Jury finds New Caney boat shop owner guilty of roommate's 2019 murder

NEW CANEY, Texas (KTRK) -- The former owner of a New Caney boat shop was found guilty on Monday of his roommate's 2019 murder and sentenced to life in prison for her death.

According to the Montgomery County district attorney's office, Jimmy Don Lane, 58, was the owner of 59 Marine -- a boat shop. The victim, Tina Cappa, worked for the shop as its bookkeeper and was also Lane's roommate.

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Prosecutors said Lane and Cappa got into an argument on March 8, 2019, and Lane had been drinking heavily throughout the day.

Around 8:45 p.m., Lane reportedly called 911 and said he shot an intruder that had come into his home.

When officers arrived at the home along Highway 59 at Payne Road, they found that Lane had shot Cappa in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun.

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During the trial, Lane testified that the shooting was an accident. He claimed he and Cappa heard voices outside and suspected someone had come onto their property to steal from the business.

Lane said he retrieved the shotgun from his bedroom and was walking toward Cappa when he tripped, and the shotgun discharged, hitting and killing his roommate.

However, the state refuted his claims, pointing out that Lane's story had changed multiple times.

A crime scene investigator with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office analyzed bloodstain patterns found at the scene and called Lane's account "ludicrous," the DA's office said.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office determined that Lane had threatened to kill other people with firearms on at least two different occasions, and even pulled a firearm on another person in the past.

After hearing the argument that Lane intentionally killed Cappa, it took the jury only one hour to deliberate and reach a guilty verdict.

They deliberated for one more hour before deciding to impose the maximum sentence -- life in prison.