What did Michael Owen do? Sentence explored as New York man found guilty of estranged pregnant wife's murder

In a grim turn of events that unfolded in 2020, a 30-year-old New York man, Michael Owen, has been convicted for the brutal murder of his pregnant estranged wife, Kelly Owen. The Nassau County Supreme Court, presided over by Judge Robert A. McDonald, handed down a severe sentence of 25 years to life in a state correctional facility for this crime.

The incident took place when Owen, fueled by a heartless motive, drove to Kelly Owen's apartment and strangled her to death. The reason behind this horrific act was as shocking as the act itself—Michael Owen did not want to bear the financial responsibility of the new baby's health insurance.

Following a thorough legal process, a Nassau County jury delivered a conviction on one count of second-degree murder in July 2023.

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New York Man, Michael Owen, sentenced for brutal murder of pregnant wife

County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly expressed,

“Michael Owen drove to his estranged wife’s house on January 15, 2020, with the intention of killing her. Kelly was a young mother and pregnant with Owen’s child at the time of her brutal murder. She worked with children and had dreams of becoming a nurse. Michael Owen stole those dreams, and now he will pay for his crimes in prison. Our thoughts remain with Kelly’s family as they continue to mourn her loss.”

The Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad in New York arrested Owen on January 28, 2020, launching an investigation.

As the details of the case emerged, it was revealed that Michael and Kelly Owen had married in 2013, had a child together, and separated in March 2018. Despite the separation, they maintained a physical relationship for some time. However, authorities noted that the relationship turned violent, leading to its eventual end.

Kelly Owen, a nursing student with dreams of becoming a nurse, informed Michael of her pregnancy with their second child. Prosecutors disclosed that Michael Owen, grappling with financial difficulties and involved in a new relationship, did not want another child. His reluctance was emotional and financial, particularly concerning the new baby’s medical insurance cost.

Nassau police Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, reflecting on the case, stated,

“He did not want this child. He did not want to give her medical insurance. He had this new relationship he was involved in, and he was in a bad position.”

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Timeline of events in the New York murder

The District Attorney’s Office in New York has provided an account of the events leading to the conviction of Michael Owen for the murder of his estranged wife, Kelly Owen, on January 15, 2020. The crime unfolded in the 1200 block of First Avenue in Farmingdale, within the confines of Kelly's parents' home.

On that fateful morning, Kelly Owen's father walked her 6-year-old son to school, as the parents shared custody of the child. The DA’s Office detailed that Michael Owen, a cell site technician by profession, orchestrated the attack while the apartment was temporarily vacant.

Surveillance footage, a crucial piece of evidence, revealed Michael Owen's presence in the victim’s neighborhood in New York at approximately 9:30 am on the morning of Kelly's death. Disturbingly, he strategically parked his vehicle two blocks away and intentionally turned off his phone to evade detection, making his cellphone location undetectable, as outlined by prosecutors.

Kelly Owen, an aftercare program aide at a local elementary school in New York, typically worked between 3 and 6 pm. A concerned colleague contacted her parents when she failed to call in sick or report for duty on that tragic day. It was then that Kelly's parents discovered her lifeless body inside the New York apartment.

Later, an autopsy confirmed that authorities' description of Kelly Owen's cause of death was strangulation with a "rope-like object." The examination also revealed that she was in the early stages of pregnancy. Further intensifying the gravity of the situation, investigators found Michael Owen's DNA in the vicinity around the victim's neck.

The unfolding tragedy reached its legal conclusion as Michael Owen was convicted of second-degree murder, a felony charge.