The Herald-News - News Story

Both prosecuting and defense attorneys agreed that forensic evidence was the biggest factor for jurors as they convicted William Minton, 42, of murder Friday night.

A Rhea County jury spent three hours deliberating after closing arguments ended Friday in the two-day trial. The group found Minton guilty of second-degree murder, felony second-degree murder and aggravated robbery.

Attorneys Friday said second-degree murder could carry a sentence of 25-40 years in prison and an aggravated robbery conviction could carry 12-20 years in prison.

Minton is set to be sentenced on March 4. Judge Thomas Graham, who presided over the case, will decide if Minton will serve his sentences each at the same time or one-after-the-other.

Jurors believed the prosecution's argument that in the pre-dawn hours of July 24, 2008, Minton stomped and strangled 46-year-old Carlos McCuiston to death and left his bloody body in the fetal position in a cast-iron bathtub.

The murder took place at an apartment on Memorial Street in Dayton.

At about 2:30 that morning, Allen Smith, McCuiston's nephew, found his uncle's body in the tub. After encountering Minton, who reportedly admitted to Smith that he killed McCuiston, Smith punched the man and went to call 911 and tell McCuiston's family.

When police found Minton unconscious in the front yard of the apartment complex, they also found several pieces of the victim's jewelry in Minton's front pocket.

Forensic tests later revealed McCuiston's blood on Minton's jeans, boots and inside his pockets as well, which forensic experts testified to during the trial.

"The defense really couldn't explain either of those away," Assistant District Attorney Jim Pope said after the verdict was read Friday night. "These facts were hard to get around for the defense."

Pope and District Attorney General Mike Taylor prosecuted the case.

Minton's defense attorney, Larry Roddy, agreed with Pope.

"I think [the jurors] were overwhelmed with forensic evidence from the point that it was difficult for them to disregard what those experts testified," he said.

The trial proved to be an emotional one for McCuiston's family. When Allen Smith testified on Thursday, he began to cry as photos of his uncle's body were shown to jurors.

The sobs of other family members in the audience were heard as well.

"The family's just glad to get some kind of closure," Pope said. "No one really wins in these things."

Minton was originally indicted on first-degree premeditated murder, felony first-degree
murder and aggravated robbery.

Pope said since the jury found Minton guilty of second-degree murder and felony second-degree murder, the two will likely be merged together for sentencing.

Second-degree murder means the crime was not premeditated.

A felony murder charge indicates the murder was committed during the perpetration of another felony - in this case, aggravated robbery.

The jury also imposed the toughest fines it could on Minton, fining him $50,000 for the second-degree murder conviction and $25,000 for the aggravated robbery conviction, though the state will likely never collect that money since Minton will be without income while incarcerated.

Michael Reneau can be contacted at michael.reneau@rheaheraldnews.com.