Brian Paul Hageness, a 61-year-old white male, came to a tragic and violent end in his Hot Springs, Arkansas home. On June 19th, police responded to a call regarding a domestic disturbance. Upon their arrival, they discovered Hageness suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead.
It was noted in court proceedings that he was a wheelchair user.
The immediate investigation led to the arrest of his wife, 57-year-old Elizabeth Hageness. She was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with her husband's shooting death. The case proceeded to trial, where a jury found her guilty, and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of her husband.
However, the legal saga was far from over. It was later determined that juror misconduct had occurred during the trial, leading a judge to declare a mistrial. This decision vacated the initial conviction and sentence. In a subsequent turn of events, Elizabeth Hageness chose to enter a guilty plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter. As a result of her plea, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Following the criminal proceedings, in July of 2022, three of Brian Hageness's children filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Elizabeth Hageness, seeking damages for the loss of their father.
