KENDALL COUNTY, Texas – A San Antonio wills and trust attorney learned her prison sentence after she pleaded guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from six children whose parents died in a 2021 murder-suicide.
Judge Kirsten Cohoon, who presides over Kendall County’s 451st Criminal District Court, sentenced Karen Kay Hogan, 69, to 20 years in prison on June 1, according to a June 5 news release from the Kendall County District Attorney’s Office.
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On March 20, Hogan took a plea deal guilty on charges of misapplication by a fiduciary of $300,000 or more (a first-degree felony) and exploitation of a disabled individual (a third-degree felony), court records obtained by KSAT Investigates show. The oldest of the children has a developmental disability, according to Hogan’s arrest affidavit.
The plea agreement’s punishment ranged from a minimum of probation to a maximum of 20 years in prison. Punishment for both charges are running concurrently.
2021 murder-suicide
On Dec. 31, 2021, Kendall County deputies were dispatched on a disturbance call to a Boerne residence in the 100 block of Ridge Lane.
When they arrived, deputies found Jason Marcus Evans and Emily Elizabeth Fulton Evans dead from gunshot wounds. Investigators determined Jason Evans was the shooter.
The Evans had five daughters and a son, who were inside the home at the time of the shooting. At the time, the couple’s children ranged in age from 4 to 15 years old.
The children are the heirs to the Evans’ estates.
More than $540K taken out of estate accounts
Hogan was appointed as temporary administrator for the estates of Jason and Emily Evans on Nov. 15, 2022, and later appointed dependent administrator for the estates by a Kendall County judge.
On Jan. 9, 2023, a savings and checking account in the name of “ESTATE OF JASON MARCUS EVANS” was opened at a bank with Hogan listed as a joint account owner.
A similar savings and checking account was opened in the name of “ESTATE OF EMILY ELIZABETH FULTON EVANS” at the bank on Nov. 15, 2023 with Hogan listed as a joint account owner.
The opening account balance was slightly more than $400,000 for Jason Evans’ account and slightly more than $24,500 for Emily Evans’ account, according to the affidavit.
On Aug. 5, 2023, Hogan transferred $40,000 from Jason Evans’ account into her business checking account without permission from the court, her arrest affidavit states.
“(Hogan) is not an heir to the Evans estate and is not entitled to these funds in any capacity; said funds are designated for the Evans children,” the affidavit states.
Two days later, Hogan electronically wired $20,000 from her business checking account into an unknown account. On Sept. 8, 2023, Hogan wired another $20,000 from her business checking account into an unknown account, arrest records show.
“(Hogan) has refused to explain the purpose for or the destination of these funds belonging to the Evans children,” the affidavit states.
Hogan continued to misapply funds from estates, according to the affidavit. By November 2023, the remaining balance on Jason Evans’ account was less than $100. By March 2024, Emily Evans’ account had a remaining balance of $9, according to records.
From August 2023 to February 2024, Hogan misapplied $541,550 in total from the estates, the affidavit states. In its June 5 news release, the district attorney’s office said an outstanding balance of $189,678.50 is still owed to the Evans’ estates.
A ‘sweetheart scam’
During the June 1 sentencing hearing, a Kendall County probation officer was called to the stand to tell the court about conversations he had with Hogan after her March guilty plea.
When the probation officer asked Hogan about her finances, he said she was “unwilling or unable to provide clear information about her finances,” the news release said. Hogan had a San Antonio home in the Monte Vista neighborhood valued at approximately $575,000.
Hogan, according to the probation officer. “accepted guilt for the most part.” However, she also blamed her decisions on multiple factors including:
- the deaths of loved ones
- her mental decline due to a brain tumor
According to Kendall County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Thomas “Butch” Matjeka, Hogan said she fell victim to a “sweetheart scam” by someone she met online and developed a romantic relationship with.
Matjeka told the court the money was stolen and transferred to “places and individuals in California and other places” not connected to the Evans’ estates. The sheriff’s office attempted to track down where Hogan said she sent the money, but investigators were not able to find the person she was romantically linked to.
Prosecutors asked Matjeka if Hogan expressed any remorse for her actions or concern for the children. Matjeka said she didn’t express remorse and “seemed more concerned for herself,” the news release said.
Closing arguments and sentencing
During the state’s closing argument, Kendall County Prosecutor Nicole Bishop asked Judge Cohoon to give Hogan the maximum 20-year prison sentence.
“If she really cared about those kids, she would have paid the restitution immediately, and she did not. I have zero confidence, and I don’t believe this court should have any confidence, that she will pay that money back,” Bishop told the court, according to the release. “She’s playing games. And you know what the prize is for playing those games? Go to prison.”
In addition to the 20 years in prison and the order to pay $189,678.50 in restitution, Cohoon assessed Hogan an additional $5,000 fine.
“This is the hardest case I’ve presided over because I can’t understand such a break of trust to your clients and to the whole system we work for,” Cohoon told Hogan during sentencing. “You haven’t made any attempts thus far to make the children somewhat whole. I’m disgusted because the first thing that should have been done was to try in some form to right a wrong against kids who have suffered immensely, and then one more event of suffering from a person they should trust. Mrs. Hogan, make these children whole again.”
Bishop later apologized to county residents for Hogan’s plea deal.
“If I had known then what I learned at the sentencing hearing, that deal would never have been made,” Bishop said in the news release.
Texas State Bar records show Hogan previously surrendered her law license.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide, call 988 or text TALK to 741-741.
You can also reach out to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) or the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) at 210-223-7233 (SAFE) or 800-316-9241. You can also text NAMI to 741-741.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.
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