Vance Lee Evans, 53, was found dead in his Tomah, Wisconsin, home on April 27, 2010. He had suffered a single gunshot wound to the back of his head and was discovered on the living room floor by his new girlfriend, who also noticed a strong smell of natural gas in the house.

Prosecutors charged Evans’ ex-girlfriend, Tammy S. Cole of Illinois, alleging jealousy after Evans began a new relationship. Their theory was that Cole shot Evans, then deliberately broke a natural gas line and lit a candle to trigger an explosion and destroy evidence. Cole surrendered to authorities; she said the shooting was accidental during an embrace and that she had kicked the gas line in a later suicide attempt. A jury rejected that account and convicted her of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted arson.

Cole was sentenced to life in prison for Evans’ murder.