Hanford man learns charges he faces for wife's murder

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Hanford man learned the charges he'll face at trial, after the murder of his wife last August.

A Kings County judge determined there is enough evidence to charge Hanford father Todd Pate with the murder of his wife, Melanie. He's also facing charges for torture, and that the crime was heinous in nature.

Melanie Pate's friend, Christine Kinyoun said, "I'm glad that he's going to be facing for all three charges and I'm glad he's not going to be getting away with anything."

During the hearing, prosecutors showed the judge photos from the murder scene where Melanie was stabbed to death in the neck, and then thrown in the backyard pool. Todd showed no emotion in court.

Prosecutors say Todd planned his wife's murder, after she served him with divorce papers just a few days earlier. In court, attorneys discussed what investigators called "goodbye letters" discovered in Todd and Melanie's car after her murder and his arrest.

Hanford police detective Cory Mathews testified that the letters were written to family members, asking to forgive him for what he did and that it just got too hard. He could not put into words why he did what he did.

Defense attorneys say the letters were because Todd was contemplating suicide after months of realizing his marriage was falling apart.

Melanie's friends, who attended the hearing wearing shirts with the words "Team Melanie" on them, say some of the details in court were hard to hear. They hope she's remembered instead for bring a bright, loving person.

Kinyoun added, "She was just a really good person she was very outgoing, she was really well liked by a lot of people in Hanford and I just want her to be remember for who she was."

If convicted of the first degree murder charge and the special allegations Todd could face the death penalty. He'll be back in court next month.