Man convicted of murder, robbery in ex-girlfriend’s killing

isaiah-hagen

(AP) — A man has been convicted of murder, robbery and obstruction of justice in the fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend in southwestern Indiana.

A jury returned the verdict Monday in the case against 23-year-old Isaiah Hagan. The Evansville Courier & Press reports the second phase of Hagan’s trial starts Thursday, when the jury will decide whether to recommend a sentence of life without parole.

Defense attorney Mark Phillips argued during the trial that other people could have been involved in 20-year-old Halee Rathgeber’s death.

Hagan was charged in Rathgeber’s April 2017 slaying. The body of the University of Southern Indiana student was found at a soccer complex. Hagan’s first trial ended in a mistrial after his lawyer learned at least one juror had seen Hagan in a holding cell.