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McNaughton v. State

The defendant fatally stabbed his wife in the torso, arms and legs 31 times as she sat in the office of their home.

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Appellant Alec McNaughton was convicted of the malice murder and aggravated assault of his wife, Cathy McNaughton, and sentenced to life in prison.1 He appeals from the denial of his motion for new trial asserting the trial court erred by admitting similar transaction evidence and evidence of statements made by the victim regarding prior difficulties. Finding no error, we affirm. 1. Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the jury was authorized to find that appellant fatally stabbed his wife in the torso, arms and legs 31 times as she sat in the office of their Coweta County home. The State presented evidence that appellant and the victim had been experiencing financial and marital difficulties, and on at least one prior occasion appellant physically abused the victim. The victim created a written statement documenting the details of that event and she told a co-worker she had taken photographs of her physical injuries which she kept in a “safe place.” In the months leading up to her death, the victim told appellant, family members, and friends she was contemplating divorce.

On the day of the crimes, appellant called 911 at approximately 7:30 p.m. He told the operator he found his wife on the floor bleeding. When police arrived, the victim was already dead, rigor mortis and lividity already having set in. There was no evidence of a burglary or forced entry. Police discovered evidence of the victim’s blood on tissues from the office and a towel found in the victim’s bathroom near a bottle of bleach. Although there was a significant amount of blood on the carpet and splattered on the walls of the victim’s office, other than the trace elements on the towel and tissues, no blood evidence was found outside the victim’s office or leading into other parts of the home.

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