In December of 1967, a gruesome murder occurred in the Texas Tech Science Building. The victim was a university custodian. The prime suspect? A graduate student, Benjamin Lach. The motive? Lach was accused of being confronted by the custodian in an effort to steal test answers. The charge? “Murder with Malice”, which was a capital offense, punishable by death.

The trial captured headlines for the shock of the crime and location, but its importance for the accused is the affect of a character witness on a jury. Attorney Chuck Lanehart, uncovers all the details of the case and conviction of Benjamin Lach in the Caprock Chronicle.