WOMAN GUILTY OF MURDER AT PIG FARM SITE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A woman faces 40 years to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder for shooting an acquaintance to death at an abandoned former pig farm where they lived.

Theresa Kariger, 25, was charged in the July 2004 shooting of 37-year-old Jeffrey Segale, whose body was found by sheriff's deputies in a grave with his foot sticking out of the dirt on the trash-littered property.

While the defense argued that Kariger was a battered woman who acted in self-defense, prosecutors said she killed Segale to gain control of the abandoned property where they both lived north of Fox Airfield.

``It appears she murdered him for control of the property. There was evidence of a number of conflicts between them regarding articles of property at the place,'' Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake said. ``It appears, based on the evidence that came out of the trial, that Theresa Kariger had other uses and plans for the property, and the victim was interfering with that.''

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated about four hours before convicting Kariger last week of the murder charge, with use of a gun, and finding that she had been a felon with a firearm. Her sentencing is set for Oct. 14.

Blake said Kariger and Segale were transients who lived on the abandoned property, the site of two dilapidated houses and piles of junk, for seven to eight months. They had an on-again, off-again sexual relationship, but Kariger denied they were boyfriend and girlfriend, Blake said.

Kariger's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Fred Gagliardini, said he argued that Kariger had been beaten by Segale previously and was sexually assaulted by him on the morning of the shooting.

A defense expert testified Kariger had the characteristics of being a battered woman. She had stayed at a domestic-violence shelter, Gagliardini said.

He said she was behind a couch trying to find a place to hide a gun when Segale jumped up from a mattress where he had been sleeping in front of the couch and confronted her.

She shot him, fearing for her life, Gagliardini said.

Blake said jurors rejected the defense argument for self-defense supported by a theory of battered women's syndrome.

Blake said she was involved with other men at the time of the killing, and people she knew said she could stay with them.

``It's clear, based on the evidence, she had other options - other than returning to the property and staying there,'' Blake said.

Blake said, under one theory, that Kariger shot the victim in the shoulder as he lay on the mattress and then a second time through the top of the head as he was either getting up or rolling over.

Kariger had said she shot him more than once because she didn't want to see him suffer, Blake said.

Segale's body was unearthed July 25 after deputies got a tip that a death had occurred on the property. Authorities believe Segale was killed one to three weeks before the discovery.

Sheriff's investigators said they found evidence of illegal drug use on the property.

Segale had served two short prison sentences in the 1990s for drug possession, state prison records show.

Sheriff's records show Kariger was arrested in April 2004 on suspicion of vandalism causing more than $5,000 damage and was released three days later.

Eight days after her release, she and Segale were arrested by Lancaster deputies on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs. He was released from jail that night, and she was released the next morning.

When she was arrested July 25, she was wanted on a warrant for failure to appear in court.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com