Craig Wood’s post-conviction hearing wraps up in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Today was the last day of the hearing for a man sentenced to death in 2018 for killing a ten-year-old girl.

Six years ago, the jury could not come to a consensus on the proper punishment for Craig Wood after he was convicted of killing Hailey Owens.

The sentence is being questioned in a post-conviction relief hearing. For three days, the judge has heard statements from Wood’s childhood friends and his old attorney.

Dan Patterson was the lead prosecuting attorney on this case six years ago. He has been back in the courtroom for the hearing, and still believes the death penalty is appropriate. He believes when the judge makes his decision, the conviction will be upheld.

“This defendant has been sentenced and sentenced appropriately to the death penalty,” Patterson said. “The evidence in this case established that if there’s any case for the death penalty, this is that case.”

Judge Thomas Mountjoy sentenced Wood to the death penalty in 2018 after the jury couldn’t come to a consensus on the appropriate punishment for the murder of ten-year-old Hailey Owens.

While Patterson believes the death penalty will be upheld, Elyse Max, a Co-Director at the Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, is hoping for a different outcome.

“This is a life-or-death issue. The fact that it fell into the hands of one judge instead of a jury of Craig’s peers is quite discerning.” Max said. “We’re hoping that this could result in a retrial, that this could result in coming all the evidence coming to a jury.”

Max has been in the courtroom all week and has followed this case since 2018. She believes the alternative punishment of life without parole is sufficient for Wood.

“Life without parole is the other option for first-degree murder,” Max said. “It is slow death by incarceration. There is nothing fun about living out the rest of your life at the Potosi Correctional Center.”

Now, the state and the defense must submit formal written proposals to the judge. The defense is requesting the transcriptions from this week’s proceedings before they submit their proposal which could take three months. The judge will then consider this week’s evidence and the proposals before making his final decision.

“I believe he was provided with effective assistance of counsel, that they tried an excellent case,” Patterson said. “But I believe the penalty is appropriate.”

With the transcription requests taking 90 days, it will be a few months before we know the judge’s final decision and the fate of Craig Wood.

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