2015:
June: Shirley Carter, a 68-year-old farm wife and mother, is found murdered in her kitchen in Pleasantville, Iowa. She was shot twice with a high-powered rifle. Her husband Bill Carter, her son Jason Carter, and other family members become immediate suspects.
2017:
December: Bill Carter files a wrongful death lawsuit against his son Jason Carter, claiming that he is responsible for Shirley Carter’s death. The trial is a civil case with a lower burden of proof than a criminal trial.
2018:
January: Bill Carter’s lawyer presents evidence in court, suggesting that Jason had a motive to kill Shirley due to financial troubles and the possibility of inheriting valuable farmland. Jason Carter’s lawyer presents his defense, arguing that the accusations against Jason are baseless and that the real killer is Bill Carter, who had a strained relationship with Shirley.
January: After two weeks of trial, the jury deliberates for a little over two hours before delivering a verdict.
January: The jury finds Jason Carter liable for causing Shirley Carter’s death. However, they also clear Bill Carter of any involvement.
January: The jury awards $10 million in punitive damages to Shirley Carter’s estate, but it’s unclear if this will be paid out given the civil nature of the case.
January: Jason Carter is not sentenced to prison since this was a civil trial.
2021:
March: Iowa Supreme Court upholds $10 million civil verdict against Jason Carter for his mother’s death.
2023:
May: Iowa Supreme Court denies Jason Carter’s appeal, again upholding the civil verdict awarded in 2018.