Texas man found guilty in murder of brother's pregnant wife

EL PASO, Texas -- A man whose older brother asked him to kill his pregnant wife avoided the death penalty after a jury convicted him of murder rather than capital murder.

Rodney Reister, 26, was found guilty Saturday in the 2001 slaying of his sister-in-law, Fort Bliss Army Capt. Lynn Reister. He faces up to 99 years in prison when the punishment phase begins today.

Former Fort Bliss Sgt. Roger Reister, 28, was sentenced last year to life in prison.

for asking his younger brother and two Army soldiers to kill 30-year-old Lynn Reister. The pregnant woman was found in her home with her throat slashed in May 2001.

Rodney Reister told prosecutors his brother offered him $1,000 followed by more money from Lynn Reister's $250,000 life insurance policy in exchange for killing the woman.

Prosecutors said Roger Reister was afraid his wife would get custody of their son in a divorce and that he might be punished by the Army for adultery.

"I was happy that the jury was able to see what the truth of the matter is," said Dolph Quijano, Rodney Reister's defense attorney.