ST. PAUL — The family of a St. Paul woman who was killed three years ago has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her husband, who was convicted of murder.
Jeffery Trevino, 42, is serving 27 years in prison for the death of his wife, Kira Steger. Thirty-year-old Steger disappeared Feb. 21, 2013, and her body was found 11 weeks later in the Mississippi River. Prosecutors said Trevino smothered her, then drove her car to the Mall of America, where she worked, so it would look like she'd been abducted.
Steger's family filed the lawsuit Thursday in Ramsey County. An attorney for Steger's mother said the family is going after Trevino's homeowner's policy and his union pension. Attorney Paul Sortland said because Trevino was convicted of unintentional murder, the family believes his homeowner's policy should cover Steger's death.
The family seeks damages in excess of $50,000. Sortland said the family is prepared to go to court if the insurer won't agree to a settlement.
At Trevino's sentencing in November 2013, family members talked about the trauma of losing Kira Steger and searching for her for 11 weeks. They missed work and racked up medical and counseling bills.
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"Money is all we can get them. We can't bring Kira back," Sortland said. "But we believe money is better than nothing."
Trevino has maintained his innocence. He appealed his conviction, but the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld it last year.
