Hill v. Robinson

592 S.W.2d 376, 1979 Tex. App. LEXIS 4474
Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided November 29, 1979·No. 1202·Published·Cited by 31 cases

Opinion

MOORE, Justice.

This is a suit brought under the Wrongful Death Statute seeking damages for the murder of Dr. John R. Hill. Appellants, Myra Hill, 1 individually and as executrix of the estate of Dr. John R. Hill, deceased; and Connie Hill, 2 individually and as guardian of Robert Hill, 3 instituted suit against appellees, Davis Ashton Robinson, Lilia Paulus, and Marsha McKittrick, alleging that Dr. Hill was killed as a result of a murder-for-hire conspiracy perpetrated by the appellees. Appellants alleged that Dr. John R. Hill was the victim of a heinous murder-for-hire conspiracy undertaken by the named appellees herein and other unknown co-conspirators. They alleged that appellee, Ash Robinson, who was the former father-in-law of Dr. John R. Hill, secretly met with appellee Lilia Paulus and made a contract for the murder of Dr. Hill. Under this contract, appellee Ash Robinson is alleged to have paid $25,000.00 to appel-lee Lilia Paulus. Appellants alleged that in return appellee Lilia Paulus agreed to and eventually did contact and hire Bobby Wayne Vandiver, and was assisted in her efforts to hire Vandiver by appellee Marsha McKittrick. Appellants alleged that Paulus paid $5,000.00 to Vandiver, and thereafter, on September 24, 1972, Dr. Hill was shot and killed in his home by Vandiver. 4 Appellants further alleged that the conspiracy to murder Dr. Hill was instigated by appel-lee Ash Robinson, who acted out of revenge and hatred for the deceased, Dr. Hill, and that Robinson’s hatred and act of revenge stemmed from the earlier death of his daughter, Joan Robinson Hill, who was the first wife of the deceased. Appellees Ash Robinson and Lilia Paulus answered, denying generally the allegations of the petition. Appellee Marsha McKittrick failed to answer, and an interlocutory default judgment was entered against her.

*379 The case was submitted to the jury upon special issues. Under Special Issue No. 1 the jury was requested to find whether a conspiracy existed between two or more persons, the purpose of which was to take the life of Dr. John R. Hill. In response to the special issue the jury answered: “We do not.” Pursuant to the jury’s finding, the trial court entered a take-nothing judgment against appellants, from which judgment they perfected this appeal. For convenience the parties will sometimes be hereinafter referred to only by their last name.

We affirm.

Dr. John R. Hill, deceased, was originally married to Joan Robinson Hill, daughter of appellee Ash Robinson. Born of the marriage was one son, appellant Robert Ashton Hill. In 1969, Joan Hill became ill with a rather unusual type of illness. She was treated by her husband, Dr. Hill, and subsequently died. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Hill married Ann Kurth. Ash Robinson accused Dr. Hill of having murdered his daughter by placing a poisonous substance in her food. Much bitterness and animosity developed between Robinson and his former son-in-law, Dr. Hill. In 1970, Dr. Hill was indicted and tried for the murder of his former wife, Joan Hill. The case resulted in a mistrial and at the time of Dr. Hill’s death the murder charge was still pending against him.

After divorcing Ann Kurth, Dr. Hill married appellant, Connie Hill, on June 17, 1971. They resided in Dr. Hill’s home in Houston, Texas, along with Dr. Hill’s minor son, Robert Hill. Appellee, Ash Robinson, maintained his residence in Houston as did appellee Lilia Paulus. Robinson had known Paulus for several years, having become acquainted with her at horse shows and riding stables attended by Joan Robinson and the daughter of Mrs. Paulus. As a result, Paulus learned of Robinson’s hatred and bitterness toward Dr. Hill.

In January, 1972, Paulus met appellee Marsha McKittrick, a prostitute, who thereafter occasionally lived in the Paulus home. Paulus sometimes supplied McKittrick with clients. Thereafter, McKittrick met Bobby Vandiver, an ex-convict, and introduced him to Paulus. Vandiver occasionally lived with McKittrick in the Paulus home. During this period, Ash Robinson visited in the Paulus home where he met Marsha MeKit-trick.

On September 24, 1972, the day Dr. Hill was murdered, Myra Hill was staying at the Hill home, caring for Robert Hill while Dr. Hill and Connie Hill were attending a medical convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. At about 7:00 p. m. that evening, McKittrick drove Vandiver from the Paulus home to the Hill home. Vandiver went to the front door and forced his way in at gunpoint. He forced Myra Hill and Robert Hill into the dining room area where they were bound and gagged. Vandiver knew that Dr. Hill and Connie Hill were scheduled to arrive from Las Vegas shortly thereafter. He had been informed by Paulus that Dr. Hill would be carrying a large sum of money. When Dr. Hill and his wife came in the front door, Vandiver announced that it was a robbery and immediately seized the collar of Connie Hill’s dress. A violent struggle ensued, and Vandiver finally shot and killed Dr. Hill. He took the doctor’s wallet and briefcase and fled. He later contacted McKittrick as planned, and they both drove back to the Paulus home. They immediately left for California.

Later, both Paulus and McKittrick were convicted for the murder of Dr. Hill. At that time, Vandiver, although having made bond, was a fugitive. After his arrest, he was offered certain amenities provided he would cooperate. He then made a confession implicating Robinson, Paulus, and McKittrick as co-conspirators. After being released from jail, he was shot and killed by a policeman in Longview, Texas.

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Hill v. Robinson, 592 S.W.2d 376, 1979 Tex. App. LEXIS 4474 (Tex. Ct. App. 1979).

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