California jury convicts elderly women in murder conspiracy

An elderly woman was convicted Wednesday of murdering two homeless men to collect insurance payouts, and she and a co-defendant were found guilty of counts involving conspiracy to murder for financial gain.

Partial verdicts were being read in the case against Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75. The judge decided to take five initial verdicts as the jury struggled with Rutterschmidt's murder counts.

Golay was convicted of the first-degree murders of Kenneth McDavid, 50, in 2005 and Paul Vados, 73, in 1999. Golay was also convicted of the conspiracy counts in both killings.

Rutterschmidt was convicted of conspiracy to murder McDavid for financial gain.

During the verdict readings, the jury was sent back into deliberations to clear up a finding that was unclear.

Prosecutors said the women collected $2.8 million (euro1.76 million) from insurance policies on the lives of two homeless men who were killed in staged hit-and-runs.

The prosecution is not seeking the death penalty.