Kriti Mehrotra
CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Case Against Sandra Garner’ chronicles the brutal murder of Jon Garner and the subsequent investigation that followed, wherein virtually everything, from the second the officers came upon the crime scene to the final verdict, is caught on camera. With never before seen footage, one-on-one interviews with everyone involved, and additional narration, this special gives us an in-depth look into Jon’s slaying and how it was his wife, Sandra Garner, who was charged and arrested in connection to it. So, because of all the ups and downs, in this case, you must be wondering where is Sandra Garner now, right? So, let’s find out.
Who Is Sandra Garner?
Sandra Louise Garner of Maypearl, Ellis County, Texas, was twice divorced and a mother of two when she first met Jon Garner. They were both working as managers for the same shipping company in Paris, Texas. Even with a 13-year age gap between them, with Sandra being the elder one, the two connected and fell in love. Two years after they met, Sandra and Jon tied the knot in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve. Jon became a father figure to Sandra’s children, Wesley and Andrea Miller.
Although the latter wasn’t a fan of his, she appreciated it when he stepped up to be the sole breadwinner after Sandra’s Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. For almost two decades, the couple lived a blissful life in Texas, but all that tragically came to an end when, on January 2, 2018, Jon was shot thrice and killed in his sleep. Sandra was the one who called for help. She said that she woke up just hours after the couple celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary to gunshots going off.
She screamed, hoping that someone would hear her and come to aid, but a masked intruder told her to shut up, adding that he wouldn’t harm her because his job was already done. Then, he made her give him about $18,000 in cash, which the couple kept in their bedroom’s locker, and told her to count to a 100 before calling the police. She did as she was told, so when officers arrived at the scene, it was already too late for Jon. Sandra has recounted this story multiple times and has never once made any changes.
However, the one thing that bothered the investigators at the time was that she seemed quite calm and collected for someone who had just lost her husband. The officers canvassed her home, took a couple of evidentiary pictures themselves, and began looking through the couple’s belongings for any DNA or proof. While they were doing this, they discovered that Sandra’s iPad’s recent search history had “how to kill somebody in their sleep,” after which a link that said, “16 ways to kill somebody and not get caught” was opened.
The authorities also noticed that she had gunpowder residue on both her hands, making them suspect her involvement in Jon’s murder. Sandra’s son, Wesley, seemed to think that she was behind it as well. Three days later, on January 5, the investigators found a gun in Sandra’s car, under the front seat, wrapped in wet towels with no fingerprints or DNA. Five days after that, when the ballistics proved that that gun was the murder weapon, Sandra was arrested.
Where Is Sandra Garner Now?
Charged with first-degree murder, Sandra Garner’s bond was set at $2 million, which she couldn’t pay. Therefore, until her case went to court, she was held, behind bars, at Ellis County Jail. In September of 2019, when Sandra’s murder trial began, hours of bodycam footage was shown to the jury by the prosecutors to paint the picture of how her behavior was consistent with that of a guilty person’s. Then, there were testimonies from friends, family members, and experts to highlight all the evidence and details of the case.
However, Sandra’s defense team pointed out that the police didn’t even look for fingerprints on her car door’s handle, so it could be possible that the gun was placed there by somebody else entirely. They then blamed Sandra’s own son, Wesley, for the murder, saying that he set her up by pointing the finger at her to get away from suspicion himself. In the end, after four weeks, 25 witnesses, and 400 pieces of evidence, the jury deliberated for three hours and concluded that Sandra Garner was not guilty for the murder of her husband, Jon Garner. And just like that, she was cleared of all charges and became a free woman.
Today, she still resides in Maypearl, Ellis County, Texas, in the home where her husband was killed because she believes that that’s what he would have wanted. “I love my house,” she added while speaking to Richard Schlesinger on ’48 Hours.’ “And I know it’s hard, and I know people think I’m crazy for wantin’ to be here. But I just wanna be as close to him as I can.” Sandra now spends all of her free time with her friends, family, and grandchildren, making up for the 21 months that she lost with them while she was behind bars. (Featured Image Credit: CBS News / 48 Hours)
Read More: Where Are Sandra’s Children Now?
