Charges dropped against first woman indicted for capital murder in Hardin County

KFDM News has learned charges have been dropped against the first woman indicted for capital murder in Hardin County.

Patricia Podhorsky was indicted for capital murder as well as murder and four counts of criminal solicitation in connection with the December 2000 killing of Bennett Jones, 72.

Jones owned a mobile home park on Highway 327 west of Silsbee.

Jones' body was found in the bathroom of his home. He had been stabbed several times in the head, neck and chest.

Podhorsky was indicted in January of 2003.

Wednesday she learned the charges against her had been dropped by new Hardin County District Attorney David Sheffield. Sheffield wasn't the D.A. at the time of the homicide.

Doug Barlow, the attorney for Podhorsky, said she didn't commit the crime and there wasn't evidence to pursue the case against her.

"We've evaluated the evidence over the past years and have turned down certain plea offers that have been extended by the prior district attorneys," Barlow told KFDM News.  "And we've been insistent on the innocence of my client for these years and we were hopeful for a dismissal and we finally reached that point."  

Barlow says Podhorsky doesn't know who was involved in the killing.

District Attorney David Sheffield told us his office is continuing to follow leads in the homicide.

"The case is taking a turn in a different direction," Sheffield told KFDM News.