25 to Life for Strip Club Owner Who Ordered Partner’s Death

An Orange County judge Tuesday sentenced a former California Highway Patrol officer to 25 years to life in prison for ordering the murder of his business partner in 1989, a crime solved more than a decade later when the hit man confessed.

A jury convicted Michael Woods of first-degree murder last year for paying $50,000 to have his partner in a string of Los Angeles County strip clubs killed.

Superior Court Judge Kazuharu Makino declined to give Woods the maximum sentence, life in prison without parole, saying he thought it was out of line with the 20-year sentence the confessed hit man received.

The investigation into the slaying of Horace “Big Mac” McKenna, a bodybuilder and former CHP officer, stalled for more than a decade until the triggerman confessed and agreed to work undercover for investigators.

After a 10-month investigation, detectives arrested Woods, his new business partner, David Amos, and detailed the duo’s alleged arrangement with John Sheridan, the gunman. Both Amos and Sheridan received 20-year sentences.

Judge Makino said he reduced Woods’ sentence to bring a sense of equity to the case. Sheridan, who admitted using an Uzi machine gun to kill McKenna, might have received the death penalty if not for the agreement with prosecutors, the judge noted.

‘Who Do You Give

the Break to?’

Woods’ lawyers were highly critical of the investigators’ arrangement with Sheridan, who was allowed to remain out of custody for nearly a year while helping build a case against Woods and Amos. They contended during the trial that Amos and Sheridan lied about Woods’ involvement to get leniency.

“It’s the old case of who do you give the break to? It’s my opinion they gave it to the worst person, a sociopath killer who I believe would not hesitate to kill again,” said Woods’ attorney, Richard Hirsch.

With credit for good behavior, Woods, 59, will be eligible to apply for parole in about 12 years. Amos and Sheridan are eligible for parole in less than 10 years.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Bruce Moore said he was satisfied with the sentence, but declined further comment.

During the trial, Moore argued that Woods wanted McKenna dead so he could gain control of the strip clubs both men operated. Woods and McKenna met while assigned to the Highway Patrol’s West Los Angeles division in the 1960s.

Amos testified at the trial that Woods paid him $50,000 to arrange McKenna’s murder. Amos said he paid Sheridan $25,000 to commit the killing.

After McKenna’s death, Amos became 40% owner of Woods’ strip clubs.