A Newton jury has convicted a Tama man of helping his mother stab his wife to death in 2013. The verdict against 40-year-old Dustin Jefferson was returned yesterday afternoon. Jefferson was found guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder.
His mother, Ginger Jefferson, was previously sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder. In September 2013, she attacked her son’s wife, 32-year-old Kerry O’Clair Jefferson. The trial in Newton was the state’s third attempt to convict Dustin Jefferson.
His first two trials were both in Tama County. The first ended during jury selection, while jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict in his second trial. A judge granted a change of venue, to Newton, due to the media coverage of the first two trials.
(Reporting by Randy Van, KCOB, Newton)