A Kansas man killed his wife to collect insurance on her and claimed it was an act of suicide. Now, he will spend half a century behind bars.
Last month, 23rd Judicial District Court Chief Judge Glenn Braun sentenced Colby Alan Trickle, 29, to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the shooting death of his wife, Kristen Trickle, 26. Trickle was found guilty and convicted by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder and interference with law enforcement.
“Sadly, we will never be able to bring Kristen Trickle back. It is my hope, however, that this conviction brings some level of comfort and healing to those who knew and loved Kristen," said Ellis County Attorney Robert Anderson, according to CBS 19 News.
During the morning hours of Oct. 31, 2019, police officers responded to a home shared by the defendant and his wife after receiving reports of a suicide. Upon arrival, they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head. The defendant told investigators his wife had shot herself in the head with a revolver. Kristen’s family denied she had ever been suicidal.
However, investigators discovered Trickle had been on the internet ten days prior to the homicide trying to find out how to collect on a life insurance policy. According to prosecutors, the defendant at the time of the homicide had been involved in an online affair and had collected on his wife’s insurance policy. In a few months, Trickle had wasted all the money.
“There is clear evidence that this crime was committed for financial gain. And that Trickle has refused to take one iota of responsibility,” said Braun during the sentencing phase, reported Hays Post.
Trickle will be eligible for parole after serving 50 years.
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