AUSTIN, Texas (Court TV) — To outsiders, the Scaggs' 35-year relationship seemed the epitome of a happy marriage. Louanne Ehrle "Penny" Scaggs was known for her course on "being a good wife" that she taught at the First Evangelical Free Church of Austin. Her husband, Roger Scaggs, was a well-respected church elder.

But on the evening of March 6, 1996, Penny was bludgeoned with a metal pipe as she played her red baby-grand piano. Nine days later, Roger was arrested and charged with her murder.

Roger and Penny met at the University of Tulsa in 1960. The couple spent a brief time in Asia, where Roger served in the Air Force. In 1972, they adopted a daughter, Sarah.

In 1983, the couple moved to Austin with Roger's company, American Physician Services Group (APS). Scaggs was founder and president of APS Systems -- a data processing subsidiary of APS.

In Austin, the couple became active members of their church. Penny became involved with the Sunday school and taught a bi-annual nine week class on how to be a good wife. She also taught beauty and household chores. Roger became a church elder and a devout church member.

Most of their friends and neighbors believed the couple had a good marriage. One neighbor has described Penny as a "caring, loving person" who made her home a sanctuary to others in need. According to another friend, Judy Murphy, Roger was a sensitive, gentle man. Murphy, who knew the couple for 20 years has said that she never saw any problems in the Scaggs' marriage.

On the night of March 6, 1996, Penny cooked Roger dinner and then went to play her piano. Between 7:00 and 7:15 p.m., Roger went back to his office.

Roger claims that when he returned after 9:00 p.m., he found Penny slumped over the piano. Investigators later discovered that she had been bludgeoned with a metal pipe and stabbed eight times. Her jewelry was missing.

Authorities found Roger at a neighbor's house. While he quickly signed a police consent form to have his house searched, authorities say they became suspicious since Roger was strangely subdued. Nine days later, he was arrested for his wife's murder.

The state alleges that Roger killed Penny after dinner, cleaned up the mess and then went to work to dispose of the evidence. Authorities have recovered a metal pipe, a knife, Penny's jewelry and a pair of bloody gloves from the dumpster on the lot of APS Systems. Finger prints in the gloves matched Roger's.

The prosecution also claims that the real Roger Scaggs is a very different person than the man his friends and neighbors say they knew. They claim Roger was having an affair with a 26-year-old employee, had recently sold $250,000 of APS stock and had filed an insurance claim for Penny's jewelry soon after her murder.

The defense maintains that Roger is a good, religious man who is incapable of this crime.

Roger Scaggs is charged with murder. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

The Verdict

After more than eight hours of deliberations, the jury found Scaggs guilty on Nov. 14, 1998. Two days later, the same panel sentenced him to 32 years in prison and fined him $10,000.