CENTREVILLE, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan man already serving a life sentence for murder has been found guilty of murder in the death a man during a July 2017 crime spree.
A St. Joseph County jury deliberated for about two hours last Friday before finding Zachary Patten guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Shane Richardson in the victim’s home in Florence Township. Richardson was the husband of Patten’s ex-wife.
Earlier on the same day, the 33-year-old Patten of Portage shot 31-year-old Graciela Portillo-Esparza at a mobile home park in Kalamazoo County. In February 2018, Patten was found guilty of first-degree murder in Portillo-Esparza’s death.
St. Joseph County Prosecutor John McDonough said he is pleased with the verdict returned against Patten last Friday, noting the evidence against the defendant was “overwhelming.”
Patten is scheduled for sentencing June 21.
- Posted May 21, 2019
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Man found guilty of second murder in two county crime spree
headlines Oakland County
- Whitmer signs gun violence prevention legislation
- Department of Attorney General conducts statewide warrant sweep, arrests 9
- Adoptive families across Michigan recognized during Adoption Day and Month
- Reproductive Health Act signed into law
- Case study: Documentary highlights history of courts in the Eastern District
headlines National
- Protecting Attorney-Client Relationships: ABA advocacy helps safeguard the right to effective assistance of counsel
- Did ‘corporate speak’ and PowerPoint lead to complacency at GM?
- Ex-employee sues Sheppard Mullin over cyberattack exposing sensitive personal data
- Ropes & Gray allows more attorneys to count AI testing toward billable hours
- Plaintiff who filed fraudulent case, trashed desktop computer hit with sanctions
- Man who threatened Supreme Court justices avoids prison time




