Former TV courtroom bailiff Renard Spivey sat down with "48 Hours" contributor Natalie Morales for his first interview since being acquitted of murder, telling his side of a story that began on a July night in 2019 when his wife was found dead in their Houston home.
Background
Spivey spent years as the familiar courtroom bailiff on "Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez," a television show filmed in Texas. The former Harris County Sheriff's deputy and his wife Patricia, 52, lived together at their home in Houston. That changed dramatically shortly after 3 a.m. on July 28, 2019, when police were called to the residence.
When first responders arrived, they found Patricia dead inside a closet with multiple gunshot entry and exit wounds. Spivey, then 63, had sustained a bullet wound to his leg. He told authorities that he and his wife had been arguing and were tussling over his service weapon when it discharged.
Officers grew skeptical of Spivey's account almost immediately. They noted the significant size difference between the couple — Spivey stood 6-foot-3 and weighed around 290 pounds, while Patricia was just 5-foot-6. Investigators also questioned how a firearm could accidentally fire multiple times during a struggle.
"The multiple shots is definitely what gives everyone a lot of pause as to why it's not an accident," CBS News consultant and former prosecutor Lisa Andrews explained.
The Investigation and Trial
Spivey was charged with his wife's murder. According to court documents, he told "48 Hours" that on the night of July 27, 2019, Patricia confronted him about suspected infidelity, questions he denied. Spivey said he became suspicious when she turned away her phone whenever he approached.
"Every time I walk over to her, she turned her phone down and then I was trying to kiss her. She said, 'I'm not kissing you,'" Spivey recalled.
Spivey told investigators that after Patricia fell asleep, he took her phone from the nightstand and went into the closet. When Patricia discovered him, she appeared in the doorway holding his gun and demanding her phone back.
"And then when I turned around and saw her finger on the trigger, I was scared for my life," Spivey said. "When I grabbed the top of the weapon, she pulled back with a finger on the trigger and it went off and shot me in the leg."
The gun fired two more times, striking Patricia in the arm and chest, according to Spivey's account. He called 911 and attempted chest compressions while guided by the operator.
"It was really emotional because the thing is that it's my wife, you know? And you try to save your wife and you've been shot," Spivey said.
Spivey was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Detectives wanted to interview him at the hospital, but he declined, saying he had been advised against providing a statement by his union representative, who was also an attorney.
While awaiting trial, Spivey's attorneys requested bail, which was set at $50,000. He was released on conditions that included barring him from attending Patricia's funeral — a restriction that distressed him deeply.
"That's my wife. I was in love with my wife. Why not be there?" Spivey said. "I just wanted to pay my respects."
Four-and-a-half years passed between the incident and trial. The case finally went before a jury in November 2023. Spivey's defense team included the prominent DeGuerin family of attorneys, led by Dick DeGuerin.
During testimony, Spivey took the stand in his own defense. "I was instructed by my attorneys to do so, because if I didn't, it felt like I was, you know, guilty of something, trying to hide something, which I wasn't," he explained.
DeGuerin demonstrated for Morales how this particular firearm could discharge accidentally — showing the court that there is no external safety on the weapon. "So, if someone's finger is on that trigger, all it takes is a slight pressure and it goes off," DeGuerin explained.
Verdict
After 12 hours of deliberations over two days, the jury returned with a verdict: not guilty of murder.
"I fall to the floor crying. Boohoo crying. My attorneys help pick me up," Spivey described the moment.
In his first television interview following the acquittal, Spivey addressed living with Patricia's death. "I live with it every day," he said, visibly emotional during the conversation that will air in the "48 Hours" special "Deputy Spivey On Trial."
Key Takeaways
- Renard Spivey was acquitted of murder charges in November 2023 after a trial that examined whether his wife's death was accidental or intentional
- The case centered on conflicting accounts: Spivey's claim of an accidental shooting during a struggle versus investigators' skepticism given the multiple gunshots and size difference between spouses
- Defense attorney Dick DeGuerin demonstrated for the jury how the firearm had no external safety, making accidental discharge possible with finger pressure on the trigger
- The jury deliberated 12 hours over two days before finding Spivey not guilty after nearly five years of legal proceedings
- Spivey served as a bailiff on "Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez" before and during his legal battle
What's Next
The "48 Hours" episode "Deputy Spivey On Trial" featuring Spivey's first interview about the case will encore Saturday, May 30 at 10/9c on CBS and Paramount+. While Spivey has been acquitted of criminal charges, the case remains a subject of public interest given his media profile as a television personality.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office, which prosecuted the case, has not indicated whether they plan to pursue any additional legal action or comment publicly on the verdict. CBS News has reached out for further response from prosecutors.