Karen Tobie

Background

Karen Tobie was convicted of paying a man $4,000 to kill her husband, John Cataneo. The case involved the shooting death of John Cataneo on his front porch in June 2004 and the hiring of his plumber’s assistant to carry it out.

At the time of the sentencing hearing coverage, jurors had recommended life in prison without the possibility of parole, sparing Tobie a trip to death row. Tobie’s attorneys said she was helping other inmates learn to read and write inside the jail, and that she pledged to do nothing but good work for the rest of her life.

The victim’s mother, Phyliss Cataneo, reacted to the sentence by saying she still did not buy the outcome and that Tobie was “not doing any good out there.” Phyliss Cataneo said: “I don’t think she knows how to tell the truth, to be honest with you.”

During the sentencing proceedings, a defense attorney asked the jury to consider that both a “good Karen” and a “bad Karen” existed. The “bad Karen” was described as existing when Tobie was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and the defense urged the jury to look at what Tobie had become since she had been clean and sober while living in the structured environment of prison.

The sentencing coverage included statements from the defense attorney and the assistant state attorney about the appropriate punishment, and references to Tobie’s family testimony about possible psychological problems, including that she had told them she heard voices in her head.

The offence

John Cataneo was shot to death on his front porch. Police said there were several inconsistencies in interviews with Tobie and Blake, both of whom had moved to Seattle soon after the shooting.

Police said Cataneo was fatally shot on the front porch of his duplex on the evening of June 30. His mother, Ann Cataneo, said there was a knock on the door and her son answered and walked outside. Ann Cataneo heard four or five loud popping noises, according to the police report. Police said her son was shot four times at close range with a .22-caliber gun.

Prosecutors said Tobie wanted John Cataneo dead so she could collect insurance money. Police said Cataneo had taken out a $500,000 insurance policy before his death, and that the policy was financially intended to ensure the future of his 2-year-old son. Police said Tobie was the beneficiary of the policy.

Jurors recommended that Tobie serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole for orchestrating the murder of John Cataneo so she could collect $500,000 in life insurance.

Investigators said Tobie offered Cooper $30,000 to kill her husband. Testimony also described a $4,000 asking price for murder, and the jury was told Tobie planned to pay Cooper with her husband’s insurance money.

Prosecutors and witness testimony described a planned sequence in which Tobie initially planned to do the shooting herself, but the gun she bought jammed during a test fire. Witness testimony then described Tobie going to co-defendant Ty Cooper and asking him to do the job. Witness testimony also stated that Tobie feared Cataneo was going to divorce her and relocate with the couple’s son.

The couple’s 4-year-old boy was living with Cataneo’s surviving family members at the time of sentencing coverage.

Investigation

Police arrested Karen Lynn Tobie, her friend, Lynne Marie Blake, and Tysjohaun Verdell Cooper on first-degree murder charges on Friday, in relation to the June 30 killing of John Cataneo.

Police Cmdr. Mark Barker described the motive as greed, saying: “This heinous crime can be summed up in one word - greed.”

Detective Joe Borelli testified that the shooter had worked with Cataneo for 10 months as a plumber’s assistant.

The investigation included focus on the testimony of an admitted accomplice, Lynne Blake, who told authorities that she, Cooper, and Tobie plotted to murder Cataneo because Tobie feared Cataneo was going to divorce her and relocate with the couple’s son.

A witness described wearing a wire to help investigators close in on Tobie. The witness testimony described Blake as an ex-friend and included Blake’s statements about being bullied and about the plan to kill Cataneo.

Arrest

Police arrested Karen Lynn Tobie, her friend, Lynne Marie Blake, and Tysjohaun Verdell Cooper on first-degree murder charges Friday in the June 30 killing of John Cataneo.

Tobie and Blake were being held without bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail. Cooper was already at the jail on an unrelated charge.

Trial

The trial included testimony about both sentencing and guilt phases.

During sentencing hearing coverage, both of Karen Tobie’s adoptive parents took the stand. They described “good Karen,” who was always looking out for others, and “bad Karen,” described as the wild child living on the edge. There were tears during testimony and, for the first time, a hint of emotion from Karen Tobie as she sat in court.

Tobie’s father, Harold Tobie, spoke of possible psychological problems and said she told them she heard voices in her head. Harold Tobie said: “Karen didn't cry, and I knew that she knew that it was kind of the end of the trail,” describing that he visited her at the jail. Harold Tobie’s comments were presented as part of the sentencing proceedings.

During closing arguments, Defense attorney Jeffery Dowdy asked the jurors to consider that both a “good Karen” and a “bad Karen” exist and that the latter only existed when Tobie was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Dowdy also argued that Tobie had changed since she had become clean and sober while living in the structured environment of prison.

Dowdy said: “That Karen Tobie, that self-destructive Karen Tobie, is dead. She is gone,” and: “This life is worth saving, she deserves a vote for life,”.

Assistant State Attorney Ed Davis argued that death was the only appropriate sentence for the “cold-blooded killer.” Davis said: “This is not about a good Karen or a bad Karen,” and: “This is one defendant who has done good things and bad things, and one of those was making the horrific choice of having her husband murdered.”

Davis also said that although addictions to drugs and alcohol and coping with depression were nothing to dismiss, most people who suffer these problems do not commit crimes. Davis said: “This is about what a 39-year-old adult did at that point in her life, and that's what we are her to focus on,” and: “Lots of people have an alcohol problem, but there is a large leap between being an alcoholic and planning a hitman for hire murder.”

Regarding guilt, Tobie was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy for hiring her husband’s plumber’s assistant, Tysjohaun Cooper, to kill him on June 30, 2004. The coverage described Tysjohaun Cooper as the convicted triggerman.

The coverage stated that Tysjohaun Cooper, 26, was also convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder. The coverage also stated he faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors focused the guilt phase on testimony from admitted accomplice Lynne Blake. Blake told authorities that she, Cooper, and Tobie plotted to murder Cataneo because Tobie feared divorce and relocation with the couple’s son.

In witness testimony, Blake said: “She said that she was going to have to find somebody to kill John. Tyshon mad some sort of gesture. 'I'm your man,'” and: “She said that she was right next door when the shots rang out and she knew her friend's plan had actually happened.” Blake also said: “I heard him gasp his last breath,”.

Blake’s testimony also included: “She told all. She said she was tired of him bullying her and it was time for him to die,” and: “She said that she was going to have to find somebody to kill John.”

Sentencing

A judge accepted the jury’s recommendation in the sentence for Karen Tobie.

On February 6, 2007, the judge said: “You, Karen Tobie, are herby committed to the Florida Department of Corrections for the remainder of your life without the possibility of parole.”

The judge weighed factors including the jury’s recommendations and agreed with them.

The jury recommendation described that Tobie would serve a life sentence without the possibility of parole for orchestrating the murder of John Cataneo to collect $500,000 in life insurance. The sentencing proceedings were described as short.

Tobie’s lawyers asked for lenience. They said she was helping other inmates learn to read and write inside the jail and stated she had pledged to do nothing but good work for the rest of her life.

The jury had decided to spare Tobie a trip to death row but decided she should never again be free.

Tobie’s convicted triggerman, Ty Cooper, was also found guilty in late January. His sentencing had not yet been scheduled at the time of one of the reports.

At the time of another report, a jury had been hearing testimony to decide whether to sentence Tobie to death. That report stated Tobie was found guilty of hiring a man to shoot her husband to death in 2004, and that the jury took two days to come up with the guilty verdict.

Appeals

No appeal information was included.

Outcome

Karen Tobie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on February 6, 2007.

The sentencing decision was presented as life on the outside being over for Tobie.

Aftermath

Phyliss Cataneo, the victim’s mother, commented that she got what she deserves and that she still did not buy it. She said: “She's not doing any good out there,” and: “I don’t think she knows how to tell the truth, to be honest with you.”

The coverage also stated that the couple’s 4-year-old boy was living with Cataneo’s surviving family members.

Other details

Police said Tobie and Blake had moved to Seattle soon after the shooting.

Police said Cataneo was shot four times at close range with a .22-caliber gun.

The police report described inconsistencies in interviews with Tobie and Blake.

The reports described Karen Tobie as 41 at one point during sentencing coverage and as 39 in another context, and they described Ty Cooper as 26.

In one report, police said Tobie, age 39, offered Cooper $30,000 to kill her husband. In another account of witness testimony, $4,000 was described as the asking price for murder.