Chaz Higgs, the former critical care nurse convicted of killing his wife, former Nevada State Controller Kathy Augustine, is scheduled for a parole hearing Tuesday in Carson City. The hearing comes 20 years after Augustine's death and marks the first time Higgs has been eligible for release since receiving a life sentence with the possibility of parole after two decades.
Augustine, 50, was found unconscious in her Reno home in July 2006 while campaigning for state treasurer. She died days later. Prosecutors proved at trial that Higgs injected her with succinylcholine, a paralytic agent used in medical settings to facilitate intubation. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder in 2007.
Augustine was a prominent figure in Nevada politics. She served in the Legislature from 1993 to 2006, winning seats in both the Assembly and Senate. In 1998, she became the first woman elected as state controller, winning re-election in 2002. She remained in office after being impeached in 2004 over unethical campaign practices during her re-election bid.
Higgs, who was Augustine's fourth husband, has maintained his innocence. His attorney argued before the Nevada Supreme Court in 2008 that Augustine may have died of natural causes and that evidence was insufficient for a conviction. The court upheld the verdict. Higgs is currently incarcerated at High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs. The case was later featured on the television program Forensic Files.
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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