Carole Garton & her unborn child murder 5/16/1998 Cottonwood, CA *Husband, Todd Garton, hired Norman Daniels to killer pregnant wife*

Garton told [petitioner] that May 16, 1998, would be a good day to kill Carole because she would be home alone while Garton was working at a gun show. [Petitioner] took the preceding week off from work to ensure he would be available when the opportunity arose. [Petitioner] spent the night of May 15 in the Gartons’ home. The next day, [petitioner] accompanied Garton to the gun show but later drove himself and Carole to the Gartons’ residence after she stopped by the show following a visit to the hospital maternity ward. As he drove to the Garton residence, [petitioner] thought about turning the opposite way and going to the police station. On further reflection, though, [petitioner] thought such a move could make things even worse for his family. If he went to the police, it would simply be his word against Garton’s. [Petitioner] decided to proceed to the Garton home and carry out the plan.
At the Gartons’ residence, [petitioner] and Carole watched a rented movie. Later, [petitioner] returned the movie to the video store while Carole went to lie down in her bedroom. During his trip to and from the video store, [petitioner] thought about how he would enter the house and carry out the killing.
When [petitioner] returned to the Garton home, Carole was still lying on her bed. [Petitioner] entered Carole’s bedroom with the .44 revolver cocked in his pocket, and began conversing with her. Thinking it was “[n]ow or never,” [petitioner] turned away so Carole would not see him removing the gun; then he whirled around and shot Carole in the head as she was looking at him. [Petitioner] fired twice more into her head and twice into her torso.
[Petitioner] paged Garton and E-mailed The Company about completing the assignment. [Petitioner] did not really try to dispose of the gun or other evidence.

Taken from Daniels appeal, there is more information in the appeal document.

I have not been able to find pictures of either the victim, Carole Garton or the 2 defendants, Todd Garton or Norman Daniels. If you have one you would like to share, please let me know.

Defendants
Todd Jesse Garton – convicted, sentenced to death
Norman Gerald Daniels III – convicted, sentenced to 50 years in prison

Daniels v. Adams
RAY COLD CASE: NORTH STATE FAMILIES GRAPPLE WITH MURDERS
Murder tale to air on TV
Todd Garton pen pal ad

Books
Kill Or Be Killed
Married to Murder

Movies/Documentaries
Nothing Personal: Married To A Rockstar
Wikipedia: Nothing Personal Episode Guide
The Investigators: Toy Soldier

INMATE INFORMATION

Name: GARTON, TODD JESSE
CDCR#: T16423
Age: 42
Admission Date: 05/04/2001
Current Location: San Quentin
Physical Address:
San Quentin, CA 94964
(415) 454-1460

INMATE INFORMATION
Name: DANIELS NORMAN GERALD
CDCR#: T46088
Age: 44
Admission Date: 04/10/2002
Current Location: SATF-CSP (Corcoran)
Physical Address:
900 Quebec Avenue
Corcoran, CA 93212
(559) 992-7100