45 YEAR SENTENCE FOR A BRENHAM WOMAN’S MURDER

  

A Washington County man will spend 45 years in prison for a murder committed in September of 2011. .

Thirty-eight year old Michael David Covington pled guilty to murdering Carol Lynn Voelkel last month. District Court Judge Carson Campbell sentenced Covington to 45 years in prison during Tuesday’s session of the 21^st district court after reaching a plea deal with District Attorney Julie Renken, with the agreement with Voelkel family.

In the mid-morning hours of September 10^th, 2011, he broke into her home in the 500 block of Milroy, killed the 67-year old Voelkel, and set fire to her house to hide the crime.  Brenham firefighters were called to the scene just past eight that morning, and discovered her body in the smoke and flames.

 An autopsy and a subsequent investigation from the State Fire Marshal’s office determined that she was indeed murdered but it took a year and a half for Covington to be captured and indicted for the crime.  Covington was indicted on November 7^th 2012.

Several family members were at Tuesday’s court hearing. A spokesman for the family said they hoped Covington would ‘find some humanity’ while serving his 45 year sentence.

Prosecutor Renken spoke after the hearing, saying she was “so pleased to finally help this grieving family a get a little closure. “  She went on to say Covington was a ‘cold blooded killer” and that she agreed with the family in hoping he would ‘find some humanity.’  Renken said as well, that the family can put this behind them without the stress of a long trial and as  a part of the agreement, all appeals have been waived.’  \

Renken also praised the cooperative effort with many agencies working together, never stopping until it was resolved.’

Renken finished by saying “Justice has been served on behalf of Carol Voelkel.’