A man who shot his girlfriend seven times at their residence on Dallas Street last August was found guilty of second-degree murder Wednesday, July 24, 2024 in Caddo District Court.
It took the nine-woman, three-man jury in District Judge Michael Pitman’s court 15 minutes to return its guilty-as-charged verdict against Richard Refund Spencer, 56, of Minden.
On August 16, 2023, Spencer shot and killed his live-in girlfriend, Michelle Wells, at her home in the 3000 block of Dallas Street. Witnesses told police they saw Spencer leave the house after the shooting. Spencer surrendered to authorities two days later and confessed to shooting Wells, claiming he only meant to scare her. Spencer’s gun was recovered from his vehicle, and ballistics match it to shell casings and bullets recovered from the crime scene. Additionally, his DNA was found on the gun’s trigger.
When Spencer returns for sentencing August 1, 2024, he faces a mandatory life term in prison at hard labor.
Prosecutors were Assistant District Attorneys Bill Edwards and Kodie Smith. Spencer was defended by Michael Enright and Katie Miller.
The case was docket No. 397087.
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