Missouri woman convicted of killing snake breeder husband

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- A woman shot and killed her husband at his snake breeding business in mid-Missouri, a jury decided Thursday.

Lynlee Renick was convicted in Boone County of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the June 2017 death of her husband, Ben Renick, who bred rare and exotic snakes at his business in New Florence.

The jury recommended she serve no more than 13 years for second-degree murder and three years for armed criminal action. A hearing was scheduled for Jan. 24 to finalize the sentences and determine if they will be served concurrently or consecutively.

Renick, who was charged with first-degree murder, testified that an ex-boyfriend, Michael Humphrey, shot her husband after they went to the business so she could ask her husband for a divorce.

Renick acknowledged that she later lied about what happened but said she loved her husband and did not want him to die.

Prosecutors contended that Renick, Humphrey and another woman conspired to kill the victim because Renick was experiencing financial problems at a spa she owned and she was concerned he would gain custody of their children if the couple divorced. Prosecutors said Renick was the sole beneficiary or a $1 million life insurance policy on her husband.

Humphrey has been convicted of first-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing. The other woman involved was not charged.