In 1989, the family moved west to Fresno, California, where Larissa took a job at an agricultural research lab.
Larissa was eventually awarded primary custody of Tyler and was allowed to stay in the couple's house.
"[6] On the morning of July 10, 2003, Tim Schuster was supposed to meet with a co-worker for breakfast, but had apparently missed the appointment.
[citation needed] James Fagone, who had also been charged with first-degree murder as well as kidnapping, went to trial in November 2006.
Although James Fagone was acquitted of kidnapping, he was found guilty of first-degree murder, and despite jurors' pleas for leniency, he was sentenced to life without parole.
[2] Prosecutors had alleged to the jury that Larissa Schuster had attempted to solicit Tim's murder before, believing that she could get away with it.
They also played graphic and berating phone messages from Larissa that Tim had saved on his answering machine.
On the stand, Larissa testified how she had no foreknowledge of the murder and that James Fagone was actually Tim Schuster's killer.
She also maintained that the reason for the large amounts of chemicals at her laboratory were not to be used for the murder of Timothy Schuster, but for a wholesale cleaning of the items at the lab.
[16] Her testimony proved to have not swayed the jury; she was found guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of financial gain.
[17] Due to the special circumstance finding, Larissa Schuster was mandatorily sentenced to life without parole on May 16, 2008.
I pray you're continually haunted at night by the sight and sound of my father fighting for his last breathing moments on this earth.
I hope you toss and turn and have horrible nightmares visualizing the horrific act of violence you have committed.".