FRESNO (KMJ) – Jury selection begins for a 52 year old Kings County man who’s accused of killing his estranged wife.
Hanford Police found the body of Melanie Pate floating in the backyard swimming pool of the couple’s Hanford home back on September 3rd, 2013.
Her throat had been slashed -her husband todd accused of her murder.
Court records show that Melanie Pate had served her husband with divorce papers several days before she was killed.
The pate’s two children were not home at the time of the incident.
Todd Pate was deemed competent to stand trial back in January of 2014, and a judge ruled there was enough evidence to bring the case to court.
If convicted of the charges including torture–he could face the death penalty.
Opening arguments are expected to start Wednesday, August 10th in Kings County Superior Court.
