A little over three years and three months after Jeffrey Wade Chapman shot and killed Damon Galyardt in Barton County, Chapman has been charged guilty of murder in the first degree.
The jury handed over their verdict late Thursday afternoon at the Barton County Courthouse.
Chapman was charged with the murder of Galyardt on November 11, 2011 when he fatally shot Galyardt and left him in a ditch southwest of Great Bend. Galyardt’s body was discovered the next day by hunters.
Defense attorney Kurt Kerns attempted to receive a lesser charge, saying Chapman killed Galyardt out of self defense. Galyardt was engaged to Summer Hoss, whom at the time of the murder, was three-months pregnant with Galyardt’s baby. Chapman considered Hoss like a younger sister and did not like the way Galyardt, whom was strung out on methamphetamine, was treating Hoss. Through testimonies it was found that Chapman had made threats that he was going to kill Galyardt if he did not start treating Hoss better.
The night of November 11, Chapman went over to Galyardt’s home in Great Bend to discuss his behavior. The defense claimed Chapman committed the murder out of self defense when Galyardt came at Chapman with a knife.
In late spring of 2014, the case gained national attention when Chapman felt the tattooed mirror-image letters spelling out the word “murder” across his neck might negatively affect a jury. The defense attorney wanted a tattoo artist to remove or cover up the tattoo but it was ruled that Chapman would only be allowed to wear a turtleneck or piece of clothing to hide the tattoo.
It took three days for the jury to be selected in the case that started last Monday. Testimony began last Thursday and the court heard the closing arguments on Tuesday. After two full days of deliberations, the 12-member jury decided Chapman was guilty of murder in the first degree.
Kerns requested that the jury be polled and each of the 12 members confirmed they agreed with the verdict.
Chapman’s bond has been revoked. There is no scheduled date for Chapman’s sentencing although it will likely happen within 60 days.