Verna McClain

Case record: Verna McClain

Background

Verna McClain was a Houston woman charged with killing a mother and abducting her newborn son.

McClain was 30.

Investigators said McClain had been pregnant with her fiancé’s child and the couple planned to marry in May. After she suffered a miscarriage, investigators said McClain decided to find another child and convince her fiancé it was his. Authorities described her as seeking a woman with a baby at a pediatric center.

In an interview with KHOU 11 News a few weeks after the shooting, McClain spoke about the crime. McClain said:

"One day, I’m a law abiding citizen, a mother who’s never done anything wrong. The next, I’m a monster," she said.

During much of the jailhouse interview, McClain was described as despondent, breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably in the room.

McClain also said:

"I’m nothing like what these people are making me out to be. I’m the same person everybody knows and loves," said McClain. "Don’t sit and look at me as if I’m some sort of monster. I’m not. Until you know the facts, don’t sit and judge."

McClain also said:

"Right now, I’m so paranoid I don’t know who to trust," said McClain. "Mentally, I’m borderline."

McClain’s mother said she did not believe her daughter would get a fair trial and said:

"I don’t believe Verna’s guilty. There’s laws that constitute people like Verna not being guilty,” Jeannette Jackson said.

The victim’s husband, Keith Schuchardt, reacted strongly to Jeannette Jackson’s remarks. Schuchardt said:

“With what McClain did, my wife didn’t have a fair trial either,” he said. “She didn’t even have a chance.”

The offence

McClain was accused of fatally shooting 28-year-old Kala Golden-Schuchardt outside a pediatric clinic in the Houston suburb of Spring and abducting her 3-day-old son, Keegan.

Authorities said an altercation erupted when McClain confronted Golden as Golden left the Northwood Pediatric Center.

McClain allegedly shot Kala Golden several times, then took the child from the pickup.

Deputies said Golden tried to get the baby away from McClain, and that McClain hit the dying mother with her car as Golden reached into the Lexus and screamed, "My baby!" according to Norris.

An Amber Alert was quickly issued for Keegan, and Golden was rushed to Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands, where she died.

TheBlaze/AP reported that Golden was shot up to seven times and that her son was snatched.

After the killing and abduction, McClain was found with her sister. Investigators said McClain intended to adopt the child.

Investigation

Montgomery County investigators said McClain went to the Northwoods Pediatric Center specifically to find a woman with a baby.

Lt. Dan Norris with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said:

"We think she knew the patterns of the pediatric center because she’d taken her children there in the past," said Lt. Dan Norris with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Gage said:

"An altercation erupted with the suspect. The suspect shot Kala several times, then took the child from the pickup," said Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Gage.

Capt. Bruce Zenor with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said:

"She needed to justify having a child to her [fiancé]," Capt. Bruce Zenor with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said. "And she had led him to believe that she was pregnant and had a child, so she needed a child. She needed to produce a child."

Investigators said Keegan was found unharmed hours later.

In the court proceedings about bond, Det. John Schmitt testified how he first met McClain at an apartment complex, where the getaway car—a powder blue Lexus registered to McClain’s sister—was found. The testimony said the Lexus had blood on the driver’s side door, where Golden had fought for her baby.

Detectives also said they found a bloody pair of pants at the apartments, along with a blood-covered cell phone and a .380 caliber Taurus semi-automatic pistol matching the caliber shell-casings found at the shooting scene.

When McClain was pressed further, deputies said she confessed that she was the one who killed Golden and snatched the child.

Investigators said Texas Rangers found the child at a home where McClain’s parents live around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, and that the baby was with McClain’s sister.

The sheriff’s office said McClain tried to represent Keegan as her own child to family members. McClain’s sister allegedly told authorities McClain had plans to "do the adoption" after taking Keegan.

Linda Golden told the AP that she had been babysitting another of Kala’s sons when someone at the scene called her using her daughter’s cellphone. Linda Golden said:

“I wanted to kiss her before they put her in the ambulance,” Linda Golden said.

TheBlaze/AP said Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that McClain had been arrested and charged with capital murder.

Brett Ligon also said, in connection with McClain’s statements to investigators:

“There were statements as indicated in the arrest record that were made by Ms. McClain that led us to believe that, in fact, this was an intentional act on her part,” Ligon said. “Not that Ms. Golden was targeted specifically, but that this was part of a plan to kidnap a child.”

TheBlaze/AP reported that Ligon made no mention of a man whom witnesses said they saw in the Lexus.

A witness, Joshua Jesson, said he was at the clinic with his girlfriend when he heard gunshots. Jesson said he saw a Lexus next to the pickup truck, and then later looked back and saw the car was gone and a woman lying in the spot where the Lexus had been parked. Jesson said:

“I thought she just passed out. Then somebody ran in here and said, `Somebody got shot,’” he said.

TheBlaze/AP reported that McClain was described as having no prior record and being a licensed vocational nurse registered in the State of California since 2008.

Arrest

McClain was arrested and remained jailed without bond.

Investigators said she remained under 24-hour suicide watch at the Montgomery County Jail after the judge’s decision on bond.

Trial

McClain pleaded not guilty, and her trial date had not been set.

At a court hearing, Montgomery County prosecutors had said they would seek the death penalty against McClain for the April 2012 slaying of 28-year-old Kala Golden-Schuchardt.

At an earlier appearance, Montgomery County District Attorney Bret Ligon said he would seek the death penalty as the ultimate range of punishment. Ligon said:

"It’s a case that could carry the death penalty as the ultimate range of punishment. We feel that we have to ask the defense for any information that would help me in my decision to whether or not we are going to seek the death penalty," said Montgomery County District Attorney Bret Ligon.

Defense attorneys argued McClain should not get the death penalty because she was a mother of three who may have suffered a mental breakdown on the day of the killing.

Defense Attorney Steve Jackson said:

"Back to her grandparents, investigate their lives. Was drug use involved? Mental health issues," said Defense Attorney Steve Jackson.

At the bond hearing, the judge denied bond.

Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said:

"The burden on us is to put forth evidence, that we believe that she would be found guilty of capital murder, but not only would she be found guilty of capital murder but that a jury, if given the task, would in fact come back with a penalty of death. We believe that we met that burden," Ligon said, adding that they have not yet decided if they will actually pursue the death penalty.

Defense attorney E. Tay Bond said:

"I’m disappointed because this is the United States, and bail and bond is a big issue as part of our constitutional protections, and for it to be denied – certainly rare. Certainly rare," defense attorney E. Tay Bond said.

Sentencing

McClain later pleaded guilty in a court hearing in Conroe and received a sentence of life in prison without parole.

Montgomery County prosecutors had said they would seek the death penalty, but after 581 days had passed since the victim’s murder and with no trial date set, the family needed closure.

McClain entered the plea on a Tuesday at a court hearing in Conroe.

In describing the agreement terms, it was stated that there would be no appeals and no parole.

After the sentencing, Kala’s mother Linda Golden said:

“I know she’s going to prison and will never get out, and she did admit to killing my daughter, but I’ll never be over the pain of losing my daughter. Ever,” said Kala’s mother, Linda Golden, following the sentencing.

Golden said the victim’s three children would not have Kala home either. Golden said:

“Kala was our only daughter, but she was so much more to us than that. My heart cries out for her every day. Her 3-year-old sees pictures of Kala and says ‘That’s my mommy and I love her. When is she coming home?’”

Kala’s brother said:

"Kala loved her babies more than life itself and gave her life trying to save her baby from you,” Kala’s brother said after the sentencing. “The amount of emotional damage you’ve inflicted on my entire family is unbearable, the biggest victims in all of this are the tiniest ones; Kala’s babies.”

McClain was sentenced to life in prison without parole on November 19, 2013.

Appeals

The plea agreement included no appeals.

Outcome

McClain pleaded guilty to killing Kala Golden-Schuchardt and abducting her newborn son, Keegan.

Timeline

• April 2012 — Kala Golden-Schuchardt was fatally shot outside a pediatric clinic in Spring and Keegan Schuchardt was abducted.
• April 17, 2012 — McClain was charged with capital murder for allegedly killing Kala Golden Schuchardt and abducting her 3-day-old baby.
• April 18, 2012 — Authorities described McClain as having suffered a miscarriage and having allegedly taken Keegan after the miscarriage; Golden died and Keegan was later found unharmed.
• April 23, 2012 — A Montgomery County Judge denied bond for Verna McClain.
• May 24, 2012 — McClain appeared in court; prosecutors sought information about her past related to whether they would seek the death penalty.
• October 18, 2012 — The Montgomery County District Attorney planned to seek the death penalty for Verna McClain.
• November 19, 2013 — McClain pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Other details

McClain’s plea avoided a possible death sentence by accepting life without parole.

Five generations of Golden-Schuchardt’s family filed into a Montgomery County courtroom to hear McClain plead guilty.

Keegan was described as unharmed when found.

Keith Schuchardt said he was at work when he got the call about the shooting, and by the time he got to the hospital, his wife was dead.

Keith Schuchardt said:

"It’s just a random thing, I think. We don’t have any enemies. I don’t know why anyone would do it. Maybe she lost her baby and wanted a baby … or to sell him. I want to get my baby back. I know that," Schuchardt said.

It was reported that after the abduction, Keegan was placed in CPS custody and later released to unnamed family members late Wednesday morning.

Keegan’s father, Keith Schuchardt, said he had not yet signed Keegan’s birth certificate, complicating the process of getting his child back.

Linda Golden said:

“My son-in-law is trying to get his child, and they got to run background checks on everybody before we can even get our baby back. My daughter’s baby. It was my daughter that was murdered. And it’s just really sad,” said Linda Golden, the victim’s mother.

Early reports from the scene indicated a man might have been in the car; later investigators said they believed McClain acted alone.

Deputies said they were interviewing McClain’s fiancé, who was not named, Wednesday afternoon.

The investigation included the location of a Lexus fitting the description at the Fawn Ridge apartment complex in the 12400 block of Sawmill Rd.

While officers searched for the missing child, McClain showed up and asked to speak to them.

McClain was described as having been pregnant with her fiancé’s child, and authorities said the couple planned to marry in May.

The district attorney said 581 days had passed since the victim’s murder and there was no trial date even set.

The plea agreement terms included no appeals and no parole.