HAYS COUNTY, Texas — A Kyle man has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murdering his estranged girlfriend in 2016.
After a seven-day trial that began on Sept. 23, 2019, 52-year-old James Craig Keen was convicted of murdering 39-year-old Erin Wright on March 26, 2016, in his Kyle home by shooting her in the kitchen after an argument.
Court officials said Wright's two daughters, ages six and nine at the time, and Keen's Daughter, age nine, were home when it happened. One of her daughters, now age nine, told the jury she witnessed them arguing when she saw Keen climb onto the kitchen counter to grab a gun from on top of the cabinet before pointing it at her. She said she was holding her mom's hand when he fired.
Wright had moved away from Keen when their daughter was only a few months old due to previous instances of domestic abuse, officials said. She traveled from Oregon to Texas in early March 2016 so that Keen could get to know their shared nine-year-old child. The murder took place three weeks after Wright and her two girls moved in with him.
During the punishment phase of the trial, officials said Keen's ex-wife testified that she too was abused by him over their 30-year relationship. He was convicted of assault in Tarrant County in 1996 for abusing his first wife, and court documents discussed during the trial showed that he had been placed on deferred probation for assaulting Wright in Dallas County in 2007.
District Judge Bill Henry presided over the trial, which ended on Oct. 2. The jury returned a guilty verdict on Tuesday with the punishment phase concluding on Wednesday, resulting in the jury's assessment of life in prison and a $10,000 fine – the maximum sentence for the charge.
Hays County Criminal District Attorney Wes Mau recognized the work of those who helped during the case, including:
- The Kyle Police Department
- Detective Diane Talamantes
- Officer Perry Field
- Sgt. Tracy Vrana
- Detective Adam Watson
- Wright’s children and Keen’s daughter
- Assistant Criminal District Attorney Katie Arnold, the lead prosecutor
“This trial is another reminder – especially during Domestic Violence Awareness Month – that the escalating cycle of domestic violence can and too often does culminate in murder," Mau said. "This jury’s verdict and resounding life sentence echo my own feelings: domestic abusers have no place in our society. Ms. Wright’s family, having endured this painful journey – which for them will never be over – remain living reminders of the heart-rending toll domestic violence leaves not only on its victims, but on everyone around them.”
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: