Ex-Oakland Policeman Who Said Wife Nagged Him Convicted in Her Murder

A former police officer who said his wife’s nagging made him strangle her was convicted of murder.

Keith Carlen, who had spent 22 years on Oakland’s police force, cried as the jury returned the verdict Thursday. His lawyer had argued for a voluntary manslaughter conviction, saying the killing was an unplanned crime of passion.

Carlen, 48, testified that his wife of 15 years, Carol Ann, had nagged and dominated him for years. He said that on the day he strangled her, she had been bothering him about making frivolous mail order purchases and said she wanted to take their long-planned vacation to Germany alone.

He said he strangled her in their Alameda home, put her body in the trunk of her car and drove it to an industrial part of Oakland. He spray-painted the word “War” in bright orange paint on the car, then reported his wife missing. Prosecutors said Carlen tried to make the murder look like a gang killing.

Carlen will be sentenced Jan. 17. He faces 25 years to life in prison.