Jury convicts former minister of attempted murder, other charges

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- After four days of testimony, a jury convicted a former Stoddard County, Missouri, pastor of attempted murder, arson, armed criminal action and financial exploitation of the elderly.

Donald Lafferty was accused of hiring Brandi and Christopher Hicks to burn his home and kill his wife near Bloomfield in January 2013. In exchange, the Hickses would have been paid $15,000, with another $5,000 if Mildred Lafferty died in the fire.

Lafferty also was accused of defrauding his mother of $86,000.

Lafferty fled to Vermont and Massachusetts before being apprehended and returned to Stoddard County.

Lafferty, showing no emotion throughout the four-day trial, was escorted back to the Stoddard County Jail after the reading of the verdict. He is being held without bond, with sentencing set for March 9. Judge David Dolan presided over the trial.

Prosecutor Russ Oliver wrapped his case by reading the text of an interview Lafferty had done for an attorney for Shield of Shelter insurance. The reading revealed Lafferty tried to blame the fire in his home on various other things, including lightning, his grandson and possibly Mildred.

During closing arguments, Oliver reminded the jury a gas can was found behind the couch at Lafferty's residence, and Mildred Lafferty woke up to Lafferty moving the computer and cedar chest from the home hours before the fire.

"The state has shown you where text messages were sent between Don Lafferty and Brandy Hicks before and after the fire," Oliver said. "In fact, the state has shown where Don Lafferty texted Brandy Hicks right after meeting with the fire investigator. You heard testimony where Don Lafferty was told that his house was on fire, and what does he do? Does he call his wife? No. He calls Brandy Hicks."

Oliver pointed out Lafferty's involvement with the estate of his mother, Goldie Lafferty.

"A 90-year-old woman who saved every dime she could throughout her entire life, and (Don Lafferty) took her life savings," Oliver said. "He took a power of attorney, and lo and behold, he found a way to get all of her money."

Defense attorney Daniel Moore's closing statement focused almost solely on Brandi Hicks' testimony during the trial.

"What the prosecution wants you to focus on is a theory," Moore told the jury. "What I want you to focus on is the evidence. What evidence is there without Brandy Hicks' testimony? There's no evidence unless you believe there's honesty and truthfulness in it.

"We don't send someone to the penitentiary because of theories. We don't send someone to the penitentiary because of rumors."

Moore turned his attention to the financial-exploitation charge.

"There's nothing criminal about it," Moore said. "It's a civil matter -- not criminal."

Moore said Lafferty had legal power of attorney.

"You may not like what he did," Moore said. "It may leave a bad taste in your mouth. But it's not a crime."

The jury went into deliberations at 12:30 p.m. Within three hours, it had returned a verdict of guilty on all counts.

"We are obviously very pleased with the jury's verdict," Oliver said. "After everything that Mildred Lafferty has been through, she deserved this day. After she was almost burned alive, she was accused of setting this fire.

"In the twilight of her life, Goldie Lafferty was saddled with the grief of a son stealing her life savings for a second time. Even though Goldie is no longer with us, she, too, deserves this day."