13 December 2019 :

Lee County Jury Recommends Death for Mark Sievers, 51, White. It’s the first time in 12 years a Lee County jury has recommended the death penalty. The defendant was convicted last week of orchestrating the beating death of his wife Dr. Teresa Sievers, 46. He recruited childhood friend Curtis Wayne Wright, 51, to do it, prosecutors said. This co-defendant in turn recruited Jimmy Ray Rodgers, 29, to help, authorities said. Wright and Rodgers ambushed Dr. Sievers at her home, according to investigators, on June 28, 2015. The victim had been beaten to death. As far as prosecutors were concerned, Mark Sievers was the last man they have to take down to get justice for Dr. Sievers. Wright flipped, pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder, and agreed to testify against his alleged co-conspirators. Rodgers was charged with first-degree murder, but was convicted of second-degree murder last month. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Lee Circuit Judge Bruce Kyle scheduled a Spencer Hearing for Sievers for Jan. 9.