NEW ORLEANS - A former New Orleans sportscaster who was convicted of murder has died in jail.

WWL-TV reports that Vince Marinello, who had been serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife in 2006, died Feb. 21 at Dixon Correctional Center in Jackson, Louisiana. 

Officials with the Department of Corrections confirmed that Marinello's death was from natural causes.

In 2008, Marinello, a popular local radio broadcaster was convicted of the 2006 fatal shooting of his estranged wife, Mary Elizabeth Marinello in a Metairie Road parking lot. 

During his trial, prosecutors explained that Marinello took great care to plan her murder. Lawyers said he purchased a disguise, armed himself, and then, as his wife was leaving a therapy session and walking in a Metairie Road parking lot, he shot her in the face twice. After this, he fled to Mississippi, hoping to establish an alibi of being out of town at the time of her murder. 

But Prosecutors used cell phone records to prove that Marinello left town after her death, and a search of Marinello's post-Katrina FEMA trailer revealed a checklist that detailed how he would commit and cover up the crime. 

Despite this evidence, Marniello insisted that he was innocent throughout the trial and while incarcerated. 

His trial was in Lafayette to ensure that an impartial jury would hear his case, which would have been difficult in the New Orleans area.

Marinello worked as a sportscaster at WDSU-TV for many years in the 1980s and 90s, as well as on radio at KOOL 95.7 and WWL Radio. He also worked for years at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Marinello was 82 years old.