Opinion ID: 1302230
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Conviction Sufficiency of the Evidence

Text: We first analyze whether there was sufficient evidence to support Spry's conviction of first-degree premeditated murder. The standard of review is whether, after reviewing all of the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the State, we are convinced that a rational factfinder could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Kingsley, 252 Kan. 761, Syl. ¶ 1, 851 P.2d 370 (1993). The State's theory of the murder was as follows: Spry first put out the patio light by removing the globe from the porch fixture and partially unscrewing the light bulb. He moved to a partially completed deck outside Hyson's room. At some point, he ripped out the phone line. Spry opened the window to Hyson's room and removed the items on the window sill, placing them on the deck. He quietly made his way through the window, down the hall, and past two adult women and their sleeping children. On his way to the basement, he opened the child gate at the top of the stairs. In the basement, he passed yet another person sleeping on a hide-abed and entered Chaffee's room. As Chaffee slept, Spry delivered four to eight blows to the back of her head with the ax. He then retraced his steps, closing the child gate on his way out. The police found: (1) Spry's fingerprints on the porch light globe and light bulb, (2) a yellow tee shirt on the ground near the porch light, which was identified as likely belonging to Spry, (3) Spry's palm print on the window sash of the entry window, (4) a cigarette butt near the entry window containing DNA consistent with Spry's, and (5) Spry's fingerprints on an electrical conduit near the entry window. During police questioning, Spry admitted missing a stress management class the afternoon of the murder. The police released Spry subject to further questioning. However, later attempts to locate him failed. Spry's identification card was found on a street in Wichita. He disappeared for almost three years. Spry emphasizes that his fingerprints were not found on the murder weapon or on the child gate. He also relies on the rape kit test performed on Chaffee showing she had intercourse with someone else before her death. (There were no signs of rape.) Spry explains his fingerprints were found outside of the house because he lived there in the past. He claims there was testimony that he had done some work outside the house, which would also explain his fingerprints. He offers no explanation as to why his fingerprints were on the globe, the partially unscrewed light bulb, and the window sash. The globe, bulb, and sash fingerprints were in critical locations. The fact that Spry was not the person who had intercourse with Chaffee before her death is not exculpatory. The jury could logically conclude that only a person with intimate knowledge of the house could enter the house, kill Chaffee, and exit undetected. The evidence presented by the State supported its theory of how the murder was committed. Viewed in a light most favorable to the prosecution, the evidence shows that a rational factfinder could have found Spry guilty of premeditated first-degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt.