An Orlando jury has convicted a prominent former Atlanta developer of second-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife, it was announced Saturday.
Robert J. Ward, 63, could face up to life in prison when sentenced in November. He was arrested nearly two years ago to the day after calling 911 and telling a dispatcher, "I just shot my wife. She's dead."
Deputies found Diane Ward's body in the master bedroom of the couple's estate at Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Fla., located next door to golfer Tiger Woods' home. She had a gunshot wound to the head, according to an Orange County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit.
Her husband, an ex-Atlanta Chamber of Commerce board member, was arrested immediately afterward. He has retained the support of his two daughters and his wife's sister, each of whom were called to testify by the defense.
Ward was stoic as the verdict was read Saturday. Before the verdict, he hugged his two college-aged daughters as the women wept.
The six jurors announced their decision just before lunchtime. They deliberated almost 12 hours over two days.
Jurors asked for testimony from both the prosecution's and the defense's DNA witnesses to be read back to them Friday before the judge ended the day's session just before 10 p.m.
Ward's lawyers say their client tried to grab the gun from a suicidal Diane Ward, 55, when it went off.
Prosecutors countered that Ward's temper got the best of him and he intentionally shot his wife in the face.
Jurors asked Friday to see the yardstick the defense team used to show the distance between Ward and his wife during the incident. The judge did not send it to the jury room, concerned about demonstrations, but said the jurors could see the yardstick in the courtroom.
Prosecutors allege Ward wanted to silence his wife before she had a chance to speak with attorneys investigating the bankruptcy filing by Ward's company, Land Resources.
The Wards moved from Atlanta, where they had met years before, in 2007. Land Resources also relocated, though a former business associate told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Ward wasn't actively involved in day-to-day management.
Ward filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2008. Two months later he switched that filing to Chapter 7, which led to the liquidation of all company assets.
Ward said then he was not making enough money on sales to complete promised projects and hoped to sell the company's assets, valued at $115.2 million, according to bankruptcy records. The Atlanta Braves team was listed among the company's creditors.
As CEO of Land Resources, Ward oversaw the development of 35 subdivisions and 19 resort-style communities, including the 1,000-acre Cumberland Harbour marina complex in Georgia. Located near the Cumberland Island National Seashore, the marina complex was built after years of legal wrangling between developers and environmentalists.
During closing arguments Thursday, the prosecution played the 911 recording in which Ward tells a dispatcher five times, "I just shot my wife."
The defense countered by telling jurors that the prosecution's case was circumstantial and there was no evidence to prove the case.
--The Associated Press and AJC dispatch editor Angel K. Brooks contributed to this article.
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