District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Jane Laut (DOB 5/28/57), of Oxnard, was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison for the August 27, 2009, murder of her husband, Dave Laut, at their Oxnard residence. On March 30, 2016, a jury found Jane Laut guilty of first degree premeditated murder and found true that she used a firearm during the commission of her crime.

The punishment for the crime of first degree murder is 25 years to life. Under Penal Code section 12022.53(d), the judge was required to impose an additional and consecutive sentence of 25 years for a total of 50 years to life.

During trial, it was established that Jane Laut fired a total of six shots from a single action .22 caliber handgun into Dave’s head and body, then hid the gun in a grandfather clock before calling 911 to report a prowler.

After an eight-week trial, the six-man, six-woman jury unanimously rejected her claims of self-defense and intimate partner battering to find that Jane Laut’s actions were willful, deliberate and premeditated.

During the hour-long sentencing hearing, Dave Laut’s brother, Don Laut and Don’s children, Cody and Megan, provided dramatic testimony describing the devastating loss of their brother and uncle, best friend and “hero,” but each said to Jane that they forgave her. Don’s wife, Rebecca, read a statement from Dave’s mother, then spoke on her own behalf. The family stated that not only did they have to suffer the tragic loss of a brother in the prime of his life, but then were forced to endure hours of “lies” attacking his character after he was no longer around to defend himself.