Kathy Marie Alfano Augustine (May 29, 1956 – July 11, 2006) was an American politician from
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
. A
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, Augustine served in the
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada, the upper house being the Nevada Senate. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member district ...
(1993–1995) and in the
Nevada Senate
The Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada, the lower house being the Nevada Assembly. It currently (2012–2021) consists of 21 members from single-member districts. In the pr ...
(1995–1999). She was Nevada's first female
State Controller, serving from 1999 until her 2006 death, except for a brief period of suspension during her 2004
impeachment trial
An impeachment trial is a trial that functions as a component of an impeachment. Several governments utilize impeachment trials as a part of their processes for impeachment, but differ as to when in the impeachment process trials take place and how ...
which led to
censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. In parliamentary procedure, it is a debatable main motion that could be adopted by a majority vote. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spi ...
but not termination from office.
[Kathy Augustine Biography, Controller's Office.] She was murdered in 2006 by Chaz Higgs, her fourth husband, who was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
Early life
Augustine was born as Kathy Marie Alfano in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and was
Italian-American
Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...
. Her educational background included a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in political science from
Occidental College, and a
Master of Public Administration degree from
California State University, Long Beach. While in college, she worked in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
as a
Congressional intern. Prior to entering politics, Augustine worked for
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along w ...
as a flight scheduler for twelve years, and briefly as a flight attendant, based out of
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, after 1988.
She had two short-lived marriages, both ending in divorce and one producing her daughter Dallas. Augustine married Delta Air Lines pilot Charles Augustine. They were married for seventeen years until his death from complications of a
stroke on August 19, 2003. She had three stepchildren from her marriage to Charles. Three weeks after his death, she married William Charles "Chaz" Higgs on September 19, 2003, a
critical care nurse who had been involved in Charles Augustine's care.
On August 27, 2012, Dallas Augustine killed her wife, Jessie McCaskill, before killing herself at their
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...
home in a
murder-suicide.
Political career
From 1993 to 1995, Augustine served one term in the
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada, the upper house being the Nevada Senate. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member district ...
. During the
1992 campaign, she was criticized for a campaign advertisement featuring a bad photograph of her
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...
opponent (the same photograph, however, was used by her opponent in her own campaign literature). Above descriptions of the two candidates' positions on various issues was a caption reading, "There is a real difference." Augustine served in the
Nevada Senate
The Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada, the lower house being the Nevada Assembly. It currently (2012–2021) consists of 21 members from single-member districts. In the pr ...
from 1995 to 1999. In the
1994 state senate election, she defeated incumbent
Lori Lipman Brown
Lori Lipman Brown (born June 17, 1958) is an American politician and activist from the state of Nevada. She has served as a state senator, lobbyist, lawyer, educator, and social worker supporter. Additionally, her political views have been secula ...
, and once again drew controversy for a campaign advertisement in which she accused Brown of being opposed to prayer and the
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is a patriotic recited verse that promises allegiance to the flag of the United States and the republic of the United States of America. The first version, with a text different from the one used ...
. In fact, Brown, who is
ethnically Jewish (though an
atheist theologically), declined to participate in a prayer led by a Christian minister, and the accusation regarding Brown's opposition to the Pledge was false. In
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
, Augustine was elected as the state's first female
State Controller, serving in that post until her death. In January 2004,
George W. Bush administration
George W. Bush's tenure as the 43rd president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2001, and ended on January 20, 2009. Bush, a Republican from Texas, took office following a narrow victory over Democratic ...
officials advised Augustine that she was a finalist to become
Treasurer of the United States
The treasurer of the United States is an officer in the United States Department of the Treasury who serves as custodian and trustee of the federal government's collateral assets and the supervisor of the department's currency and coinage produc ...
; however,
Anna Escobedo Cabral
Anna Escobedo Cabral (born October 12, 1959) is an American politician who serves as the Unit Chief for Strategic Communications in the External Relations Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Prior to joining the bank, Cabral ...
was subsequently nominated and confirmed as Treasurer.
Impeachment and censure
In September 2004, Augustine was accused of violating state ethics laws during her 2002 re-election campaign, and was fined a record $15,000 by the state Ethics Commission for using state personnel and equipment for her personal re-election campaign. As a result of the investigation, she was
impeached by the
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada, the upper house being the Nevada Senate. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member district ...
in November of the same year, and temporarily relinquished office. She was the first Nevada state official to be impeached. Following a week-long trial in the
Nevada Senate
The Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada, the lower house being the Nevada Assembly. It currently (2012–2021) consists of 21 members from single-member districts. In the pr ...
, she was convicted on one charge, but
acquitted
In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as criminal law is concerned. The finality of an acquittal is dependent on the jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the ...
on three others. Augustine was censured, but allowed to resume office.
2006 State Treasurer race
Unable to seek a third term as State Controller due to term limits, in January 2006, Augustine announced her candidacy for
Nevada State Treasurer
The Nevada State Treasurer is an elected office in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Nevada State Treasurer is based in Carson City, Nevada. The Treasurer is elected to a four-year term and may serve for eight years or two terms under Nevada's term li ...
, despite opposition from
state Republican Party leaders stemming from her impeachment. In May 2006, the party voted to deny her party support in the State Treasurer race. Despite her death, her name remained on the ballot for the August 15 primary, and she received 18.64% of the vote.
Murder and subsequent death investigation
On July 8, 2006, Augustine was found unconscious in her
Reno
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...
home, and died three days later without regaining consciousness.
Following Augustine's death
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Kenny Guinn
Kenneth Carroll Guinn (August 24, 1936 – July 22, 2010), was an American academic administrator, businessman and politician who served as the 27th Governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007 and interim president of the University of Nevada, Las Vega ...
appointed Steve Martin, an accountant and Republican candidate in the 2006 State Controller race, to succeed her.
Although early reports stated that the cause of death was a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
, police soon came to suspect foul play.
On July 14, 2006, her husband, nurse Chaz Higgs, attempted suicide by slitting his wrists in the couple's Las Vegas home.
Higgs was arrested in
Hampton, Virginia on September 29, 2006, and charged with
first degree murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...
in Augustine's death after an
FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...
toxicology test found traces of the paralyzing drug
succinylcholine
Suxamethonium chloride, also known as suxamethonium or succinylcholine, or simply sux by medical abbreviation, is a medication used to cause short-term paralysis as part of general anesthesia. This is done to help with tracheal intubation or ele ...
in her system.
Higgs, a critical care nurse, allegedly made suspicious remarks to a co-worker about how to kill someone undetectably using succinylcholine.
He was
extradited
Extradition is an action wherein one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, over to the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement procedure between the two jurisdi ...
back to Nevada.
The warrant and test results were kept secret until Higgs's arrest.
Higgs was convicted of murder by a Reno jury on June 29, 2007.
He was sentenced to
life in prison
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...
, with a chance of
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
after 20 years.
He was placed on
suicide watch after twice trying to kill himself while in custody.
Higgs is housed in the
High Desert State Prison near
Indian Springs, Nevada
Indian Springs is an unincorporated town and a census-designated place located on U.S. Route 95 next to Creech Air Force Base in northwestern Clark County and southern Nevada.
The population was 991 at the 2010 census.
History
The community wa ...
.
In May 2009, the
Nevada Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Nevada is the highest state court of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the head of the Nevada Judiciary. The main constitutional function of the Supreme Court is to review appeals made directly from the decisions of the distric ...
upheld Higgs' murder conviction in a majority decision.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
Press Releases Controller's Office, States of Nevada. Retrieved on July 14, 2006. NB: Augustine's press releases while in office.
Husband convicted of murderRetrieved June 29, 2007.
*
*
Power, Passion, and Poison - ''
48 Hours Mystery'' story about Augustine's death (December 20, 2008)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Augustine, Kathy Marie Alfano
1956 births
2006 deaths
20th-century American politicians
20th-century American women politicians
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians
American people of Italian descent
California State University, Long Beach alumni
Candidates in the 2006 United States elections
Drug-related deaths in Nevada
Impeached state and territorial constitutional officers of the United States
Republican Party members of the Nevada Assembly
Republican Party Nevada state senators
Occidental College alumni
People murdered in Nevada
Politicians from Las Vegas
Politicians from Los Angeles
State Controllers of Nevada
Uxoricides
Women state legislators in Nevada