Guy Who Posted Pic of Dead Wife on Facebook Convicted

He faces life in prison
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 25, 2015 3:01 PM CST
Guy Who Posted Pic of Dead Wife on Facebook Convicted
This image taken from the Facebook page identified as Derek Medina's shows a post that appeared on the page preceding a separate post that included a photo of his dead wife, Jennifer Alfonso.   (AP Photo)

A Florida man who killed his wife and posted a photo of the bloody corpse on Facebook was convicted Wednesday of second-degree murder after failing to convince a jury that he shot her eight times in self-defense. The jury verdict came in the third week of Derek Medina's trial in the August 2013 killing of 27-year-old Jennifer Alfonso at their South Miami home. Medina told police in a videotaped statement he shot his wife during an altercation in which she threatened him with a knife. Medina, who did not testify in his own defense, admitted in the police statement taking a cellphone photo of his dead wife's body and uploading it on Facebook, along with a posting that said he expected to go to prison but was forced to kill her following years of physical abuse.

Prosecutors put on evidence indicating that Medina had vowed to kill Alfonso if she tried to leave him, which she told friends she planned to do. They also pointed out that at 6 feet and about 200 pounds, Medina could have easily overpowered his 5-foot-6 wife without shooting her. "He planned to execute Jen, and he executed his plan," prosecutor Leah Klein told jurors in a closing argument. "He was angry and he wanted her dead." Medina showed absolutely no emotion as he was handcuffed and led back to jail, where he has been held since the killing. His attorney, Saam Zangeneh, said there will be an appeal. The second-degree murder conviction means that Medina, 33, faces 25 years to life in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 11. (More Facebook stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X