SACRAMENTO, Calif. — We are continuing our investigation into the death of California Highway Patrol Commander Julie Harding and her estranged husband Michael Harding.
Thomas O’Donnell, accused of Michael Harding's murder, remains in Sacramento County Jail awaiting extradition to Cumberland County, Kentucky.
Preston Cleary, a friend of Michael Harding, says he believes O'Donnell was hired by Julie Harding to kill her ex-husband.
"We all believe that she had Mike murdered. [She] hired a guy to have Mike murdered, that he wouldn't know, that he wouldn't suspect,” said Cleary.
We requested an interview with O'Donnell Thursday, but the request was denied. O'Donnell is rejecting all media contact at this time.
Former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness weighed in on this case, stating a "murder-for-hire" scenario could be a possibility.
"I absolutely see this as consistent with a murder-for-hire. I’m not in a position, obviously, to have reviewed all the evidence and draw a conclusion to that end, but I think is part of what has to be eliminated as a possibility,” said McGinness.
A clerk said Kentucky State Police has been handling the majority of the investigation and will likely be the ones to handle O’Donnell’s transfer back. A clerk also said Commonwealth Attorney Jesse Stockton will be assigned the case.
Stockton’s office said because they had not yet seen the case, they could not confirm or deny if Stockton will prosecute.
We are still waiting to hear back from CHP, but according to Appeal Democrat Julie Harding was on leave due to injury.
We know Michael Harding owned a HVAC company but haven’t been able to find much more on him. We reached out to the mother of his two children who lives in the area who tells us they feel there is nothing more to share and “he was an HVAC business owner and just as successful as Julie.”
Watch more from ABC10: Deaths of Yuba-Sutter CHP commander Julie Harding and husband Michael Harding under investigation
