by | Published
KENDALL COUNTY, Texas - A former Texas attorney has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after admitting to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an estate established for six children whose parents died in a murder-suicide.
Karen Hogan, a former attorney and court-appointed fiduciary, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2026, to Misapplication of Fiduciary/Financial Property of $300,000 or More, a first-degree felony, and Exploitation of a Child, Elderly Individual, or Disabled Person, a third-degree felony.
Judge Kirsten Cohoon of the 451st District Court sentenced Hogan on June 1 to 20 years in prison on the first-degree felony charge and 10 years on the third-degree felony charge. The sentences will be served in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The court also imposed a $5,000 fine and ordered Hogan to pay $189,678.50 in restitution.
The case stemmed from Hogan's role as temporary administrator of the estate of Jason and Emily Evans. On Dec. 31, 2021, Jason Evans murdered his wife, Emily, before taking his own life in the family's garage. Their six children, ranging in age from 4 to 15 years old, were left orphaned and went to live with their maternal grandmother. Hogan was appointed by the probate court to manage the estate on behalf of the children.
Investigators determined Hogan improperly used estate funds intended to benefit the children, stealing nearly $542,200 from the estate. Although a bonding company reimbursed a portion of the losses, nearly $190,000 remains owed to the estate.
During the sentencing hearing, Kendall County Sheriff's Office Lt. Butch Matjeka testified that Hogan told investigators she had fallen victim to an online romance scam and had wired the stolen funds to individuals she believed she was romantically involved with. Investigators were unable to locate the recipient because the information Hogan provided was false.
Probation Officer Jake Meadows testified that Hogan accepted responsibility for much of her conduct but also attributed her actions to personal losses, a brain tumor, and the circumstances surrounding her appointment to the case. Meadows further testified that Hogan was unable or unwilling to provide clear information regarding her finances, which included a San Antonio home valued at approximately $575,000 and a monthly pension of about $7,000.
Several members of Hogan's church community, legal colleagues, and retired Probate Judge Polly Jackson Spencer testified on her behalf, describing the conduct as out of character and citing her previously respected legal career. Defense attorneys argued Hogan should receive probation because she had no prior criminal history and would be better positioned to repay restitution while not incarcerated.
Prosecutors sought the maximum punishment allowed under the plea agreement, arguing Hogan had shown little remorse and had failed to make meaningful efforts to repay the stolen funds despite having the ability to do so.
In announcing the sentence, Judge Cohoon criticized Hogan's breach of trust and failure to make the children whole, describing the case as one of the most troubling she had encountered on the bench. Hogan voluntarily surrendered her law license.
The investigation was conducted by the Kendall County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant Criminal District Attorney Alessandra Deike.
