A Karnes County jury found Jose Godinez guilty of murdering Jody Spencer on August 27, and he has now been sentenced to 60 years in prison, with no chance at parole until he serves at least 30 years behind bars. Spencer and Godinez had dated on and off, according to prosecutors, and the Kenedy Police Department investigated her killing before the case reached trial.
Godinez chose to let Judge Jennifer M. Dillingham determine his punishment rather than leave the decision to the jury, as reported by WOAI. Dillingham presides over the 81st Judicial District Court, which handles felony cases not just in Karnes County but across Atascosa, Frio, LaSalle, and Wilson counties as well, according to the 81st & 218th District Court.
A Sentence Measured in Calendar Years, Not Credits
The 60-year sentence falls within the punishment range Texas law allows for murder, a first-degree felony that can carry anywhere from 5 to 99 years or life in prison under Texas Penal Code Section 19.02. But the more immediate number for Godinez is 30 — the minimum number of calendar years he must serve before he's even eligible for parole.
That threshold isn't negotiable through good behavior. Under Texas Government Code Section 508.145(d), inmates convicted of murder must serve actual calendar time equal to half their sentence or 30 years, whichever is less, without earning good-conduct time credits toward parole eligibility. For Godinez, half of 60 years would be 30 years anyway, meaning he's facing the statutory maximum minimum-service requirement that applies to non-capital murder convictions in Texas.
Prosecutor Ties Case to Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The sentencing landed during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and 81st Judicial District Attorney Audrey Gossett Louis marked the outcome in a Facebook post, saying the case reminds people they deserve safety in their relationships and reaffirming support for victims and accountability for abusers. Gossett Louis has held the district attorney post since January 2017, overseeing felony prosecutions across all five counties in the district, per the 81st Judicial District DA's Office.
Her public comments on the case align with her broader involvement in domestic violence advocacy. Gossett Louis sits on the Board of Directors for the Safer Path Family Violence Shelter and was appointed in April 2024 to the Texas Governor's Sexual Assault Survivor's Task Force, according to the Texas Federation of Republican Women. The Godinez sentencing follows other family-violence cases her office has pursued recently in the district, including an 8-year sentence for stabbing his brother and a 35-year sentence handed down to an Atascosa County man for abusing two family members.
Public records from the 81st District Court also show that Godinez had pre-trial proceedings dating back to late 2024, including a writ of habeas corpus hearing filed under case number 24-10-00206K in Karnes County, according to the 81st & 218th District Court Docket. The case originated in Kenedy.
