Parole denied for Utah man who drowned wife in fishpond

Courts • David Mead's next parole hearing will be in 2037.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent.

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Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead, left, reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune David Mead, who was convicted of drowning his wife in a backyard fishpond in 1994, speaks at his first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent. Today he told his story to family members and accepted his guilt in the death of his wife. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Mary Stokes, sister of Pamela Mead reads statement at David Mead's first parole hearing at the Utah State Prison in Draper on Tuesday October 18. Prosecutors alleged the Salt Lake City man hit his wife Pamela Mead in the head with a brick and drowned her in their fish pond in 1994 so he could collect $500,000 in life insurance. Mead, who was charged three years after his wife's death, insisted at his trial that he was innocent.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· November 9, 2016 8:22 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A man convicted nearly two decades ago of drowning his wife in a fishpond at their Salt Lake City home will spend at least another 21 years in prison, the Utah Board of Pardons decided this week.

David E. Mead, now 49, was convicted by a jury in 1998 of first-degree felony murder and second-degree murder solicitation for the 1994 death of 29-year-old Pamela Mead.

Mead will not appear again before the parole board until October 2037.

In denying Mead a parole date, the board cited as aggravating factors: nature of the offense, victim impact and that "risk or behavior warrant additional incarceration." The board found there were no mitigating factors.

At a parole hearing last month, Mead admitted for the first time that he committed the "unforgivable act" of killing his wife.

Mead claimed his wife grabbed and struck him on Aug. 15, 1994, after he told her about his mistress as they were standing in their backyard, and he pushed her away from him into the pond.

He said had walked halfway across the yard when he realized Pamela Mead was not getting up.

"I let her go," Mead told Clark Harms, a member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole who conducted the hearing. "I stood there and I allowed her to drown. I let her drown right there in front of me and I walked away."

Mead said it took about two to three minutes for Pamela Mead to drown.

He then changed his shirt, which his wife had torn in their confrontation, and went to work, Mead said.

"That's what happened on Aug. 15, Sir," he said. "I killed my wife."

In addition, Mead — who said he was having financial problems and being pressured by his mistress — admitted to asking his cousin to kill his wife.

"I was a greedy, greedy miserable human being," he told the parole board.