A former Jefferson City radio talk show host has been convicted in Boston for killing his wife by spiking her sports drink with antifreeze.

James Keown was arrested while hosting his talk show on KLIK in November of 2005. Keown had returned to Jefferson City after the death of his wife, Julie. The couple had moved to the Boston area from Kansas City in January of 2004. Prosecutors contend Keown slowly poisoned his 31-year-old wife over a long period of time to collect on a quarter million dollar life insurance policy. Julie Keown, a registered nurse, had complained of various symptoms…vomiting, nausea and slurred speech…as early as May of 2004. She slipped into a coma while hospitalized. Doctors discovered too late that her system contained ethylene glycol, the poisonous substance found in anti-freeze.

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Sydney Hanlon handed down the mandatory sentence, life in prison. In court, Hanlon said to Keown, "I am truly in the presence of an evil human being." Hanlon expreessed hope that the life prison sentence might "bring some peace, some closure and some justice to those who loved Julie Keown."

Keown did not speak during sentencing. He was led away in handcuffs. Keown did look back at his mother, who sat weeping in the courtroom.

Download/listen David Sprague reports (:60 MP3)