Man convicted of murder, but got new trial found guilty again
Published 5:03 pm Tuesday, July 16, 2019
A Hinds county jury found Charles Kuebler, 35, of Jackson, guilty of deliberate design murder. Kuebler has been convicted a second time for the June 30, 2010, murder of Tamra Stuckey, Attorney General Jim Hood announced.
A Hinds county jury found Kuebler guilty today of deliberate design murder and using a gun in the commission of a felony following a retrial. On June 30, 2010, Kuebler shot and killed 28-year-old Tamra Stuckey in the head while she was sleeping.
The second jury trial of Kuebler, 35, of Jackson, concluded Tuesday with a verdict finding Kuebler guilty of deliberate design murder. Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd ordered Kuebler to serve life in prison for deliberate design murder and to serve five years to run consecutively for using a gun in the commission of a felony.
“We appreciate the jury for quickly returning a guilty verdict and we thank Judge Kidd for sending this man to prison to think about his senseless acts of violence resulting in the death of the victim,” Hood said. “Our office will continue to fight against and prosecute any case dealing with violence against women.”
The case was originally prosecuted by the Hinds District Attorney’s Office in 2011. That conviction was reversed by the Mississippi Supreme Court and a new trial was ordered. The high court ordered a new trial because Kuebler’s legal team argued it was not allowed to present his story about what happened. Kuebler contends Stuckey was under the influence of drugs when she tried to shoot herself. Kuebler said he tried to stop her when the gun went off.
The Hinds County District Attorney’s office was removed due to a conflict of interest and the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division received the case in 2016.
Prosecution was handled by Assistant Attorney General Stan Alexander and Special Assistant Attorney General Steven Waldrup. The case was investigated by JPD with assistance from PID investigator Perry Tate.