Puxico woman gets life for husband's murder; threats made in courtroom after sentencing

KENNETT, Mo. — A Puxico, Missouri, woman will spend the rest of her life in prison after being sentenced Thursday in connection with the 2013 shooting death of her husband, who she killed because “something” told her to “end him.”

Minutes after Victoria Lee Isaac was sentenced, she and Betty Taylor, who earlier had testified on behalf of her sister, began shouting obscenities. Threats were made against the victim’s family and court personnel, the prosecutor said.

Isaac, 51, had appeared with her attorney, Patti Tucka with the public defender’s office, before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer for sentencing after pleading guilty Nov. 7 to second-degree murder and felony armed criminal action.

At the time of her plea, Isaac admitted to causing the death of her husband, Chris Isaac, 43, by shooting him in the head 11 times with a .22-caliber handgun while he was sleeping on the couch at their home in the 300 block of North Church Street.

“We presented the testimony of eight family members; it included the victim’s father and siblings,” Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver said. “They expressed their hurt; this was their sister-in-law and daughter-in-law. They had been around (Victoria Isaac) a long time. They expressed the hurt of losing both her and Chris from this.”

Oliver said the family members “couldn’t understand why she would do this. She made no statements, gave no explanations.”

Testifying for the defense, Oliver said, was Victoria Isaac’s sister, Betty Taylor, and her husband.

Oliver said the defense didn’t ask for a specific number of years but requested “some sort of mercy based on her mental-health problems.”

The judge sentenced Isaac to life in prison for the murder and 25 years for armed criminal action, to be served consecutively, Oliver said.

Oliver said the Isaac family and Puxico community “lost a good man. I pray that the sentence will bring this family some peace and closure.”

When Thursday’s hearing concluded, Victoria Isaac and her sister “basically stood up and started screaming obscenities in the courtroom. Her sister was basically threatening the life and safety of the victim’s family, as well as court personnel,” Oliver said.

Oliver said the three court bailiffs struggled with Victoria Isaac to restrain her.

As the struggle occurred, “the sister then leaves out the back of the courtroom,” Oliver said.

“All of the witnesses there in the courtroom to this event, all completed witness statements,” Oliver said. “It’s my understanding, (those statements) will be submitted to the Dunklin County prosecutor for consideration” of charges against Taylor.

Oliver described what happened as “the most bizarre and fairly concerning event that I’ve seen happen in the courtroom.”

Pertinent address:

Puxico, Mo.