Pittsburg man sentenced to 75 years to life in wife’s murder

MARTINEZ — In 2019, Kevin Easter got a second chance at freedom when an appeals court overturned his conviction of murdering his wife inside their home.

But in the end, the successful appeal turned into bad luck for the 59-year-old Pittsburg resident. This time around, Easter was sentenced to 75 years to life — 10 years more than what he received after his first conviction. Contra Costa Judge David Goldstein handed down the sentence on Feb. 17.

Prosecutors retried the case and last December, a jury convicted Kevin Easter, once again, of murdering 52-year-old Janice Easter.

The killing happened on Aug. 7, 2013, while Janice Easter was attempting to kick him out of their home on Army Street in Pittsburg. She was shot five times, and her body was found on a couch in the residence. After the murder, Kevin Easter feigned shock and had a relative take him to the police department to inquire how she died, and ditched the gun on his way over, authorities say.

Easter was originally convicted of murder in 2015. In 2019, an appellate court ruled that a Contra Costa judge was wrong to ignore signs that Easter’s mental health had deteriorated to the point that he couldn’t assist his attorney shortly before the start of his trial. Easter had been diagnosed with schizophrenia but had been previously found competent to stand trial.