Kovacich sentenced to 27 years to life

ROSEVILLE – In a tense courtroom, former Placer Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Kovacich Jr. was sentenced Friday to 27 years to life in prison for killing his wife. In January, a jury convicted Kovacich of first-degree murder with the personal use of a firearm in the Sept. 8, 1982 death and disappearance of his wife, Janet Kovacich.When it came time for Judge Mark Curry to hand down the hefty sentence, his tone was firm as he told the defendant as an impartial viewer that he was convinced Kovacich had killed his wife. Curry said he had never heard of the investigation or the Kovaciches until he was assigned the case about a year and a half ago. "I heard the testimony and I did what I could to make it a fair trial," Curry said to an almost full Roseville courtroom Friday. "At the conclusion of the trial, I too was convinced that this gentleman murdered his wife." He described Paul Kovacich's crime as cold, calculated, vicious in nature and selfish – for those reasons he denied probation. "The defendant in my view had the good fortune of living free for the past 26 years," Curry said. "Now it's time for justice to be served." But Paul Kovacich's children, John and Kristi Kovacich, earlier expressed their utter lack of faith in a justice system they claim sent an innocent man to prison for a crime they are convinced he did not commit. Before and during the trial, the children have remained silent as a result of a court-imposed gag order. Friday was one of the first times they spoke in public about their father and the investigation into their mother's disappearance. "As sad as it sounds, sometimes I wish I could think he was guilty," Kristi Kovacich said. "At least I could finally know the truth." Both children said their father was terrific in raising them and that they had never once seen any sort of violent nature. They said he spoke fondly of their mother and many of her keepsakes were still in their possession. Kristi Kovacich, who was 7 and her brother 5 when their mother disappeared, said she was angered by rumors that she and her brother didn't think of or love their mother.Kristi said her father was at every event in their lives from soccer games to graduations, to learning how to put her hair in pigtails and making lunches for school. When Kristi was speaking, Paul Kovacich bowed his head and shut his eyes. "Things were really tough for my dad," Kristi Kovacich said. "I could tell he was really hurting inside." John Kovacich spoke about how the investigation was never fair and how the case was wrongly prosecuted. He said no one in law enforcement "looked enough" to truly find out what happened to his mother. "My mom was taken from us, but not by our dad," John Kovacich said. He said their "raw" emotions have ranged from anger to distrust. "My sister and I have endured a great deal over the past several years over the prejudice in this investigation," John Kovacich said. Paul Kovacich's attorney, public defender John Spurling, said also voiced his disgust with the investigation. "I've been practicing criminal defense for 20 years and in my entire career I have never seen a case so disgracefully investigated and despicably prosecuted," Spurling said. Paul Kovacich also took the opportunity to speak. He stumbled through trying to vocalize 90 pages of notes on yellow legal pad paper in a limited amount of time. He said there were many leads that could've exonerated him that were never carefully investigated by law enforcement. Important information was never revealed in trial, either, he said. He said he was not a violent person and never hurt his wife. He said when he looks at his daughter today he sees his wife. When he looks at his son, he sees his wife's tenderness."The bottom line, your honor, is I don't know what or who to believe," Paul Kovacich said regarding the investigation into his wife's disappearance. "I do know that I love my wife and I would never harm her." Janet Kovacich's brother, Gary Gregoire, strongly disagreed. He said when his parents first told him his sister was missing, he knew Paul Kovacich was involved. He said Paul Kovacich hid behind his badge as a Placer Sheriff's sergeant and his "distorted rationalization of his church." "Paul's cowardice allows him to continue to deceive his children, forcing them to continue to suffer," Gary Gregoire said. "That is not the love of a father. He has destroyed so many parts of so many people's lives." Prosecutors Suzanne Gazzaniga and Dave Tellman played a photomontage of Janet Kovacich.Afterward, Gazzaniga discussed how Paul Kovacich's actions "plagued" the community and "tarnished" the respect of his law enforcement position. "It is not only his failure to take responsibility for this injustice but his continued deception," Gazzaniga said in explaining why the defendant deserved the maximum sentence.Outside of the courtroom, Tellman said a just sentence was served for a "heinous, heinous crime."Gazzaniga agreed that the sentence was appropriate and just in this case. Inside the courtroom, Gazzaniga had talked about how Janet Kovacich's family has suffered immensely from Paul Kovacich's crime. "Nothing kills the spirit of a human being more than the loss of a loved one," Gazzaniga said. It was then that she implored Judge Curry to apply the harshest sentence possible in the name of justice for Janet, her family and the community. "Please," Gazzaniga said, "put the spirit of a young mother, who loved her children and who never left her children, to rest."The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment.