COVINGTON, Ky. -- A Kenton County jury took four hours to find Lara Conley guilty of murder Thursday in the stabbing death of her mother.
Police said Conley's mother, Carlene, was found dead from dozens of stab wounds in her Independence home March 15, 2015.
"The facts of this case were extremely gruesome," said Kenton County assistant Commonwealth attorney Maria Schletker. "Hearing any sort of murder in a community that we feel is generally safe is always pretty startling."
According to Schletker and co-prosecutor Lawrence Hilton, Conley called 911 and initially reported the incident as a home invasion, but changed her story during questioning to claim that she had acted in self-defense.
After hearing testimony from more than 30 witnesses, many of them police officers who had worked on the case, the jury found Conley guilty and recommended a 27-year prison sentence.
Hilton said Carlene Conley's other daughters and grandchildren were in the courtroom during the sentencing.
"I think more than anything they wanted the murder conviction, so when the jury came back and found her guilty of murder, I think that comforted them in a lot of ways," Hilton said.
