A New Mexico woman has received a new chance at life on the outside 24 years after being convicted for the killing of her boyfriend’s estranged wife. Linda Henning, 73, was granted a new trial after a judge ruled she was mentally incompetent during her infamous 2002 trial, which included reptilian portals, cat-like creatures, and “golden discs.”
1999 Mysterious Killing
In October 2002, Henning was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to 73.5 years for the 1999 killing of Girly Chew Hossencofft, 36. The victim was last seen in Albuquerque on September 9, 1999, and her body has not been found to this day.
Prosecutors said at the time that Henning conspired with her then-boyfriend, Diazien Hossencofft, to kill his wife, who initiated divorce proceedings earlier in the year and moved out of their home.
Girly’s remains may have never been found, but investigators discovered various other items suggesting she had been murdered along a highway near Magdalena, New Mexico. They recovered a tarp, clothing, duct tape, among other items, that had her DNA on it.
The Original Trial
The case drew national attention during trial as Henning, a former fashion model and designer, made strange claims and expressed unconventional beliefs. She testified that she told a friend she saw reptilian symbols along a freeway that were markings of portals that would take her through time and space.
She also claimed that she and her boyfriend were able to transform into cat-like creatures with fangs while engaging in sexual activity.
Finding Linda Henning Mentally Incompetent
Second Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos took a fresh look at the trial from more than two decades ago and was appalled by the prosecution. She ordered a new trial on Monday, October 19, 2026, calling it an “absolutely overwhelming miscarriage of justice.”
Leos ruled that Henning was suffering from severe delusions at the time of her first trial, which prevented her from being competent to assist in her own defense. “How can she rationally assist her attorney, given that she didn’t even think she was involved in the crime?” Leos said.
The judge cited two psychiatric reports during Monday’s hearing, which showed that Henning suffered from mental disorders that prevented her from understanding the charges against her. According to Henning at the time, she thought prosecutors were pursuing her in Girly’s murder because they wanted mysterious “golden discs” she believed she had.
“Ms. Henning was convinced that she had no involvement in this crime,” Leos said.
Former Attorney Maintains Her Innocence
Henning’s current attorney, Nicholas Hart, says her original defense, Gary Mitchell, did not raise questions about her competency, arguing that he did not want to damage their attorney-client relationship.
However, Mitchell refused that notion, saying he consulted with a neuropsychologist who found Henning competent to stand trial in 2002 and a psychologist hired by the prosecution also drew that same conclusion. “I’ve never worried about losing clients,” Mitchell said, adding that he welcomes a new trial for his former client.
“She should have never been convicted; she did not commit the homicide, nor did she really help with it,” he said.
Current Case Status
Henning has been in custody since her arrest in 1999 and now has a chance at a life beyond the prison walls. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, to determine if she is eligible for release pending a new trial. Prosecutors were ordered to prepare a pretrial detention motion if they wish for her to remain in prison instead.
Diazien was sentenced to life plus 61 years after pleading no contest to murder, kidnapping, and other felony charges in 2002. As part of a plea agreement, he was sent to the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins, Wyoming, where he remains incarcerated.
