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High Court Upholds Arkansas Woman's Murder Conviction

Arkansas Supreme Court

The Arkansas Supreme Court upheld the capital murder conviction of a Texarkana woman serving life in prison for killing a woman in her square dancing club who was having an affair with her husband.

The high court ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence to support the jury's finding that 69-year-old Virginia Hyatt is responsible for the shooting death of Patricia Wheelington in December 2013.

Court records show Hyatt and her husband took square-dancing classes at the Guys & Dolls Club in Texarkana, where the affair began. Records say Hyatt became jealous and confronted Wheelington several times in the days before Wheelington was found shot to death on her front porch.

Chief Justice Dan Kemp gave the majority opinion, saying the evidence was enough to find Hyatt guilty and that the crime was premeditated.

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