The Ninja Murder Case

Stewart and Majoy were convicted of double homicide and conspiracy following an emotional trial in which Dixon was able to show that the Homicks had stalked their victims for a year before committing the hit. Stewart didn't testify, but his defense tried to convince the jury that Neil was the guilty party. Meanwhile, Steve Homick had been put on death row in Nevada after being convicted in the triple murder there.

Stewart Woodman

Realizing that the same fate probably awaited him, Stewart agreed to take Dixon's offer of a reduced sentence avoiding the death penalty in exchange for cooperation with the prosecution. "We spent three days locked up in front of a video camera, and he admitted his involvement," Dixon said.

Head Deputy District Attorney Patrick Dixon

Stewart admitted that he and Neil had planned the murders and then hired Homick to carry them out so they could collect their mother's life insurance benefit. Steve Homick waited in the garage for the Woodmans to return from their family dinner, wearing black pants and a hooded sweatshirt, while his brother and Majoy acted as lookouts. To a brief glance, Homick had indeed looked like a ninja warrior.

Stewart said he had met Homick during one of his many trips to Las Vegas and had asked the former cop to do the killings because Homick had bragged about being a hit man for the mob.

"Stewart is close to his kids, I think this is why he made the agreement," Dixon said. Throughout the trial, his wife was a constant fixture — a sad figure clad in the latest designer clothes and perfectly coiffed.