Crime

KC man who said ‘I guess I won’ over his wife’s dead body loses his murder trial

Thomas C. Santamaria Jr. was found guilty the March 2015 killing of his wife, Yuvett Santamaria.
Thomas C. Santamaria Jr. was found guilty the March 2015 killing of his wife, Yuvett Santamaria. Facebook

A Kansas City, North, man who said “I guess I won” after killing his wife was found guilty Wednesday of first-degree murder.

A Clay County Circuit Court jury deliberated for about four hours before convicting Thomas C. Santamaria Jr. in the March 2015 killing of 50-year-old Yuvett Santamaria.

She was found by a friend dead on the floor of their bedroom with him sleeping on the bed, according to testimony.

When police arrived, they woke Thomas Santamaria, and as they led him away in handcuffs he told the friend, “I guess I won,” according to testimony.

Santamaria, 45, has been jailed since his initial arrest. A hearing for post-trial motions and possible sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 2.

He faces a potential sentence of life in prison.

Tony Rizzo: 816-234-4435, @trizzkc

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 1:17 PM with the headline "KC man who said ‘I guess I won’ over his wife’s dead body loses his murder trial."

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