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  • Alec McNaughton and murdered wife, Cathy Mendenhall McNaughton.

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January 28, 2011

Former Enid attorney is the subject of ‘48 Hours Mystery’ program tonight

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle

Former Enid attorney Alec McNaughton will be the subject of a CBS “48 Hours Mystery” program beginning at 9 tonight.

McNaughton was sentenced to life in prison after a Coweta County (Ga.) Superior Court jury found him guilty of murdering his wife, Cathy Mendenhall McNaughton, on Feb. 15, 2009.

McNaughton was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to life in prison on both murder counts and sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault in August 2010, according to reports from the Times-Herald newspaper in Coweta County, which has been covering the investigation and trial.

A jury deliberated McNaughton’s fate for most of one day before returning with a guilty verdict.

The trial featured some interesting twists, including testimony from McNaughton’s ex-wives. McNaughton also testified in his own defense. The trial also referenced McNaughton’s time in Enid through that testimony.

The trial went through testimony about McNaughton’s alleged violent past with his ex-wives and others. The prosecution had alleged McNaughton killed his wife “in a fit of rage” at the couple’s rural home, then cleaned up the murder scene before leaving for another town to visit his mother.

The prosecution also alleged McNaughton tried to cover up the crime by coming back to the home later and calling authorities, saying he had found his wife murdered.

Correspondent Richard Schlesinger speaks with McNaughton during the program, which examines another possible suspect in Mendenhall McNaughton’s murder, her ex-husband, Gary Mendenhall.

The show will air on channel 9 for cable subscribers in the Enid area.

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