Donald Gower Donald Dean Gower, 40, of Copperas Cove is set for a jury trial beginning Monday on a charge of capital murder.

Gower was indicted by a Lampasas County Grand Jury last year in connection with the death of his wife, Hidi Ann Gower, in July 2007.

Mrs. Gower, a 31-year-old Copperas Cove resident, was murdered at the Kempner VFW in east Lampasas County.

Law enforcement officials said Mrs. Gower was the victim of a murder-for-hire plot instigated by her husband. Officials learned that Gower had been planning to kill his wife so he could collect on an insurance policy she held.

Mrs. Gower was found shortly after 9 p.m. July 4, 2007, in the VFW parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. She was flown to Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Gower was arrested by officers with the Riley County Police Department in Manhattan, Kan., at a motel there shortly after his wife's death. Officials said Gower was in Kansas to attend his wife's funeral.

An investigation was conducted by Lampasas County Sheriff's Investigator David Thorp, Major Crimes Task Force Investigators John Seery and Charlie Boswell, and Texas Ranger Jesse Ramos. Officers from multiple agencies also assisted.

Hidi Gower They recovered a vast amount of evidence in the case, including a .45-caliber revolver believed to be the murder weapon, Sheriff Gordon Morris said.

Officers also seized two vehicles used during commission of the crime.

In addition to Gower, Chaka Romain Johnson was arrested in connection with Mrs. Gower's death. He was found guilty of capital murder in a June jury trial.

Johnson's conviction carried an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole.

Others arrested in connection with the death include Copperas Cove residents Jeremiah John Ellison, 25, who is set for a Sept. 26 pretrial hearing in 27th District Court; Regina Edwards-Sample, 25; and John Robert Martinez, 27, who remains in jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

Gower is in the Lampasas County Jail on a $1.25 million bond.

He has pleaded not guilty to capital murder.

Gower is being represented by John Galligan of Belton, a courtappointed attorney.

Lampasas County District Attorney Larry Allison will prosecute the case, assisted by John Greenwood, assistant district attorney.

Court action will begin at 9 a.m. in the 27th District Courtroom of the Lampasas County Courthouse with Judge Joe Carroll presiding.

If found guilty of the capital murder charge, Gower faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Jury selection is first on the agenda, and Allison said he expects Martinez, Ellison and Regina Edwards-Sample to testify in the case.

Ms. Edwards-Sample, who was arrested in connection with the case in July 2007, had her charges dismissed by the district judge who determined Ms. Edwards-Sample did not do anything to promote or assist in the offense, said Allison.

The county attorney expects Ellison and Martinez to enter pleas. No trial dates have been set for either defendant.