Deepra Sarkar
‘True Conviction’ is a true-crime series from Investigation Discovery featuring Brooklyn Homicide prosecutor Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi. Nicolazzi has an unblemished career with a cumulative record of 35-0 in homicide. The series follows the decorated prosecutor as she travels across the country in search of cases that can bring to the audience an immaculate representation of how efficient prosecution can help solve the toughest cases. The homicides shown in the series are showcased on the screen through the interactions between detectives and attorneys.
In one of the episodes, the series features the gruesome 1987 rape and murder of Karen Ann Watson. Watson’s naked and lifeless was found at her mobile residence by her husband. She had been stabbed several times with blood splattered all across the wall and the carpet. The case was unsolved till 2014 when DNA evidence linked Watson’s death to Carl McCauley, a family friend to the Watsons. If you are curious to know what happened to the primary convict for this case, we might have the answers to your questions.
Who is Carl McCauley?
In 2017, Carl McCauley was convicted of the murder and rape of Karen Ann Watson in 1987. He was indicted in 2015 for the slaying that occurred on March 24, 1987, at Watson’s mobile home in Lake Alfred, Florida. Watson’s husband Charles returned home from a business errand to find his wife dead. Following this, he frantically drove to his neighbor’s house from where the authorities were informed. Initial investigations revealed traces of semen in Karen’s genitals, bedsheets, and bedroom implying Karen had engaged in sexual intercourse just before her death.
Despite interrogations and preliminary investigations, the case remained unsolved till 2014 when the case was reopened by Polk County Sheriff Office detective Matt Newbold. He came across the name Carl McCauley who was described to be a family friend. The finding was followed up with DNA testing. The DNA found in the body fluids sample retrieved from the crime scene matched with that of McCauley’s. On the day of the murder, Watson’s neighbors had also spotted a brownish Chevrolet Nova which was similar to the one owned by McCauley. In August 2014, McCauley was arrested and extradited to Florida to undergo a trial.
Where is Carl McCauley Now?
Carl McCauley stood trial for first-degree murder and sexual battery in February 2017. When he was arrested in Ohio in 2014, McCauley denied any involvement with the crime and also lied that he had never had sexual intercourse with her or visited her home. Later he changed his statement when the DNA evidence surfaced, acknowledging that he and Karen did have sex on the night she was killed.
It was later revealed that McCauley had a sexual relationship with Karen. In an attempt to mount his defense, McCauley said that Karen’s husband, Charles, had found out about the affair and had killed her out of spite. However, Charles had been cleared of suspicion previously via DNA testing. Charles Watson died in June 2014. The two-week trial was concluded in McCauley’s conviction n Bartow. Following a jury’s decision, he was sentenced to life in prison on February 16, 2017. Carl McCauley is currently serving his life sentence.
Read More: Karen Ann Watson’s Murder: How Did She Die?
