Houghtaling v. Commonwealth

Raymond M. Houghtaling, Jr., the defendant, was convicted by the jury of murder in the first degree of Carol L. Taft, and his punishment was fixed at fife imprisonment. To the final order confirming ' the conviction and imposing the sentence, the defendant was granted a writ of error.

The evidence shows that the defendant and Mrs. Taft had lived together illicitly as man and wife in the city of Waynesboro for several years and that she had not obtained a divorce from her husband, who resided in New York State. The defendant treated Mrs. Taft “like a queen . . . until she wanted to go home and…