13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Man convicted in wife's murder

Man convicted in wife's murder

Richard Essex/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis, Dec. 15 - Steven Halcomb doesn't have much to say on his way to prison. He is now dressed in the clothes he will wear for many years, jailhouse orange.

But the family of his wife, Karen Jo Smith, has plenty to say. "Well, it's been four years coming," says her stepfather Ed Bishop. "The family, we all knew he was guilty, we've worked really hard to find, we've worked relentlessly to get justice."

Justice they have.

The jury got the case at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon and returned a guilty verdict at 5:05 p.m.

The prosecution tried the case without a crime scene, a body or witnesses.

Karen Jo Smith disappeared December 27, 2000 after leaving her house with only a purse and cigarette case.

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi says the evidence against Halcomb was mostly circumstantial, "bragging about how he would cover up something like this if it were to occur. I think his own words hung him."

Recorded jailhouse conversations between Halcomb and his father, a few jailhouse informants and threatening letters to Smith provided the prosecution with what they call enough evidence to overcome any jury concerns.

Bishop adds, "If he wants to do anything for his daughter, then he ought to tell us where Karen's at. At least we can go get her and give her a proper resting place."

At least Bishop knows where his daughter's killer is behind bars.

Halcomb moved back into Karen Jo Smith's house in 2000 after serving six years in prison. His past record could qualify him as a habitual offender and add extra time to his sentence for murder. The judge will formally sentence Halcomb January 13.